Simmons might find yourself being a little bit of a challenge within the NFL. After a redshirt season at San Diego State, Simmons began a season at proper deal with for the Aztecs earlier than transferring to Columbus and switching to left deal with. As a redshirt junior, Simmons returned to begin on the left facet for an additional 12 months earlier than struggling a season-ending knee damage.
In his time with the Buckeyes, the 22-year-old displayed quickness off the road of scrimmage and spectacular stability. Whereas he isn’t a lot of a bulldozer within the run recreation, his quickness may help him be efficient on pulls. What actually shines for Simmons is his cross blocking talents, which had been adequate to place him in consideration for OT1 honors within the draft class, had he not skilled his damage setback.
He gained’t be a challenge as a result of he must develop, he’ll probably be a challenge as a result of his highway again to 100% well being could also be a little bit of a journey. The damage led him to be the fifth deal with taken within the draft and the eighth offensive lineman taken. If it was poor play that led to his slide, he might have slipped out of the primary spherical altogether.
Due to his damage, although, any group that drafted him was seemingly going to wish to use a first-round choose on him in order that the fifth-year choice offers them a little bit of further time to judge his prospects for a second NFL contract.
In Kansas Metropolis, final 12 months’s beginning tackles, Jawaan Taylor and Wanya Morris, had been something however spectacular. The group additionally has final 12 months’s second-round choose, Kingsley Suamataia, and free agent signing Jaylon Moore to work with, as nicely.
Suamataia began the primary two video games for the Chiefs at proper deal with final 12 months earlier than being benched for Morris, whereas Moore completed the final portion of 2024 filling in for Trent Williams because the 49ers beginning left deal with.
In a super scenario, it could be asking numerous Simmons to leap into a contest that might see any mixture of two of Taylor, Morris, Suamataia, and Moore bookending the road. He falls into an ideal scenario, although, the place, certain, loads of query marks stay on the depth chart, however there are many choices who can man the spots successfully till Simmons is recovered and able to compete and contribute. His fifth-year choice offers him a little bit of respiration room to indicate his price earlier than his rookie deal expires.
Simmons is simply the primary Chiefs rookie to signal their contract. The group has six extra gamers from their draft class that also must ink their offers.
