With National Signing Day in the rearview mirror, the 2021 recruiting cycle is nearing a close, so it's now time to look ahead to 2022. The early signing period is still a good 10 months away, but five-star quarterback Ty Simpson, one of the top recruits in the country, has made an early splash with his commitment to Alabama. Simpson made his announcement live Friday on CBS Sports HQ.
Though Simpson was previously said to be leaning towards Clemson, 247Sports' director of recruiting Steve Wiltfong noted that Alabama coach Nick Saban was making a strong, late push to land the blue-chip prospect. Speaking on CBS Sports HQ, Simpson acknowledged that playing for Saban helped steer his decision -- which he made the previous night.
"Playing for the guy who's won seven national championships and being close to home, playing for a guy who can develop players," Simpson said regarding his reasons for picking the Tide. "It's very exciting to play with the best, be coached by the best and developed to be NFL ready."
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Simpson drew comparisons to former Green Bay Packers great Brett Favre with his ability to improvise, according to Wiltfong. "Simpson's commitment will get those (2022) classes off and running," he said on CBS Sports HQ.
Hailing from Westview High School in Martin, Tennessee, Simpson is listed as one of the best signal-callers in the class. 247Sports Composite rankings lists him as the No. 3 pro-style quarterback and No. 2 player in the state, as well as the No. 27 player nationally. The 6-foot-2, 185-pound quarterback also had an impressive list of offers including Clemson, Tennessee, Ole Miss and Texas A&M.
Simpson's father, Jason, is the coach at UT-Martin.
