Tag: Isaiah Simmons

Giants select Isaiah Simmons in latest Todd McShay mock draft

The New York Giants select Clemson OLB Isaiah Simmons in the latest post-combine mock draft from ESPN’s Todd McShay.

The 2020 NFL Combine has come and gone, and there’s no real argument to be had — Clemson linebacker Isaiah Simmons dominated the show and established himself as one of the best prospects available in the 2020 NFL Draft.

Perhaps fittingly, the New York Giants are in desperate need of a game-changing defender that’s capable of rushing the passer and covering tight ends, so it seems like a match made in heaven.

That was the thinking of ESPN’s Todd McShay, who projected Simmons to the Giants in his post-combine mock draft.

4. New York Giants

Isaiah Simmons, OLB, Clemson

The Giants defense needs everything, and everything is exactly what Simmons brings to the table. He was a factor in every single statistical area in 2019 for the Tigers, and his blazing 4.39-second time in the 40, wild 39-inch vertical and ridiculous 11-foot broad jump took Indianapolis by storm. It was one of the best workouts we’ve ever seen from a linebacker. A converted safety, Simmons fits what NFL teams are looking for today and can affect so many areas of the game. New York handed 28.2 points per game to opponents last season, more than all but two other teams. Let’s jump start the defensive rebuild with a true difference-maker.

What more needs to be said at this point? We’ve beaten the Simmons to New York angle like a dead horse already this offseason, so there’s no need to bore you with repeat analysis.

The bottom line is that Simmons fits the exact mold the Giants and defensive coordinator Patrick Graham need. Whether he’s a safety, linebacker or slot corner, he’s a guy that can change the game and provide multiple looks.

General manager Dave Gettleman & Co. can’t miss if a guy like Simmons is there at No. 4.

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4 storylines emerging out of the 2020 NFL combine

Tom Brady chatter and top quarterback prospects.

The NFL combine is just as weird as it seems.

NFL decision-makers are packed into a relatively small city, where they have up-close interactions with draft prospects, media members and agents. The result is a strange meat market, where players are measured and interviewed to determine their worth in the upcoming draft. All the while, agents are buzzing around the city, often with hopes of getting sit-downs with teams to establish a market for their veteran free-agent clients. Free agency chatter and contract extensions are generally both born in Indy. The media is there to observe just about everything — often more than reporters should see.

There were no shortage of storylines heading into the event. But here are the ones that came out of the combine.

1. Tom Brady’s agent and the Patriots reportedly haven’t sat down to talk about new deal

Brady’s agent, Don Yee said the CBA is interfering with negotiations around contracts, because teams don’t know how much money they’ll have to spend in the coming years. That assessment feels a bit like a coverup. There’s no harm in both the Patriots and Yee sitting down for a meeting to talk ballpark figures and other potential needs Brady has, which reportedly include a stronger supporting cast. Brady is texting with Belichick, per NBC Sports Boston. But contract talks? Not yet, per MMQB.

The holdup has made for an awkward freeze over the quarterback market, which is expected to be robust with Brady, Teddy Bridgewater, Philip Rivers, Ryan Tannehill and Jameis Winston, among others, expected to be available. There might not be much movement until Brady and the Patriots know what comes next. But it’s a bad sign that the Patriots made time to meet with Devin McCourty’s camp and Philip Dorsett’s representation while failing to set up time for Brady. With every day New England defers discussions, Brady’s departure grows more likely — and at an exponential pace. It must be unsettling for Brady to hear little from his employer of 20 years.

2. Tua Tagovailoa may be in play for the second-overall pick

I pegged Tua as a player to watch at the combine, which was weird because he didn’t do anything but interviews and medicals. And yet it seemed like he provided enough information to thrust him even further up draft boards. He seems to be moving even higher than I anticipated.

The Washington Redskins have a quarterback, Dwayne Haskins. They picked him 15th overall in the 2019 NFL Draft. And yet the turnover in Washington has left Haskins without a backer, as the Redskins parted ways with general manager Bruce Allen and coach Jay Gruden this offseason. Coach Ron Rivera is in charge.

And while I teased the idea that Tagovailoa could go at No. 3 overall, there seems to be a real possibility he might go with the second pick of the 2020 draft. And that wouldn’t be all that crazy either.

The precedent is set, with the Cardinals drafting Kyler Murray at No. 1 overall after selecting Josh Rosen at 10th overall. It’s not the most efficient use of draft selections, but if the process yields a franchise quarterback, it’s a worthwhile pick. Drafting another quarterback certainly doesn’t strain the team’s cap situation. Haskins costs just $3.6 million per year. Tagovailoa, if selected at No. 2, would cost roughly $8.5 million annually. For comparison, Andy Dalton is scheduled to make $17 million in 2020.

The Redskins would be wise to keep Haskins, if they draft Tua. And if they see Tua as a future franchise quarterback, Washington should take him to create a competition between their signal-callers. Quarterbacks are worth it.

3. Isaiah Simmons is the King of the Combine

Everyone knew he’d test with freakish numbers. Turns out, the linebacker can be compared easily to receiver Julio Jones from an athletic standpoint.

That’s a fun set of parallel measurements. But of course, Simmons doesn’t play receiver. He plays linebacker — or safety. While it’s amazing to see him win a track and field event in February, he needs to help franchises win games during the regular season and postseason.  His film speaks to a player who can do just that.

But perhaps we’re not discussing how important it is for him to land with a team that has a good idea of how to use Simmons. If he gets miscast in a bad scheme or bad position, he’ll have a hard time applying that athleticism. A team in the top five picks is likely to try its luck. I’m guessing the New York Giants at fourth overall.

4. Joe Burrow is OK with Cincinnati

Aside from the fact that Burrow has tiny hands, his feelings about the Bengals’ franchise was a huge storyline. There was some question as to whether he wanted to play in Cincinnati, perhaps stemming from the ownership group’s proclivity to pinch pennies.

Burrow dismissed those rumblings.

“I’m not going to not play,” Burrow told reporters. “I’m a baller. If the Bengals pick me, I’m going to play.”

I, for one, hope Burrow pulls an Eli Manning and lands with a more functional franchise than the Bengals. But for now, we’ll take Burrow’s comments at face value. The Bengals also plan to use the franchise tag on A.J. Green, a move which Burrow reportedly put on his wish list for the organization. Will they keep appeasing Burrow’s requests? That would make for an interesting precedent in Cincinnati.

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20 things we learned from the 2020 scouting combine

The scouting combine is a fascinating fountain of draft and NFL knowledge. Here are the 20 most important things we learned this year.

Every February, as we rise out of our Super Bowl hangovers, the scouting combine comes along to re-focus our heads into the upcoming league year, draft, and actual season. Here are 20 things we learned this time around,

Free agency could be a whole new ballgame.

(Trevor Ruszkowski-USA TODAY Sports)

Based on the feeling in Indianapolis last week, there are two pendulums that hang over the new league year, which begins March 18: A free-agent quarterback situation the likes of which we’ve never seen before (more on that in a minute), and the status of a new Collective Bargaining Agreement. A group of owners and player representatives from all 32 teams met in Indy last Tuesday, with a 17-14 player rep vote with one abstention taking the proposal to the entire player pool for a ratification vote once a few things are ironed out.

If that goes through, we’re close to labor peace until the end of the decade. The owners are offering a bigger piece of the pie of all broadcast revenue, which should increase drastically with new television deals. Some players are balking at a 17-game season, which the owners seem to see as an inflexible bargaining chip. If there is no agreement, there could be a lockout in 2021 following the expiration of the current CBA. At this point, owners don’t know what the salary cap will be long-term without an agreement. Could this lead to a depressed market in free agency? We will have to wait and see.

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Combine likely takes Isaiah Simmons, Derrick Brown out of consideration for No. 8 pick

Simmons’ stock is sky-high, while Brown’s appears to be falling some.

The Arizona Cardinals have the eighth pick in the 2020 draft next month. While many believe they will either take an offensive lineman or a receiver, some would like to see them take a defensive player to help shore up one of the league’s worst units in 2019.

Two players often projected to be possibilities with the eighth pick are Clemson linebacker Isaiah Simmons and Auburn defensive lineman Derrick Brown.

However, with how things went at the NFL combine, both likely played themselves out of the eighth pick, but for different reasons.

It appears likely Simmons will be long gone. After running a sub-4.4 in the 40, combined with his size and game tape, he appears he could be a top-five selection. The New York Giants are rumored to be targeting Simmons with the fourth pick.

Brown’s combine performance raises concerns, which could take him out of consideration as a top-10 pick.

His 40 time wasn’t anything special but his three-cone time of 8.22 seconds is not where you would hope a top-10 defensive lineman is. The Cardinals value athleticism, especially in the first round.

With both performances, it looks much more likely they will look to add a receiver or an offensive lineman.

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Listen to the latest from Cards Wire’s Jess Root on his podcast, Rise Up, See Red. Subscribe on Apple podcasts or Stitcher Radio.

Ep. 259

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Ep. 258

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Watch: Clemson prospect Isaiah Simmons dusts Alvin Kamara, Michael Thomas in 40-yard dash simulcam

Clemon prospect Isaiah Simmons tore up the 2020 Combine, but his time looks even better against Saints stars Alvin Kamara and Michael Thomas

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Few players impressed viewers at the NFL Scouting Combine better than Clemson prospect Isaiah Simmons, a versatile safety-linebacker hybrid who has been marketed as a more-athletic Tyrann Mathieu. Simmons blazed through the 40-yard dash in just 4.38 seconds, an astounding time at his official weight of 238 pounds (and a couple of hairs beneath 6-foot-4).

To illustrate just how absurd that performance is, the NFL Network crew broadcasting combine events put together simulcam footage of Simmons competing with stars from around the league including New Orleans Saints playmakers Alvin Kamara and Michael Thomas, which you can see below.

It shouldn’t be a real surprise that Kamara and Thomas were each outraced by Simmons; their own times in the 40-yard dash are easy to find in historical records, with Kamara timing the sprint in 4.56 seconds while Thomas finished slightly behind at 4.57. But seeing them all compete against one another in real time sure helps to drive the point home.

Will the Saints see Simmons during the 2020 season? It’s unclear where exactly he’ll land in the draft, but it’s a safe bet that any team would be happy to have him. Simmons is a near-lock to be picked in the first 10 selections, possibly joining the NFC South-rival Carolina Panthers at No. 7 (who have lost dynamic linebackers Thomas Davis and Luke Kuechly in recent years). The Los Angeles Chargers (at No. 6) and Detroit Lions (at No. 3) also might make sense as landing spots for Simmons, and they’re both scheduled to play the Saints in 2020. So it might not be too long before Simmons is running against Kamara or Thomas for real. And that would make for must-see TV.

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Cowboys-centric defensive winners, losers from 2020 scouting combine

The defense took their turn over the weekend, but not everyone rose to the occasion, including one of the Cowboys’ top targets at safety.

Mere mortals spent the weekend running errands, going out with friends, sleeping in, and maybe enjoying a little downtime from work. For those looking to make a living playing defense in the National Football League, though, the stakes this past Saturday and Sunday were exponentially higher.

Defensive linemen and linebackers competed in their drills in Indianapolis on Day Three of the NFL Scouting Combine, while safeties and cornerbacks had to wait until the final day to show teams what they can do on the field. Representatives from Dallas were undoubtedly paying close attention, as the Cowboys’ defense in 2019 exposed several glaring weaknesses that need to be addressed heading into next season.

Here’s a quick look at who overperformed and who underdelivered in Indy.

Day 3 Winners

Isaiah Simmons, LB, Clemson

Simmons is sure to be one of the defensive darlings from the 2020 Combine, and with good reason. The Clemson junior torched the competition with 4.39-second 40-yard dash, even beating the combine times of noted speedsters Derwin James (Chargers safety, 2018) and Jalen Ramsey (Rams cornerback, 2016). And remember, he’s a linebacker. LSU quarterback Joe Burrow said that Simmons was the single biggest thing he had to worry about in the national championship game. High praise, indeed. the 2019 Butkus Award winner didn’t even participate in drills in Indianapolis, but his freakish workouts will make him a blazing-hot commodity out of the Day 3 position group.

Willie Gay Jr., LB, Mississippi State

Gay may have been something of an under-the-radar secret before Indianapolis, but his weekend work at the combine assured that it’s not just the hardcore draftniks who know his name now. His bench press, broad jump, vertical jump, and 40 scores were all Top 5 for linebackers, and he demonstrated notably quick feet during drills. If there’s knock, it’s off-the-field issues; Gay has admitted to cheating on a chemistry exam in 2019 and getting an 8-game suspension because of it. He also reportedly got into a physical altercation with his team’s quarterback late in the season. But his combine numbers will help some team decide he’s worth taking a chance on.

Neville Gallimore, DT, Oklahoma

Gallimore doesn’t move like a big man, but the 304-pounder ran the fastest 40 for a three-bill D-lineman since 2000. He went on to show incredible change of direction skills, impressive power, and quick feet every time he was asked. Gallimore was the top high school prospect coming out of Canada in 2015, and ended up leading the Sooners to a Big 12 championship as a college senior with a season that earned him third-team AP All-American honors.

Jabari Zuniga, DE, Florida

Zuniga is known to evaluators as a player who’s shown flashes of greatness, but couldn’t do it consistently. Last year, he played just five games for the Gators due to an ankle injury. The redshirt senior needed a great combine. He had it. With good speed, a position-best broad jump, and a solid vertical score, Zuniga put himself in a much better light by the end of Day Three.

Day 3 Losers

Derrick Brown, DT, Auburn

“Loser” is a harsh label to slap on the 2019 unanimous All-American and SEC Defensive Player of the Year. But Brown has drawn early comparisons to NFL legends thus far, and his combine performance was just average at best. Some drills were legendarily poor; his 3-cone time was the fourth-worst in combine history. Of course, a subpar workout doesn’t make Brown a bust, but it could cause him to slip a bit in April’s draft and cost him some dollars on his rookie deal.

A.J. Epenesa, DE, Iowa

The junior had been a standout on the Hawkeyes defensive line since his freshman year, but his combine stood out in all the wrong ways. Once projected to be a first-round selection, the consensus now says his weekend’s lack of athleticism will drop Epenesa into the second round. There’s already talk of the 275-pounder needing to put on some weight in order to play at the pro level.

Day 4 Winners

C.J. Henderson, CB, Florida

The junior lit up the stopwatches in his 40-yard dash after impressing scouts with 20 reps in the bench press. He drilled well, too, showing off a nice catch radius. That will serve him well in the upcoming draft, since most of the concerns about Henderson are about his tacking abilities. They’re probably not serious enough to drop him out of the first round, though. And for some evaluators, it’s a nitpicky gripe about a true shutdown cover man who’ll be paid to do his best work to prevent catches, not clean up after them.

Jeremy Chinn, S, Southern Illinois

Chinn showed that the small-school guys can play, too. The safety’s broad jump was the second-best across all positions at the combine, and he wowed with most of his other drills, too. The Southern Illinois Saluki continued to attract big buzz following his invitation to the Senior Bowl. That could translate to a draft day leap for Chinn, of whom CBS Sports insider Jason La Confora says, “multiple teams… have a late-first/early-second grade on him.”

Jeffrey Okudah, CB, Ohio State

Okudah came in to the weekend as a near-lock to be one of the first players selected in April. His workouts did nothing to dampen that expectation, with excellent 40 times and vertical and broad jumps that were near the very top. The unanimous first-team All-American did go down awkwardly during a drill, though, and had to skip the rest of the Day Three events. The hit to his head/neck area isn’t expected to be much to worry about, but it cut short a superb combine performance.

Essang Bassey, CB, Wake Forest

The first thing most evaluators mention regarding Bassey is his lack of size. But during coverage drills, in Indianapolis, the Wake Forest product showed great hands and fluid movement that could well put the three-year college starter on track for a Day Two selection in April’s draft.

Day 4 Losers

Damon Arnette, CB, Ohio State

Sharing the Buckeye secondary with Jeffrey Okudah is tough duty, but Arnette didn’t do much to shine on his own in Indy. After a wrist injury in college, he had returned to Ohio State for one more season in hopes of catapulting his draft stock, but a relatively slow (for his position) 40 time didn’t move him out of being projected Day Two pick.

Cameron Dantzler, CB, Mississippi State

Speed kills in the NFL, but the lack of it can also kill a prospect’s chances of grabbing a first- or second-round look. Dantzler was once projected as a Top 5 corner in the 2020 Draft, but a 4.64 time in the 40 is going to make that tough to achieve. That comes after he skipped the team’s bowl game specifically to prepare for the draft. He’s tall and physical, but teams won’t like the fact that he couldn’t turn on he jets when he needed to. Dantzler may fall as far as the third round now.

Xavier McKinney, S, Alabama

One of the Cowboys’ supposed top targets did not have a good weekend. The Crimson Tide junior came up limping at the end of his first 40-yard dash and had to withdraw from on-field drills. Still projected to be a first-round pick, McKinney will now have to wait until Alabama’s pro day to solidify his draft status.

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2020 NFL Combine winners: Linebackers

Examining and identifying the top on-field linebackers performances from the 2020 NFL Combine.

The 2020 NFL Combine continued their on-field drills on Saturday night, this time featuring interior defensive lineman, EDGE rushers, and linebackers. As always, the workouts begin with the 40-yard-dash, and when they shifted into position drills, we got to see a handful of new drills.

The Lions seem pretty content with their off-the-ball linebackers, but they’re always looking for upgrades and players that can contribute on special teams — which this group is full of. Let’s take a look at those who earned positive marks today.

Isaiah Simmons, Clemson

6-3.5, 238, 40 y/d: 4.39, Vertical: 39″, Broad: 11′

It doesn’t matter if you like him as a linebacker or a safety, Simmons is a playmaker who ran one 4.39 second 40-yards dash and then did a Deion Sanders-like walk off — and most could care less he didn’t do any on-field drills.

With the way the Lions deploy their linebackers, I still believe Simmons is best suited as a hang defender role — similar to Tavon Wilson’s role, taking snaps in the box, over the slot, at MIKE, and single-high safety — in the Lions scheme because it would allow him to operate with more freedom, at all levels of the defense and expand the secondary’s coverage exponentially.

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The biggest obstacle I see with the Lions and Simmons potential marriage is that it goes against tradition for NFL teams to draft off-the-ball players early because of the value they get out of that position. Recently there has been a trend that has seen more off-the-ball prospects selected in the top-10, and Simmons is a special enough talent to keep the trend going, but I’m not sure the Lions are a team that would target him early.

Malik Harrison, Ohio State

6-2.5, 247, short shuttle: 4.32

Harrison, a more traditional style of linebacker for the Lions scheme, took advantage of a couple of key injuries to linebackers rated ahead of him and stole the show. Clearing the Lions’ benchmarks in both jumps and the short shuttle, Harrison is a perfect fit in the Lions scheme if they are looking for an upgrade on Day 2. With the Lions, Harrison would fit in as a WILL with potential to switch with the MIKE on any given play, and would be a nice complement to Jahlani Tavai as a potential starting pair down the road.

Willie Gay Jr., Mississippi State

6-1, 243, 40 y/d: 4.46, short shuttle: 4.3

Gay’s size, speed, and quickness were all on display at the Combine and if he had a clean off-the-field background — he was suspended for eight games last season — he would probably be much higher on the Lions draft board.

Notes:

  • Kenneth Murray (6-2.5, 241, Oklahoma) ran a 4.52 40-yard dash on his first attempt but was injured in his second and unable to finish the day. The testing he was able to complete was all terrific.
  • Casey Toohill (6-4.5, 250, Stanford) hit all the Lions athletic benchmarks, which could get him an undrafted free agent offer from Detroit.

Isaiah Simmons: The case against him as the Lions’ first-round pick

Isaiah Simmons: The case against him as the Lions’ first-round pick

Clemson defensive whiz Isaiah Simmons is one of the most popular prospects in the 2020 NFL Draft with just about every NFL fanbase. That includes the Detroit Lions at the No. 3 overall pick. But his size at his combine weigh-in almost certainly rules him out from consideration in Detroit.

Simmons checked in at just under 6-foot-4 and at 238 pounds. That’s bigger than many NFL linebackers and quite a bit bigger than the most successful modern “supersized” safety, Kam Chancellor.

For a player who compared himself to safeties, including Tyrann Mathieu and Jalen Ramsey, his sheer size makes it a very difficult projection. His game film at Clemson indicates he has the ability to handle coverage responsibilities and the requisite athleticism needed to play as the hybrid S/LB role epitomized by Mathieu — who is listed by the Chiefs at 5-foot-9 and 190 pounds.

Seven inches and 48 pounds difference. That’s more than the size difference between Danny Amendola and Calvin Johnson. It’s very difficult to see the Lions envisioning Simmons as anything but a linebacker in the base defense. And that’s an issue, because right now the Lions are set at off-ball linebacker with Jarrad Davis, Jahlani Tavai, Christian Jones and even Devon Kennard to some extent. There is a significant amount of resources devoted to the spot already.

His unicorn-like athletic ability makes it difficult to pass on such a freaky and productive talent:

But off-ball linebacker isn’t typically a position that merits top-10 overall value. And that’s what Simmons would be in Detroit most of the time, the role that Davis or Christian Jones currently fills. It doesn’t help the pass rush, it doesn’t really help the outside coverage, it doesn’t fill the suddenly gaping hole in front of the LBs.

Simmons is a very talented player and an amazing athlete, but he doesn’t fix any of the biggest problems on the defense. In fact, his best attribute–pass coverage–might actually encourage the Lions to continue to keep rushing just three and letting opposing QBs pick apart the coverage when it inevitably breaks down.

If Simmons is at LB, the Lions need a safety to play behind him. If he drops back to safety, then that player comes off the field and a linebacker subs in. Do the Lions have that kind of depth of talent at those two positions, where someone who can make an impact comes off the field?

It’s a very tempting idea to have Simmons patrolling the middle of the field in Detroit’s defense. He’d certainly make the team more fun to watch. But he’s not the best choice to make the team appreciably better on defense with the No. 3 overall pick.

Should the Raiders consider trading up for Clemson LB Isaiah Simmons?

Should the Raiders consider trading up for Clemson LB Isaiah Simmons?

If you missed the NFL Scouting Combine on Saturday night, you missed one of the all-time great workouts as Clemson linebacker Isaiah Simmons put on a show in primetime.

At 6’4, 238 pounds, Simmons ran a 4.39 40-yard dash and jumped 39 inches in the vertical. He also had a 132″ broad jump, which was the fourth-best of any player in the 2020 NFL Draft. Take a look at his athletic web via MockDraftable.com:

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The only downside to Simmons’ performance was that he certainly put himself in the discussion for a top-five pick and outside of the range for the Raiders. However, given the team’s need at linebacker, should the Raiders consider trading up for this generational talent?

The answer to that question might depend on what the team does in free agency. If the Raiders can address their other needs at wide receiver and cornerback during free agency, Mike Mayock and Jon Gruden might be more open to a possible trade. For example, if the Raiders were able to sign a Byron Jones along with an Emmanuel Sanders, that would likely free them up to make such a bold move in the first round.

Simmons is precisely the type of player the Raiders need on defense as he can play multiple positions at an elite level. He’s a playmaker who finds the football and his versatility and athleticism are rare. But what would be the potential cost to acquire him?

According to the Jimmy Johnson Trade Value Chart, picks No. 12 and No. 19 would roughly equal the No. 3 or No. 4 pick in this draft. Is Simmons worth two first-round picks to the Raiders? That is a question the team will have to answer over the next few months. But considering his talent level, it’s certainly a conversation worth having.

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Michael Brockers sees Aaron Donald, Mark Barron in two of draft’s top prospects

Isaiah Simmons and Chase Young drew comparisons to a former and current Ram, according to Michael Brockers.

Two of the best defensive prospects in this year’s draft hail from powerhouse programs Clemson and Ohio State. Linebacker Isaiah Simmons and edge rusher Chase Young are both expected to be taken in the top 10 come April, with potentially both going in the top five.

Michael Brockers has been in the NFL for eight years and played alongside arguably the best defender for six years (Aaron Donald), so he knows a good defender when he sees one. And when looking at Young and Simmons, Brockers sees flashes of a current and former Ram.

Simmons brings him back to the days of playing alongside Mark Barron, who the Rams acquired as a safety and moved to linebacker.

“Over the years that I’ve been in the league, the game’s changed. I’ve played with a hybrid linebacker and I think the first one that really came into the league was Mark Barron,” Brockers said on NFL Network. “He came from Alabama. I saw him at Alabama as a safety, he was feared in the backend. We trade for him in I think 2015, not sure, and we get him and Gregg (Williams) says, ‘Hey, blitz, blitz.’ We get him the first week and he plays against the Cardinals. And he’s like, ‘Blitz, blitz.’ And after that, we started seeing people don’t know what package we’re in – if we’re in sub-package or base package, so this could work for us. So then we start matching him up on tight ends and getting up on the line of scrimmage in that base personnel, so it worked well for our defense and he did a tremendous job and he’s a hell of a player.”

As for Young, his mentality reminds Brockers of Donald. He didn’t specifically mention the talent comparisons between Donald and Young, but both are prolific pass rushers and have the attitude to be great.

“After hearing his interview, it almost made me think about AD, Aaron Donald,” Brockers said. “His thought process is, ‘I want to be great. I don’t care about nothing else. I want to be great, just me.’ That self-motivation is going to take him a long way.”

The Rams won’t sniff Simmons or Young, sitting at No. 52 overall with their first selection. However, this is a deep draft class filled with solid pass rushers and linebackers. Brockers may not be around to see the Rams make their first pick in the draft, being a pending free agent, but there’s no doubt he wants to stay in Los Angeles with Donald lining up next to him.