Honestly he reminds me more of a George Iloka than Brian Urlacher.
Not saying he isn’t going to be a great player, he just looks a little gooney? To me. Looks kinda stiff. Maybes it is those long arms. I dno. Something just doesn’t seem right.
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#@$%#%# Yooper. You have to bring visions of an Urlacher type player in a Lions uniform, huh?
Well played my friend…well played.
The way he is built, I highly doubt Simmons puts on more weight. He probably did as much as he could to get up his weight before the combine. I would guess his playing weight would hover around where he is now, to maybe like 8 lbs lighter. I’m not taking away from his abilities… I’m just saying you have to have a plan for him. Playing him in the front 7 in a 2 gap system would play to his weaknesses. He may be able to focus on keeping trim and quick, and playing a derwin james type hybrid safety role. But again, I think he fits a lot better for a team that loves those hybrid, sub package players. We could take him, and maybe use him how we used Tracy Walker… and yeah, overall I don’t know if I trust our coaches to use him as that type of player.
IMO, i envision simmons taking Jones spot on the depth chart. What i have seen the last 2 seasons is TEs getting open constantly. Now Collins might help that, but i believe having 2 guys on either side able to play coverage or rush the passer to be the ultimate goal. In that scenario opposing offences have to guess what those 2 are doing. Kennard was mainly in effective because teams knew that if he rushed they could block him, while also knowing he couldn’t cover very well and while Collins might be better it still leaves the other team with 2 choices. Either throw an extra blocker on Collins to slow him down while the TE gets open or have all day for one of the other targets to get open due to no pass rush. With Collins that part is negated because him or Collins can do both.
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I see him running with anyone on the seam route. I see him covering a mismatch RB who splits out. I see him shooting in on the pass rush on the blitz. I see Undin as an accomplished DC using him the way Philly knew how to get after the QB. Swiss army knife, prototype kind of guy.
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Concerning Brian Urlacher…at his 2000 combine Brian was 6’3+" and 258 pounds. He ran a 4.59 at that weight. Totally different than Simmons who is 6’4", 233 pounds and ran a blistering 4.39 40.
If Simmons was 25 pounds heavier and ran a 4.4 for example I would be blown away. I am not a fan of drafting a guy early only to expect him to change his body style or game. I want a plug and play guy if I am drafting early. Not a development guy or a guy switching positions. If a guy is switching positions, like Urlacher (who went #9 OA) you better see that in advance. Brian was just an incredible beats of a man who was instinctive and athletic. Simmons? He is a hell of an athlete. Maybe an impact player but I just don’t like the way his game may translate to the NFL. Simmons is my most likely to bust in the NFL. He isn’t Urlacher.
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I get what you are saying Mylion. Though it isn’t like there are options for plug and play guys at 3 unless the Lions go DT . As much as i like Okudah, CB is not a plug and play position. History shows that it generally takes a couple of seasons before a CB is up to speed. As far as DT goes i can see the Lions getting someone who might fit them just as well as Kinlaw or Brown later in the draft. I also do not see a QB doing anything but holding a clipboard this season. So IMO that only leaves Young or Simmons as options for a plug and play. If Young is there then i am all behind that pick. If not that leaves the Lions with Simmons as someone that they can plug and play at the LB position.
I think whether or not he pans out long term, he’s gonna have a really difficult rookie season. NFL QBs are going to abuse him with play-action and misdirection, and if a team lines him up in the middle, he’s gonna get targeted in the run game (because taking on blocks and run fits are his major weakness right now). He’ll make some flash plays for sure, but he’s gonna have some very low lows.
Tremaine Edmunds is a good comp… he really struggled for most of his rookie year for the same reasons. He started to look better towards the end of it then really turned it on his sophomore year. But for most of his rookie season he was a liability. I think Simmons would follow the same track, and that’s best case scenario.
You do realize alot of them sucking was due the lack of a pass rush.
Or that the tank was in.
This is where we will have to agree to disagree. I can see him being used strickly on the outside with Davis and/or Tavali manning the middle. While he might start slow, i believe his athleticism will shine through.
Not to mention he’d need to learn multiple positions in a new scheme.
With Ragland, Tavaii, Collins, and Davis who I think moves to the WIL a better fit for him. He doesn’t fit. You alluded to his issues shedding blocks, something a Jack or inside backer has to do.
In the secondary we have Walker, Harris, and Harmon. Walker and Harmon are the starters, and Harris our 3rd in. Harris is a 4.41 guy himself. I don’t see sitting Harris and stunting his development to develop a tweener.
Quinn wants a impact player that makes an impact day one. A guy that can step in and start even with a shortened off-season. I don’t think Simmons is close to that.
My guess right now is Brown or an OT. Brown is the 2nd best Dlineman in the draft. There are a few OTs. Either can step in day one and have an immediate impact, and all pro potential.
Possible they go Okudah, but I’m not sure they would view a rook CB as an immediate impact.
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I like Okuduh AND Simmons, I think Okuduh is a very good player and
smart pick BUT I would hang my hat on Simmons…I love his Athleticism
and wide range of Versatility. He has special player written all over him.
This draft is full of intrigue and I’m so glad that they didn’t postpone it…We
SHOULD be a much better team afterwards too, as long as our football version of
LAUREL and HARDY don’t GOOF It Up!! A nice trade down or two would be
some sweet Icing on the cake.
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Okudah is the only Elite Blue Chip prospect left on the board …an impact player day one , a player that is a huge upgrade over what we fielded in 2019 at #CB2 …I would not blink at submitting the pick , unless QB was in play …if so Herbert would be my selection .
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Okudah
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The Lions will have trade down options. That should be their move.
But if BQ turns them down then I think he’s taking an OT or QB.
I have to ask myself why would BQ not trade down? The only reason I can think of is the NYG may take the player that BQ wants. So who might the NYG take. Most likely an OT. Possibly Okudah but I doubt it.
My best guess is RT Jedrick Wills.
The only other reason I can think why we would trade is because we like Tua and plan to draft him ourselves. So Tua would be my second best guess.
If BQ stays out at 3 and drafts Okudah, Simmons, Brown or someone else not mentioned above than he’s an idiot. But that’s what he did last year when he turned down trade offers to take a TE so …
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Not only dio I like the player and the fit here but I also love the pick in terms iof affect on the CB position group here:
Desmond Trufant, Okudah, Justin Coleman, Amani Oruwariye, Jamal Agnew and Tony McRae/Darrly Roberts/Mike Ford and so on. That would be a fine position group.
Depth at slot with Coleman/Agnew and additional depth outside with AO, Roberts and so on.
Would this be a slight reach and need pick? Yes. But I cannot think of a better argument for any other player including Simmons and the impact on this defense. I am not taking an OT to play ROT over the draft’s top CB. To me need and talent end up matching with this pick in this draft.
This draft lacks high end talent overall but i has a ton of quality still. At least that is how I see it.
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I tend to agree with this but …
My feelings are that it lacks high end defensive talent.
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Fair enough, wouldn’t be any fun talking about it if we all agreed. And if we do end up with him, I hope you’re right, because if he does struggle out of the gate Lions fans will turn on him.
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I would be totally fine with Tua.
Sit him a year. Sell off Stafford after a big time year statistically. If we still end up firing MP I think Tua makes us marketable in terms of attracting decent coaches.
And I can’t help but feel that Stafford would play even better than last year if there was a threat in the building.
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