2023 NFL Draft Scouting Report: Trenton Simpson (LB – Clemson)

As the NFL season winds down, FantasyPros will be taking a look at early NFL draft scouting reports before the combine in March. Here’s a look at Trenton Simpson.

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2023 NFL Draft Scouting Report: Trenton Simpson (LB – Clemson)

Trenton Simpson (LB – Clemson)

6’3” – 230 lbs.

Background:

Five-star recruit who originally committed to Auburn but ended up attending Clemson. Started three of twelve games played as a freshman, totaling 283 snaps and a line of 28-6.5-4.0, with serviceable grades from PFF. Improved as a sophomore, starting all but one of twelve total games played, playing weakside linebacker and finishing with 65-12.5-6.5. Didn’t make quite as many big plays this past year, but still enjoyed a solid year of 72-4.0-2.5.

Positives:

Adequately built for a modern weakside linebacker, with long limbs and the ability to carry some more weight if needed. Plays the game with desirable urgency and physicality. Excellent athlete with superior flexibility/fluidity and a ton of range; has the movement skills to handle almost any responsibility, most frequently took snaps as more of a slot defender as a sophomore before playing more of a traditional linebacker role this past year. Engages with bent knees, a solid base, and is active with his hands to shed. Gets good extension when taking on blocks, continuing to locate the ball. A homing missile with outstanding closing burst when he has a lane to the ball. Able to chase down opposing runners from the backside. Comfortable lining up in the slot over opposing receivers; uses his hands to disrupt routes/timing. Nice balance and footwork with his backpedal. Easily gets enough depth in zone coverage; looks great bailing from blitz looks, even to deep zones. Explosive transitions when planting and driving. Sniffs out and aggressively attacks screens. Dangerous pass-rusher when he’s schemed a lane. Very quick shuffle to find lanes. Took a lot of snaps off the edge of the defense and was able to produce in that capacity.

Negatives:

A little bit on the leggy side, with a small/thin torso. Few snaps in which he’s working through traffic to the ball as a traditional linebacker. Contact balance leaves something to be desired. Needs to be more consistent about keeping his shoulders square when playing the run. Some angles are compromised by unwillingness to take on blocks. Gets too much depth when working off the edge, compromising the team’s run fits. Can be an ankle-grabber at times; has made strides as a tackler, but is closer to adequate (missed 13.3% of career tackles). Interest in jamming opposing receivers is more impressive than the actual results; often whiffs on his jam and ends up out of position. Could stand to flatten out some of his coverage on in-breaking routes; targetable on rhythm throws. In recovery mode too often because of his aggressiveness in coverage. Didn’t see him in too much man coverage on opposing tight ends. Might struggle to find a starting role in some odd defensive fronts.

Summary:

A difficult evaluation in that his athleticism gives him much more upside as a coverage specialist than is typical, but who has some flaws to his game against both the run (lack of bulk, contact balance, tackling) and in coverage (tendency to miss with his jams, lack of man-coverage experience.) Stock will depend on to what extent teams want to gamble on tools, but from an athletic standpoint, possesses some elite traits and is well-suited to the modern game.

Grade: Round 1-2