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Let’s dive into today’s prospect breakdown!

Josh Simmons | OT | Ohio State

Height: 6’5″
Weight: 310 lbs
Draft Projection: Late 1st
Notable Accomplishment: 32 straight starts from the beginning of 2022 to October 2024

Pros: Simmons is a San Diego State transfer who made the shift from right tackle to left tackle upon arrival at Ohio State. While the move came with a few growing pains, Simmons proved his value by making the change and adapting to it, and up until his 2024 knee injury, he had performed well. Athletically, he has every trait you want. From quickness, to power, to fluidity, Simmons has it all. While he is capable of playing in any blocking scheme, I prefer him in a zone blocking scheme that gets him on the move, as he has been quite successful as a pulling lineman that can get to the second level in the ground game. His awareness of assignment execution thereof was perhaps the biggest reason for his success, and it is a major reason why he is in the first round discussion.

Cons: One of the areas in which Simmons is still raw is patience. He has great suddenness out of his pass set, but he widens his stance a little too much, exposing himself to bendier speed rushers around the outside. His lack of patience also causes him to lunge over his feet, which can create a balance issue and give an opportunity for power rushers to gain leverage and push him back in the direction of the quarterback. Neither of these issues have resulted in many negative plays, but that could partly be due to the fact he has not faced many elite pass rushers. Simmons’ recovery from his season-ending knee injury will also be something to monitor as the scouting combine approaches.

Overview: Simmons has the potential to become a Pro-Bowl tackle in the NFL, but health and lack of elite competition are two unknowns about his game. All tangible issues in his game are fixable with proper coaching, and the fact he is schematically versatile opens the door for more teams to find value in his services. If he receives encouraging medical reports before the draft, I expect him to be off the board by the end of Round 1.

NFL Comparison: Charles Cross