It’s close to a lock that the Las Vegas Raiders select Fernando Mendoza with the first overall pick next week in the first round of the 2026 NFL Draft. The picture becomes foggy after that though. One of the biggest questions is which team will draft Alabama quarterback Ty Simpson? It will also be interesting to see if Simpson, who has just 15 college starts under his belt, will be selected in the first round. Below, we will look at all of the odds concerning Ty Simpson that are currently on the board at Fanatics Sportsbook.
Ty Simpson odds: Which team will draft the QB?
Right now, the Arizona Cardinals are the betting favorite to draft Simpson. In Mel Kiper Jr.’s latest mock draft, he had the Cardinals trading into the 30 spot (currently occupied by Denver) to take Simpson. Fanatics has the Cardinals at +135 to draft Simpson.
As of now, Arizona’s quarterback room consists of Jacoby Brissett and Gardner Minshew, so it’s clear that they will be looking to add a young QB in the draft either this year or next. Next year’s QB class is expected to be loaded, with Arch Manning, Julian Sayin, and Dante Moore expected to be available.
Arizona’s new head coach, Mike LaFleur comes from the offensive side of the ball, having served as the Rams’ offensive coordinator the past three seasons. He will surely want an upgrade at the position soon.
Most mocks have pegged Simpson as a fringe first-rounder. The Cardinals could very well risk it and hope Simpson is still available when they pick at No. 34 overall. But there are other teams also looking for a young quarterback.
The New York Jets are +210 at Fanatics to draft Simpson. The Athletic’s Nick Baumgardner had Gang Green taking Simpson No. 33 overall in his latest mock, with the following write-up:
“Simpson hearing his name in the back half of Round 1 wouldn’t surprise anyone; I just have a hard time stamping him as a first-rounder based on the little evidence we have. He has NFL starting-caliber traits, but whether or not he puts them together remains a guess at best.”
The LA Rams are next on Fanatics’ board to draft Simpson with a +550 price. There might be some value here, as three different NFL reporters on The Rich Eisen Show recently mentioned the Rams as a potential landing spot for Simpson. Todd McShay, Albert Breer and Tom Pelissero each said they think Sean McVay could have interest. With 38-year-old Matthew Stafford nearing retirement, it makes sense for McVay to grab a young QB and have him sit under the Stafford learning tree for a season or two.
The Pittsburgh Steelers are also in the market for a young QB, and Pittsburgh is +850 to select Simpson. NFL.com’s Adam Rank wrote this week that he believes Pittsburgh should take Simpson No. 21 overall and have him sit behind Aaron Rodgers for a season.
Total quarterbacks taken in Round 1
Fanatics Sportsbook currently has a prop of “Total quarterbacks drafted in Round 1.” The Over/Under is 1.5 with an equal amount of juice on the Over and Under.
Simpson’s draft position directly impacts this prop as he is seen as a late first rounder or early second rounder.
LSU QB Garrett Nussmeier, Miami’s Carson Beck, and Penn State’s Drew Allar are expected to go anywhere from late second round to late fifth round.
