Ty Simpson setting himself up for awkward Will Levis-type situation

All eyes might be on Alabama Crimson Tide quarterback Ty Simpson when the NFL Draft begins in two weeks (scheduled April 23-25 in Pittsburgh).

 

On Thursday, the NFL shared a list of 16 prospects who will attend this year’s draft in Pittsburgh, and Simpson will be among the players in the green room.

 

For a player who might not be selected until the middle of the first round (at the earliest), that positions the polarizing prospect for a potentially long wait until his name is called

Alabama quarterback Ty Simpson looking to avoid fate that befell Will Levis in 2023 NFL Draft

One only has to look back a couple of years to see how awkward things could get. In 2023, quarterback Will Levis, considered by some as a likely first-round pick, became the talk of Day 1 after being passed over on the first night, each shot of him waiting on site in the green room more painful than the one preceding it.

Fortunately for quarterback Shedeur Sanders, he didn’t make the trip to Green Bay for the 2025 Draft, when the projected first-rounder fell all the way to Round 5.

As the quarterback many view as the second-best in the 2026 class, Simpson likely has better odds of being selected in the first round than Levis or Sanders. But even that could turn into an uncomfortable moment.

Pittsburgh hosts the draft, and the Steelers are one of the most likely destinations for Simpson. But what if the Black and Gold faithful who flock to the North Shore aren’t fans? Being bombarded with boos might be worse than Simpson not hearing his name called at all.

As unpredictable as the draft can be, Simpson’s taking a bit of a risk spending the first round (if not longer) in the green room. The last thing a player needs is to become a meme before playing their first NFL snap.