The 23-year-old redshirt junior was a one-year starter at Bama, continuing in a long line of NFL-caliber quarterbacks at the school. He led the Crimson Tide to the SEC Championship Game and the College Football Playoff, including a win over Oklahoma. However, the Tide was blown out by Indiana in the quarterfinal, and Simpson exited the game in the third quarter with a rib injury.
In 2025, Simpson completed 305 of 473 passes (64.5%) for 3,567 yards, 28 TDs and five interceptions, also rushing for two TDs in 15 games. Originally committing to Nick Saban at Bama, Simpson served as a reserve behind Bryce Young in 2022 and the backup to Seahawks 2025 third-round pick Jalen Milroe in 2023 and 2024, appearing in 16 games in those three seasons combined, completing 29 of 50 passes for 381 yards and rushing for three scores.
