Prospects for Jags’ fans to watch: Clemson LB/DB Isaiah Simmons

In our evaluation of offseason team needs for the Jacksonville Jaguars, I personally listed linebacker as the team’s biggest need and they undoubtedly will need to add two to three players to the group. During the regular season, it was clear that …

In our evaluation of offseason team needs for the Jacksonville Jaguars, I personally listed linebacker as the team’s biggest need and they undoubtedly will need to add two to three players to the group. During the regular season, it was clear that the unit was the weak link on defense as Myles Jack didn’t adapt well to his MIKE linebacker role, Telvin Smith retired, and Quincy Williams struggled with making a transition from the FCS.

Of course, this means the Jags will weigh their options in free agency and the draft and it wouldn’t be surprising to see them use both methods to acquire some help for their linebacking corps. For the sake of this article we’ll be looking at an option in the draft and will focus on free agency later.

Upon looking at the Jags’ selections earlier in the year, I initially didn’t view the No. 10 spot as one where the Jags could find an option at linebacker, but as I started to review some tape, it appears that was an incorrect call. Clemson linebacker Isaiah Simmons made me quickly take that thought process back.

Most fans who tuned in to the National Championship would say he was a player that couldn’t help but be recognized after impacting the game in a variety of ways. In the end, Clemson ultimately last the game to the mighty Louisiana State Tigers, but it surely wasn’t because of Simons as he racked up seven tackles and a sack.

So what makes him so special you ask? Well, simply put, he’s as versatile as they come.

Since being a starter in Brent Venables’ scheme, Simmons has been used everywhere from safety, to cornerback, to linebacker, and he’s flourished at every position. That’s mostly because he’s able to move his 6-foot-4, 230 pound body around unlike anyone on the college level.

The athleticism I just spoke of especially was showcased in the play below during the Fiesta Bowl against Ohio State when Simmons who, again, is listed as a 230 pound linebacker, lined up not as a single high safety (yes, you read that correctly). Upon the snap, Simmons displayed his ability to close ground by coming from the mid-field point to cover a receiver streaking up the sideline at the numbers, and was able to make it to his destination with ease. In fact, the ball ended up being picked off by Simmons, which was huge for Clemson’s momentum in a key game.

Check out the sequence below as Draft Network’s Jordan Reid breaks it all down.

Something Jags fans voiced their displeasure with was the lack of tackling ability against the run in the backfield with Smith retired. Well, Simmons seemingly can help the Jags with that, too. In the National Championship, he had a play where he almost caught the powerful Clyde Edwards-Helaire in the backfield for a safety after getting through the line of scrimmaged untouched.

But wait, it gets better.

In the same game, Simmons also showcased the ability to pass-rush, too. In the third quarter of Monday’s game, Simmons was able to record one of his seven sacks on the season. In the play below, he proved to simply be too fast off the edge for LSU’s left tackle to get a sufficient block on and the rest was history.

Of course, the big question with Simmons for all teams is where would he best fit, especially for the Jags. Personally, I feel like he’s best suited to play weak-side linebacker, and safety would be spot No. 2 for him.

However, the dilemma with putting Simmons at weak-side linebacker is the fact that Jack may be moved there and there is also Williams, who the Jags drafted in the third-round of 2019. Personally, I feel he’s so talented that the Jags shouldn’t let either player stop them from acquiring a versatile chess piece like Simmons, because quite frankly, he’s built to help a team in a variety of ways when looking at what offensive coordinators are throwing at defensive coaches.

Personally, one option I’d weigh is simply moving Jack to the strong-side in the Jags base package while moving Williams to a depth role (which the Jags need) or safety. That would allow Jack and Simmons to be on the field together in most cases, which is a scary pair if they are both in their comfort zone.