Know your Chiefs draft crush, Part 4; Josh Simmons and Kenneth Grant
It's a two for one day in "know your Chiefs draft crush."
It’s that time of the year again. The time we peer into our crystal balls and gaze into the stars to ascertain the future. That’s right, it’s draft season! And that means it’s time to dust off our yearly “know your Chiefs draft crush” series.
For some analysts, draft season is all year long. My colleagues at KC Sports Network do some of the very best work in the business, with a Chiefs-centric draft guide that is available now (this is one that all of you should purchase if you haven’t already). Danny Kelly with The Ringer has a terrific big board that he works on every year. My good friend Ryan Tracy has one of the best athletic matrix-based draft guides you’ll ever find. And of course, industry legend Dane Brugler releases “The Beast” draft guide based on his year-round scouting and legwork.
But for me, draft season starts now. That’s right, “know your Chiefs draft crush” is back! In part 1, I wrote about what direction the Chiefs may go and broke down defensive lineman Walter Nolen’s film. In part 2, I looked at the film of DT Derrick Harmon. In part 3, we talked about Luther Burden III and why you can never have too many WRs.
The draft is almost upon us, and MAN did it sneak up on me.
I suppose I could write something poetic/eloquent (or at least attempting to be so) about how that represents how the NFL (and life in general) tend to work, with the days being long but the years being short. But we don’t have time for that, as the draft is almost upon us.
So instead, let’s get right to it. I wanted to look at the film of Ohio State offensive tackle Josh Simmons and Michigan defensive tackle Kenneth Grant, and didn’t want to choose between them. So today, we’re doing both.
That’s right, it’s two draft crushes for the price of one! In order to have space here, it’ll be a bit of a speed run for both players, but it was important to me to get to both of them, as either is a possibility for the Chiefs if available at 31 and would fit into their potential long-term plans. Let’s get right to it on a pair of talented players.
Josh Simmons, OT (Ohio State)
Simmons is well-built for LT, measuring at 6’5” and 317 pounds. While his arms were measured at 33 inches (on the short side for a LT), his overall frame is wide and his length didn’t appear to be an issue at all given his size and strength (which we’ll get into in a second). I won’t bury the lede; Simmons is wildly impressive on tape. Let’s talk about it using similar criteria I’ve used to discuss defensive tackles; Traits-based analysis.
Upper Body Power
For a player who is best known for his athleticism (we’ll come back to that, because PHEW), Simmons’ power in his arms, shoulders, and overall upper body really impressed me. Simmons repeatedly showed the ability to jar defenders with his punch when he was able to make first contact. He also showed the ability to “freeze” defenders in place as a pass protector, and twist them out of rushing lanes as a run blocker. He does so with an effortlessness that is noticeable.
Simmons’ upper body power is one reason that his lack of elite arm length didn’t seem to cause him issues. Because he has so much strength, he rarely got knocked off balance in a way that allowed defenders to run through his chest (the primary issue with lacking length), and he was often able to generate movement on first contact as a run blocker. It was one of his biggest strengths as both a pass and a run blocker.
Lower Body Power
Simmons’ lower body power doesn’t pop on film the way his upper body power does, but it doesn’t appear deficient either. Because he so rarely lost on first contact it was tough to gauge his ability to re-anchor against bull rushes, but he did show the ability to do so a few times. He doesn’t play “heavy” or with “sand in his pants,” though, and if there were to be a concern about him it may be his heaviness/power in his legs.
That said, to call it a concern would be overblowing it. He did show sufficient power to drive defenders in the run game (though he often led with his upper body, which can create a risk of lunging even for an elite athlete) and was generally an asset in that area. He played with a mean streak as a run blocker and sought to finish blocks with his legs churning, even as he lead with his considerable upper body power. So I wouldn’t say he’s deficient in this area, it’s just one aspect of his tape that didn’t “pop” the way the rest did.
Athleticism/Agility/Feet/Balance
Simmons is a sensational athlete on tape in every way you could hope for in a tackle. He’s got an absolutely terrific jump at the snap and the ability to move laterally in a way that allows him to attack defenders at the snap.
