Dan Orlovsky is not backing down. The ESPN analyst has spent the entire pre-draft cycle beating the drum for Alabama quarterback Ty Simpson, and with the first round just hours away, he's making one last public plea to NFL decision-makers.
“If he’s not a first-round pick tonight, then we are evaluating, in the NFL, the quarterback position wrong,” Orlovsky declared on Get Up this morning. It's a statement that's as bold as it is polarizing, especially given the lukewarm consensus around Simpson's draft stock.
Orlovsky's crusade echoes last year's one-man campaign by Mel Kiper Jr. for Shedeur Sanders, but the reaction from fans has been far from supportive. Many see this as either a desperate attempt to generate buzz or a sign that Orlovsky has lost touch with reality.
“Well, you ‘experts’ have been evaluating them wrong. Look at all the busts at this position. You manufacture or talk yourselves into over inflating their value,” one fan wrote on social media. Another added, “If he isn’t a first round pick then bro should never be put on espn to talk about who’s gonna get drafted lol he been riding this Ty Simpson first round pick wave allll pre draft.”
The skepticism isn't without merit. Simpson's lone season as Alabama's starter was statistically solid — he completed 64.5 percent of his passes for 3,567 yards and 28 touchdowns against just five interceptions, leading the Crimson Tide to the SEC Championship and the Rose Bowl. His yardage total ranks fifth in Alabama history, and his touchdown mark ties for seventh. Yet, many college and NFL observers felt underwhelmed by his tape, questioning whether his production was more a product of the system than elite talent.
“I mean no QB in this draft should be a first round pick but Ty Simpson didn’t do one special thing at Bama. The bar for first round QBs has become shockingly low,” one critic remarked. Others pointed out the inconsistency in draft analysts' evaluations: “If he’s that good, why y’all ain’t speaking on him as a top ten pick? Let’s not act like y’all haven’t mocked worse QBs than him in the top ten.”
Despite Orlovsky's insistence, the consensus among scouts and media is that Simpson is a Day 2 talent — likely a second- or third-round pick. The 2027 NFL Draft Already Shaping Up as All-Time Class: Manning, Smith Headline suggests that teams may already be looking ahead, which could further suppress interest in this year's quarterback class.
Orlovsky's stance has also drawn comparisons to other pre-draft narratives that didn't age well. Greenberg Stands Firm: No Apologies for Political Stance Ahead of NFL Draft shows how analysts can dig in on controversial positions, but the question remains: will Orlovsky's conviction pay off, or will he be left defending a losing argument?
The broader context of this year's draft adds another layer. With no consensus top quarterback, teams are scrambling to find value. NFL Teams See Red Flags: Carson Beck's 'Villain' Label Sparks Draft Division highlights how character concerns are complicating evaluations, while Simpson's relatively clean profile could work in his favor.
As the clock ticks toward the first round, Orlovsky remains adamant. But history suggests that when an analyst is this far out on a limb, the branch tends to break. Whether Simpson hears his name called tonight or waits until Day 2, one thing is certain: Orlovsky has made sure that no one will forget his prediction.
