2020 Positional Draft Talk - ILB

[NCF]

I will watch with a careful eye because I am a little more conflicted. I can see the teams that are a little more creative using him as a Safety and just playing him in the box a fair amount. My honest opinion is that if neither side knows if they are right or not, then the team that drafted him is probably using him right because I think he can do it all and go back and forth pretty seamlessly.

[YoHoChecko]

i'll take the Mammi bet on Yoop's behalf. 100% Simmons will be a fulltime rookie starter as an offball LB. My only condition is that the bet is void in he misses more than 2 games with an injury. Oh, and also that someone else does the work to verify the snap counts. That sounds like a pain.

[salmar80]

i'll take the Mammi bet on Yoop's behalf. 100% Simmons will be a fulltime rookie starter as an offball LB. My only condition is that the bet is void in he misses more than 2 games with an injury. Oh, and also that someone else does the work to verify the snap counts. That sounds like a pain.

A brave soul has entered the arena.

I'm not gonna be strict with the snap counts per position, just overall snaps on D. I think it'll be pretty obvious from position listings, highlights and team forums if Simmons is moved around a lot, or if he's mostly an ILB.

If I lose, would you prefer me eating that , or do you have a specialty to send this way?

[YoHoChecko]

If I lose, would you prefer me eating that , or do you have a specialty to send this way?

I'll take your terms. You say you don't enjoy it, so that's good enough for me

[Yoop]

why not just make the traditional avatar bet, if thats the degree you want to go to? I didn't say he wouldn't be moved around, I said he'll be drafted to play mostly ILB, he will get a ILB number and he'll be listed as a ILB for the team that drafts him.

I'm so confident that we can modify the bet so that if you win, you can send me some traditional but nasty local "delicacy" of your choice, and I will eat or drink it on video.

No one cares about listed numbers, your whole claim is Simmons actually being ready to play at ILB as a rookie .

All along, me and 23 have been saying Simmons is a movable piece as a rookie, with potential to develop into a full-time ILB with time.

Now, if you don't believe in your opinion worth a pudding, then I guess we can do an avatar bet. If you lose, I'll make the nastiest poop pudding avatar for you. If I lose, you find a nasty one for me. Much less fun, but also less bother.

I don't do poo

Simmons does everything to well when it comes to instincts and play recognition for me to think he can't step in fast as a 3 downer, the height and weight are in line with what we see now at ILB, and the speed is off the charts, and I think what makes people think he fits better as a safety, thing is imo the MLB position trumps SS in most schemes, there usually harder to find, so then to me thats where he will play, but he could do either well.

[Pckfn23]

Some myth going on with Simmons. His weight is light, even for his draft class, which has an average weight of 238.5 pounds, Simmons is 230. He height is very good. His speed is exceptional. His in the box run stopping needs a good deal of work. At this point in the game, he is a safety, maybe even a slot corner. With that height, weight, and speed, he could improve and develop into a great full time ILB. As Salmar said, I don't see him being a full time in the box ILB, especially in his rookie year. In fact that would be a disservice to both him and the team that took him. It wouldn't be using his abilities the correct way. Put him as a WILL in a 4-3 or as a SS and I think he would pretty damn good.

[YoHoChecko]

Put him as a WILL in a 4-3 or as a SS and I think he would pretty damn good.

a WILL in a 4-3 is the perfect spot for me to win that bet

[NCF]

Put him as a WILL in a 4-3 or as a SS and I think he would pretty damn good.

a WILL in a 4-3 is the perfect spot for me to win that bet

Its not, though. Sub-package... is he one of those two LB's or is he a DB/Hybrid? That is about 60% of total snaps and I can really see him splitting those pretty evenly, so I still think it will be interesting.

[Yoop]

according to bleacher report he weighs 238lbs and when polled most GMs think Simmons is a ILB, and to say he isn't a down hill run defender goes against everything I've read and what these people have to say



Simmons told Jones he's most comfortable at weak-side linebacker—which makes complete sense because the position allows an uber-athlete of his caliber to chase down opponents and make plays all over the field.

Watch him identify the ball, diagnose the play, chase the quarterback, close the gap and finish from the second level in this clip provided by The Athletic's Ted Nguyen:


Ted Nguyen
✔
@FB_FilmAnalysis
Simmons goes from covering the RB to closing on the QB in a hurry

Embedded video
The burst seen above is often the difference between a negative play and not making the tackle. That explosiveness can be seen in his other testing numbers. Simmons finished in the top three among linebackers in his class with a 39-inch vertical jump and 11-foot broad jump. His lower half generates a lot of power and force. This applies not only to his overall speed but also how he explodes through blockers and ball-carriers.

[Pckfn23]

15% of the time he played ILB/MLB. I think that is about right. About what you should get with him for that position. Safety and WILL are probably going to be his more prevalent positions, early on at least.

Simmons, right now, is not a full time in the box, down hill run defender. He is a sideline to sideline physical freak that is awesome in space.





NFL.com

Weaknesses
Instincts near the line of scrimmage are a work in progress
Delayed read and respond as inside linebacker
Hasn't figured out angles and timing as downhill linebacker yet
Needs to fill out and learn to punch and play off blocks
Has issues getting unglued from blocking tight ends

Walterfootball

Weaknesses:
Could stand to get better at taking on and shedding blocks
Not a fit to be a Mike - middle - linebacker

DraftNetwork

In the run game he is sufficient. Due to his lack of good play strength, mass and girth, he struggles when he is play side. He is only sufficient at the point of attack. However, he demonstrates his exceptional athleticism when he is on the backside as a chase player.

CONS: Just about limitless on the football field but his reps as an inside backer on run downs reveal the room for growth as a processor when defending inside run. He isn’t deficient but he could stand to get stronger and add functional strength to make him even that much more dynamic.

WORST TRAIT - Inside Run Defense

His game is not Luke Keuchley at ILB nor does it need to be, but we can't expect him to come in and instantly solve all our ILB issues.

[YoHoChecko]

This is gonna sound absurd, but what's the difference between lining up at LB or at slot CB? It sounds, to me, like it's just a matter of whether the opposing offense lines up in a 3-receiver set or a base formation? Like if a WLB is in the game and the RB or TE splits out into the slot, the LB goes with him. It's the same position without having to substitute.

[Pckfn23]

This is gonna sound absurd, but what's the difference between lining up at LB or at slot CB? It sounds, to me, like it's just a matter of whether the opposing offense lines up in a 3-receiver set or a base formation? Like if a WLB is in the game and the RB or TE splits out into the slot, the LB goes with him. It's the same position without having to substitute.

I understand what you are saying. I am saying you can't expect Simmons to be the MLB most of the time and excel at everything the MLB is asked to do. There are only rare cases when the MLB is splitting out with a RB or TE. They are almost always in that tackle to tackle box.

As I said, I think WLB is his best transferable position in the NFL. Unfortunately we don't have a WILL in our defense.

[Labrev]

I'm not following this draft at all closely, but from the info above, Simmons sounds like a flat-out GAMER. 'Sucks that we have no shot at him.

[TheSkeptic]

It is strange that the same people who have been super critical of the Gary pick because he did not play a lot as a rookie are OK with drafting a player who needs to switch positions.

[Yoop]

It is strange that the same people who have been super critical of the Gary pick because he did not play a lot as a rookie are OK with drafting a player who needs to switch positions.

Gary didn't need to switch position, yet still didn't play, Simmons will never come off the field, 3rd and short, long, doesn't matter, Simmons will still be out there, what will you be saying if Gary is still rotating this season, I'd put Gary at MLB before I'd watch him shine pine as he did most of last year.

[NCF]

But I'm having trouble getting Clemson defensive mystery box Isaiah Simmons into the top 10.

Let's break it down pick by pick:

Cincinnati Bengals: no chance
Washington Redskins: no chance
Detroit Lions: small chance
New York Giants: a decent chance
Miami Dolphins: no chance
Los Angeles Chargers: no chance
Carolina Panthers: a decent chance
Arizona Cardinals: small chance
Jacksonville Jaguars: small chance
Cleveland Browns: no chance
This looks pretty forgiving: only five teams are eliminated. But in reality, it's not a great outlook.

https://thedraftnetwork.com/articles/is ... op-10-2020

[YoHoChecko]

But I'm having trouble getting Clemson defensive mystery box Isaiah Simmons into the top 10.

Let's break it down pick by pick:

Cincinnati Bengals: no chance
Washington Redskins: no chance
Detroit Lions: small chance
New York Giants: a decent chance
Miami Dolphins: no chance
Los Angeles Chargers: no chance
Carolina Panthers: a decent chance
Arizona Cardinals: small chance
Jacksonville Jaguars: small chance
Cleveland Browns: no chance
This looks pretty forgiving: only five teams are eliminated. But in reality, it's not a great outlook.

https://thedraftnetwork.com/articles/is ... op-10-2020

Terrib;y dumb article. "Four or five teams may take him, but based on the kind of smoke-filled rumors I, a disconnected media guy who took up scouting as a hobby four or five years ago, have seen floating about... I feel like those 4 or 5 teams are more likely to pick some other elite prospect rather than this one.

[lupedafiasco]

Best way to play Simmons is as a SS in a cover 3 scheme IMO. Like Kam Chancellor played for the Seahawks. Let him roam the short to intermediate area and make plays.

I think some team will probably try and use him as a LB and I think it will be a mistake. I don’t think he has the coverage skills to be a deep safety.

Physically he reminds me of Sean Taylor. What a great player. Sad to not see him finish his career.

[Yoop]

Simmons is a will lber, thats how most scouts and football people look at him, most mocks I've seen have the Giants taking him, and I expect that will be where they use him most.

he's been used in coverage at every coverage position, and is one of the best college tacklers ( only 6% miss of all tackle attempts, best in college football) yet because Clemson moved him all over the secondary to take advantage of mis matches, now we hear stuff like he isn't a lber, he's not a FS, at 6.4 and 238 lbs he's not stout enough to take on a lead blocker, and all kinds of other stuff that is mostly just conjecture and opinion, with in a season Simmons will take over short center for some team.

just to think if he was a Packer we would bench Amos and use Simmons in his place, which is what some are insinuating is out
out right insanity, and if we use him like a hybrid lber, then he is a lber and not a hybrid, right?

and for anyone to say he's not a good fit for us, well I beg to differ, since when is one of the BPA in almost any draft class not a good fit for ANY team?

I expect he'll go top 5, and I would not be surprised at all if Simmons ends up DROY.

[Freewheelingutey]

I think they need a better slot guy first. Then draft a few ilbs and dts. No need to grab a qb before rd 7 or oline guy before the 4th round. Bolster your wr, ilb,and dt spots first!! Maybe grab a te early too. Need better quality depth there too.