To me it is Simmons.
Players drafted high that have to add weight or specialize after being versatile can struggle. Minho, Floyd and Dion Jordan (the kid Miami took) were never set up to succeed in the NFL.
IF Simmons can be allowed to play his game he can succeed. But it will take the right scheme and coach.
Once again, people are comparing Simmons to other “supposed” athletic freaks. Bailey ran a 4.58. Curry ran a 4.56.
Simmons ran a 4.39. Most CB’s and WR’s in the league run 4.4 or slower. Simmons is so far removed from a Curry or Bailey it’s not even a comparison.
That’s what made Montez Sweat’s combine so unbelievable, is because he was 6’6"-260lbs and ran a 4.41 forty. Simmons forty was special…but Sweat’s was just mind-blowing.
I don’t know who the biggest bust will be, but, I trust Quin to find him.
We’re going to draft, Wendy Whoppers?!?!?!
Dion Jordan is the guy I think of when I think of Simmons. Dion was 6’6" and 248 pounds when Miami drafted him in 2013 with the 3rd OA pick. And I LOVED him and I also like Simmons.
Dion was 6’6", 248 pounds and ran a 4.54-4.60 40. Really good for that size. But Miami wanted a DE so they asked him to bulk up. Oops. I wanted him as a 4/3 inside LBer.
Bark. Mingo was also drafted in the top ten that year. Very close to the same size as Simmons. He ran a 4.5 40.
Anthony Barr was 6’5" and 255 pounds and he ran a 4.55 40 in 2014. I LOVE this guy and I wished the L:ions could have taken him from the Vikes.
Now Ryan Shazier is 6’1" but 237 pounds at his combine. Just as fast as Simmons. Ryan has missed 18 games in his four year NFL career. 7 combined sacks, 7 INTs. Drafted 15 OA by the Steelers.
Point is there are a number of fast guys with limited size who are great football players. Some of them do well in the NFL, some don’t. Is Simmons going to succeed? I don’t know but I DO know that he will fail if he goes to a team that turns him into something he isn’t like the Dolphins did with Dion Jordan.
To me these wild card players are kind of a tip in the NFL. What role are they playing? Well…film tells QBs what package a team is using and what role Simmons might be playing at that moment. Hard to hide his role when players are getting subbed out to account for Simmons role play to play. But I STILL like the guy but he needs a creative defensive mind and a supportive head coach.
The Redskins are interesting as Ron R. knows defense well and maybe knows how to use a kid like that. A 4/3 defense with maybe Jon Bostic as their MLBer? Yea, Simmons could be a BIG help there as a MLBer who can move around. They are also fuelding a really solid DL so yea, that might be an EXCELLENT landing spot for Simmons. But at #2? Jon Bostic may be their starting level MLBer so yea, maybe. Their DL is really, really good and that might free up a Simmons to do his thing there.
Simmons might be really, really good if he lands with the Chargers. If he lands in Miami however that might be a tougher fit. Then you might be talking about landing in Cleveland or Jacksonville and it might be fair to wonder about fit there. I don’t think Simmons can be successful anywhere. He needs the right match. I don’t think he is a match in Detroit or in some other spots. But in Washington if they want him as a MLBer I can see that working out really, really well.
Dion Jordan’s forte was rushing the passer, he had all the athletic ability but was thin for his height which was why they called him the Praying Mantis. He needed to beef-up some to play DE in the NFL.
He was using PED’s, got busted for it a few times. Once he was off them, he wasn’t as good.
Dion was not a sack guy ion college. In four years at Oregon 14.5 sacks. His most productice sack season was his junior season when he had 7.5 sacks. Dion had 5 sacks as a senior. I liked Dion and I like Simmons. I just don’t like Simmons for what Patricia is trying to do here right now.
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As I remember it, the feeling was that he was better near the line of scrimmage than in space and teams were drafting him more for his potential than his college stats. I believe that any team that drafted him was going to make him a DE or play near the line.
Xavier McKinney S from Alabama
Seems like a Jarrad Davis type of safety
You know who he reminds me of?
Shaquem Griffin - Griffin ran a 4.38 and if you compare them you can see they are close athletically.
But the similarities don’t end there. They both were asked to play multiple positions in college. They had similar college stats too. They both struggled to shed blocks and were raw coming out. They both relied heavily on their athletic ability instead of proper fundamentals.
The one main difference between the two is that Griffin had a partially under developed hand. That is why he fell in the draft. I don’t think that’s the main reason he’s struggled in the NFL.
I think Simmons is a better prospect than Griffin. I think he has a better chance to stick in the NFL. But I do not think he is a slam dunk super star like some do.
I put this in the thread for a reason. I wanted people to leave the obvious Tua and QB’s out unless they really believed QB was a possibility for the Lions to draft.
So I ask all of those who pick Tua.
Do you really think the Lions will draft a QB and why?
If the so called “Win now” letter was a farce and this regime is the long term plan Martha has bought into. (Which I think is the case & why they gave Quinn a new 5 year deal that matched Patricia’s with 3 years left on his previous one)
I can see QB at #3 because of the value QB’'s have at #3 or at #5 after a trade down and acquiring another #1st round pick . A long term replacement for Stafford in a year or more likely two and avoid having to shit the bed or have a suck for luck type season to get the replacement for Stafford when you decide to move on .
Herbert being the best of the class in a sit and learn scenario with his high ceiling and elite tools .
My gut instinct tells me Derrick Brown is a big bust factor for the Lions.
…but since I don’t have a gut (nor instinct)…I have no clue who will boom or bust in the draft.
Air, nice point about Griffin. Shaquem isn’t playing in Seattle. I expect Simmons will get opportunities Griffin doesn’t get because of the hand thing but to me it is fair to wonder about Simmons.