re: PFF Final Mock Draft - Saints trade up for Isaiah Simmons

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Linebackers converted from safety

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I recently found out that urlacher was a converted safety. That's insane. So say we actually move up for Simmons. He would likely be at westside with demario mostly at MLB and Alonso strong side? We just move our LBs around so much that I guess I dont have a solid grasp of where they all fit.

I was thinking it was Lamar Jackson

Maybe, but Derwin James was a gadget player at FSU and he's one of the best defenders in the league.

Here's a snippet from his pre draft write up

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James' talent is best utilized in an active, attacking capacity in a robber role or near the line of scrimmage where he can support the run, blitz and handle physical coverage responsibilities.

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I don't think he's got quite the coverage ability of James but I think he can be just as good in/around the box as a guy like James or Landon Collins.

For shits and giggle here are the combine numbers

Derwin James
6'2" 215 lbs
40- 4.47
Bench- 21 reps
vertical- 40"
broad- 132
hands- 9 3/8
arms- 33"

Isaiah Simmons
6'4" 238 lbs
40- 4.39
bench- DNP
vertical- 39"
broad- 132
hands- 9 5/8
arms- 33 3/8

I want to stop short of calling him a bigger Derwin James, but they profile pretty close together athletically

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it still wouldn't be worth the cost

we also don't NEED a box S at this time

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:kige:

I'm not making a case for the saints to draft him, I'm just saying that he shouldn't be viewed from a value perspective as the typical college linebacker. He's the "new age" linebacker

I could see Simmons falling if the panthers take Derrick Brown and the Jaguars take CJ Henderson or an offensive tackle.

If Simmons is there at 8 and ur the Saints, you need to get on the horn ASAP

Wasn’t Honeybadger also a bit of a gadget player that kind of played everywhere? I know he didn’t play LB but he was moved all over the field and eventually developed into what he is now.


And there have been plenty of guys who made the transition from safety to LB that didn’t necessarily have the instincts right away. I know that might not be a guy you want to trade up for, but the dude’s upside, even in his rookie year, is through the roof. He makes plays, bottom line and in a scheme diverse defense such as Allen, Simmons would be used a bit better than if a traditional guy takes him and tries to make him do just one thing. I think that’s the thing with Simmons. He’s a bit different than other guys. He’s kind of like a QB. He has to land in the right place to maximize his potential.

oh yeah if we are at 10 naturally? roll the dice.

i had similar criticisms of Tua but i said if he falls to our pick, we have to take him