Are the Atlanta Falcons in the market for a quarterback in the upcoming 2026 NFL Draft? On the surface, you wouldn’t think so. It’s not time to give up on 2024 first-round pick Michael Penix, Jr., although the early returns haven’t been overwhelming. They also added former Miami Dolphins quarterback Tua Tagovailoa to the mix this year, but we all know how that goes. Is there a world where they make a move to get Ty Simpson from Alabama?
The Falcons would have the 13th-overall pick this year, but they traded that selection to the Los Angeles Rams last year in the James Pearce, Jr. trade. Boy, I’ll be that they’d like to have a do-over on that one.
If they still held that pick, they could conceivably be interested in Simpson. Without that first rounder, it’s safe to say the Falcons will miss out on Simpson and the consensus No. 1-overall pick Fernando Mendoza from Indiana.
But, it’s possible that the Falcons could jump back into the first round with a trade, especially considering they have a new head coach in Kevin Stefanski and a new general manager in Ian Cunningham. Neither of them are tied to Penix.
Former Atlanta Falcons head coach Mike Smith talks about Ty Simpson
Mike Smith was the head coach of the Falcons from 2008-2014 and oversaw the development of Matt Ryan. But, he was a defensive coordinator before that, so let’s tap the brakes on giving him credit for Ryan’s rise to NFL star and should-have-been-Super-Bowl-winner.
But, he still offers his thoughts on Simpson’s potential impact as an NFL starter.
“Ty Simpson is a one-year starter, and I think that’s going to be the biggest knock on him,” Smith told Betway Insider recently. “He doesn’t have a deep resume.
“He is very highly skilled, though. He does a great job mentally of processing information, and he’s got a good arm. At 6’ 1″, 211 pounds, he’s not necessarily physically overwhelming. But he has this uncanny ability to read the pressure and to make accurate throws on the run. He does an outstanding job.”
Mike Smith says Ty Simpson’s mobility could hurt him at the NFL level
Years ago, many NFL scouts looked at mobility and scrambling as a potential negative. They might worry that he runs too much. Nowadays, it’s a huge demerit if you can’t move the ball with your legs. The days of statues like Drew Bledsoe and Dan Marino are about over.
With regards to Simpson, Smith says that he’s not a great runner, but he can use his legs to buy time in the pocket.
“Don’t get me wrong, he’s not a pure scrambler who is going to take off and scramble for 20 yards multiple times,” Smith continued. “But, he has the ability to evade the pressure while keeping his eyes downfield.
“He avoids the pressure and slides in the pocket to allow routes to develop, which can lead to chunk plays. That’s what stands out to me. I think he’s probably going to go late in the first round.”
That might be striking distance if the Falcons really like him. If Raheem Morris was still in charge, I’d say no way. But, don’t discount what a new regime might do to get their guy.
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