Isaiah Simmons Linebacker Clemson

Derwin James 2.0

I don't think he can play any position besides linebacker, but man can he move

Originally posted by dhp318:
I don't think he can play any position besides linebacker, but man can he move

That would be incorrect.

Originally posted by Jcool:

Derwin James 2.0

Isaiah Simmons snaps last season:
-Inside linebacker-299
-Slot corner-262
-Free safety-132
-Outside linebacker-116
-Strong safety-100
-8 sacks
*Yeah I would say he's the ultimate hybrid linebacker/safety...Swiss army knife.

— The Giant Insider Newspaper & Podcast (@GiantInsider) April 17, 2020

Isaiah Simmons is a 3-down player who can be used effectively in coverage or as a pass rusher:

• excels playing at the LOS vs the run
• productive pass rusher and can blitz from depth with ease
• matches up well w TEs & RBs

What are his weaknesses?https://t.co/73K9Q15SPw

— Warren Sharp (@SharpFootball) April 18, 2020

Yup.
Derwin was my favourite player that draft. Isaiah is my favourite player this year. He looks a little bigger than Derwin.

What happens if he drops to 13...I suppose we pass on him as he is not needed.

Originally posted by dhp318:
I don't think he can play any position besides linebacker, but man can he move

ehhh..... maybe......

I would not put a lot of energy into that belief structure tho....

He had multiple pass defenses as a Slot CB and several picks/sacks... playing safety...

Plus he is an absolute cruise missile to the ball.

There are not many players on defense were a QB absolutely must know were that guy is before the snap.... This is one of them. He can line up in so many places and END drives from that spot.

I think he is the perfect player for teams that want to play a bunch of single high safety , especially teams that face dynamic run pass threats in their division.

He is a VERY effective blitzer from the Safety position. Few players can navigate traffic the way he does to find the ball.

There are a lot of good players in this draft, I really.....realllly.... think he is a generational talent and very very rare in his skill set.

I would rather trade the farm to get up and get him then i would to trade the farm and go get Chase Young...and I really like Young too.

I am not saying he will trivialize mobile QBs...but from day one...snap one....in the NFL...whatever team that gets hm has one less thing to think about. His sideline to side line speed is VERY legit, he will find the ball.

Whenever I hear pre-draft buzz that a guy is a "Swiss Army knife" that can "play multiple positions" I think that 3yrs later that same guy will be labeled a "Tweener" who "didn't have a natural position in the NFL"

Our own ST comes to mind.

Edit: Not saying this about Simmons, just what comes to mind when I hear these labels at draft time

Originally posted by CardinalGold:
Whenever I hear pre-draft buzz that a guy is a "Swiss Army knife" that can "play multiple positions" I think that 3yrs later that same guy will be labeled a "Tweener" who "didn't have a natural position in the NFL"

Our own ST comes to mind.

Edit: Not saying this about Simmons, just what comes to mind when I hear these labels at draft time

I don't think fans understand how difficult it is to truly maximize a player like this. Their potential is limited by a DC's intelligence and creativity. Kyle Van Noy is the perfect example. Detroit had no idea how to use him, fans called him a bust, and they shipped him out for seven-round pick. He gets to the Patriots, and Belichick turns him into one of the deadliest defensive weapons in the league by using him everywhere. Van Noy literally did everything for the Pats. A player like Simmons needs a DC that is maleable with their scheme and extremely creative with play calls.

Simmons would never live up to his potential in the 49ers' scheme. Their defense is too structured. They don't ask for much from their guys and keep the assignments simple for a reason.

Originally posted by Dshearn:
ehhh..... maybe......

I would not put a lot of energy into that belief structure tho....

He had multiple pass defenses as a Slot CB and several picks/sacks... playing safety...

Plus he is an absolute cruise missile to the ball.

There are not many players on defense were a QB absolutely must know were that guy is before the snap.... This is one of them. He can line up in so many places and END drives from that spot.

I think he is the perfect player for teams that want to play a bunch of single high safety , especially teams that face dynamic run pass threats in their division.

He is a VERY effective blitzer from the Safety position. Few players can navigate traffic the way he does to find the ball.

There are a lot of good players in this draft, I really.....realllly.... think he is a generational talent and very very rare in his skill set.

I would rather trade the farm to get up and get him then i would to trade the farm and go get Chase Young...and I really like Young too.

I am not saying he will trivialize mobile QBs...but from day one...snap one....in the NFL...whatever team that gets hm has one less thing to think about. His sideline to side line speed is VERY legit, he will find the ball.

He lined up everywhere but honestly doesn't really blow me away at any position. I just don't think he has the cover skills to be an effective modern DB, he doesn't play downhill and evade blockers like I'd want for an interior LB. He's just a freakishly big, fast, and smooth athlete who plays exceptionally well in space for his size. DB skills/mentality in a LB's body. But I think that makes you a LB in today's passing league. I'm sure a decade ago he would've been what Taylor Mays was supposed to be.

Originally posted by Heroism:
I don't think fans understand how difficult it is to truly maximize a player like this. Their potential is limited by a DC's intelligence and creativity. Kyle Van Noy is the perfect example. Detroit had no idea how to use him, fans called him a bust, and they shipped him out for seven-round pick. He gets to the Patriots, and Belichick turns him into one of the deadliest defensive weapons in the league by using him everywhere. Van Noy literally did everything for the Pats. A player like Simmons needs a DC that is maleable with their scheme and extremely creative with play calls.

Simmons would never live up to his potential in the 49ers' scheme. Their defense is too structured. They don't ask for much from their guys and keep the assignments simple for a reason.

I don't necessarily 100% agree with that.......

They have have shown some flexibility in how the d line attacks, who lines up were to get miss matches, they even put in some Schumer level zone blitz stuff.

Not a lot of players are good enough to stand up, or start in a stance, but we saw how Dee Ford was used last year. We also saw Bosa do it, inside, outside and in coverage. From the left and the right. We have also moved other players around to boot... There is some flexibility there, just wanting for a talent to make it work.

But your point is valid, Simmons needs to be moved to be flexible, and thats not just based on Simmons ability .....that makes everyone else shift around too, and D coordinator needs to be open minded.

I would love to see Simmon's take over that old Ronnie Lott or Merton Hanks role. Both of those guys were "tweener" CBs/Safties. Ronnie Lott was used a bit like a linebacker in the old 3-4 I think Simmons is a new generation of that. I don't think he is a pro-bowl level CB the way Ronnie Lott was, but even a blindman can see he has some of that "it" factor that lott had. Simmons will find the ball and hit the dude with it.

Originally posted by dhp318:
He lined up everywhere but honestly doesn't really blow me away at any position. I just don't think he has the cover skills to be an effective modern DB, he doesn't play downhill and evade blockers like I'd want for an interior LB. He's just a freakishly big, fast, and smooth athlete who plays exceptionally well in space for his size. DB skills/mentality in a LB's body. But I think that makes you a LB in today's passing league. I'm sure a decade ago he would've been what Taylor Mays was supposed to be.

He finds the ball... I disagree that he can not play down hill in the NFL. I think he can, and i think more then anything that is his strength. What sells me on him, he can attack a play at the point and blow it up. Lots of tape of him making tackles behind the line of scrimmage from the Safety position, he also is VERY comfortable playing in space on the weak size. He was great as the sole line of defense on the weak side. He is not a bread and butter CB in the NFL, but he absolutely has better cover skills then some NFL Safeties and He is a much better blitzer then most college LB or Safety prospects.

I don't think we are that far apart on this tough, I really think he is an ideal strong safety in single high defense. Does he cover? Does he blitz? IF he shifts out he can still run sideline to side line....

Even if you don't think he is viable at safety, and thats fair.....i don't agree .....but I think you made valid historical point. You must admit you would be hard pressed to find anything quite like him from a college linebacking prospect in recent memory.

Originally posted by Heroism:
I don't think fans understand how difficult it is to truly maximize a player like this.

My mind glossed over your opening line.....

I agree with that 100%

Its really easy to brain storm potential, but very few defenses in NFL history have traded one players potential at the expense of the entire system.

Simmons is a player that sets a person's imagination a light.... but there are 2000 degrees of separation between what could be and what will happen.

Love the player but he would scare the s**t of me if he was there at 13th.
Everyone is talking about what they should or shouldn´t do, look, Simmons is the one guy they should not think about at 13th.

Originally posted by pdc20:
Love the player but he would scare the s**t of me if he was there at 13th.
Everyone is talking about what they should or shouldn´t do, look, Simmons is the one guy they should not think about at 13th.

Really?

Why?

Why would you pass him over at 13?

He´s a LB ultimately in the niners defense.
Would you draft a LB that high in the draft?
With the 13th pick, they should draft a premium position, OT, WR, CB, hell even a DT but not a LB.