Every year, ESPN puts together rankings of position groups based on the opinions of NFL executives, scouts and coaches around the league. This year, Tennessee Titans defensive lineman Jeffery Simmons fell one spot at his position.
According to ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler, Big Jeff fell from No. 3 to No. 4. The only defensive linemen ranked head of him were the Kansas City Chiefs’ Chris Jones, the New York Jets’ Quinnen Williams and the New York Giants’ Dexter Lawrence.
“When he’s focused and sets out to make a lot of plays, he’s pretty much unblockable,” one team’s head scout said. “I think he’ll have a big year, similar to [Justin] Madubuike in that same Baltimore scheme last year.”
“His power is probably the best in the league,” one personnel evaluator said of Simmons. “I don’t think he’s played his best recently, though.”
Simmons was actually on pace to break his personal best in sacks last season but managed just one over his final five games before missing the rest of the season (five games) due to injury.
If the personnel evaluator in ESPN’s article is talking about last year, there’s a good explanation. Simmons was banged up for much of the campaign before ultimately being placed on season-ending injured reserve. Injury is the only thing that can truly stop Big Jeff.