The Mental Game: Isaiah Simmons Dives Head-First Into Learning All His Roles

Big Red

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Mar 16, 2019
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At the Scouting combine in February, included in the 15-minute interview the Cardinals had with Simmons was the player breaking down his assignments from games in the past season. He was as knowledgeable speaking about all his different roles as he was playing them.


This from a guy who bounced from position meeting room to position meeting room this past year, depending on which of the five positions the coaches needed him to play that particular week, not only memorizing what he needed to do but then performing so well he became a top NFL prospect.


"He's incredibly smart from a football standpoint," Clemson coach Dabo Swinney said. "He played five positions and clearly wanted to execute at different positions for us, which demonstrates his knowledge and his diversity.


"But he's a unicorn."


Cardinals defensive coordinator Vance Joseph called it "amazing" how Simmons was able to adapt to every position. As the Cards continued to do their research, it wasn't the physical tools that would come up first but his football IQ.


That doesn't surprise his mom, who has a pair of Master's degrees herself. It is not Isaiah's draft status of which she is most proud but his degree in sports communication, which Isaiah obtained in December after just 3½ years. (He had hoped to beat out his older brother, who also got his degree in 3½ years.)


"When you talk about taking your smarts from the classroom and applying it to the football field, it's a testament to where he is now," Denise said.


When he was younger, Isaiah created a tabletop football game to play with his friends, at least when he wasn't actually out on the field playing football. He was a natural in other sports, like track – the Olympics were once a potential goal – and Isaiah attacked everything with the intent to master.


Put him on the grass and ask him to cover a tight end one week and rush the passer the next? There's no doubt Isaiah Simmons is going to take what was on the white board on Wednesday and make it work Sunday.


"He's always been a learner and a quick processor," Denise said. "And it goes beyond processing – it's always, 'I want to apply it.' He's always been a student of the game."

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