NFL Draft Notebook: Scouting Alabama QB Ty Simpson; Bengals OT target to watch

With college football camps set to open in less than two weeks, NFL Mocks is wrapping up its preseason evaluations for the 2026 NFL Draft. In this edition of NFL Draft Notebook, we break down Alabama quarterback Ty Simpson’s potential as the new starter, spotlight a tackle who could solve Cincinnati’s left tackle problem, highlight a high-upside quarterback transfer, and more.

Latest 2026 NFL Draft news and notes

What type of NFL prospect is Ty Simpson

While one of the bigger questions heading into the 2025 season for Alabama is quarterback play, after breaking down Ty Simpson’s game Crimson Tide fans should feel at ease. Several promising traits stand out, and it’s easy to see why 247Sports gave him a first round grade coming out of high school. He’s an impressive athlete for a pocket passer, showing the mobility to extend plays or hurt defenses in the run game. He also has a strong arm with enough zip to drive the ball in the short to intermediate game and the velocity to challenge defenses vertically. Going into the season, I have a fifth round grade on him based on those tools. That could rise if he improves his accuracy, proves he can handle the physical grind of the SEC at 6-foot-2 and 208 pounds, and continues to grow with more experience.

Utah’s Spencer Fano would be a natural fit in Cincinnati

Going into the 2025 season the Cincinnati Bengals have one of the worst offensive lines in the NFL according to Pro Football Focus. A big reason why they are rated so low is the play of left tackle Orlando Brown Jr. who was ranked as one of the worst tackles in the game last season earning a 58.2 grade. A possible replacement for him is Utah’s Spencer Fano who gave up just one sack last season and has played both left and right tackle for the Utes. As a pro prospect he is one of the more fundamentally sound linemen in the 2026 NFL Draft and shows high end strength and mobility.

High upside quarterback

While former Duke quarterback Maalik Murphy had an up-and-down season last year and eventually lost his starting job to former Tulane quarterback Darian Mensah, which led to his transfer to Oregon State, he still has the tools to be a late-round pick in the 2026 NFL Draft. One of his most impressive traits is his elite arm strength, which allows him to easily stretch the field vertically. He also has prototypical quarterback size at 6-foot-5 and 230 pounds. That said, Murphy has several areas to clean up. His spotty footwork led to accuracy issues last season, and he struggled with decision-making, throwing 12 interceptions after forcing too many passes into coverage. Despite the inconsistency, I have a seventh-round grade on him heading into the season due to his upside and the developmental traits he brings as a potential NFL backup.

Don’t Forget About: Tyler Brown, WR, Clemson

While Antonio Williams continues to generate NFL Draft buzz, don’t sleep on Clemson’s other wideout. Tyler Brown was a freshman All-American in 2023 after hauling in 52 passes for 531 yards and four touchdowns. He also added value as a punt returner with good vision and contact balance. An ankle injury sidelined him for most of 2024, but if he returns to form this season, Brown has the skill set to emerge as a legit 2026 NFL Draft prospect.

More 2026 NFL Draft news:

Can Kage Casey make Boise State history

One of the top Group of Five schools in college football has been Boise State, but they have never had back-to-back first round picks. That could change this season as offensive tackle Kage Casey could be a first round pick after the Las Vegas Raiders took Ashton Jeanty with the sixth pick in the 2025 NFL Draft. A big reason why Casey is viewed as a late first-round pick on my board going into the season is his pass blocking ability. He plays with excellent balance and a good base, which helped him avoid allowing a single sack last season. His 99.3 PFF pass blocking efficiency ranked third among NCAA offensive tackles. He’s also a strong run blocker who consistently knocks defenders back with his initial punch and finishes blocks with authority.

Scouts not sold on Penn State QB

NFL Draft insider Tony Pauline had an interesting note on Penn State quarterback Drew Allar in his latest quarterback breakdown. According to Pauline, scouts have a lower grade on Allar entering this season than they did one year ago. This is notable considering Allar had one of his best seasons with the Nittany Lions, setting career highs in both passing yards and completion percentage. That said, he still struggles against top competition and misses too many easy throws. According to BQA, a big reason is that he often throws with too wide of a base, which really hurts his accuracy.

Setback for highly thought of NFL Draft prospect

In last week’s NFL Draft Notebook, I highlighted why I thought Notre Dame offensive lineman Charles Jagusah had All-Pro potential. Unfortunately, his chance to prove that statement correct faced a setback due to a UTV accident that will sideline him for the first couple of games of the 2025 season. This is an even bigger deal for Jagusah as he only has four starts going into the season, having missed most of last year due to a torn pectoral/shoulder muscle. The fact he has been so injury-prone will likely hurt his draft stock, and his best bet might be to return to Notre Dame in 2026 to hopefully play one season at full health.

Interesting stat

One thing to keep in mind during this time of year is that only 20% of players projected to go in the first round of the upcoming NFL Draft actually end up being first round picks. It’s a stat Arizona State head coach Kenny Dillingham uses with quarterback Sam Leavitt to emphasize how much movement happens between now and April. It’s a reminder that the draft process is far from settled. Plenty of highly touted prospects will fall off, and just as many under-the-radar players will rise.