ESPN analyst praises Alabama quarterback, top NFL draft prospect

Ty Simpson was nothing short of elite throughout his one and only season as Alabama’s starting quarterback.

The star playmaker was widely regarded as a top quarterback in the country for a large portion of the season, as Simpson remained in Heisman conversations for the majority of the first half of play. Simpson played a massive role in the Tide’s success throughout 2025, as the star quarterback is widely regarded as a top overall prospect in the NFL Draft later this year.

ESPN analyst Dan Orlovsky recently took a moment on First Take to reveal his thoughts on Simpson’s performance throughout the first half of the season. During this, Orlovsky stated that, over the first eight games that he has watched film, the Alabama quarterback had a better eight-week stretch to begin the season than Heisman Trophy winning quarterbacks Fernando Mendoza.

“I think through eight games, Ty Simpson’s tape from Alabama, through the first eight games of the season, I think is significantly more impressive than Fernando Mendoza’s.” Orlovsky stated. “I just haven't watched the back-half of the season yet. I just haven't gotten to those."

Both Mendoza and Simpson have been widely regarded as the top two quarterback prospects available during the NFL draft in April. Simpson could begin to thrive throughout his rookie campaign, as the former Alabama star is a potential day one starter next season, depending on the team that drafts him.

Simpson continues to climb up the quarterback prospect rankings, as Orlovsky’s comments could certainly prove to turn a multitude of heads around the college football and NFL world.

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This article originally appeared on Roll Tide Wire: ESPN's Dan Orlovsky praises Alabama quarterback Ty Simpson's tape