The Arizona Cardinals gained one of college football's most exciting players when they drafted Clemson linebacker Isaiah Simmons with the eighth overall pick. Scouts have drooled over Simmons due to his unreal athleticism and impressive versatility on the field and as a result, Simmons enters his rookie year with fairly high expectations.
Simmons is expected to be a day-one contributor for the Cardinals defense and for head coach Kliff Kingsbury, there's one aspect to Simmons game that has him extremely excited.
At 6-foot-4 and 238 pounds with a blazing fast 4.38 forty-yard dash, Simmons has the size to play linebacker and even as a pass rusher off the edge. However, the talented prospect also the speed and ball skills to play as a ball-hawk in the defensive backfield.
Last year for the Tigers, Simmons recorded 104 tackles, 16.5 tackles for a loss, eight sacks, eight passes defended and three interceptions as one of the best defensive players in the country.
However, drafted to be a linebacker Kingsbury is determined on seeing what Simmons can do if he focuses on playing one position rather than the multiple he did at Clemson.
“His ability to play so many positions and not really having a chance to focus on one, we just think the sky could be the limit for what he can be if we really lock him in one position for the majority of the time,” Kingsbury said.
Last season, the Cardinals ranked dead last in the NFL in yards allowed per game (402.0) so Simmons' skills will certainly be needed if the team wants to improve in defensive coordinator Vance Joseph's second year.
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