Simmons may find yourself being a little bit of a mission within the NFL. After a redshirt season at San Diego State, Simmons began a season at proper sort out for the Aztecs earlier than transferring to Columbus and switching to left sort out. As a redshirt junior, Simmons returned to begin on the left aspect for an additional 12 months earlier than struggling a season-ending knee harm.
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 sport, his quickness may also help him be efficient on pulls. What actually shines for Simmons is his move blocking talents, which have been ok to place him in consideration for OT1 honors within the draft class, had he not skilled his harm setback.
He gained’t be a mission as a result of he must develop, he’ll doubtlessly be a mission as a result of his street again to 100% well being could also be a little bit of a journey. The harm led him to be the fifth sort out taken within the draft and the eighth offensive lineman taken. If it was poor play that led to his slide, he could have slipped out of the primary spherical altogether.
Due to his harm, although, any staff that drafted him was probably going to wish to use a first-round choose on him in order that the fifth-year choice provides them a little bit of extra time to guage his prospects for a second NFL contract.
In Kansas Metropolis, final 12 months’s beginning tackles, Jawaan Taylor and Wanya Morris, have been something however spectacular. The staff additionally has final 12 months’s second-round choose, Kingsley Suamataia, and free agent signing Jaylon Moore to work with, as effectively.
Suamataia began the primary two video games for the Chiefs at proper sort out 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 sort out.
In an excellent scenario, it could be asking plenty of Simmons to leap into a contest that would see any mixture of two of Taylor, Morris, Suamataia, and Moore bookending the road. He falls into an ideal scenario, although, the place, positive, 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 provides 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 staff has six extra gamers from their draft class that also must ink their offers.