SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. – Saturday’s College Football Playoff semifinal at the Fiesta Bowl may feature the top two defensive players in college football in Clemson linebacker Isaiah Simmons and Ohio State defensive end Chase Young.

While Young won’t admit any player is better than him, he still has a great amount of respect for Simmons.

“Isaiah – freaky. Real freakish player, man,” Young said Tuesday morning during the Fiesta Bowl press conference at the JW Marriott Camelback Inn.

“I actually know Zay. He’s a real good friend of mine. He’s an animal, man. Hopefully our offense has a good game plan going in because he’s definitely somebody who can wreck a game.”

Young and Simmons met last spring when they were in Indianapolis for an NCAA-sanctioned event for underclassmen considering entering the NFL Draft the following season.

They were also able to spend time together at the 2019 College Football Awards in Atlanta earlier this month.

“We were at the awards ceremony together,” Young said. “I actually met him at Indianapolis – we went up to talk – me, J.K. (Dobbins), a lot of guys from other colleges talked to NFLPA. We went to the combine and did things like that. But that’s where I officially met him.”

Young believes that he and Simmons are the two best defensive players in college football without a doubt.

“Definitely,” he said. “I feel like if you talk to me, I’ll say I’m the best. If you talk to Zay, he’s going to say he’s the best. That’s just the competitive nature, two great players. But definitely, Isaiah, he can go.”

Clemson is back in the College Football Playoffs once again. Get the latest official Clemson CFP gear right here!