On Monday, Dan Orlovsky decided to send shockwaves through the mock draft universe.
On ESPN’s “Get Up,” Orlovsky declared that Alabama quarterback Ty Simpson should be the 2026 NFL Draft’s No. 1 quarterback over Indiana’s Heisman-winning Fernando Mendoza.
Mendoza is widely expected to become the No. 1 overall selection in the 2026 NFL Draft. He put together an incredible season with the Hoosiers that resulted in a national championship and Heisman trophy.
The Las Vegas Raiders are desperate for a quarterback after winning just two games with Geno Smith one season ago. At this point, it would be a major shock if they didn’t draft Mendoza.
But could there be credence to what Orlovsky said about Simpson being the real gem of this class?
Already, internet sleuths have uncovered that Simpson and Orlovsky are both represented by CAA, a powerhouse in the sports, media and entertainment world. Some folks have suggested that the famous four-letter network encouraged Orlovsky to stir up talks about Simpson to increase the intrigue around this upcoming draft.
That all feels… farfetched.
In his lone season as the starting quarterback for the Crimson Tide, Simpson threw for 3,567 yards. He had 28 passing touchdowns compared to just five interceptions. He added another five rushing touchdowns with his legs.
Comparing that production to Mendoza is a bit unfair.
Mendoza appeared in 20 games at Cal before transferring to Indiana for his final season of college football. In his sophomore year with the Bears, Mendoza threw for 3,004 yards, 16 touchdowns and six interceptions. He exploded onto the scene with the Hoosiers as a junior, amassing 3,535 yards and 41 passing touchdowns compared to six interceptions.
Simpson, 23, is a year older than Mendoza, 22, but had to sit behind Jalen Milroe and Bryce Young before he earned his opportunity to play.
What if Simpson had what Mendoza was working with?
It’s a fair question to ask. Simpson’s sample size as a starting quarterback is just 15 games. He dealt with a fair amount of injuries throughout that duration, too.
The Crimson Tide dealt with a down year from star wide receiver Ryan Williams and Simpson’s other top weapon, Germie Bernard, is a projected third-round draft pick.
In Indiana, the Hoosiers spent a good bit of NIL cash on Mendoza. But they paid up to surround the former Cal quarterback with the pieces and parts necessary to win a national championship. Omar Cooper Jr. is expected to be a first-round selection that could go higher than mock drafts currently project. Elijah Sarratt will probably be drafted on Day 2.
An NFL team will gamble on Simpson’s small sample size – there’s no doubt about it. The NFL is a league built on supply and demand. There’s a big demand for franchise quarterbacks, but they don’t grow on trees. When Simpson was healthy early in the season, Alabama looked unstoppable and he looked like a top draft pick.
There’s never a sure thing when it comes to selecting quarterbacks in the NFL Draft.
That’s why Simpson is going to be selected in the first round, even if he’s not quite as good yet as Orlovsky thinks.
