Former NFL quarterback Dan Orlovsky has named Alabama's Ty Simpson as the best quarterback in the 2026 NFL Draft, stating that Simpson performs more with less and makes more “real NFL throws” than Fernando Mendoza. However, Orlovsk did not believe Simpson should be No. 1 overall, but he believes a team that drafts Simpson lower in the first round will get more bang for its buck. The claim of Orlovski's endorsement of Mendoaza led to criticism that he was being paid to damage Mendozza's draft stock.