From The Sports Desk: Drama at the draft

NFLFrom The Sports Desk: Drama at the draftWhere is the second-best quarterback in the draft slated to go?Listen to this article with a free account00:0000:00Ty Simpson #QB17 of Alabama participates in a drill during the 2026 NFL Scouting Combine at Lucas Oil Stadium on Feb. 28 in Indianapolis.Cooper Neill / Getty Images fileShareAdd NBC News to GoogleApril 22, 2026, 3:02 PM EDTBy Connor Rogers, NBC Sports and Rohan NadkarniWe’re nearly 24 hours from the start of the NFL draft, and we preview where the second-best quarterback could be headed. Plus, the NBA playoffs had an eventful night with a major star going down hard with an injury and all three underdogs taking Game 2. Subscribe to read this story ad-free Get unlimited access to ad-free articles and exclusive content.NFL DRAFT:One of the most interesting storylines of this year’s NFL draft is where Ty Simpson, who is the consensus second-ranked quarterback, will go.After Fernando Mendoza goes first overall to the Las Vegas Raiders, there aren’t a ton of obvious landing spots for Simpson in the first round. Even if Aaron Rodgers returns, the Pittsburgh Steelers jump out, but they’d have to really love him to take him top 25 (I don’t expect that). The New York Jets have their bridge quarterback in Geno Smith, and new offensive coordinator Frank Reich might prefer a bigger, more traditional pocket passer to develop. The earliest they’d most likely consider him is the first pick of the second round, but that’s not a lock at all.That brings us to the Arizona Cardinals picking 34th overall (the second pick of Round 2). They have veterans Jacoby Brissett and Gardner Minshew on the roster, but no one with long-term upside. Could Simpson make it to 34, or would things become even more interesting with Arizona moving into the back end of the first round, much like the Giants did for Jaxson Dart last year?It’s a tale as old as time: the bright lights on a quarterback enduring a potential draft day fall. Rodgers went throug...