Athleticism: 7.90

Q.A.B. / C.O.D.: 8.00

Jeffery Simmons is a hell of an athlete especially for his size. His well proportioned, lean frame allows for him to be extremely athletic for an interior defensive lineman.

Flexibility: 7.00

Isn't a consistent bender and has a tendency of playing straight up, allowing defenders to win the leverage battle.

Explosiveness: 8.50

Extremely explosive out of his stance, hardly ever loses the initial body positioning battle and wins with power and explosiveness off the snap.

Playing Speed: 7.50

Decent playing speed but is an in between the tackles type of player and won't be chasing guy's across the field to make a play. More explosive than fast but should be considered an elite athlete for his position.

Coordination: 8.50

Very coordinated for his size and length. Plays and moves more like a 230 lb linebacker than a 300 lb defensive tackle.

Pass Rush Ability: 8.10

Initial Quickness: 7.50

Quick first step but nothing to consider elite. Often wins with power and momentum more than beating his opponent off the snap with initial step. More power than speed.

Use of Hands: 8.00

Powerful hands allow him to separate from offensive linemen who engage and attempt to dictate the distance battle.

Leverage: 8.50

Excellent at gaining/winning the leverage battle. Simmons has a tremendous understanding of how to use his arm length to his advantage and dictates blockers body positioning.

Pass Rush Moves: 8.00

Possess an outstanding one-arm bull rush move that turns 300+ lb men into victims in an instant. Jeffrey isn't necessarily a one trick pony but he doesn't have an arsenal of pass rushing moves either. He's either bull rushing, ripping, swim moving his way to the quarterback.

Finish Ability: 8.50

The sack total may jump off of the stat sheet but Simmons ability to create pressure is undeniable and the numbers may never show it as a pass rusher. His impact in the ground game can be quantified by his 30.5 tackles for loss, 159 tackles, and 5 forced fumbles in three years as a starter.

Competitiveness: 8.50

Toughness: 8.50

Unquestionably tough and a true bully in the trenches.

Consistency/Motor: 9.00

Rarely shows a lack of effort and never takes a play off. He's a high motor athlete who'd remain on the field practically every defensive snap.

Production: 8.00

Insanely productive against the run and highly disruptive as a pass rusher, eating up double team's and allowing teammates to make a play. The stat sheet doesn't tell the whole story!

Against The Run: 8.50

Play with Leverage: 8.50

Jeffery Simmons is 6'3" but has the length of a 6'6" DE. He's able to use this to his advantage and gains the underneath leverage needed to drive O-lineman into the backfield.

Stack and Shed: 9.00

Often double teamed on a regular basis throughout every game, Jeffery was able to shed or split multiple blockers on a single play. His reach gives him the ability to maintain distance between him and opposing O-lineman, allowing him to manhandle his opponents and toss them out of the way with ease.

Gap Shooting Ability: 8.00

Decent but not something he can technically brag about. He isn't going to blow by a lineman off the snap but shows off his athleticism against zone run schemes and can slip the gap if given any opening between the center and guard.

Run at Him: 9.00

Simmons film study showed practically zero signs of him being driven backwards or off his path to the ball carrier. College offenses refused to run at him and would blatantly avoid him in the ground game.

Run Away: 7.50

Athletic enough to get down the line of scrimmage but isn't going to catch anyone from behind.

Tackling/Hitting: 9.00

Strong, technically sound tackler with a massive wingspan that allows him to consistently wrap up and deliver powerful blows throughout a game.

Intelligence: 8.67

Instincts: 9.00

Shows natural ability to track the play and doesn't look out of place or lost on the field. Sniffs out screens better than anyone in the draft class.

Learn/Retain: 8.50

Statistically and mechanically improved all three years at Mississippi State.

Teamwork: 8.50

Love by his teammates who have strongly come out in support of their leader on defense after an off field incident and run in with the law.

STRENGTHS:

He’s as aggressive as they come, is rarely beaten off the ball, and nearly impossible to drive backwards. Simmons’ best attribute is his ability to control the distance between himself and his blocker. He does a tremendous job of extending his arms regardless of if he’s utilizing his signature long arm bull rush or attempting to stack and shed defenders. If he can control the distance between himself and would-be blocker(s) he consistently wins his one on one’s and even two on ones more often than not. He's a wrecking ball of an interior lineman and versatile enough to play across the line when needed.

WEAKNESSES:

Due to his upright playing style, he tends to lose the leverage battle and will need to continue to work on lowering his pad level. If initially blocked, his second effort is somewhat lacking, Jeffery has trouble regaining momentum and shows a habit of having inconsistent sluggish footwork instead of redirecting or driving with quick steps. For a 300 plus pounder, Simmons is quite athletic but isn't someone who you’ll see making plays down field or turning on a dime, and understandably so.

BIG PICTURE:

With Jeffery Simmons tearing his ACL while training for the NFL Combine, his draft stock has certainly took a hit. Even then, for someone who won't see the field in 2019, he's still highly regarded as a 1st round prospect. If not for the injury, the Miss State DT would have likely been off the board before he got into the teens. Now that he's looked at as a long term investment who'll likely sit out his entire rookie campaign, Simmons could and should still be drafted in the 1st round. He's far too talented and an ACL injury, although time consuming, isn't considered to be the injury it once was 5, 10, and 20 years ago. Whichever team that drafts Jeffery Simmons is getting a stud interior defender with a slightly checkered past and a year's worth of rehab, but they are getting a truly dominant defensive lineman.

Projected Round: 1st (Between picks 25-32)

Team Fits: Philadelphia Eagles, Kansas City Chiefs, New England Patriots

NFL Comparison: Jonathan Allen

Jeffery Simmons

Position: Defensive Tackle

College: Mississippi State

Height: 6'4"

Weight: 300 lbs

SCOUTING GRADE

8.05

Injury History: 2019 Offseason: Torn ACL (Training), 2018 Offseason: Shoulder (Required Surgery)

Games Evaluated: 2018: Alabama, Kentucky, Kansas State, 2017: Louisville

Scout: Jack Bourgeois

Scouting Report