Todd McShay responds to NFL Draft buzz around Ty Simpson being taken by Browns in first round
By Sydney Hunte
Published:
Todd McShay’s next several weeks will be spent studying and re-studying his NFL Draft board, one that is predicted to have Indiana’s Fernando Mendoza taken as the No. 1 overall pick.
Another quarterback who could hear his name called early on Night One is Alabama‘s Ty Simpson. Simpson went on the record during the NFL Scouting Combine about how playing for the Cleveland Browns would be a “dream come true.” He revealed that Todd Monken, the Browns’ new head coach, goes “way back” with his father, longtime UT Martin head coach Jason Simpson.
While that might be Simpson’s dream, that doesn’t necessarily mean it’s the best fit, McShay said on “Up and Adams” with Kay Adams.
“I’m already starting to hear people (say), ‘Can he go as high as Cleveland?'” McShay said. “I hope for Ty Simpson’s sake he does not become a Cleveland Brown. They don’t have the protection, they don’t have the weapons.”
McShay, who called himself a “big Ty Simpson fan” despite Simpson’s smaller size and limited starting experience in college, noted one team that could be a better landing spot.
“I’d love to see him with the Rams. They pick at 13 with the first of their two (first round) picks,” he said.
Despite several pitfalls in 2025 including a weakened rushing game, a sophomore slump for Ryan Williams, and a bout with gastritis, Simpson’s ability to perform in spite of that could see him end up as a Top 15 pick, McShay added.
“I think he’s different, and I think there’s some teams out there that are just trying to be really quiet about it,” he said. “Because everyone’s talking about ‘Mendoza, and then the rest of the quarterbacks suck.’ It’s just not the deal.”
Will Ty Simpson be a top-10 pick in the NFL Draft? Put money on a prediction at Kalshi!
Sydney is an Atlanta-based journalist who has covered everything from SEC and ACC football to MLS, the U.S. men's national soccer team and professional tennis. His work has appeared on such platforms as SB Nation, Cox Media Group and FanSided.
