The New York Jets are back at square one, and honestly, it’s a story we’ve heard a dozen times before: the team needs a quarterback. For the last twenty years, the Jets have constantly been drafting players for their QB position, hoping to find a star, but nothing has worked for them. Now, with the 2026 Draft coming up, they’re putting a lot of energy into scouting Alabama’s Ty Simpson to see if he’s finally the one who can break the invisible curse.

But this season, the Jets have two massive opportunities with the No. 2 and No. 16 overall picks. While most people expect they’ll use that second pick on a different position, Simpson is quickly becoming a favorite for that 16th spot.

“Alabama QB Ty Simpson is scheduled to hold a private workout this Friday with the Jets, per @FieldYates. The Jets own picks No. 2 and No. 16 in this year’s first round,” NFL insider Adam Schefter reported via his Instagram account.

Simpson is an interesting case. He spent four years at Alabama, but only really began playing at the starting position during his senior year in 2025. Because of that, he only had 15 starts under his belt. This caused some scouts to worry about his lack of experience.

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However, during his breakout season, he proved the experts wrong by throwing for over 3,500 yards and 28 touchdowns with only five picks.

He started the 2025 season so well that people thought he might be the #1 overall pick. Considering his stats, he had 15 touchdowns and only one turnover in his first five games. Even though things cooled off later in the year due to some injuries and a struggling supporting cast, the talent is clearly hard to ignore as the new season approaches.

This Friday’s workout is a huge deal. Since Fernando Mendoza is expected to go first overall to the Raiders, the Jets are looking at Simpson as the best available option. 

If he kills it in his private meeting with the team brass, he might just be the guy the Jets trust to finally lead them out of the quarterback wilderness.

However, the Jets face competition, as several other teams also view Simpson as a top candidate.

Ty Simpson could be a potential candidate for the NFL draft

The Cleveland Browns are also very interested in quarterback Ty Simpson and have been watching him closely as the NFL Draft approaches. They even held an official, face-to-face meeting with him during the NFL Combine in Indianapolis to get a better look.

Most experts believe Simpson will be the second quarterback drafted. The connection between the Cleveland Browns and quarterback prospect Ty Simpson is particularly strong due to the team’s new head coach, Todd Monken. During the NFL Combine, Monken discussed their long history together, noting that he had actually tried to recruit the young athlete to play for Georgia years ago. 

“Really fond of Ty, obviously a really good football player. Fired up for him because in today’s day and age, for him to stay as long as he did at Alabama and then get a chance to be the starting quarterback is pretty cool,” Monken said.

Beyond their professional link, they share a personal family tie: Simpson’s father, Jason, attended Southern Mississippi, which is the same school where Monken previously served as the head coach.

Cleveland’s interest in Ty Simpson indicates a major change for the team. While the Browns are currently open to letting Shedeur Sanders and Deshaun Watson compete for the starting spot, drafting Simpson would likely change that, which raises the question of why the team would make such a move.

Sanders struggled in his seven starts last year, throwing 10 interceptions and only seven touchdowns. Meanwhile, Watson has only played in 19 games since joining Cleveland in 2022. Both quarterbacks present major drawbacks, prompting the Browns to look at draft options.

If the Browns decide to bring in Simpson, they hope to finally end the quarterback carousel that has been spinning since Baker Mayfield left.