Isaiah Simmons, LB, Clemson
Losing a player of Luke Keuchly’s caliber is going to be something the Panthers will not be able to immediately overcome. He meant so much to their defense from both a direct production standpoint but also from a leadership and communication standpoint.
One option the Panthers can go to at least mitigate some of the concerns that come with losing Keuchly would be to select former Clemson linebacker Isaiah Simmons. That, of course, is if the versatile prospect is still available by the time Carolina is making their selection.
NFL.com analyst Lance Zierlein put Simmons’ potential as an NFL linebacker into perspective when comparing him to Darius Leonard of the Indianapolis Colts. Zierlein called Simmons a ‘jack-of-all-trades’ that can play slot corner and safety in addition to linebacker.
“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.” He can handle zone or man coverage from a variety of spots on the field, which gives defensive coordinators a chance to disguise blitz packages and exotic post-snap looks. He’ll miss run fits and can be misdirected due to a lack of instincts near the line, but his playmaking range outweighs those concerns for now. His unique potential to spy and shrink the field against dual-threat quarterbacks could push him way up the draft board.”
During his final season at Clemson, Simmons racked up 104 combined tackles (16.5 for loss), eight sacks, three interceptions, and two forced fumbles. He was named the 2019 ACC Defensive Player of the Year and won the Dick Butkus Award, the nation’s top honor for a linebacker.
When rebuilding a defense, it’s vital to have dynamic talents that set the tone in key areas. It seems that Simmons will be able to terrorize opposing offenses in a multitude of ways in a variety of spots. That’s precisely the unique type of player that can jumpstart a unit.
