Ask Farrell: Why wasn't Isaiah Simmons ranked higher?
Isaiah Simmons could be the model for how NFL teams are thinking about linebackers in the coming years as the league becomes more pass-friendly, but Simmons was ranked as a three-star prospect coming out of Olathe (Kan.) North.
The Clemson superstar who could be a top-five pick and will almost definitely be the first linebacker taken in Thursday’s NFL Draft, was ranked as a three-star safety in high school. He was a tweener - not necessarily physical enough at linebacker, maybe a tad stiff and big to play safety.
His recruitment did not necessarily take off, either. Simmons grew up dreaming about playing for Arkansas, but the Razorbacks never offered. A visit to Missouri happened, and then Nebraska and Michigan emerged as the front-runners late.
Only when Clemson had some defensive backs leave early for the NFL did coach Dabo Swinney get seriously interested in Simmons. Once the Tigers offered, they emerged as the front-runner and Simmons jumped on the opportunity.
*****
MORE ASK FARRELL: How did Rivals miss with Javon Kinlaw's ranking? | Will Alabama's class finish outside the top 10?
CLASS OF 2021 RANKINGS: Rivals250 | Position | Team | State
CLASS OF 2022: Top 100
*****
It has paid off in unimaginable ways.
The former three-star prospect finished his Clemson career with 238 tackles (28.5 for loss) with 11 sacks, four interceptions, six forced fumbles, 20 pass deflections and much more.
Simmons also fits perfectly into what NFL teams are looking for at linebacker these days - instinctual players who can cover in space, come into the box when needed but also drop in coverage and make an impact all over the field.
He ran a 4.39-second 40-yard dash at the combine and posted other impressive testing numbers. He was a star at Clemson, especially once he moved to linebacker, and he was definitely a leader on a defense loaded with future NFL stars.
FARRELL'S TAKE
We ask Rivals National Director Mike Farrell for his thoughts on Simmons and why he didn’t have a higher ranking out of high school.
“This is a situation where perhaps a player's frame and versatility at the next level hurt him rather than helped him in an evaluation. Simmons was a big safety with the frame to grow into a linebacker, but was a pure tweener. We felt if he dropped down to linebacker, he might not be big and physical enough and if he stayed at safety he might not be fluid enough and was a little stiff in coverage. That all sounds silly now, but it was a real concern for not only us but many colleges as well. It’s another great example of how well Clemson has evaluated talent under Swinney.”