Athletic Profile
Height: 6023
Weight: 235
Arm Length: 32 3/8”
40 Time: 4.43
Vertical: 40 1/2*
Broad Jump: 910*
3-Cone: 7.06*
Shuttle: 4.24*
Relative Athletic Score: 9.83
* Indicates Recorded At Pro Day
Statistics
2022: 51 TKL (11.7 MIS%) - 29 STOP - 16 PRESSURES - 2 SK - 1 PBU
2021: 52 TKL (11.1 MIS%) - 35 STOP - 31 PRESSURES - 7 SK - 1 PBU
Pros
Athletic Profile
Versatility
3rd Down Impact
Pursuit Effort
Cons
Lacks Traditional Size
Poor Instincts
Block Deconstruction
Over Aggressive
Summary
Trenton Simpson, the 2019 North Carolina Player of the Year, came into Clemson as a highly sought after recruit. A highly productive college player he racked up 100+ tackles and 10+ sacks in his three years for the Tigers. Simpson is an elite athlete at the linebacker position. He has the size of a weak side linebacker with the movement skills of a defensive back. At the combine his 40 yard dash time was in the 95th+ percentile and the tape certainly matches up. Simpson is at his best in space where he can fly sideline to sideline, using his speed to his advantage. Tremendous movement skills allows him to play a variety of positions. At Clemson he split time at LB, SLOT and DL. His ability to fly downhill and bend around blockers makes him a dynamic blitzer on 3rd down as well. As a prospect most of Simpson’s appeal comes from his athletic profile and untapped potential. He tests and moves like a prototype linebacker for the way football is played now but he struggles with the finer points of the position. He struggles to navigate traffic as a flow linebacker and due to being undersized he struggles to get off blocks. He lacks the technique with his hands to disengage from larger blockers, too often being washed out of the play without a fight. Simpson has the athleticism to be a strong coverage player but his over aggression can lead to him being out of position too often. His over aggressive mindset can also be a detriment to his tackling ability. Simpson has the length and power needed to bring down players in the hole but too often is out of control causing him to whiff. Given Simpson’s rare athletic tools and ability to fly down hill he will add juice to a defensive back-seven from the start of his career. In the right defense, one that takes advantage of his strengths coming downhill and playing in space he can be a tremendous weapon. However, if the wrong team takes him and tries to make him into a traditional stack linebacker they will waste his potential. Simpson projects as a weak side flow backer that thrives out in space. He should make an early impact in nickel defense and on special teams with the upside of an All-Pro linebacker if a coaching staff can teach him how to harness his skillset.
Grade: 6.22 - Mid to Late Second Round Grade (Potential Starter)
Games Watched: Georgia (2021), Boston College (2022), Florida State (2022), Notre Dame (2022)