NFL Draft 2020: Isaiah Simmons can solve Cardinals’ defensive problems
The Arizona Cardinals hit a home run with their selection of Clemson linebacker Isaiah Simmons with the No. 8 overall pick in the 2020 NFL Draft.
When the Arizona Cardinals hired Kliff Kingsbury the talk in Phoenix turned toward offense. That was reinforced when the Kingsbury-led Cardinals selected Kyler Murray with the No. 1 overall pick last year. Rather than spend their premium 2020 pick on a top wideout — all the top pass catchers were still on the board — Arizona went defense.
With the No. 8 pick in the 2020 NFL Draft, the Arizona Cardinals selected Clemson linebacker Isaiah Simmons. If he had a recruiting profile akin to his college days, his true position would be listed as an Athlete. And that’s not a knock.
While some players who lack top-end talent in any one key phase fall into that bucket, Simmons truly can do everything at an elite level. He ran a faster 40-yard dash than Jerry Judy, widely regarded as the draft’s top wide receiver.
Clemson used Simmons everywhere. They put him in the box and let him make plays at the line of scrimmage. They trusted him to line up in coverage with NFL caliber wide receivers. He made almost as many plays at safety as he did at linebacker. For an Arizona defense that has several holes, getting a player like Simmons is a dream come true.
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Arizona was dead last in yards per game allowed last season. No one player was going to eliminate all of those woes at once. But unlike most players they could have selected, Simmons has already proven he can solve three or four problems rather than just one. He’s the defensive swiss army knife that will allow Kingsbury to rest well and focus his efforts on the offensive side of the ball.