Rift through enough NFL mock drafts, and you'll eventually find a few that do not have the Washington Redskins taking Chase Young.
Last week, Walter Cherepinsky of WalterFootball.com predicted that the Redskins would trade back and draft Ohio State cornerback Jeff Okudah with the No. 5 pick.
And on Tuesday, CBS Sports NFL Writer Ryan Wilson laid out a similar scenario. Only in his mock draft, the Redskins use the fifth-overall selection on Clemson linebacker Isaiah Simmons.
"The Redskins trade down and lose out on Chase Young, but Isaiah Simmons isn't a bad consolation prize," Wilson writes. "Offensive tackle makes some sense here, but Simmons can line up just about anywhere on defense and his versatility reminds us of Derwin James. He'd be a welcome addition to a [defense] that was among the league's worst against both the run and pass in [2019]."
Simmons is listed as a linebacker but can play a multitude of defensive roles, including safety, slot corner and edge rusher.
He began his college career as a backup safety, then transitioned to nickelback/strongside linebacker in 2018. This past season, just his second as a full-time linebacker, he won the Butkus Award for being the best player in college football at that position. He also earned unanimous first-team All-American honors and ACC Defensive Player of the Year after recording a team-high 107 tackles, 10 pass breakups, eight sacks and three interceptions.
NFL Draft Lance Zierlein compared Simmons to Indianapolis Colts linebacker Darius Leonard, who has earned All-Pro honors in each of his first two NFL seasons. At 6-foot-4 and 230 pounds, Simmons is an "ascending hybrid talent" who will create mismatches however he's used, Zierlein said.
"He has a bachelor's at three positions (slot corner, safety, linebacker) but could earn a master's degree in complex workload with a more focused and defined job description than 'jack-of-all-trades.' He can handle zone or man coverage from a variety of spots on the field, which gives defensive coordinators a chance to disguise blitz packages and exotic post-snap looks."
The other interesting part about Wilson's mock draft was that he included the details of the trade between the Redskins and Dolphins. In exchange for the No. 2 pick, the Dolphins gave up their No. 5 and No. 18 selections as well as No. 39 overall.
So, not only did the Redskins get to draft Alabama wide receiver Henry Ruggs III, but they also regained the second-round pick they lost by trading back into the first round to select Montez Sweat last year.
It'll be up to Rivera and his staff to decide which is more valuable: the No. 2 selection or multiple early-round picks.
