Ty Simpson is heading to the NFL Combine to prove his arm is first-round worthy. Many scouts questioned Ty Simpson’s drop-off late in the season, but the reason wasn’t a flaw in his mechanics. It was a private health battle that quietly stripped 25 pounds from his frame and threatened his draft stock.

Once viewed as a potential Heisman finalist, Simpson’s season took a sharp downturn. After averaging a strong 266.7 passing yards with a 66.9% completion rate through 11 games, his production plummeted to just 158.3 yards and a 57.1% completion rate over his final four contests, a clear statistical sign that something was amiss.

ESPN insider Tom Pelissero revealed on X that there was a reason for the dip. Simpson suffered a severe case of gastritis that caused him to lose 25 pounds, a major and risky drop for a player whose normal weight is around 215 pounds.

The illness developed after he took anti-inflammatory medication to manage a back injury. During that period, Simpson’s performances clearly declined, and he appeared far from his usual level. Reporters repeatedly asked if he was dealing with an injury, but Simpson downplayed the situation, saying that physical wear and tear is normal late in the season.

“Now, for Simpson, the knocks on him are going to be he was only a one-year starter,” Pelissero said during an appearance on Good Morning Football. “The numbers tailed off later in the season. He doesn’t necessarily have the biggest frame, but consider some of the ancillary factors.

Even setting aside the protection issues that Alabama had and some of the drops by the wide receivers, he was also dealing with a severe case of gastritis toward the tail end of the season. He was weighing in the 190s by the time they got to the Rose Bowl. I’m told he’s now back up to 215. He is going to look the part. All the scouts I’ve talked to in this type of session, Ty Simpson should really stand out and help himself.”

By the end of the season, Simpson weighed around 190 pounds. The good news for Simpson is that he’s heading into the NFL Combine fully healthy.

Ty Simpson 2026 NFL Draft projections

Ty Simpson has a big opportunity to establish himself as the No. 2 quarterback this week. According to Pelissero, a strong performance at the Combine, both in workouts and interviews, could solidify Simpson’s status as a first-round pick.

But it’s not a clear-cut case for Simpson. There are some concerns regarding the quarterback, as he was a starter for only one full season at Alabama, which gives scouts less experience to evaluate. Analysts have long believed that the number of college starts is a good indicator of whether a quarterback will succeed in the pros. The only outlier to this is Tom Brady. Others like Patrick Mahomes, Josh Allen, Joe Burrow, and Lamar Jackson had significant starting experience.

This is why many backed Dante Moore when he chose to return to Oregon for another year. Even Ty Simpson had a similar opportunity. But he chose to give the NFL Draft a shot rather than accept a large sum to return to college for another year.

Moreover, Simpson also doesn’t have the prototypical build some teams covet in a first-round quarterback, as his 215-pound frame is just shy of the 220-240 pound range many scouts prefer for durability at the next level. At the same time, the 2026 quarterback class is not seen as very strong. With several teams needing a quarterback, Simpson has a real chance to impress scouts with a good showing at the Combine.