Isaiah Simmons | LB/S | Clemson
Height | 6-4
Weight | 230
Strengths
If you’re looking for physical tools, you’ll find plenty of them with Simmons.
A lengthy defender with the height of an edge rusher, the speed of a defensive back and the physicality of a linebacker, Simmons is a mismatch wherever you put him on the field. He has fantastic straight-line speed for the linebacker position, as well as the fluidity in space to beat ball-carriers to the edge on outside-zone runs and excel in coverage. His sideline-to-sideline range as a tackler is arguably the best in the 2020 draft class, and when he plays at full speed, he’s essentially unstoppable.
NFL teams will love coming up with ways to utilize Simmons in their defensive scheme. Having taken significant snaps as a linebacker, deep safety, nickel cornerback and an edge rusher in Clemson’s defense, he has experience almost everywhere on the field. He can accelerate very well coming out of his breaks in coverage, and he has the deep speed to keep up with most offensive players when lined up in man. His size-speed combination will make him a tough player for opposing offenses to plan for in the pros.
Weaknesses
As athletic as Simmons is, there are times where he doesn’t get full use out of that athleticism because of developing processing abilities.
His instincts could use some improvement, as he can look lost when playing up on the line of scrimmage at times. He can also be a bit too aggressive on option plays, and he can be a split second too late on reading the quarterback’s eyes and making a jump on the ball in zone coverage.
Simmons can also get a little bit better at disengaging from blocks as a blitzer, and his form as a tackler can slip away from the acceptable norm at times. Otherwise, there aren’t many pressing needs in his skill set.
Bottom Line
An athletic freak of nature with unparalleled versatility and a sky-high ceiling, Simmons is a special prospect who differs from essentially every other top linebacker prospect to enter the draft in recent years. He should be one of the first defenders drafted come April.
Projection: Top 10
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