Cardinals Favored to Draft QB Ty Simpson in 2026 NFL Draft

Arizona could trade up to land the Alabama QB, seen as the clear QB2 in this year's class.

Apr. 17, 2026 at 8:35pm

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A cubist, geometric painting depicting the motion of a quarterback throwing a football, with sharp planes of red, white, and blue colors representing the Arizona Cardinals and Alabama Crimson Tide uniforms.The Cardinals' potential selection of Alabama QB Ty Simpson could reshape the 2026 NFL Draft landscape.Tuscaloosa Today

With the 2026 NFL Draft just six days away, the Arizona Cardinals are widely expected to select Alabama quarterback Ty Simpson, who is viewed as the clear QB2 in this year's class behind projected top overall pick Fernando Mendoza. The Cardinals hold the 34th overall pick, but could trade up to the Miami Dolphins' 30th selection to ensure they land Simpson.

Why it matters

The Cardinals are in need of a long-term answer at quarterback after Kyler Murray's recent struggles, and Simpson is seen as a potential franchise QB who could thrive in new offensive coordinator Mike LaFleur's system. Landing Simpson would be a major boost for the Cardinals as they look to return to playoff contention.

The details

ESPN's Todd McShay has stated that Simpson is a strong fit for the Cardinals and LaFleur's offense, while both McShay and Mel Kiper Jr. project Arizona trading up from 34 to 30 to select Simpson. An anonymous evaluator praised Simpson's competitiveness, intelligence and physical tools, though another NFC personnel staffer was more skeptical about the gap closing between Simpson and projected top pick Mendoza.

  • The 2026 NFL Draft is set to take place in six days on April 23rd.
  • Simpson completed 64.5% of his passes for 3,567 yards, 28 touchdowns and 5 interceptions at Alabama in 2025, leading the Crimson Tide to the College Football Playoff.

The players

Ty Simpson

The Alabama quarterback is widely viewed as the clear QB2 in the 2026 NFL Draft class behind projected top overall pick Fernando Mendoza.

Fernando Mendoza

The projected top overall pick in the 2026 NFL Draft, expected to be selected by the Las Vegas Raiders.

Monti Ossenfort

The general manager of the Arizona Cardinals, who holds the 34th overall pick and could trade up to land Ty Simpson.

Mike LaFleur

The new offensive coordinator of the Arizona Cardinals, whose system is seen as a strong fit for Ty Simpson's skillset.

Todd McShay

The ESPN analyst who has stated that Ty Simpson is a strong fit for the Cardinals and LaFleur's offense.

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What they’re saying

“Arizona is sitting in a unique spot because you got Mike LaFleur coming in. I think Ty Simpson fits what he would want to do.”

— Todd McShay, ESPN Analyst

“The dude is very competitive. Shows up in big moments. Smart. Has enough physical talent. He can move a little bit, throw, can make some plays.”

— Anonymous Evaluator

What’s next

The Cardinals will have to decide whether to select Ty Simpson with the 34th overall pick or trade up to the Dolphins' 30th selection to ensure they land the Alabama QB.

The takeaway

By targeting Ty Simpson, the Cardinals are positioning themselves to find a long-term answer at quarterback and build around a talented young passer who could thrive in their new offensive system. However, they'll need to be aggressive to land Simpson, potentially trading up in the draft to secure his services.