Clemson football LB Isaiah Simmons has taken the NFL world by storm over the past months and was recently compared to another young star.
There’s no doubting that Isaiah Simmons will make an impact far beyond his Clemson football career.
Simmons finished up last season as the most versatile defender in the country and proved just how dominant he could be throughout 2019.
As he entered the NFL Combine, there was no doubt that he was going to turn in impressive numbers and he did just that. Simmons ran a blazing 4.39 40-yard dash and was one of the top performers from the week.
Though some analysts who obviously haven’t kept up with the Clemson football LB’s career still try to find fault in Simmons’ game, others are sold-out to the idea that he might be the most valuable player in the 2020 NFL Draft class.
Fox Sports’ Analyst Colin Cowherd compared Simmons to NBA rookie star Zion Williamson because of his crazy athleticism and measurables. Cowherd said Simmons was absolutely the right selection for the New York Giants, who are currently slated with the No. 4 overall pick.
"“There is a Zion quality to this kid. 45 wide receivers ran at the combine—four were faster than Simmons. This kid ran faster than Saquon Barkley, okay? Draft him. The Giants’ defense is terrible. This guy is a play-wrecker,” Cowherd said."
Cowherd continued his comparison of Simmons with Williamson in how the two were viewed coming out of college. Many NBA analysts said that Williamson couldn’t succeed at the pro level because he doesn’t fit in the cookie-cutter system. In the same way, NFL analysts have said that Simmons doesn’t have a set position, so he won’t be able to adjust at the next level.
Cowherd said that is foolishness.
"“6-foot-4, 240 [pounds], a 4.39 40 [yard dash] and people are saying, ‘Well, what do you do with him?’” Cowherd said. “I don’t know, Clemson figured it out. That’s a college coaching staff that figured it out. Well, what do you do with Zion? You give him the ball in transition- he’ll score.”"
When looking at Isaiah Simmons, you either see Pro Bowl potential or you don’t watch film. There is no in-between.
Simmons is an elite pass-rusher, run-stuffer and can pass-coverage. He has the athleticism, physicality and versatility to make a major impact on a defense and to become an immediate star.
There’s no reason we should see Isaiah Simmons drop any lower than No. 4 in the 2020 NFL Draft, but it will be interesting to see what scouts think about him heading into the event in April.