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Julio Jones, #6 total decide by the Atlanta Falcons, poses with household on stage in the course of the 2011 NFL Draft.
The Falcons are most just lately rumored to be essentially the most aggressive workforce within the 2020 NFL Draft. ESPN’s Chris Mortensen mentioned the Falcons may transfer into the top-5 of for a cornerback.
It’s no secret the Falcons are in want of a difference-maker on protection, a pair for that matter. They may get their first decide at No. 16 but when they need who they’ve their eyes on, they’re going to should make a drastic soar to get one among them. And Mortensen has little question they’ll achieve this.
Mortensen has the Falcons aiming for a cornerback, however there are a number of gaps the Falcons must fill defensively.
If Mortensen is true and the Falcons are aiming for a nook they’ll probably soar to seize Clemson’s Isaiah Simmons or Ohio State’s Jeff Okudah.
Isaiah Simmon’s Scouting Report
The 6-foot-4, 238-pound linebacker, Simmons flourished as a Tiger. He led all defensive gamers with 97 tackles in 2018 and amassed seven go defenses and a pick-six.
The next season, Simmons solely continued to enhance at linebacker, registering 104 tackles, 16.5 tackles for a loss, eight sacks, eight go defenses and three interceptions. On the finish of the 2019 season, he was awarded the Butkus Award because the nation’s prime linebacker for his efforts.
As a Clemson Tiger, Simmons has discovered to adapt in additional than only one place. He’s been moved round from security, edge, and linebacker.
Simmons is “all in” with the brand new development within the NFL the place groups are working with solely one of the best gamers and determining the place they will carry out their finest at, no matter the place they’ve performed prior to now.
“I believe it’s helpful for me. I do know years in the past it wasn’t good to be a positionless man,” Simmons mentioned on the mix. “However now it’s turn out to be a profit for me simply due to all the flexibility I’ll be capable of do, play linebacker, play security, no matter it’s, I really feel prefer it simply helps me out.
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Jeff Okudah’s Scouting Report
Okudah is ranked to be one of the best of one of the best at cornerback on this yr’s draft class and projected to go on the No. Four spot.
Okudah made a reputation for himself popping out of highschool, rating No. 8-overall and a 5-star recruit. He solely continued to enhance as a Buckeye.
He noticed the sphere early as a real freshman in 2017 and performed in all 14 video games recording 19 tackles, one go breakup. After the season Okudah underwent shoulder surgical procedure. The identical season, Okudah’s mother misplaced her battle to lymphoma.
After not beginning a single sport in 2018, he nonetheless tied for the workforce lead in go breakups with eight and likewise recorded 34 tackles.
Okudah blew it out of the water in 2019, his final season as a Buckeye. He beginning all 14 video games and earned recognition as first-team Related Press All-American, first-team All-Large Ten, and Jim Thorpe Award finalist honors. He led the Buckeyes with three interceptions and 9 go breakups as a junior, additionally posting 35 tackles and two compelled fumbles.
Previous to declaring for the NFL draft, Okudah wrote a letter to his late mom:
“I’m excited and I’m prepared.
I’m able to take my place inside the lineage of elite Ohio State cornerbacks, and proud Ohio State alums. I’m able to preserve difficult myself, to maintain grinding for extra, to maintain working as laborious because it takes to perform my targets. I’m prepared to offer for Karen and for the remainder of my future household — to assist these subsequent generations of Okudahs attain their full potential, such as you helped me attain mine.
However most of all? Wanting again, whenever you left….. I used to be only a child. And now I’m able to be a person.
Now I’m prepared for greatness.
I’m able to be my mom’s son.”
(The complete letter could be learn at The Gamers Tribune )
Whoever lands both of those guys might be fortunate, very fortunate.
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