John Simon clocks 4.62 in the forty

kearly

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Pro-day result caveat, but that's pretty surprising. That's just .01 seconds off of Khaseem Greene's pro-day time. From rotoworld:

Ohio State DE John Simon ran a 4.62 forty and completed a 34 inch vertical jump during the school's pro day.

Simon also registered a 10'1" broad jump, 7.10 second three cone, and a short shuttle time in the 4.20s. He was put through linebacker drills and caught all the passes thrown his way. We like Simon in the early parts of day three due to his motor and leverage advantage as an edge rusher.

Obviously, he wouldn't run that fast if Seattle drafted him and he bulked up. I still think he'd get abused at DE against guys like Newton and Kaepernick. I just thought I'd post this for two reasons. The first being that Simon is more athletic than we thought, and the second is that he's almost certainly going to be drafted as a 3-4 OLB now with a forty time like that.
 

Attyla the Hawk

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I still can't see him as an OLB at all. On tape, he doesn't look anything near as fast as Khaseem Greene, and I have a hard time thinking that Greene's instincts are better than Simon's. His play recognition is top shelf.

I just have a hard time seeing him as a LB prospect. He's still the same guy who conceded separation virtually immediately and embarrassingly stumbled repeatedly as RBs could get the outside routes or cross his face and secure position on the inside at will when they worked him out during the senior bowl. And that wasn't a blue chip crop of backs that were just abusing him endlessly.

Not that I think that's the definitive view. But we know that Pete and John take the Senior Bowl workouts extremely seriously. Arguably more so than just about any other FO. I don't expect he's going to have that much traction as a LB prospect as a result of that. And every team had to have seen the same thing. It was a brutal showing.

Oddly, when I saw his tape, I saw a guy who was actually very very good at cutting off running angles to the outside. Even despite fighting through a blocker. I felt he held his edge extremely well, even against the fleet of foot. Needless to say, I'm really shocked he clocked a time that fast. More so than Swope registering a 4.3 (which he did twice at the combine). He does consistently show an excellent short field burst of speed that he uses to extend the corner and to close on a back to secure the tackle. But he didn't display that same burst when asked to cover.

I would still contend that he's a DE prospect first and second. That straight line speed really strikes me as a classic pro day deflated time. Unless he's just being considered as a rush OLB -- essentially a 3-4s version of a DE. Maybe someone to play a James Harrison type role. I just don't see even good skills in space when I see him. He looks much more comfortable in amidst the slop.

It's hard for me to say. I see a strong natural affinity for playing on the line with him. I don't see the same for him playing off the line or having to cover. Maybe he's been working on that aspect since the end of the season. He'll need to dispel those demons in personal visits IMO, if he's going to be seriously considered an OLB prospect.

I could actually see a team like Cleveland taking him. But that would probably require they use their early 3rd round pick to get him, as they don't have a 2nd rounder. They have a solid LB corps for their new 3-4, but are trying to work Jabaal Sheard as an OLB. That's a conversion that is historically not successful, and I'd imagine they'd see Simon as their Harrison.
 

CamanoIslandJQ

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Still another DE in the mix? DE-Mike Catapano, 6-4, 270, Princeton, 4.67/40, 37-1/2" vert, 9'-8" broad, 4.21 shuttle, 7.04 cone, 33 reps.

Per source, College2Pro.com reports that Princeton Mike Catapano will be earning plenty of frequent flyer miles with up coming visits with the Minnesota Vikings, Philadelphia Eagles, Tampa Bay Buccaneers, New York Giants, Cincinnati Bengals, and ****Seattle Seahawks****.

http://college2pro.com/showSingleArticl ... ck%20Draft
 

Scottemojo

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CamanoIslandJQ":62ugjdms said:
Still another DE in the mix? DE-Mike Catapano, 6-4, 270, Princeton, 4.67/40, 37-1/2" vert, 9'-8" broad, 4.21 shuttle, 7.04 cone, 33 reps.

Per source, College2Pro.com reports that Princeton Mike Catapano will be earning plenty of frequent flyer miles with up coming visits with the Minnesota Vikings, Philadelphia Eagles, Tampa Bay Buccaneers, New York Giants, Cincinnati Bengals, and ****Seattle Seahawks****.

http://college2pro.com/showSingleArticl ... ck%20Draft
Explosion number of 70. 10 yard split of 1.62. very respectable.
 
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kearly

kearly

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[youtube]FZ2KDQPONFg[/youtube]

Reminds me of John Simon minus the arm use badassery.
 

aawolf

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Attyla the Hawk":2tv34de7 said:
I still can't see him as an OLB at all. On tape, he doesn't look anything near as fast as Khaseem Greene, and I have a hard time thinking that Greene's instincts are better than Simon's. His play recognition is top shelf.

I just have a hard time seeing him as a LB prospect. He's still the same guy who conceded separation virtually immediately and embarrassingly stumbled repeatedly as RBs could get the outside routes or cross his face and secure position on the inside at will when they worked him out during the senior bowl. And that wasn't a blue chip crop of backs that were just abusing him endlessly.

Not that I think that's the definitive view. But we know that Pete and John take the Senior Bowl workouts extremely seriously. Arguably more so than just about any other FO. I don't expect he's going to have that much traction as a LB prospect as a result of that. And every team had to have seen the same thing. It was a brutal showing.

Oddly, when I saw his tape, I saw a guy who was actually very very good at cutting off running angles to the outside. Even despite fighting through a blocker. I felt he held his edge extremely well, even against the fleet of foot. Needless to say, I'm really shocked he clocked a time that fast. More so than Swope registering a 4.3 (which he did twice at the combine). He does consistently show an excellent short field burst of speed that he uses to extend the corner and to close on a back to secure the tackle. But he didn't display that same burst when asked to cover.

I would still contend that he's a DE prospect first and second. That straight line speed really strikes me as a classic pro day deflated time. Unless he's just being considered as a rush OLB -- essentially a 3-4s version of a DE. Maybe someone to play a James Harrison type role. I just don't see even good skills in space when I see him. He looks much more comfortable in amidst the slop.

It's hard for me to say. I see a strong natural affinity for playing on the line with him. I don't see the same for him playing off the line or having to cover. Maybe he's been working on that aspect since the end of the season. He'll need to dispel those demons in personal visits IMO, if he's going to be seriously considered an OLB prospect.

I could actually see a team like Cleveland taking him. But that would probably require they use their early 3rd round pick to get him, as they don't have a 2nd rounder. They have a solid LB corps for their new 3-4, but are trying to work Jabaal Sheard as an OLB. That's a conversion that is historically not successful, and I'd imagine they'd see Simon as their Harrison.

I agree that he should be used on the D-line because I see his best attributes are powering or manuvering through blocks getting into the backfield consistantly--I think he's exceptionally explosive. He'd get some first round chatter if he was not undersized in this role. I don't care if he's fast and small, he should have his momentum facing the QB or the RB in the backfield whenever he's on the feild and never have to be worry about dropping into coverage or tracking a play from sideline to sideline.
 

Scottemojo

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Between the Steelers replacing Harrison and the Browns wanting to be Steelers part deux, I feel like Simon is going in the second.
 
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