No matter Trent Simpson lacks throughout the eyes of 31 teams throughout the NFL that didn’t draft him, inflicting him to fall to the the third spherical of the draft on Friday night, the 21-year-old undoubtedly makes up for in confidence.
The Ravens chosen the Clemson inside linebacker with the 86th basic determine. Afterward, he known as himself basically probably the most versatile linebacker throughout the draft and predicted that he’s going to go down as a Ravens good.
“I match into each scheme and I’m probably the most versatile linebacker on this draft,” Simpson talked about. “You’re all not going to remorse this decide.”
The 6-foot-2, 235-pound Simpson, who was born in Charlotte, North Carolina, not lower than has motive to be comfortable with changing into in with the one in all many NFL’s biggest defenses.
Simpson, who was ESPN draft analyst Mel Kiper Jr.’s excessive on the market participant on the board, was broadly thought-about one in all many excessive inside linebackers throughout the draft, given his versatility and that he ran the 40-yard dash in 4.43 seconds.
A former working once more and a five-star recruit in highschool — Simpson was the No. 1 exterior linebacker throughout the 2020 recruiting class — he allowed solely 406 yards in his occupation on 612 safety snaps with the Tigers. He was a hybrid participant for Clemson, as coaches normally relied on his versatility by way of the usage of him as a nickel on one play and an edge rusher the next.
He moreover had 87 tackles, along with 22 1/2 for loss, 12 1/2 sacks, six go breakups and three compelled fumbles over 37 video video games (27 of them begins) at Clemson, the place he was a Butkus Award semifinalist remaining season after tying for third on the workforce in tackles with 77, along with 4 for loss, along with garnering 2 1/2 sacks, three go breakups and two compelled fumbles in 616 snaps over 12 begins.
What Simpson’s selection means for fellow Ravens linebacker Patrick Queen’s future stays to be seen. The Ravens have until Tuesday to find out on Queen’s fifth-year chance. Simpson and Queen are associated avid gamers in some methods, and though Queen, 23, was one in all many Ravens’ shiny spots on safety remaining 12 months, posting a career-high 117 tackles, selecting up the selection might be expensive at $12.277 million for 2024, in step with Over The Cap.
“Patrick is, in my thoughts, one of many higher [weak-side] linebackers within the league,” regular supervisor Eric DeCosta talked about. “I believe he’s a Professional Bowl linebacker within the making. In Trenton, we get a man who was actually the easiest participant out there.”
As for Simpson, DeCosta talked about the Ravens had seven to eight names they’ve been considering throughout the third spherical, a spot many anticipated the Ravens to take a cornerback after selecting Boston Faculty enormous receiver Zay Flowers at No. 22 basic. By the point their determine bought right here spherical, they’ve been all the way down to no less than one.
“It’s important to take the perfect participant,” he talked about. “That’s what we do.”
In Simpson, the Ravens moreover get any person who can play in all places within the self-discipline, along with on specific teams.
“My strongest place is within the field,” Simpson talked about. “I wish to adapt to any scheme and simply be a playmaker. That’s how I delight myself — making performs and being versatile.”
This story is likely to be updated.
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