NFL Personnel Exec: Isaiah Simmons Most Overrated Player in 2020 NFL Draft

Isaiah Simmons is widely viewed as one of the 10 best players available in the 2020 NFL draft, but the praise toward the Clemson star isn't universal.

The Athletic's Bob McGinn spoke to one NFL team executive who said Simmons is the most overrated player in the class.

An AFC executive laid out what he believes to be the possible hurdles for the Tigers linebacker: "If you put this guy at 'Sam' linebacker only, he's going to struggle. If you put him at free safety only, he's going to struggle. You've got to be creative. Some coaches in the NFL are creative, and some are not. If he goes high, that team has to be fully committed. If not, he's dead in the water."

To some extent, that assessment reinforces how the onus is on a team to put a player in a position to succeed, especially if his skill set differs from the traditional norms.

Lamar Jackson is a perfect example. The Baltimore Ravens have tailored their offense to Jackson's strengths rather than attempting to make a square peg fit into a round hole. The results were devastating as Baltimore averaged the second-most yards (407.6) in the NFL.

Simmons' numbers from his junior season highlight his versatility. He finished with 102 tackles, 16 tackles for loss, eight sacks and three interceptions.

NFL.com's Lance Zierlein compared Simmons to Indianapolis Colts linebacker Darius Leonard:

"Ascending hybrid talent with rare length, speed and versatility to create mismatches for the offense, depending upon alignment. He has a bachelor's at three positions (slot corner, safety, linebacker) but could earn a master's degree in complex workload with a more focused and defined job description than 'jack-of-all-trades.'"

Bleacher Report's Matt Miller ranked the 6'4", 238-pound Kansas native first among linebackers and fourth overall in his most recent big board. Simmons earned a grade of 95 out of 100.

Should Simmons ultimately fail to meet expectations, it might be more an indictment of the team that selects him, since his on-field profile is obvious to anybody who watched Clemson over the past few seasons.