Clemson Football: Isaiah Simmons is the next elite hybrid LB
Clemson football LB/Nickel Isaiah Simmons is going to be a force to be reckoned with this season as a leader on that Tiger defense.
The hybrid role wasn’t something vastly embraced by the NFL several years ago, but now the league is turning more and more towards it.
For those that don’t know, a ‘hybrid’ in this case refers to a guy that has a bit more size than your average defensive back but more speed than your average linebacker. In many cases, the ‘hybrid’ or ‘nickel’ is put on the field as an extra defensive back to defend the pass in this age of up-tempo spread offenses.
Isaiah Simmons is going to be the nation’s next elite hybrid.
Simmons, who is entering his second season as a full-time starter at the position for Clemson football, is going to be a leader on the defense. He will be relied upon to come up in run situations, but also defend wide receivers in the slot in passing situations.
He’ll play both zone and man coverages for the Clemson football defense.
When looking at Simmons, it’s clear that he could be the best nickel in the nation. He has the physicality and strength of a linebacker combined with elite speed and athleticism. Simmons is able to keep up in coverage with both wide receivers and tight ends, but isn’t afraid to get in the backfield and create contact in the run game.
That diversity is going to lead to him becoming a hot commodity on NFL Draft boards.
Simmons could’ve left after last season and likely would’ve been drafted in the mid-rounds. Instead, he chose to return and now will have an opportunity to improve his draft status and potentially become a first-round draft pick.
Right now, Simmons is expected to be a late-first rounder or potentially an early second rounder. If we know anything about the recent history of the NFL Draft, he’ll go higher than that. Simmons has an opportunity to be the first hybrid linebacker taken in next year’s draft and that would put him as high as the top-10.
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Keep your eye on Isaiah Simmons this 2019 Clemson football season. He’s going to make some plays and become an even bigger asset for the Tigers defensively.