Name: Isaiah Simmons
Position: Linebacker
School: Clemson
Ht/Wt: 6-4/238
40-yard dash: 4.39
Bench: Did not bench
Vertical: 39.0
Broad: 132.0
3-cone: Did not run
20-yard shuttle: Did not run
View photos of NFL prospect Isaiah Simmons.
Clemson's Isaiah Simmons (11) and Denzel Johnson react after making a defensive play during the first half of an NCAA college football game against Florida State Saturday, Oct. 12, 2019, in Clemson, S.C. (AP Photo/Richard Shiro)
Clemson linebacker Isaiah Simmons (11) during the first half of the Fiesta Bowl NCAA college football game against Ohio State, Saturday, Dec. 28, 2019, in Glendale, Ariz. (AP Photo/Rick Scuteri).
Clemson's Isaiah Simmons (11) during the first half of an NCAA college football game against North Carolina in Chapel Hill, N.C., Saturday, Sept. 28, 2019. (AP Photo/Chris Seward)
Clemson's Isaiah Simmons (11) is congratulated after sacking the Syracuse quarterback during an CAA college football game Saturday, Sept. 14, 2019, in Syracuse, N.Y. (AP Photo/Steve Jacobs)
Clemson's Isaiah Simmons defends during an NCAA college football game against Boston College Saturday, Oct. 26, 2019, in Clemson, S.C. (AP Photo/Richard Shiro)
Clemson's Isaiah Simmons waits on the snap during the first half of an NCAA college football game against Wofford Saturday, Nov. 2, 2019, in Clemson, S.C. (AP Photo/Richard Shiro)
Clemson's Isaiah Simmons (11) tackles Boston College quarterback Dennis Grosel after causing a fumble during an NCAA college football game Saturday, Oct. 26, 2019, in Clemson, S.C. (AP Photo/Richard Shiro)
Clemson safety Isaiah Simmons (11) attempts to stop Notre Dame running back Dexter Williams (2) from gaining more yardage in the first half of the NCAA Cotton Bowl semi-final playoff football game, Saturday, Dec. 29, 2018, in Arlington, Texas. (AP Photo/Michael Ainsworth)
Clemson's Isaiah Simmons (11) waits for a play against North Carolina State during the second half of an NCAA college football game in Raleigh, N.C., Saturday, Nov. 9, 2019. (AP Photo/Karl B DeBlaker)
Clemson linebacker Isaiah Simmons (11) celebrates a stop against South Carolina during an NCAA college football game Saturday, Nov. 30, 2019, in Columbia, S.C. Clemson defeated South Carolina 38-3. (AP Photo/Sean Rayford)
How he fits: The Butkus Award winner as the nation's top linebacker, Simmons checks off all the boxes of what teams are looking for at the position in today's game with a rare combination of speed, length and toughness.
He's an ultimate Swiss Army Knife who can play linebacker, safety and even rush the passer from the edge. He can match up in the slot and run with the league's talented tight ends. Simmons notched 104 tackles, 16.5 tackles for loss, eight sacks, three interceptions and eight pass breakups last season.
The Lions have Tracy Walker, Will Harris and the newly acquired Duron Harmon at safety, but Matt Patricia uses a lot of three-safety sub packages on defense. Detroit also has an ever-growing linebacker room, but again, adding a young, dynamic player to that group makes a lot of sense when we're talking about trying to improve last year's second worst defense.
Key observations: Simmons lined up in the box on 299 snaps last year, along the defensive line on 116 snaps, covering the slot on 262 snaps and as a deep safety on 132 snaps, according to Pro Football Focus. Simmons was productive in all those spots, earning the ACC Defensive Player of the Year Award.
What they had to say about him: "That guy's a playmaker. He can do a variety of things at a very, very high level. He, obviously a couple years ago, when he wasn't even eligible, coming down the stretch, the last month of the college season, he was probably one of the most dominant guys on that team and they had a bunch of guys that got drafted last year.
"So he was on our radar. He's great, he can cover tight ends, he can play the run, he can play sideline to sideline. He's a very good blitzer. He's not a big body, inside linebacker, kind of take on blocks, but his athleticism, his range, his ability just to make plays in both the run and pass game was really intriguing. He's a high-level prospect." – Lions GM Bob Quinn
How he stacks up: Simmons is the consensus top linebacker available in the draft. He'd probably be the best safety, too, if he was listed as a safety.
Simmons comes in at No. 4 on NFL Network draft analyst Daniel Jeremiah's list of the Top 50 players in this draft behind only Ohio State edge rusher Chase Young, Auburn defensive tackle Derrick Brown and LSU quarterback Joe Burrow.
ESPN draft analyst Mel Kiper Jr. lists Simmons as No. 4 on his 2020 NFL Draft Big Board.
Scouts Inc. lists Simmons as the No. 6 overall prospect in the draft.
What he had to say: "I know years ago it wasn't good to be a position-less guy," Simmons said at the Combine. "But now it's become a benefit for me just because of all the versatility I'll be able to do, play linebacker, play safety, whatever it is, I feel like it just helps me out.
"Mentally I feel like there isn't anything I can't do. I played every position except for a nose or 3 technique."
