It does not matter what mock draft you look at Clemson’s Isaiah Simmons appears to be a top 10 pick in the 2020 NFL Draft. The funny thing is, wait until he does his workouts at the NFL Scouting Combine next month and at Clemson’s Pro Day.

Simmons is sure to wow NFL general managers and coaches. It would not be surprising to see him move into the top 5 of the draft before it is all said and done.

The former Clemson linebacker is one of those guys who can do it all. He is big enough (6-4, 230) to play linebacker and fill in the run fits. He is fast enough to cover sideline to sideline and cover wide receivers in the slot, tight ends or running backs out of the backfield. He is intelligent and athletic enough to play both safety positions and he moves his hips well enough that he can go out wide and cover wide receivers if need be.

Simmons can even put his hands on the ground and play defensive end if a team needs him to. That’s what makes Clemson’s unanimous All-American so intriguing in this year’s draft.

“He’s going to run probably 4.4 or better. He’s got a 41-inch vertical. He’s an unbelievably special young person. Just great character,” Clemson head coach Dabo Swinney said. “He has awesome work ethic. I mean, just freaky measurables.”

In an era when offenses are throwing the football on almost every down and run-pass options (RPOs) are built into almost every running playing, having a dynamic player like Simmons, who is arguably the most versatile player in the draft, makes him extremely valuable to NFL teams’ front office personnel. Teams can basically get three players with one pick, that’s how important his value will be in the draft.

“Then you throw in the fact that he’s a very humble young man,” Swinney said. “He’s got great character. He’s got an unbelievable family. He’s a guy that came back for his fourth year. Could have come out last year, and just has a lot of self-awareness of what he needs to do as a football player.”

At Clemson, all of that translated into a memorable season, one that is without a doubt the best of any defensive player in school history. In 2019, Simmons played and started all 15 games for the Tigers. He not only played just about every defensive snap, but he also stayed on the field and covered punts and kickoffs.

He finished the 2019 season with a team-best 107 tackles. He had 16 tackles for loss, including eight sacks. Both led the Clemson team. He also tied for the team lead with 10 passes broken up and was second with three interceptions.

At season’s end, Simmons was named the ACC Defensive Player of the Year, a First-Team All-American and the winner of the Dick Butkus Award, which goes to the nation’s top linebacker.

“Now he’s a complete player. He’s become very detailed in his approach,” Swinney said. “His preparation, his understanding of our defense, and more importantly understanding of offenses. So, just the nuances of the game, and so you put all that knowledge with the work ethic and the talent, you get a great player.”

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