Getty Isaiah Simmons of the Clemson Tigers.
The unconventional NFL Draft is approaching rapidly and there are a few analyst that expect the Cleveland Browns to take an unexpected route when it comes to their pick at No. 10.
The assumption is that the Browns would snag their left tackle of the future with the 10th pick. However, if Clemson linebacker Isaiah Simmons — widely regarded as a top-five talent — falls to them, Cleveland could have a steal on their hands. Much of that assumption comes with the assumption that many of the top tackles are taken in the nine previous picks before the Browns.
A notable draft analyst that has the Browns taking Simmons is Daniel Jeremiah of NFL Network. He has Iowa’s Tristan Wirfs, Alabama’s Jedrick Wills Jr. and Louisville’s Mekhi Becton going in the earlier picks. Georgia’s Andrew Thomas is still on the board, but Jeremiah sees Simmons as the pick.
“The Browns need another offensive tackle, but Simmons might be too good to bypass,” Jeremiah wrote. “He is the perfect defender to match up with the division’s most dangerous playmaker, Lamar Jackson.”
Simmons Has Chance to be a Star in the NFL
GettyIsaiah Simmons is a top prospect in this month’s draft.
Simmons is a do-it-all type linebacker, stuffing the stat sheet while at Clemson. During the Tigers National Championship season in 2018, Simmons racked up a team-high 89 tackles, nine TFLs, seven pass breakups and three forced fumbles. He also returned an interception for a touchdown. He followed that up with 102 tackles — 16 for loss — eight sacks, three interceptions and nine pass breakups last season, winning the Butkus Award and being named a unanimous All-American and the ACC Defensive Player of the Year.
Here’s how NFL.com breaks down Simmons as a prospect.
“Ascending hybrid talent with rare length, speed and versatility to create mismatches for the offense, depending upon alignment. He has a bachelor’s at three positions (slot corner, safety, linebacker) but could earn a master’s degree in complex workload with a more focused and defined job description than ‘jack-of-all-trades.’ He can handle zone or man coverage from a variety of spots on the field, which gives defensive coordinators a chance to disguise blitz packages and exotic post-snap looks. He’ll miss run fits and can be misdirected due to a lack of instincts near the line, but his playmaking range outweighs those concerns for now. His unique potential to spy and shrink the field against dual-threat quarterbacks could push him way up the draft board.”
Browns Have Young, Talented LB in Mack Wilson
Mack Wilson was a fifth-round pick of the Browns and outplayed his draft position in a big way.
Wilson was forced into action after an injury to veteran Christian Kirksey, and the Alabama product performed admirably. In 14 starts, Wilson racked up 82 total tackles from his inside linebacker spot to go with an interception and sack.
While there were some rookie moments, Wilson’s athletic versatility established him as a key piece of the defense going forward, so much so that he earned $415,296 in performance-based pay from the NFL. That was the second-highest number, behind only Kansas City cornerback Charvarius Ward, who received $428,335.
While Wilson played middle linebacker last year, there’s a chance he could shift to play outside LB in defensive coordinator Joe Wood’s system.
“As far as position-wise, he really didn’t say what I was going to play,” Wilson said on the Browns Working From Home series. “But he was like, ‘You’re interchangeable.’ I can play wherever, so I’m just going to go in, do whatever it takes to win, whatever position they want me to play, play it to the best of my ability and just work.”
eThe Browns also signed former Packers LB B.J. Goodson this offseason and have former third-round pick Sione Takitaki on the roster as well.
The NFL Draft begins on Thursday, April 23 and runs through Saturday April 25.
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