2020 NFL Draft: 20 Bold predictions for first round
By Dan Parzych
7. Panthers draft Simmons to help fill void left by Kuechly
As crushing as it was to hear the surprising news this offseason involving Luke Kuechly retiring out of nowhere, football fans were obviously respectful of the linebacker’s decision when looking at his previous injuries from over the years.
Filling the void left by Kuechly will be far from easy for the Carolina Panthers since there’s a reason why he was considered one of the top linebackers in the league all these years, but this isn’t going to stop the team from trying to do so.
If the Panthers decide to go linebacker right away in the first round, it will be difficult to pass on Isaiah Simmons after looking at the impressive career put together at Clemson.
After spending the first three years of his career with the Tigers at safety, Simmons made the official switch to linebacker this past season, and it certainly paid off in one of the best ways possible since he now considered one of top players at the position for the draft.
Despite collapsing in the second half during each of the last two seasons, expectations are high for the Panthers entering their first year with Matt Rhule at head coach.
Carolina’s defense has displayed plenty of potential in recent years, and by adding Simmons to the picture, the unit would be in even better shape for 2020 due to the linebacker’s NFL potential.