Mel Kiper Jr. says Shedeur Sanders better option than Ty Simpson for Browns
By David Wasson
Published:
Don’t go counting Mel Kiper Jr. as a huge Ty Simpson fan, at least compared to Shedeur Sanders.
The long-time ESPN NFL Draft expert got a bit testy with Field Yates recently on First Draft when Yates said that Sanders’ Cleveland Browns were among the teams that need to figure out how to grade Simpson – the Alabama Crimson Tide quarterback last season – before the 2026 NFL Draft begins April 23 in Pittsburgh.
“The Browns don’t have to worry about Ty Simpson, Kiper retorted while shaking his head. “They got a better quarterback than Ty Simpson in Shedeur Sanders. Don’t go there.”
Sanders entered the NFL last season after a collegiate career that started at Jackson State and ended at Colorado – all while being coached by his Hall of Fame father Deion Sanders. The younger Sanders infamously dropped from a potential first-round selection all the way to the fifth round before being taken by Cleveland.
Sanders started his rookie NFL season in 2026 as a third-stringer behind Joe Flacco and fellow rookie Dillon Gabriel before earning his first start in Week 12. Sanders finished the season at QB1 for Cleveland, throwing for 1,400 yards and seven touchdowns against 10 interceptions in eight appearances.
Simpson started 15 games for Alabama in 2025-26, his lone season as QB1 for the Crimson Tide, throwing for 3,567 yards and 28 touchdowns against five interceptions.
Which team will draft Ty Simpson? Predict the team on Kalshi!
An APSE national award-winning writer and editor, David Wasson has almost four decades of experience in the print journalism business in Florida and Alabama. His work has also appeared in The New York Times, The Washington Post, the Los Angeles Times and several national magazines and websites. His Twitter handle: @JustDWasson.
