CBS Sports’ Mike Renner has the Steelers taking Alabama QB Ty Simpson in Round 1 — pick 21 — of his 2026 NFL Mock Draft 7.0, planting the flag that Pittsburgh might be ready to reset the quarterback room sooner than anyone expected.
Renner’s projection isn’t just a headline-grabber — it’s a direct challenge to the idea that Pittsburgh is content to ride out the current quarterback setup. A first‑round quarterback is a franchise‑level decision, and Simpson’s résumé explains why he’s even in this conversation.
Simpson leaves Alabama as one of the most statistically efficient passers in school history. He threw only five interceptions across 523 attempts, setting the Alabama record for lowest interception percentage (0.956). His 63.86% career completion rate ranks eighth in Tide history, and his final season was one of the most productive ever recorded in Tuscaloosa.
Across 2025, Simpson:
- Started all 15 games
- Threw for 3,567 yards (2nd in SEC, 10th nationally)
- Tossed 28 touchdowns (2nd in SEC, tied 12th nationally)
- Completed 305 of 473 passes — both top‑three marks in Alabama single‑season history
- Added 90 rushes for 93 yards and two scores
- Finished as a Manning Award finalist
- Was a semifinalist for the Walter Camp Player of the Year
- Was a semifinalist for the Davey O’Brien Award
- Earned All‑SEC Second Team honors
- Was voted a permanent team captain
That’s not just production — that’s leadership, efficiency, and high‑volume experience in the SEC’s pressure cooker. Renner’s evaluation reflects that balance of polish and projection:
“Simpson may have his warts, but he has an NFL-caliber arm and flashed special ability in his lone season as a starter. Mike McCarthy has a strong track record of quarterback development and would get a player with a lot of potential to mentor.”
Simpson’s profile fits the mold of a modern developmental first‑round quarterback: elite arm talent, low turnover rate, high‑end flashes, and a statistical résumé that stacks up with recent Alabama passers who made the leap to the NFL.
For Pittsburgh, the implications are obvious. A pick like this signals a philosophical shift — McCarthy putting his stamp on the offense, the front office taking a long‑term swing, and the Steelers acknowledging that the quarterback room may need more than incremental tweaks.
Whether fans see it as bold, overdue, or unnecessary, Renner’s mock gives Pittsburgh something it hasn’t had in a while: a potential franchise quarterback prospect at the center of the conversation.
And if the Steelers truly are ready to reset the position, Ty Simpson’s name won’t be going away anytime soon.