Alabama quarterback Ty Simpson said he is fully healthy ahead of the NFL draft after battling a string of injuries late in the season that affected both his availability and performance.

Simpson’s injury issues began with a lower back injury in Week 9 against South Carolina. Before that setback, he had been highly productive, posting a 181.7 passer rating with a 73.3% completion rate, including games against four ranked opponents. After the injury, his production dipped noticeably, falling to a 123.0 passer rating with a 61.3% completion rate against five ranked teams.

The back injury also led to additional complications. Simpson said medication used to manage the issue contributed to gastritis, causing him to lose more than 10 pounds and drop below 200 pounds during the season. He later dealt with elbow bursitis against Georgia in the SEC Championship Game. He was then forced out of the first round of the College Football Playoff after suffering a fractured rib in the third quarter against Indiana.

Despite that difficult finish, Simpson appeared in better shape during the pre-draft process. He weighed 211 pounds at the NFL combine and said he is now fully healthy.

At Alabama’s Pro Day, Simpson took part in a throwing session that lasted more than 40 minutes. He had already thrown at the NFL combine in February, but chose to go through another workout in Tuscaloosa.

“Why not?” Simpson said. “Go have fun. Go sling it. You watch the tape of the pro day, there wasn’t any easy throws. I didn’t want to make it easy.”

Simpson is widely viewed as the No. 2 quarterback in the draft behind Indiana’s Fernando Mendoza.

As the 2026 NFL Draft approaches, teams are doing more than just reviewing game tape; they're digging deep into medical histories. While talent is paramount, durability is critical in a league where physical attrition is a weekly reality. Several top prospects enter the draft with injury concerns that could affect their stock, especially as teams weigh short-term availability against long-term risk.

At SIC, we’ve analyzed the most notable health-related storylines among top NFL hopefuls, using both medical insight and positional value to assess how injuries could shape their draft outcomes.

Check out the 2026 NFL Draft Injury Guide


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