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DeutschOne-year QB wonders don't work in NFL. Why would Ty Simpson?
This isn’t quarterback rocket science, or a gut feeling. It couldn’t be more clear and concise.
The one-year wonders at the quarterback position don’t work in the NFL.
Yet there they are, the talking heads all over the sport, falling for it again with Ty Simpson. The former Alabama quarterback showed up last week at the league’s annual NFL Scouting Combine — with all of 15 career starts in his pocket — and had an impressive throwing session for the assembled scouts and team personnel.
Throwing session.
Suddenly, he’s a Top 15 pick. Even ESPN’s Dan Orlovsky — as smart and measured analyst as there is — declared Simpson’s tape “from his first eight games” of the 2025 season is better than projected No. 1 overall pick Fernando Mendoza.
Has the entire NFL scouting world gone mad? This isn’t that difficult to process, everyone.
Anthony Richardson started one season at Florida. Trey Lance started one season at North Dakota State.
Kyler Murray (Oklahoma), Dwayne Haskins (Ohio State) and Mac Jones (Alabama) started one season in college, too. All flamed out.
Meanwhile, I give you (since the 2018 draft) these multiple-season college starters who are all ascending in their careers: two MVPs (Lamar Jackson, Josh Allen), two Super Bowl champions (Jalen Hurts, Sam Darnold), and eight who have led teams to the playoffs (Joe Burrow, Baker Mayfield, Trevor Lawrence, Justin Herbert, Caleb Williams, CJ Stroud, Bryce Young, Bo Nix).
Obviously there are multiple-season college starters who don’t pan out, but the odds of success are much higher for a player with elite skills who has spent extended time leading a team, managing games and experiencing every possible win-lose scenario on the grass.
Not a throwing session.
The last time we saw Simpson on the field at Alabama, he and the Tide were getting clobbered by Indiana in the Rose Bowl — where Simpson completed 12 passes for 67 yards before getting knocked out of a 38-3 loss.
It’s almost as if these NFL guys, whose very livelihood depends on getting it right more than getting it wrong, never learn.
Simpson is a talented player. He has a live arm, and is sneaky athletic. He’s accurate, and he has played well at times in big games.
But it’s hard to fathom a position that demands as many game repetitions as possible to develop and reach potential, could have an obvious red flag so flippantly ignored by the best of the best in the sport.
It’s the quarterback obsession. The game — no matter the level — revolves around the play of the quarterback.
The better he is, the better you are.
But when we reach the elite of the game, where everyone runs fast and everyone is freakishly athletic, football IQ is heightened to an unreal level. Knowledge of the game, understanding the nuances, knowing the answers ― all before the ball snaps at the line of scrimmage.
Translation: The more reps, the more you know before making the pick.
I can’t imagine why any NFL owner, now spending more than $300 million annually in salary cap revenue, would trust his franchise to a quarterback who has played one college season. It’s blind faith on steroids.
This isn’t learning on the job, or sitting behind a cagey veteran. You’re drafted, and we’re paying you millions ― and you’re playing Week 1.
The enormity of the moment crushes some, overwhelms others. Typically, it impacts every quarterback.
It’s rare that a rookie quarterback steps into the breach and starts making plays all over the field. Rare that he’s so good, teams win because of him — not with him.
It takes two or three years (or more) for these guys to feel completely comfortable when they walk to the line of scrimmage. When they can look at grown men on the other side of the ball — whose coaches (the best in the sport, no less) spend an entire offseason scouting the player and the offense — and feel completely at ease.
When they can consistently win games at the highest level of football, and give their team — one that plays in a league designed for parity — an advantage more than the other guy.
Now we’re ready to bet all that on a guy with 15 career college starts, and a throwing session?
The entire NFL scouting world has gone mad.
Matt Hayes is the senior national college football writer for USA TODAY Sports Network. Follow him on X at @MattHayesCFB.
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Ty Simpson is now a projected NFL first round pick, but why?
Report – Inter Milan Plan To Intensify Talks With Tottenham Hotspur Goalkepeer In Coming Weeks
Serie A giants Inter Milan are reportedly looking to intensify talks with Tottenham Hotspur goalkeeper Guglielmo Vicario in the coming weeks.
According to FCInterNews, the Nerazzurri are keen to sign the 29-year-old as a long-term replacement for Yann Sommer.
Furthermore, Inter had hoped to land the former Empoli shot-stopper in 2023, only for Spurs to swoop in and steal him away.
Inter Milan to Step Up talks for Guglielmo Vicario in March
LONDON, ENGLAND – DECEMBER 28: Guglielmo Vicario of Tottenham Hotspur during the Premier League match between Crystal Palace and Tottenham Hotspur at Selhurst Park on December 28, 2025 in London, England. (Photo by Julian Finney/Getty Images)
Vicario has reportedly grown frustrated with Tottenham’s disastrous results in the Premier League.
Indeed, Igor Tudor’s men are languishing in the division’s lower reaches, sitting just a point clear of 18th-placed West Ham United.
Therefore, the Italian goalkeeper could fancy a return to Serie A in the summer, with Inter eager to lure him to Milan.
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Arne Slot offers Florian Wirtz injury update as he addresses Liverpool’s attacking struggles
Liverpool manager Arne Slot claimed that Florian Wirtz “could be available for a few minutes” during the FA Cup tie against Wolves on Friday, while suggesting that the Germany international is key to the team’s overall “balance”.
Wirtz has been out of the squad since picking up an injury in the warm-up ahead of the win over Nottingham Forest on 22 February, and the 22-year-old has missed three games in that time, including the 2-1 loss to Wolves in the league earlier this week.
However, he could feature against Wolves in the FA Cup fifth-round tie this week, in what would be a welcome boost to Liverpool’s attacking options.
“He trained half and half with the team yesterday. He made the next step in rehab. Let's see where he is today. He could be available for a few minutes tomorrow in the best scenario,” explained Slot, before adding that “everyone else [is] fine”.
The absence of Wirtz has coincided with Liverpool struggling in attack at times, and while the Reds did beat West Ham 5-2 over that spell, there are still questions over the attacking output and chance creation, with Cody Gakpo and Mohamed Salah coming under criticism for not offering enough from the wings.
And while Slot highlighted that “attacking isn't just down to Cody [Gakpo] and Mo [Salah],” the Dutchman did seem to admit that Wirtz is a key cog in his side’s attack.
“One of the players who creates is Florian Wirtz. He got injured three games ago. Before that the team had a certain balance and we've had to adjust again. That's happened a lot this season,” explained the Liverpool boss.
“Not all the games have improved in terms of creating chances. But we're not the only team that finds it hard to create from open play. It's the qualify of the league that makes it more complicated.
“We are not in terms of chance creation last in the league. We're not doing that bad. We're also the team with most ball possession so you'd expect us to create more.
“Cody and Mo we expect and they expect from themselves to score more. But attacking isn't just down to Cody and Mo,” he added.
Liverpool will book a place in the quarter-finals of the FA Cup with a win at Molineux, in what is the first of an important string of games that includes a Champions League last-16 tie against Galatasaray and a Premier League match against Tottenham at Anfield on 15 March.
Arbeloa talks Mbappe, Huijsen, Mastantuono, Brahim, Alaba ahead of Celta Vigo vs Real Madrid
Real Madrid will be aiming to bounce back to winning ways in La Liga when they face Celta Vigo away at Balaidos on Friday night.
Following consecutive league defeats against Osasuna and Getafe, Los Blancos have now fallen four points behind Barcelona in the table, losing important ground in the title race.
As such, Alvaro Arbeloa & co. have very little room for error from hereon, but a trip to Balaidos is never easy, and the challenge is only made harder by the number of absences through injury and suspension.
Ahead of the game, manager Arbeloa addressed the media in his pre-match press conference, discussing the team’s recent slump as well as the injury problems.
On form and performances
Kicking things off, the Real Madrid manager acknowledged the challenge of facing Celta Vigo at their home, saying:
“I keep saying it: it won’t be easy at all. Celta are very well-coached, plays with a lot of confidence, and is coming off a win. They’re playing really good football. That stadium always has a great atmosphere. It will be a very demanding away game.”
Regarding the team’s disappointing La Liga form over the past week, Arbeloa explained: “Two consecutive league defeats… at a club like Real Madrid, defeat is always difficult to deal with. But right now, the only thing we’re thinking about is tomorrow’s match.
“We know the level we need to reach if we want to win. It will depend on our performance; our composure and confidence. The past doesn’t exist; we’re only thinking about Balaidos.”
On whether a failure to win tomorrow would spell the end of the team’s La Liga title hopes, he replied:
“Let’s go for tomorrow, let’s go for those three points. It’s still possible. As long as it’s mathematically possible, let’s fight.”
When asked if finishing the season without any titles would constitute a failure in his eyes, Arbeloa said:
“Again? We’re all optimistic, it seems. To tell you the truth, I’m only thinking about Celta. And I’m not thinking about anything else at all.”
On being probed on how he would explain the team’s recent slump, he added: “The important thing here is winning; nothing else matters. Of course, I could explain things… but it wouldn’t do much good.
“I’m well aware that the team can play better, that we have a great squad. But I have the same confidence in our abilities. Until my last day here, I’m going to work to make sure that happens.”
Arbeloa confident about a turnarond. (Photo by Aitor Alcalde/Getty Images)
Regarding the team’s lack of consistency, he explained: “It’s not easy. I think I’m sounding repetitive, but we haven’t had enough time to work; we’ve had almost more matches than training sessions.
“From there, the players’ integration, and my integration with theirs, is what it is. And we certainly need to be more consistent in our performance…”
On injuries and squad
Providing an update on the condition of superstar Kylian Mbappe, who is currently recovering from a knee sprain, the manager remarked:
“Yes, I speak to him every day. We’re keeping a close eye on what’s happening to him, how he’s doing. It’s a process we’ll take day by day, monitoring how he’s feeling. He’s getting better every day.”
On the matter of both Mbappe and Jude Bellingham seeking outside opinions on their injuries this week, he added:
“All these decisions are overseen by the club’s doctors. Everything, absolutely everything, is supervised.”
Real Madrid could be without as many as 11 players for the game against Celta tomorrow, a situation that poses a huge challenge for Arbeloa.
“They’re making it easier for me, because I have to think about it! (Laughs) Confidence. This is Real Madrid, we don’t make excuses and we have to rise to the occasion in adversity,” said Arbeloa.
“When you’re up 3-0, it’s easy to put on this shirt, to be a great professional. But the real test is now.”
The manager also defended youngsters Dean Huijsen and Franco Mastantuono, who have come under intense criticism for some of their recent performances.
“I’m very clear about Huijsen and Mastantuono. The Juvenil A team is full of players the same age as Mastantuono, and Huijsen could be playing for Castilla, given his age,” said Arbelao.
“I remember what was said about Vinicius when he arrived, and look at him now. We have to be very patient. Playing for Real Madrid is playing for the most demanding club in the world; it’s not like any other.”
Continuing, he added: “They have my full confidence and are incredibly talented. I would love for the fans to understand what each player is capable of. We need to take care of them, encourage them, and above all, demand hard work and effort from them.
“We need to encourage them to make mistakes, because they will; football is a sport of errors. We have some great nights ahead of us with them.”
About Brahim Diaz’s lack of game-time in recent weeks, Arbeloa acknowledged: “Nothing. He’s playing less than he deserves, and that’s my responsibility, because he trains very well and we all know his abilities.
“I’m sure I can get much more out of him than I’m currently doing. It’s my responsibility. I’ll make the effort to do so.”
Finally, Arbeloa confirmed David Alaba will not be available for the game, but Raul Asencio could make it.
“Alaba won’t be available, but Asencio might be; we’ll see. And if not… well, Diego Aguado or Lamini Fati would play. We’ll see. But Alaba won’t be there, that’s for sure,” he concluded.
Source: AS