Clemson LB Isaiah Simmons put on quite a show at the NFL Scouting Combine.
Clemson linebacker Isaiah Simmons opened eyes of many during the college football season. The 6-foot-3 5/8, 238-pounder put on a stunning performance Saturday at the NFL Scouting Combine.
WOW!! I just watched @isaiahsimmons25 run a blistering 4.39 as a 240lb linebacker. That is ridiculous! His speed and versatility makes him the best defensive player in the 2020 @NFL draft.
Some of those #Clemson highlights from Isaiah Simmons after he clocked that wicked 4.39 40-yard dash. Needless to say, you can see the sick closing speed for a 6-3 238 pound linebacker/safety. Gotta believe the #Lions will give him a look at #3 overall. pic.twitter.com/VvnG3YJcx4
The third day of the 2020 NFL Combine stream kicks off with defensive linemen, linebackers and pass rushers hitting the field at Lucas Oil Stadium for their drills. Find out the NFL Combine results live by watching on FuboTV.
Though Ohio pass rusher Chase Young won’t be running any drills at the NFL Combine, there will be more than enough explosive talent on the field. Guys like Auburn’s Derrick Brown, South Carolina’s Javon Kinlaw, Clemson’s Isaiah Simmons and LSU’s K’Lavon Chaisson are all expected to be top-10 picks in the 2020 NFL Draft and will be trying to cement their draft stock by working out at the 2020 NFL Combine.
Check out how to watch the 2020 NFL Combine live stream on all your devices.
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49ers head coach Kyle Shanahan is leading the push toward non-traditional, ‘position-less’ offenses. At the forefront of that drive are players like wide receiver Deebo Samuel, fullback Kyle Juszczyk, the entire group of running backs and most …
49ers head coach Kyle Shanahan is leading the push toward non-traditional, ‘position-less’ offenses. At the forefront of that drive are players like wide receiver Deebo Samuel, fullback Kyle Juszczyk, the entire group of running backs and most notably, tight end George Kittle. San Francisco’s offensive philosophy is starting to impact how defenses are built, and increasing the draft stock of some defensive players.
As recently as five years ago, Clemson defensive prospect Isaiah Simmons might’ve gotten knocked for not having one dominant position. Now he’s working his way into consideration for a top-five pick because of his positional malleability, and he credits players like Kittle for his rise.
“If you know who George Kittle and Travis Kelce are, then that explains it all,” Simmons said at the NFL combine via Matt Maiocco of NBC Sports Bay Area. “Stopping tight ends, and linebackers playing man (coverage) on running backs.”
He went on to note that versatility on defense is becoming just as important as it is on the other side of the ball.
“The game is no longer a 250-pound linebacker,” Simmons said. “It’s more guys that are able to run side to side and are able to cover. It’s just a necessity now with the tight ends and running backs.”
Part of the 49ers’ defensive dominance last year was their athletic linebacking corps that could do all the things Simmons listed. The Clemson star is working out as a linebacker at the combine and measured in at 6-foot-4, 238 pounds, but. it wouldn’t be a surprise to see teams use him as a Swiss Army knife on defense to help combat offense like Shanahan’s that exploit matchups by getting athletes like Kittle, Tevin Coleman or Raheem Mostert matched up on linebackers in space. Simmons’ athleticism may make him impervious to those mismatches in a way Warner, Kwon Alexander, and Dre Greenlaw were this season for San Francisco.
The 49ers aren’t the only team to create and exploit mismatches on offense. That’s been the goal of offense since the beginning of football. However, their use of multifaceted skill sets on offense makes them tougher to defend since the usual tendencies of teams and formations go out the window.
For example, San Francisco ran 21 personnel (two running backs, one tight end, two wide receivers) 33 percent of the time according to Sharp Football Stats’ personnel grouping frequency. The league average was 9 percent. The 49ers can do this with success because of players like Kittle who can do everything on offense and allow Shanahan to stay away from specific trends in any one personnel grouping.
A player like Simmons helps thwart what coaches like Shanahan are doing on offense. In years past he might’ve been pigeonholed as an off-ball linebacker, or even a big safety, but the ability to mix positions to confuse offenses while covering running backs and the league’s dominant tight ends now makes Simmons one of the most valuable players in the draft.
These 11 players could see their stock soar at the scouting combine based on their ability to ace the athletic tests.
INDIANAPOLIS — People in and out of the NFL have denigrated the scouting combine drills as the “Underwear Olympics” for years, but those same people are sure on hand when it comes time for prospects to go through those drills every year. And yes, draft decisions are made on a guy’s 40-yard-dash time, broad jump, and bench press numbers more than some would have you believe.
There are a number of new drills this year, created and enacted to more closely mirror the on-field experience. Whether it’s old-school or new-wave stuff, here are 11 prospects who could really stand out at the 2020 combine.
Jordan Love, QB, Utah State
(Vasha Hunt-USA TODAY Sports)
Some evaluators have Love, who experienced an efficiency downturn in 2019 with 17 interceptions against 20 touchdown passes after a 32-touchdown, six-interception 2018, as a possible Next Patrick Mahomes based on his arm strength and athleticism. I believe there are too many legitimate questions about Love’s mechanics and overall form to make such comparisons just yet, but there’s absolutely no question that Love can sling the ball around. In the friendly confines of Lucas Oil Stadium, where he’ll be throwing different routes without any defensive pressure, Love could make a great impression on scouts, coaches, and personnel people who are already halfway to making that comparison in their minds.
“The most important thing to be is to be more consistent,” Love said this week about his own game. “You watch my film, there are some plays where I make an incredible throw, and the next thing you know, I miss a swing route on a checkdown. Being more consistent in all my throws, my footwork, in the pocket, under center, doing dropbacks and things like that. It’s something I’ve practiced since the season ended.”
Love should reap the benefits of that practice in the quarterback drills.
More and more, defensive players are asked to play multiple positions. The importance of versatility comes up in the draft more than ever.
INDIANAPOLIS — In his 2019 season, per Pro Football Focus, Clemson linebacker Isaiah Simmons played 299 snaps in the box, 262 snaps at slot cornerback, 132 snaps at free safety, and 116 snaps at defensive line. The 6-foot-4, 225-pound Simmons also played 13 snaps at outside corner, to make his versatility even more impressive. That Simmons was able to do everything he did at an abnormally high level in Clemson’s 3-1-7 defense is why he’s a top-10 prospect in this draft class.
In his 2019 season, per PFF, Alabama safety Xavier McKinney played 285 snaps in the box, 271 snaps at free safety, and 227 snaps in the slot. The 6-foot-1, 200-pound McKinney also played 38 snaps on the defensive line and five snaps at outside corner, to make his versatility even more impressive. That McKinney was able to do everything he did at an abnormally high level in Alabama’s multiple defense is why he’s a top-20 prospect in this draft class.
Nov 23, 2019: Alabama Crimson Tide defensive back Xavier McKinney (15) returns an interception for a touchdown during the first quarter against the Western Carolina Catamounts at Bryant-Denny Stadium. (John David Mercer-USA TODAY Sports)
You get the idea. LSU’s Grant Delpit, by most marks the only safety ranked higher than McKinney in this class, played 385 snaps at free safety, 316 snaps in the slot, and 149 snaps in the box last season.
Jan 13, 2020; New Orleans, Louisiana: LSU Tigers safety Grant Delpit (7) hoists the national championship trophy after a victory against the Clemson Tigers in the College Football Playoff national championship game at Mercedes-Benz Superdome. (Matthew Emmons-USA TODAY Sports)
In an NFL where five different linebackers spent over 100 coverage snaps in the slot last season (Carolina’s Shaq Thompson, Seattle’s K.J. Wright and Mychal Kendricks, Tampa Bay’s Lavonte David, and Denver’s Todd Davis), and seven different safeties (led by Carolina’s Eric Reid) had over 40 tackles against the run, the importance of the multi-position defensive player — or, one might say, the “positionless” defensive player — has never been more obvious. That will be reflected in the 2020 draft class, and beyond.
Redskins head coach Ron Rivera, who coached Shaq Thompson and Eric Reid in Carolina, now has to find the kinds of versatile defensive players he had before. Rivera mentioned linebacker Cole Holcolmb as one possibility, and was happy to talk about the decisive advantage that kind of range gives your defense in general.
“There are a couple guys who will tell you that I love position flex,” Rivera told me. “I believe in it. I think it’s huge. Shaq was a great example. Here was a guy who could play the nickel position for you, and run with receivers, and at the same time, go back in the box and play the SAM linebacker position. That’s an invaluable player. That’s the kind of player you look for in the draft. The guy who has that position flexibility.
“I think we have some guys who can do that at different positions. [Holcolmb] went out in space, and then came back in as a box player. Those are the kinds of guys you want, because you want that position flexibility. If you don’t have to rotate a guy off the field — if he can stay on the field — you can change your defense, and your defensive looks, and your defensive philosophies. You start rotating guys in, and you’re tipping your hat a little bit: ‘Hey, here’s our nickel package.'”
Raiders general manager Mike Mayock, who saw his defense finish 31st in Football Outsiders’ opponent-adjusted metrics in 2019, didn’t really have that guy last season, and the team paid for it — especially against today’s monster tight ends. First-round safety Johnathan Abram was supposed to help define that positionless position last season, but he missed all but one game in his rookie campaign with a torn rotator cuff. It wouldn’t be surprising to see the now-Las Vegas Raiders to gamble (sorry) on another such player in this draft.
“I think the league’s going that way too on both sides of the line of scrimmage,” Mayock said. “You start looking at guys on the offense that can play in the slot, play at running back, be H-backs, there’s not really a label for them. There’s just either dynamic players, or they’re not. And then you start looking at trying to match up with those guys on defense. When you start looking at any division, particularly ours, and the tight ends, for instance, that we have to play in our division, and you kind of go, ‘Who matches up?’ Do you want to play man coverage, and who matches up with those type of guys. They’re big guys who run fast. Who do we have? So more and more defenses around the league are saying, who are the guys you don’t necessarily have to put a label on, that are dynamic football players. Isaiah Simmons has played on the back end. He’s played at linebacker, he’s come off the edge. And really, I think the only limitations on him, are the ones a defensive coordinator puts on him.”
Matt Rhule, who replaced Rivera with the Panthers, comes from a three-year stint as Baylor’s head coach in which his offenses tested opposing defenses to put athletes all over the field. So, he’s as conscious as anyone in the NFL of the new paradigm.
“I would just call it the position-less player,” Rhule said on Tuesday. “The days of saying, ‘Hey, we need a MIKE linebacker or we need this.’ There’s certain traits you’re looking for, but you’re looking for position-less players. The offenses in the league are changing, so the defenses have to be able to do a lot of things. I think we’re just looking for traits. We’re looking for, ‘Hey, this guy can really do this or really do that.’ I think you’re seeing a lot more of that in the Combine as college football has really spread out. We’re going to try and stay ahead of the curve on that, make sure we keep bringing guys in who can do a lot of different things for us, that give us multiplicity within the roster.”
Rhule said that it’s to the point now where he wouldn’t necessarily take what a player did in college and fit him into those same positions at the NFL level. It’s all about physical and mental attributes. The Steelers proved this last season when they traded for Dolphins Swiss Army knife Minkah Fitzpatrick, put him at deep safety almost exclusively, and turned their defense around. The ideal is not to fit a player in to multiple roles because those roles are needed; it is to align the player’s skills to those positions, regardless of need. Multiplicity becomes its own strength. On the other hand, Mike Tomlin and his defensive staff didn’t care that Fitzpatrick played six different positions for Nick Saban; they saw that Fitzpatrick could do the one thing they needed him to do.
“I think it comes down to traits and how they fit and that’s why that whole process we had, ‘Hey, this our vision for what a three technique looks like in our defense,'” Rhule said of the balancing act between traits and positional requirements. “Doesn’t mean we have to find the best three technique in college, it means we have to go find the guy in college that has the traits we think we can coach. I think it’s really a fun process to find those traits and say, ‘What’s the vision for them within what we do?’”
Cardinals general manager Steve Keim, who’s had multi-position players on his mind and on his defense since Arizona selected Washington State safety Deone Bucannon in the first round of the 2014 draft and turned him into a versatile “Moneybacker,” sees the game the same way today — through the eyes of players like Isaiah Simmons.
“I think with any player, you have to have a plan for him,” Keim said. “Which is, where are you going to play him, how is he going to align for you, and with players like that, his flexibility is his strength, his ability to match up in coverage and do the different things he can do. He’s a dynamic athlete, you know he can play in the slot, he has some cover ability of wide receivers. I saw him play twice live this year, he’s not only a long athlete, but he’s got those short area movement skills that a lot of longer players don’t have which again can translate to a very good cover guy at our level.”
Which is to say, Isaiah Simmons isn’t a linebacker or a safety or a cornerback; he’s an athlete. Xavier McKinney and Grant Delpit aren’t safeties per se as much as they are athletes who can be poured into the (hopefully) intelligent designs of their coaching staffs after their general managers pinpoint the traits that best match what the defensive is trying to do schematically. This is the way of the new NFL, which means it’s going to be the way of the draft, and the college pipeline that feeds it.
Touchdown Wire editor Doug Farrar previously covered football for Yahoo! Sports, Sports Illustrated, Bleacher Report, the Washington Post, and Football Outsiders. His first book, “The Genius of Desperation,” a schematic history of professional football, was published by Triumph Books in 2018 and won the Professional Football Researchers Association’s Nelson Ross Award for “Outstanding recent achievement in pro football research and historiography.”
Workout at the 2020 NFL Combine will begin on Thursday, and here’s a quick look at 12 players the New York Giants should watch carefully.
The 20202 NFL Combine is being held this week in Indianapolis and the New York Giants, holders of the No. 4 overall pick in April’s NFL Draft, will be seeking their next class of presumptive stars.
What will they be looking for and what the rest of the football world believes they should be looking for are two distinct and separate things.
If I ran the Giants, I’d be looking specifically for two types of players first: ones that can make plays on defense and ones that can protect my young quarterback.
What is going through general manager Dave Gettleman’s mind is anyone’s guess. Like most, I’m under the assumption he knows what his team in lacking, but you can never tell with him. He falls in love with players and ends up reaching.
Here’s some players the Giants should be interested in this week.
You can take them in any order you’d like. They all should be there at No. 4 when the Giants select. The favorite here is Becton, who is just so massive and imposing he’s hard to pass up. The question is can you trade down a few spots and still get one of these guys?
The answer is yes. Gettleman should trade back from No. 4 with a team looking for a quarterback, grab some draft capital and maybe take one of the above and perhaps one from the below list in Round 1:
Isaiah Simmons, Clemson (rJR, 6’4″, 225 pounds)
Kenneth Murray, Oklahoma (JR, 6’2″, 234 pounds)
Patrick Queen, LSU (JR, 6’1″, 227 pounds)
Zack Baun, Wisconsin (rSR, 6’3″, 240 pounds)
A.J. Epenesa, Iowa (JR, 6’6″, 280 pounds)
K’Lavon Chaisson, LSU (JR, 6’4″, 250 pounds)
Yetur Gross-Matos, Penn State (JR, 6’5″, 264 pounds)
Terrell Lewis, Alabama (rJR, 6’5″, 258 pounds)
Any one of the above players would walk right onto the practice field in East Rutherford and take someone’s job Day 1. Simmons would be the optimal choice, but the Giants might have to stay at No. 4 to get him, pending his Combine performance.
I love Epenesa and Baun, but they aren’t Top 5 worthy. The rest could be mid-late first rounders or even second rounders, but I’m putting Becton, Simmons, Baun and Epenesa on my dance card. I’ll also be interested to see how Chaisson fares as well.
For those who are into the best available player theory, Alabama wideout Jerry Jeudy and Ohio State defensive back Jeffrey Okudah are two players to watch.
Detroit Lions general manager Bob Quinn spoke to the media at the 2020 NFL Combine today and when asked about Clemson’s hybrid defender Isaiah Simmons, he called him “a playmaker”.
Detroit Lions general manager Bob Quinn spoke to the media today at the 2020 NFL Combine and when asked about Clemson’s hybrid defender Isaiah Simmons, he didn’t hold back any praise for the dynamic prospect.
“That guy’s a playmaker,” Quinn said.
Even though Simmons is just a redshirt junior and had a season of eligibility remaining, he’s been on the Lions radar for some time now, as Quinn noted that he stood out to them prior to this past season.
“He can do a variety of things at a very very high level,” Quinn said. “A couple of years ago, when he wasn’t even eligible, coming down the stretch the last month of the college season, he was probably one of the most dominant guys on that team, and they had a bunch of guys that got drafted last year. So, he was on our radar.”
“He’s great. He can cover tight ends. He can play the run. He can play sideline-to-sideline. He’s a very good blitzer. He’s not a big-bodied inside linebacker that’s going to take on blocks, but his athleticism, his range, and his ability to just make plays — in both the run and pass game — is really intriguing. He’s a high-level prospect.”
Traditionally, off-the-ball prospects don’t get selected high in the first round, but recently those trends have changed with linebackers such as Devin White (selected 5th in 2019), Roquan Smith (drafted 8th in 2018) and Devin Bush (10th in 2019) all being drafted in the top-10. If the Lions trade back from pick No. 3, Simmons will surely be in the conversation.
The Lions Wire staff has identified which linebackers Detroit Lions fans should be watching at the 2020 NFL Combine.
The 2020 NFL Combine on-field workouts begin Thursday, February 27th in Indianapolis but the linebackers won’t take the field until Saturday, February 29th. One interesting note about some of the players in this group is that while they will work out with the linebackers, they may play another role in the Lions scheme.
This is the latest in a series of articles leading up to this year’s NFL Combine, where the Lions Wire team has identified players they will be tracking in order to determine potential fits within the organization.
There are several on-field drills that emphasize a player’s abilities and the main areas Lions’ scouts will likely be focusing for the linebackers are:
Lateral movement should be smooth and quick.
Reaction to instructions, too many times prospects guess the command and make mistakes.
Can they turn and unlock their hips when dropping into coverage?
Head up and eyes on the ball.
Which linebackers take place in EDGE rushing drills? How do they perform under those expectations?
Isaiah Simmons, Clemson
Suggested by: Bryce Rossler
Simmons was a chess piece at Clemson, seeing snaps at free safety, strong safety, over the slot, outside linebacker, inside linebacker, and outside corner. And at the college level, he played all of them at a high level.
In the NFL, he likely won’t have that positional range, and depending on the scheme, he may be labeled either a linebacker or a safety. At the Combine, he will work out with the linebackers, but with the Lions, he would likely find the most success at the safety level, in Tavon Wilson’s role.
[lawrence-related id=37216]
Blessed with both speed and quickness, Simmons uses his rare athleticism to win in coverage, stop the run, and get home on disguised blitzes.
The Lions deploy three-safety sets roughly 50-percent of defensive snaps, and pairing him with Tracy Walker — along with last years third-rounder Will Harris in the third safety role — would give the Lions an instant upgrade in the secondary.
It's not hyperbole to say Clemson's Isaiah Simmons can do it all. His home is probably as an apex/overhang player, but he can move all around the defense and mold to any scheme. Simmons instantly redefines his team's defense. https://t.co/1JtQYM4bN3pic.twitter.com/uALKUFETdv
Baun played outside linebacker in Wisconsin 34 scheme, alternating between rushing the passer and dropping into coverage. Due to his build (6-2.5, 240, with 31.13″ arms) and skill set, he is better suited for an off-the-ball role, and with the Lions, he is a natural fit for the Christian Jones role.
[lawrence-related id=38042]
Comfortable operating in space, Baun is a plus athlete who uses his intelligence, instincts, lateral quickness, and internal drive to flow to the ball all over the field.
Josh Uche, Michigan
Suggested by: Scott Warheit
Uche spent his first few years at Michigan adding weight and learning techniques as a situational stand-up pass rusher before finally earning a starting role in 2019. Like Baun, Uche is comfortable bending the edge and dropping into space, but Uche’s arm length (33.25″) and athleticism, makes him a player who will spend more time rushing the passer.
At 241-pounds, Uche is a bit undersized to be an every-down JACK linebacker in the Lions scheme, but his ability to drop into coverage and insane speed/bend off the edge makes him a unique prospect that is the perfect fit at SAM and WILL linebacker spots in a multiple scheme.
Josh Uche (Michigan) and Bradlee Anae (Utah) have dominated the EDGE in this game pic.twitter.com/lxUVMKkoSr
After examining three hybrid defenders in Simmons, Baun, and Uche, Harrison represents the first true off-the-ball linebacker on this list. Harrison has the size (6-2.5, 246 at Senior Bowl), speed, range, and power the Lions look for at their MIKE and WILL positions. He is gap sound, a complete run defender, and has shown some cover skills, which would make him an instant competitor in most schemes.
Jordyn Brooks, Texas Tech
Suggested by: Matt Urben
With speed, athleticism, and plus instincts, Brooks (est. 6-0, 241) is not talked about enough in the Lions community. He is a downhill, productive, run-stuffing inside linebacker, who fits the mold of a Lions linebacker, including struggling to cover tight ends and running backs. If the Lions plan on moving on from Jarrad Davis when his contract expires after this season, Brooks could be a target to develop and mix into a starter rotation in 2021.
Akeem Davis-Gaither, Appalachian State
Suggested by: Sonja Greenfield and Derek Okrie
Like Simmons, Davis-Gaither (6-1.5, 219 at Senior Bowl) would be a hang defender in the Lions scheme, but without the range to play deep safety. Davis-Gaither can rush the passer, cover the slot, and will be one of the quickest athletes on the field at any given time. If you like Miles Killebrew, then you’ll love Davis-Gaither, as he can do a lot of the same things Killebrew can, but with less power and more speed.
Troy Dye, Oregon
Suggested by: Max Gerber
Like Davis-Gaither, Dye (est. 6-3, 218) is another hang defender with speed to burn and strong tackling skills. In Detroit, he would play in the Killebrew role as a potential four-down defender, who would backup at WILL linebacker, see coverage work in obvious passing situations, with his skills truly shining on special teams.
Evan Weaver, California
Suggested by: Erik Schlitt
When watching Senior Bowl practices, Weaver stood out for being gap sound, recognizing the play early, and beating the offensive player to the correct hole. He has terrific football instincts and his anticipation shows up rep after rep. He attacks downhill with tenacity but won’t win any athleticism competitions, and at 6-2, 239 pounds, fits the profile of a Lions linebacker.
Shaq Quarterman, Miami
Suggested by: Zack Moran
Loaded with experience at the MIKE, Quarterman jumped onto the big stage as a true freshman. Quarterman is a two-down defender who attacks with power but lacks the range and athleticism to stay on the field in traditional third-down situations. He has a long history of production and rarely misses opportunities to make tackles, which will help him be an instant impact starter on special teams and reserve interior linebacker.
The Jags bolstered their front seven with two national champion participants in NFL.com’s latest mock while also adding a little help at TE.
NFL.com’s Chad Reuter released a pre-combine three-round mock this week and the Jacksonville Jaguars came away with an interesting haul. With the team needing help on defense, Reuter had them focusing on that side of the ball while also drafting one big receiving threat on offense.
In round one, the Jags were slotted a familiar name in Clemson linebacker Isaiah Simmons and they turned their attention to the offensive side with pick No. 20 to land Notre Dame tight end Cole Kmet.
Adding the pro-sized, athletic Kmet should aid Nick Foles, Gardner Minshew or whoever is Plan C at quarterback for the Jaguars.
Simmons is a prospect we’ve mentioned on several occasions, and simply put, he’d add a solid player to the Jags’ linebacking corps, which is arguably the weakest group on the field.
Kmet would provide the Jags’ signal-caller with a 6-foot-5, 250 pound, can’t miss target who was a big-time weapon for the Fighting Irish. He ultimately finished the 2019 season with 43 receptions for 515 yards and six touchdowns, which gave him the second-most receiving production on the team only under receiver Chase Claypool.
Both first-round selections would be fine picks but the question for Simmons would be where to put him if Myles Jack is moved to weak-side linebacker. In Kmet’s case, history would suggest he wouldn’t have an immediate impact as a rookie tight end.
73. Jacksonville Jaguars – DT, Rashard Lawrence (LSU)
In the second and third rounds, the Jags came away with Auburn cornerback Noah Igbinoghene, who our own Daniel Griffis recently did a scouting report on. The receiver turned cornerback is the son of two Olympic track runners (Festus and Faith Igbinoghene) so it’s not shocking that his speed sticks out on tape. While he’s still learning the position, he has good hips which allowed him to stick with some of the Southeastern Conference’s shiftiest receivers.
Lastly, the Jags bolstered their defensive line with the selection of Louisiana State’s Rashard Lawrence. With both Marcell Dareus and Abry Jones being viewed as potential cap casualties, the Jags could be looking for one or two defensive tackles and Lawrence would be a great addition. He’s proven to be pretty stout in the middle for the Tigers defense and offers the Jags a player with strong hands and a good motor. Even if the Jags could retain Dareus or Jones, acquiring Lawrence to learn from either would be smart as the team needs to get younger and cheaper in the middle.
With a new position coming for DeMarvion Overshown in 2020, could he fill a role similar to Clemson’s Isaiah Simmons?
The newest defensive coordinator Chris Ash recently discussed moving defensive back DeMarvion Overshown to linebacker. The defense will be scrapping their 3-3-5 defensive look for the more traditional 4-3 in the first year under Ash. The new defensive play caller had mentioned that they will be trying players at different positions to find the best fit for each of them.
Could Overshown be the next Isaiah Simmons? No one should expect a player to step in immediately and have that same level of impact but could he play that same type of role?
Isaiah Simmons played 100+ snaps at five different positions.
Whether it is the NFL or college football, they both are “copycat” leagues. When one finds success, oftentimes other teams will take an aspect of their game and try to mimic it for success. Overshown has the talent to definitely take on this sort of role for Texas.
Overshown has only been able to get on the field in six games over his first two years on the forty acres and with a loaded defensive backfield, playing linebacker might be his best option to get on the field. The four-star safety out of Arp, Texas has the size reminiscent of Simmons. Both stand in at 6’4″ but Simmons slightly heavier. Work in the weight room over the offseason will help him bulk up to play closer to the line.
Size, closing speed and ability to make the big hit makes him an ideal candidate to play linebacker. His two-way experience at Arp and playing defensive back the last two seasons gives you can idea that he can be a versatile piece for the defense. Overshown moving positions much like Joseph Ossai could be a huge factor on the defense raising its level in 2020.
