Tag: Isaiah Simmons

Detroit Lions Breakdown podcast, episode 140: Special guest Scott Bischoff

Detroit Lions Breakdown podcast, episode 140: “Special guest Scott Bischoff”, is now available to download and listen.

The Detroit Lions Breakdown podcast is a weekly conversation with Lions Wire’s own Erik Schlitt and his co-host Joe Kania, but with Kania getting a much deserved week off, the guys welcome in special guest Scott Bischoff.

Like in previous podcast episodes, Schlitt and Bischoff throw out the script and see where the conversation takes them.

This week, the entire hour-long conversation surrounds what the Lions could do with the No. 3 pick in the NFL draft — discussing at length the seven prospects they believe the Lions would consider at the top of the draft, and what the fall out of a trade back would look like.

Relevant Lions Wire articles discussed by Schlitt and Bischoff in this weeks episode:

Be sure to follow the Detroit Lions Breakdown Podcast (@LionsBreakdown) and it’s hosts Schlitt (@Erikschlitt), Kania (@JoeKania_DLB), and Bischoff (@Bischoff_Scott) on Twitter.

The podcast is available to listen at the DetroitLionsBreakdown.com website and is also available to download and subscribe to on multiple podcast platforms, including Itunes, Spotify, Google Play, Stitcher, among others.

Giants select LB Isaiah Simmons in Todd McShay mock draft

Giants add the top LB in Todd McShay’s mock draft.

Now that they have their quarterback, the New York Giants will have several options to explore during the 2020 NFL draft on both sides of the ball.

There are several ways the Giants can go about the No. 4 overall pick. They can add weapons or protection for second-year quarterback Daniel Jones or they can add to the defensive side of the ball, which is an area that needs total overhaul.

In Todd McShay’s mock draft for ESPN, the Giants took the latter route and selected Clemson linebacker Isaiah Simmons.

I’d love to get second-year quarterback Daniel Jones a weapon on the outside here, but wide receiver is a deep group and offers plenty of midround options. And quite frankly, defense as a whole is a more serious problem for the Giants. Let’s get them a do-it-all linebacker — their first Round 1 ‘backer since 1984 (Carl Banks) — who found his way into just about every statistical category on the Clemson stat sheet. Simmons is what every NFL team dreams of having at its disposal. He can rush the passer, he can stand up against the run and he can drop into coverage. With Markus Golden and his 10 sacks headed toward free agency, the athletic Simmons could help fill the void.

It’s unlikely the Giants will get a shot at grabbing edge rusher Chase Young out of Ohio State, but adding Simmons to the linebacker corps would immediately boost the defense.

Simmons should bring plenty of speed to the middle of the defense, and he should be able to make an impact right away even with the high expectations that will come with the selection.

It would be interesting to see how the Giants would use Simmons given his position flexibility and the difference in schemes.

Regardless, the Giants must begin adding impact players to the defensive side of the ball. Simmons projects to have that in the bag should he be the pick at No. 4.

Jets make puzzling pick in CBS Sports’ post-Super Bowl mock draft

New York opts for the best player available in CBS Sports’ new mock. In this case, that’s Clemson linebacker Isaiah Simmons.

With the NFL season coming to a close on Sunday night, the window for mock draft season opened up.

Although the draft is still months away, that hasn’t stopped pundits from trying to predict the first round and beyond. Following the Super Bowl, CBS Sports whipped up its latest mock draft, pairing the Jets with an interesting selection.

With three consecutive offensive linemen taken in front of the Jets, New York opts for the best player available rather than taking or potentially reaching for a need. That’s how Clemson linebacker Isaiah Simmons lands in green and white in this post-Super Bowl mock.

Here is CBS Sports’ explanation for the surprising selection:

The Jets have glaring needs along the offensive line and at wide receiver but four tackles are already off the board and this class is deep at WR. Instead, New York takes Simmons, who can line up just about anywhere on the field. He reminds us of a bigger version of Derwin James.

Simmons is the prototypical player for today’s NFL. He can go from rushing off the edge to off-ball to slot coverage with ease. While Simmons is probably one of the best defensive prospects in this draft and certainly one of the closest prospects to being a sure thing, it doesn’t excuse the Jets from passing on wide receivers Jerry Jeudy and CeeDee Lamb.

The Clemson product is certainly a polarizing prospect who the Jets would be able to line up all over the defense. The thing is, the Jets already have that type of player in Jamal Adams, who compares similarly to Derwin James.

In any event, if the Jets find themselves in this situation, they should put the 11th pick up for sale and open up for business. Adding more draft capital and trading back to take an offensive lineman, say Houston’s Josh Jones, is the safe route. The safe route isn’t sexy, but the Jets don’t have the roster flexibility to ignore glaring holes in the first round if the team has any intentions of competing in 2020.

Raiders steal Clemson LB Isaiah Simmons in latest Draft Network mock draft

Raiders steal Clemson LB Isaiah Simmons in latest Draft Network mock draft

Now that the 2019-2020 season is officially over, it’s time to begin looking ahead to what the Las Vegas Raiders might do in the offseason. And with the team holding two picks in the first round, it seems likely the Raiders will address their needs at wide receiver and linebacker.

However, one of the problems with their linebacker need is that there is only one linebacker worthy of a top-15 pick; Clemson’s Isaiah Simmons. Earlier during the draft process, Simmons was the consensus pick for the Raiders at No. 12. But after two massive playoff games, his stock has risen dramatically as he could be in contention for a top-five selection.

But in a recent mock draft at The Draft Network, Kyle Crabbs has the Raiders selecting Simmons at pick No. 12 after three quarterbacks were selected in the top six picks. Take a look at Crabbs’ thoughts on the potential of Simmons falling outside of the top-10:

Pinch yourselves, Raiders fans. You’re not dreaming. Yes, your team really did move to Las Vegas and yes, Isaiah Simmons is really on the board here at 12. Simmons shouldn’t have a problem getting someone to fall in love with him — but if we see the Panthers go with an offensive tackle and Derrick Brown tumble towards 10, this is a viable possibility. Especially considering the NFL can get funky about players without an “official position”.

In Crabbs’ mock draft, wide receiver CeeDee Lamb was selected with the No. 8 pick to the Arizona Cardinals. Lamb has been widely mocked to the Raiders in the first round, so it makes sense that a player like Simmons would fall if Lamb does go higher than some select.

Either way, the Raiders should have multiple talented players, such as Simmons or Lamb, fall to them at pick No. 12. Look for the Raiders to either address their wide receiver or linebacker position with their first pick.

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2020 NFL draft prospect profile: Clemson LB Isaiah Simmons

Let’s take a closer look at the most versatile player in the 2020 NFL draft, Isaiah Simmons.

With drastic changes throughout the Carolina Panthers’ organization, nobody truly knows what direction they will go with their first-round draft pick. However, there are obvious needs that must be addressed, especially after the retirement of Luke Kuechly and Greg Olsen’s exit left huge holes at their respective positions.

Fortunately for the Panthers, there is a special playmaker who might be available at No. 7 who can eliminate multiple concerns. Let’s take a closer look at the most versatile player in the 2020 NFL draft, Isaiah Simmons.

Scouting Report:
Simmons is a redshirt junior from Clemson who comes in at 6-foot-4, 230 pounds. Although he is listed as a linebacker, Simmons has played almost every defensive position during his time in college. He has lined up at linebacker, single high safety, strong safety, defensive end, nickel corner and has even taken a few snaps at outside corner.

Clemson defensive coordinator Brent Venables called on Simmons in a variety of situations and was able to keep opponents off balance by putting him all over the field. He can drop back and cover anyone man-to-man, no matter their speed, height, size, or talent. According to Pro Football Focus, he achieved an elite coverage grade of 92.5 over the course of his college career.Simmons is also able to consistently stop the run when he lines up in the box.

Not only is he one of the most athletically gifted prospects we have ever seen, he’s an immediate plug and play starter for any team. Like all prospects he has some weaknesses, but over time it’s getting harder to pick them out. Clemson effectively used Simmons as a mismatch eliminator and that is exactly what his role will be in the NFL.

Highlights:

Simmons vs. Ohio State

Simmons vs. Georgia Tech

Simmons vs. South Carolina

Simmons vs. Notre Dame

College numbers:

44 games, 148 solo tackles, 11 sacks, 28.5 tackles for a loss, four interceptions, 20 pass breakups, six forced fumbles.

Fit with the Panthers:
With so many question marks on the Panthers’ defense, Simmons could answer several and fill a few positions at a high level. He could play Mike linebacker in some packages as a replacement for Luke Kuechly, play single high or box safety in place of either Tre Boston or Eric Reid, or he could be a shutdown matchup “corner” against quality receivers around the NFC South like Chris Godwin, Calvin Ridley and Michael Thomas.

The more players they can find like him who are capable of filling multiple roles, the more likely the Panthers will be competitive in 2020. Simmons would be an immediate star in Carolina.

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Giants select Isaiah Simmons in first Mel Kiper mock draft

In the first mock draft courtesy of ESPN’s Mel Kiper Jr., the New York Giants select Clemson LB Isaiah Simmons.

Earlier this week, NFL Network’s Daniel Jeremiah released his first mock draft of the new year, so you knew that guys like ESPN’s Mel Kiper Jr. wouldn’t be very far behind.

Lo-and-behold, Kiper released mock draft 1.0 on Friday during Eli Manning’s retirement press conference, and unlike many others who have tried to sneak in unique names, Kiper went with the most obvious choice for New York: Clemson’s Isaiah Simmons.

4. New York Giants

Isaiah Simmons, OLB, Clemson

An off-ball linebacker in the top five? Believe it — Simmons is that good. He is the perfect run-and-cover linebacker for today’s NFL, and he can do anything and play every down. Just look at his incredible stat line from 2019: 104 tackles, eight sacks, three interceptions and 16 total tackles for loss. The Giants have many needs, but Simmons is the type of defender who makes everyone around him better. This is another spot to watch for a rising pass-rusher, but I don’t have another one graded this high. I also thought about offensive line; New York could upgrade at both tackle spots. By the way: The last time the Giants picked No. 4 overall, they ended up with a pretty good player (good luck in retirement, Eli).

Classy nod to Manning there.

As far as Simmons, we’ve broken down his value more than any other prospect to date, so rather than just rehashing that, here’s a quick blurb from our friends over at Draft Wire:

A rare athlete, Simmons has been deployed by a Tigers at nearly every position on defense, with a high level of success no matter what he’s asked to do. While some may view his skill set as a reason to question his fit at the next level, any NFL defensive coordinator worth his whistle will be able to take advantage of his playmaking ability, no matter where he lines up.

At this point in the process, Simmons makes the most sense for the Giants and there really isn’t a close second.

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Panthers 7-round 2020 mock draft version 2.0: Pick locally

In addition to attempting to fill the void left behind by Kuechly with the first pick, we chose local prospects whenever it was reasonable to do so.

The Panthers have about as many roster holes to fill this offseason as any team in the league. There’s a lot of time between now and the start of next season, but generally the best place to start building is the NFL draft.

In our first seven-round mock of the year, we had Carolina pick Auburn defensive tackle Derrick Brown at No. 7 overall. A lot has changed since then, including the sudden retirement of All-Pro linebacker Luke Kuechly. With that in mind, we took a different approach to this mock. In addition to attempting to fill the void left behind by Kuechly with the first pick, we chose local prospects whenever it was reasonable to do so.

For the sake of this scenario, we assumed the Panthers will be keeping Cam Newton at least another year, hence no QB pick. Here’s how it played out.

No. 7: Clemson LB Isaiah Simmons

Isaiah Simmons
(Photo by Chris Graythen/Getty Images)

It was difficult picking between Simmons and Brown here. In the end, we went with Simmons because of his versatility. That’s often an oversold trait for college prospects. In Simmons’ case, he’s the real deal. Like Tyrann Mathieu, Simmons (6-foot-4, 230 pounds) can line up at a number of different positions, including safety or in the slot. He also loaded up the stat sheet at Clemson, totaling four interceptions, 11 sacks, six forced fumbles, 20 pass breakups and 28.5 tackles for a loss. That flexibility will make him more valuable than a defensive lineman, even a very good one like Brown.

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Potential Cardinals 1st-round target Isaiah Simmons declares for NFL draft

He had over 100 tackles in 2019 with three interceptions and eight sacks.

Another incredibly talented underclassman has entered the NFL draft. The latest to skip his final season of college eligibility is Clemson do-it-all defender Isaiah Simmons. He announced the decision via social media on Saturday.

Simmons played all over. He played as a defensive back, inside linebacker and even rushed off the edge.

In 2019, he finished the season with 104 tackles, 16.5 tackles for loss, eight sacks, three interceptions, eight pass breakups, two forced fumbles and a fumble recovery.

This was after a 2018 season with 88 tackles, nine tackles for loss, two sacks, an interception, six pass breakups and three forced fumbles.

He was a dynamic player and is expected to be a top-10 pick in the draft.

There are questions as to what his best position will be in the NFL. Will he be better as a big, physical safety or can he make a transition to being a full-time playmaking linebacker.

He could be a player the Cardinals consider with the eighth overall pick in the draft.

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. 255

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Ep. 254

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Clemson defensive weapon Isaiah Simmons declares for 2020 NFL draft

Clemson’s Isaiah Simmons is leaving school early to enter the 2020 NFL draft

One of the most versatile and dynamic defenders in all of college football is making the early jump to the pro ranks.

Clemson’s Isaiah Simmons is leaving school early to enter the 2020 NFL draft. He made his announcement via social media Saturday.

A rare athlete, Simmons has been deployed by a Tigers at nearly every position on defense, with a high level of success no matter what he’s asked to do. While some may view his skill set as a reason to question his fit at the next level, any NFL defensive coordinator worth his whistle will be able to take advantage of his playmaking ability, no matter where he lines up.

Simmons should light up the NFL Scouting Combine, and could lock himself in as a top-10 pick.

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Jack Del Rio isn’t about to tell fans who the Redskins are drafting in 2020

Many assume that the Redskins will draft Chase Young in the 2020 NFL Draft, but Del Rio isn’t about to give fans any extra intel.

If you were to ask 100 people what the Washington Redskins are going to do with the No. 2 pick in the 2020 NFL Draft, it’s safe to guess that 99 of them will tell you that Ohio State defensive end Chase Young is going to be the next member of the Redskins.

That one other person, however, is defensive coordinator Jack Del Rio, and they only reason his answer wasn’t Young is that it’s too early to say just yet.

Del Rio talked to the Washington media for the first time on Wednesday via a conference call, and when asked about the prospect of the team drafting the generational talent to be added to his defense, he replied that it’s way too early to be talking about that just yet, as the scouting process for the draft is still fresh.

“Honestly, I am not going to be providing my evaluation for the world anyway,” Del Rio said, via The Athletic. “We will work at it. We will start with evaluating our roster first and learn our guys first. Then, we will prep for potential free agents and turn our attention to the draft. We have a lot of work to do in terms of the evaluation that will be ongoing throughout this offseason.”

There are several options open to the Redskins with the No. 2 pick. They obviously could take the easy route and draft Young; they could trade back for an assumed massive haul of picks and bolster their early-to-middle round stock of picks; they could select Clemson LB Isaiah Simmons and focus more on need than talent; they could even choose to draft a top QB prospect, assuming that they aren’t yet sold on rookie quarterback Dwayne Haskins.

No matter what they do, though, it’s clear that Del Rio is not keen on letting fans and media members alike privy to the information.

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