After the first game of the season, the Alabama Crimson Tide were put on notice. Losing to Florida State was a rough way to start the season and that loss led to a lot of drama in Tuscaloosa.
Immediately, calls for head coach Kalen DeBoer to be fired started ringing out. However, the team was able to stick together and turn things around quickly.
Since that loss, the Crimson Tide have been able to rattle off seven straight wins. Along that path, Alabama has defeated four ranked teams. At the time, Georgia was ranked No. 5, Vanderbilt was ranked No. 16, Missouri was ranked No. 14, and Tennessee was ranked No. 11.
Read more: Nick Saban Emerges as Potential Coaching Candidate for LSU
Ty Simpson has been a huge part of the turnaround for the Crimson Tide. Right now, he is without a doubt one of the top potential contenders to win the Heisman Trophy at the season’s end.
Not only has Simpson put himself in position to win college football’s most prestigious individual award, he has also increased his NFL Draft stock. There are quite a few professional teams who would love to have Simpson running their offense.
Keeping that in mind, a new mock draft has been shared by Cooper Petagna of CBS Sports. He has made a shocking prediction for Simpson.
In his mock draft, Petagna has Simpson being selected with the No. 1 overall pick in the 2026 NFL Draft by the New Orleans Saints.
“Only eight starts into his career, Simpson’s stellar play in the first half of the season has vaulted him up draft boards as the former five-star firmly establishes himself in the conversation to be the first signal-caller selected next April,” Petagna wrote. “A cerebral assassin with a rare blend of poise, decisiveness and accuracy, the Saints see shades of a familiar face in the Superdome — betting that Simpson’s developing upside and intangibles can usher in a new era under Kellen Moore.”
So far this season for Alabama, Simpson has completed 67.8 percent of his pass attempts for 2,184 yards, 20 touchdowns, and one interception. He has also run for 79 yards and two more scores.
Read more: Florida State Linked to Surprising Potential Mike Norvell Replacement
Nothing more could have been asked from the first-year starting quarterback. Simpson has more than answered the call from the Crimson Tide. Now, he’s set himself up for a very bright future.
It will be interesting to see where Simpson actually does land in the 2026 draft. He’s giving himself a fighting chance to be the first player off the board and he deserves all the hype he’s been getting.
For more Alabama Crimson Tide news and more on college football, head to Newsweek Sports.
