When was the last time the Alabama Crimson Tide was lucky enough to bring a Heisman home? It has been four years since Bryce Young lifted the trophy in 2021. This year, their quarterback, Ty Simpson, is running the race as a member of the Crimson Tide family. Simpson’s play has led Alabama to the No. 4 ranking in the country and one of two teams undefeated in SEC play. Given his stats after making 8 starts this season, the Heisman spotlight fell on Simpson. But looks like he has stepped out of hitting individual milestones mindset and cleared the air about the Heisman race.

On October 28, Mike Rodak quoted Simpson from his interview with analyst Jim Rome. When asked about him flying to NYC on December 13 to be part of the Heisman award night, Simpson kept things straight and clear. “Would be extremely blessed, right? Would be a great opportunity. It’s super exciting, right? I wouldn’t be here if it wasn’t for my teammates and everything they do. But I think back to the reason why I came to Alabama and the championship hallway that we have,” said the quarterback. “There’s only four Heisman trophies, right? But there’s six national championships in there. So that’s what I really care about.”

What makes the Alabama nation believe that Simpson is the one who can break the four-year Heisman drought? He broke the record for the most consecutive completions in a single game, which was held by Young, the last Heisman winner for so long. During their face-off against Louisiana Monroe, Simpson’s 17 of 17 by halftime broke Young’s 15-for-15 streak against Southern Miss in 2021. But looks like Simpson has risen above personal goals.

With the win over South Carolina, Simpson stretched his streak to eight straight games of tossing for 200 yards and multiple touchdowns- every single game this season. In week 9, in the SEC’s list of passing yard leaders, Simpson stands in the second spot with 2184 yards and sixth in the country in passing touchdowns. With one interception this season, he must be a top candidate in the Heisman race. But that’s not the case.

Just like he missed the top spot in the yard leaders list to Tennessee quarterback Joey Aguilar, who stands with 2344 yards, the Heisman odds list slightly favors someone else over Simpson. Last week, he and Indiana Hoosiers quarterback Fernando Mendoza were co-favorites. But not anymore. Moving to week 10, the top four Heisman Trophy favorites at Caesars Sportsbook are Mendoza (+310), Simpson (+325), Ohio State QB Julian Sayin (+350), and Texas A&M QB Marcel Reed (+575).

Looks like Simpson plans to close his college chapter in style. And a national title would be the perfect curtain call. After all, his name is already climbing the NFL mock drafts. 

Ty Simpson is breaking the mold in the NFL Draft

Nine weeks into the season, and Simpson has already become the name doing the rounds to make an entry into the pro league. Holding a completion percentage of 67.8, having completed 177 of 261 passes, and 20 touchdowns, things are going swiftly for the quarterback. In CBS Sports’ latest 2026 NFL mock draft, Simpson is the No. 1 overall pick and the first of four quarterbacks selected in the first round of the draft. 

The others in the race are Oregon’s Dante Moore, Indiana’s Fernando Mendoza, and South Carolina’s LaNorris Sellers. Along with this, Simpson has the highest adjusted PFSN CFB QB metric in the nation, with a score of 91.1.

Now, that’s a rare case. After all, one-year starters often trail behind when it comes to having an inspiring track record as early-round NFL Draft picks. However, Simpson appears to tick off all the boxes, making evaluators believe that he will be breaking the rule. Sure, he’s not the 6’4”, 230-pound prototype, and it took him four years to grab the starting role. But when you watch him play, all you see is an NFL gamer through and through. His USP? 

Despite his closer-to-average size, Simpson has a fairly strong and elastic arm. Simpson comes off as a complete package, being a jittery, agile athlete with supreme creative instincts and extension ability. Simpson doesn’t use his mobility as an escape plan; he uses it as a weapon, shifting the pocket, staying composed, and firing darts through the tightest gaps in coverage. Talking about his mindset?

The Alabama locker room has built him like a rock. In an interview, Ty Simpson shared, “We say in the quarterback room, ‘Prepare like you’ve never won, perform like you’ve never lost.’” A Heisman in his hand and a Natty in Alabama’s trophy case, that’s the dream ending Simpson’s chasing.