Ty

Simpson

Simpson was named Alabama’s starter for 2025 after biding his time with the team from 2022-2024. In his final college season, he completed 275-of-419 passes for 3,282 yards, 27 touchdowns and four interceptions, while rushing 62 times for 282 yards and two touchdowns, earning second-team All-SEC honors.

Simpson (6'1"/187) follows in recent Heisman winner Bryce Young’s footsteps as the latest five-star QB to commit to the Crimson Tide. He’s the third ranked QB in the class, and the 24th overall recruit. Simpson can do damage with his feet, extending plays and getting outside the pocket. He’s a great athlete and has what it takes between the ears.

Throwing catchable passes is kind of the name of the game for Simpson and his ilk, but what made his performance stand out this past Sunday was the way he kept putting the ball on the money despite considerable wind and rain. Friedman writes that due to the elements -- which led to drops -- it proved difficult for the Tennessee native to get into any kind of a natural groove or rhythm. He fought through in impressive fashion regardless. Simpson, who pledged to Alabama near the end of February, currently slots as Rivals’ No. 23 overall prospect for the 2022 cycle. He is a high four-star recruit who should be watched for a potential fifth star in the coming months. Alabama currently owns Rivals’ No. 16 class for next year. Unless the world stops spinning, they will probably hold a top-five class come next February’s final signing period.

As expected for any five-star recruit, Alabama beat out some other major schools to bring in Simpson, including Clemson. Simpson, though modest in stature at 6-foot-2 and 185-pounds, is a fantastic playmaker outside the pocket and has that spark that can unlock an offense. Simpson does not necessarily throw with the best velocity, but the Alabama offense has proven that to not be an issue, seeing as neither Tua Tagovailoa nor Mac Jones had particularly impressive arms and still produced at a high level. Simpson is Alabama’s fourth 2022 recruit so far.

Won’t have to wait long to see whether Farrell and Gorney are on the money, here, as Simpson is set to make his pledge at 3:00 EST on Friday. Clemson is predictably not running unopposed with the 6-foot-1, 170-pound gunslinger. Tennessee is in the mix for the Volunteer State native as well, but the real biggie to watch at the wire is Alabama. The defending champs have been pushing hard for the signal-caller this winter and if there’s one program that might get in the way of Clemson, it’s the Crimson Tide. Earlier this week, the five-star quarterback indicated that he was split 50/50 between the two perennial Playoff contenders. Simpson ranks as Rivals’ No. 23 overall prospect in the 2022 class.

Simpson (6'1/170) looked to be in Clemson’s corner for some time, but the Tide have been charging hard for the five-star gunslinger’s pledge. They’ll cap off that charge with a Nick Saban video meeting on Thursday evening, just hours before Simpson makes his college call. On the other side of the above-mentioned 50-50 coin, Tigers HC Dabo Swinney has twice Zoomed with the Martin, Tennessee, native down the stretch, while school president (!) James Clements made a pitch of his own on Wednesday. Simpson slots onto the 247Sports composite board as the No. 27 overall prospect in the 2022 class.

As things stand now, Clemson are the favorite for Simpson. However, in Rivals’ Fact of Fiction column, both Farrell and Adam Gorney believe Simpson to Clemson is no done deal. Farrell adds that Alabama “loves” Simpson and is doing everything they can to get him in. Simpson (6'2/185) is currently rated as Rivals’ third-best pro-style QB.

Simpson (6'1/170) also visited Tennessee for their spring game earlier this spring, so a distinctly SEC flavor early on, here. Indiana is another program which has been keeping tabs on the Martin, Tennessee, native. Gonna be a while before the signal-caller’s recruitment picks up in earnest, though.