It’s time to talk about the alien of the 2020 NFL Draft, Isaiah Simmons. I’m not sure we have ever seen a player like Simmons. Safety, corner, linebacker, edge rusher, it doesn’t matter. Simmons just makes every play on the field. Let’s go over the Isaiah Simmons 2020 NFL Draft Profile.
When I say there is no player comparison for Simmons, I mean it. Check this out.
- 116 snaps at defensive line
- 299 in the box as a linebacker
- 262 as a slot corner
- 13 as a wide corner
- 132 as a free safety
There’s never been anything like this cat. Simmons has played every position on the field and done it at a high level. In the Ohio State game, he picked off a pass as a safety. As an edge rusher, Simmons notched 30 pressures on 73 rushes which is a crazy high rate. In coverage, Simmons is only allowing 6 yards per target. How many linebackers can do this?
Isaiah Simmons capped off his Junior season with a stat line of 102 tackles, 16 for loss, eight sacks, three interceptions, nine pass breakups in 15 starts. The versatility is one thing. Combine that with raw athletic traits and now you have something special. Simmons comes with great size at 6-foot-4, 238. His testing numbers were off the charts. 4.38 speed and a 39 inch vertical. The production and testing numbers make Simmons a pretty safe bet.
The only real question with Simmons is how a defensive coordinator will use him. Playing him just as an off ball linebackers seems like a mistake. His chess piece ability is what makes him special. If Simmons underachieves, it’s probably due to the way a team used him, not on him.
I’m not sure I’ve ever seen anything like the Clemson alien. Even comparing Simmons to someone like Derwin James is a huge disservice. There is no comparison to be made. Simmons has superstar potential and will be a nightmare for teams to prepare for on Sundays.
