Isaiah Simmons NFL Draft 2020: Scouting Report for Arizona Cardinals' Pick

LB Isaiah Simmons, Clemson

STRENGTHS

—One of the most athletically gifted prospects of the last decade. 

—Has played cornerback, linebacker, slot cornerback, edge-rusher and safety; wherever you have a need on defense, he can fill it.

—Elite, rare combination of size (6'4", 238 lbs), length (33⅜" arms), strength and speed (4.39-second 40). 

—Does everything well; clean tackler in space, athletic and fluid in coverage, strong at the point of attack. 

—Smart, fast processor who doesn't get fooled by offensive misdirection and has the football IQ to handle playing 4-5 positions per week.

—Strong, with excellent arm length to work in press coverage; NFL tight ends won't be able to run away from him, and slot receivers won't be able to get off the line of scrimmage.

—Coaches rave about his personality, work ethic and drive; won't be a locker room or off-field issue.

—Lined up at cornerback against LSU in the National Championship game and had success shutting down future NFL wide receivers.

—6'4", 238 lbs and ran a 4.39-second 40-yard dash. That's rare.

Isaiah Simmons Highlights

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WEAKNESSES

—Inexperienced stacking blockers and would struggle in a conventional inside linebacker role.

—Lets speed take him out of plays at times as he attempts to bait offensive players into mistakes.

—Doesn't have one true position and will need the right matchup with his defensive scheme.

OVERALL

Simmons is a true unicorn as a prospect. Evaluators are stumped on who to compare him to or even what his ceiling will be. A smart defensive coordinator will simply look at the matchup each week and let Simmons erase the opposing offense's biggest threat. He's a rare game-changer at the linebacker position and should be allowed to play multiple roles and alignments within a single game. If Simmons doesn't succeed in the NFL, it will be one of the biggest surprises of the 2020 draft class.

GRADE: 95/100

PRO COMPARISON: Derwin James/Jamal Adams