NFL draft: Biggest questions of the first round, including if Alabama QB Ty Simpson will be picked

Key Points:

• The No. 1 overall pick in the NFL draft is expected to be Indiana quarterback Fernando Mendoza, but beyond that, the first round is wide open due to a lack of top-tier quarterbacks and a concentration of talent at non-premium positions.
• Alabama quarterback Ty Simpson is a key question mark, with some analysts viewing him as a developmental prospect more suited for a mid-round pick rather than the first round, despite some mock drafts placing him late in Round 1.
• The draft features a deep edge rusher class with varied skill sets and physical profiles, including Ohio State’s Arvell Reese, Texas Tech’s David Bailey, and Rueben Bain Jr., each presenting different strengths and concerns for teams.
• Several highly rated players at non-premium positions, such as running back Jeremiyah Love and safety Caleb Downs, challenge traditional draft value norms, forcing teams to decide between positional need and player quality.
• Outliers in physical traits and circumstances, such as players with unusually short arms or those who missed significant playing time due to injury, add complexity to evaluations, with teams weighing potential risks against upside in their draft decisions.