CHARLOTTE, NC – DECEMBER 02: Isaiah Simmons #11 of the Clemson Tigers lines up against the Miami Hurricanes during the ACC Football Championship at Bank of America Stadium on December 2, 2017 in Charlotte, North Carolina. (Photo by Mike Comer/Getty Images)
The Arizona Cardinals had a ton of options with their top pick in the 2020 NFL Draft, and they wound up with a versatile defensive superstar.
The Arizona Cardinals are a new look team with WR DeAndre Hopkins, and they could be a real threat in the NFC West. They were able to grab a top-5 player outside of that range in the draft, befors focusing on more pressing needs.
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Isaiah Simmons
LB Clemson
If there was a picture in the dictionary besides the definition of versatility, it would be of Isaiah Simmons. The Clemson star played as a slot corner, cornerback, linebacker and safety in college. He has the speed and size to play all over the field, and Arizona will have to find the best way to utilize him
He was simply too good to pass up.
With the Tigers, Simmons racked up 102 tackles, 16 for loss, eight sacks, three interceptions, and nine pass breakups in 15 starts as a junior last season. Those numbers earned him the Butkus Award as the nation’s top linebacker.
Simmons was also a finalist for the Chuck Bednarik Award and the Bronko Nagurski and Lott IMPACT Trophies. More accolades included being named a first-team Associated Press All-American, ACC Defensive Player of the Year and first-team all-conference selection. Simmons is already running out of room on his mantle.