ESPN NFL insider Adam Schefter named the New York Jets and Arizona Cardinals as logical landing spots for Alabama quarterback Ty Simpson in the upcoming NFL draft. He omitted the Pittsburgh Steelers despite local buzz around the hometown prospect. Schefter suggested the teams might trade up late in the first round to select him.
Alabama quarterback Ty Simpson, viewed as the second-best signal-caller in the draft class, has a realistic shot at first-round selection. However, Schefter, speaking Wednesday on the Rothman and Ice radio show, highlighted picks 33 and 34—the Jets' and Cardinals' spots at the top of the second round—as prime destinations. “I still think, when we look at the Jets at 33, first pick of the second round, and the Cardinals at 34, second pick in the second round, I think those are two logical landing spots,” Schefter said. “We may see one of those teams that says, ‘You know what? It’s worth trading back up. There are enough teams that want to trade back. We’ll go to 28, 29, 30. We’ll get the guy, the quarterback, get a fifth-year option.'” Simpson will attend Day 1 of the draft in Pittsburgh, fueling speculation about the Steelers. The team met him at the NFL Combine but skipped a pre-draft visit, opting instead for four other quarterbacks. Both the Jets and Cardinals face pressing needs at the position but pick too high in the first round to target him there without other priorities. The Steelers hold a second-round pick and could trade up if Simpson slides, though interest appears limited.
