One of the biggest fears many Pittsburgh Steelers fans had entering the pre-draft process was whether the team would reach to land a quarterback with their top pick in the 2026 NFL Draft. While it feels like a guarantee that general manager Omar Khan will take a QB at some point during the draft, we can breathe a sigh of relief that one polarizing prospect is almost certainly off their radar.
On Wednesday, NFL clubs were forced to wrap up their pre-draft visits with prospects. Pittsburgh's brass used all 30 visits, including an additional three local visits. But one notable name who did not make the cut was Alabama quarterback Ty Simpson.
Since early in the 2025 college football season, Simpson has often been linked to the Steelers. However, now that we are less than a week from the draft, we can officially put the Ty Simpson conversation to rest.
The Pittsburgh Steelers won't draft Ty Simpson in Round 1 of the 2026 NFL Draft
Based on recent draft trends, there's almost no chance the Pittsburgh Steelers take a shot at Simpson in the first round. For five straight years, this team has only selected players in Round 1 that they met with for 30 visits or saw first-hand at their Pro Days. These are boxes the Steelers willingly left unchecked with Simpson.
After Pittsburgh's brass was a no-show for Simpson's Alabama Pro Day, they met with dozens of players for pre-draft visits... but there wasn't enough interest in Simpson to carve out a single pre-draft visit out of 30.
This isn't something a team does if they are considering a quarterback in Round 1.
Instead, the Steelers took the time to meet with a handful of QBs expected to go in the mid-rounds of the draft, like Penn State's Drew Allar, Miami's Carson Beck, North Dakota State's Cole Payton, and Arkansas' Taylen Green. This is where Pittsburgh seems destined to take its quarterback swing. It's likely their big swing could come in the 2027 draft.
Don't get me wrong, there are some things to like about Simpson's game. He's not afraid to stand in the pocket and take a hit while delivering the football, and he has enough functional athleticism to extend the play at the next level.
However, Simpson is not only undersized at 6'1 1/8'' and 211pounds, but he's also raw. With just one year of starting experience, there are major concerns about the Alabama prospect's pro readiness, and his lack of production and snaps is a red flag indicating major bust potential.
Simpson may very well work out for some team and prove to be a quality starting quarterback, but the last thing Steelers fans want is to take a risky swing on a quarterback without elite tools or upside after busting on Kenny Pickett in 2022.
Pittsburgh could always surprise us if Simpson slips deep into Round 2 and they want to throw a dart at the board. But if recent draft trends hold true, Khan won't even consider Ty Simpson as a candidate at pick No. 21.
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