★
★
★
★
★
★
★
★
★
★
Oct 2, 2026
Simmons remains a cautionary tale of unfulfilled first-round potential, a former eighth overall pick who is now logging more special-teams snaps than defensive ones in Carolina. He still shows flashes of the athletic versatility that made him a top prospect, but six years in, his NFL role has settled into depth and coverage-unit duty rather than anything resembling a featured defender.
Strengths: Rare top-ten draft pedigree and positional versatility that once made him one of college football's most unique defensive prospects.
Weaknesses: Has never lived up to his draft slot, currently playing almost exclusively special teams with just one tackle on defense through three games.
