LB John Simon

[beasy2487]

With all the comparisons to JJ and talk of him being "unathletic", I initially assumed Simon would be a lunchpail, edge-setting, special teams, dirty work type of guy. However after reading that he ran a freaking 4.6 40 (making him the same speed as Arthur Brown), how about trying him out at the other ILB spot competing with Rolando and Jameel?

[EdReedFTW]

Isnt the guy around 270 pounds? An unathletic, 270 ish ilb with questionable change of direction skills is probably not a good idea. 

[PuRock]

Yea....no.  His coverage skills are non-existent, he's too big and not overly athletic.  He won't ever become a full time starter.  He will be a situational rush LB.  And a fine one at that!

 

Just let him sit on the edge and rush the QB.  The opposing tackle will be like "Great!  Here comes John Simon again!" .

 

You put him at ILB you negate what he does best.  

[beasy2487]

Isnt the guy around 270 pounds? An unathletic, 270 ish ilb with questionable change of direction skills is probably not a good idea. 

 

257 and runs a 4.6. I don't see how that's unathletic... He's almost 20 pounds heavier than Brown and runs the same speed. Has "thumper" written all over him.

[GrimCoconut]

Can we move Leach to LB? God that would be awesome. Make him earn that check. Lol. Squeeze every penny.

[beasy2487]

Can we move Leach to LB? God that would be awesome. Make him earn that check. Lol. Squeeze every penny.

 

Haha, he basically is an LB. That's something i'd love to see.

[GrimCoconut]

257 and runs a 4.6. I don't see how that's unathletic... He's almost 20 pounds heavier than Brown and runs the same speed. Has "thumper" written all over him.

I think people mean he lacks that speed laterally not vertically.

[beasy2487]

I think people mean he lacks that speed laterally not vertically.

 

Understandable, but I think he could lose 5-7 pounds, focus on agility and coverage and still have great size/speed for an ILB. 

[GrimCoconut]

Understandable, but I think he could lose 5-7 pounds, focus on agility and coverage and still have great size/speed for an ILB.

It doesn't really work like that. Lateral speed is something you can't exactly teach. It's not a technique thing. You either have it or you don't. That's why linebackers who have it are highly coveted.

[rmw10]

Simon isn't an ILB.  He's average, possibly even below average, in both stuffing the run and pass coverage.  His value comes in his motor and pass rushing ability.  He's an OLB/DE only.

[Bltravens]

Understandable, but I think he could lose 5-7 pounds, focus on agility and coverage and still have great size/speed for an ILB. 

Its possible, but a golden rule of coaching is letting your plays do what they do best, don't pigeon hole them into something they may be able to do but not at the level they could do what they're best at.

Simon is a relentless player off the edge with good hand use in the pass rush department.  Let him do that.  In 3 odd years or so it'll be Simon/Upshaw at OLB with hopefully the next Suggs' type pass rusher as a 21 year old playing on pass downs.

[PuRock]

Simon isn't an ILB.  He's average, possibly even below average, in both stuffing the run and pass coverage.  His value comes in his motor and pass rushing ability.  He's an OLB/DE only.

 

I'll go even further he offers nothing in pass coverage and is far from average in run stuffing.  Let this boy do what he does best, pass rush, and allow him to learn from another undersize edge rusher in Dumervil.  If we do this, we'll be happy with Simon.

[Ravenseconbeast]

If he wants to be great, he has the tools to become one @ ravens  

 

I think he can be our next probowler in 3 years.   He definitely has the motivation to be one.   I saw his game @ ohio and his a leader among men.   His going to have a lot of energy in field.   

[rmw10]

I'll go even further he offers nothing in pass coverage and is far from average in run stuffing.  Let this boy do what he does best, pass rush, and allow him to learn from another undersize edge rusher in Dumervil.  If we do this, we'll be happy with Simon.

 

I'll take your word for it.  I knew he wasn't particularly skilled in either area but didn't want to knock him too much since I'm not too familiar with him just yet.  I agree though.  He's a pass rusher.  He's a poor man's Kruger essentially.

[Ravenseconbeast]

and and simon is a OLB...

 

he has high motor and is plenty capable of being a pass rusher imho.   no need to try to change him into something else..

[sflegend89]

Doesn't have the quick feet in space to cover over the middle. He's much better suited at DE

[Yatagarasu]

I think with his attitude, he will work hard to play many roles.

 

ST - ILB - OLB - DE - heck even DT

 

Potential OLBs

Terrell Suggs - starting All-Pro

Elvis Dumervil - Paid to be a starter

Courtney Upshaw - 2nd Round SAM OLB

John Simon - 4th Round SAM OLB

Adrian Hamilton - Developmental OLB

Michael McAdoo - Developmental OLB

 

I think we would be set with those four guys.

[Ravenseconbeast]

I think with his attitude, he will work hard to play many roles.

 

ST - ILB - OLB - DE - heck even DT

 

Potential OLBs

Terrell Suggs - starting All-Pro

Elvis Dumervil - Paid to be a starter

Courtney Upshaw - 2nd Round SAM OLB

John Simon - 4th Round SAM OLB

Adrian Hamilton - Developmental OLB

Michael McAdoo - Developmental OLB

 

I think we would be set with those four guys.

I wouldn't really put him as a DT.  he would need to put whole lot of weight.   

 

his incredibly lean and bulky.   his a gym rat.   probably how he keeps himself in high motor.   i woudn't completely change him just to play in a stacked DT roster

[BloodRaven]

He's basically the same player as Upshaw but stiffer and doesn't move as well in space, that possibly means he's too heavy but losing weight could impact his impressive playing strength. He's an elite athlete if you go off his pro day numbers.

 

Personally I think he's destined for the defensive line.

[easternshore97]

That was definitely a pick for the DL for 2014 or '15.

 

Any word anybody if McAdoo has bulked up at all?

[MDCop]

Ok this is the first topic I have ever started but felt it need to be said on the forum page after I commented in the article section. I just watched 2 Youtube videos of John Simon last year against Nebraska and Wisconsin. He is lined up at OLB the whole time and was always getting pressure. Please click on the links below and take a look. He is an awesome tackler and hits hard. Watch the way he moves......HE LOOKS AND PLAYS LIKE AN ILB. Just saying.....he is smart, a hard charger, former Team Capt. of a really good OSU team and his motor never stops. He really reminds me of a shorter Urlacher with bigger arms . I think he can make this move inside. Everyone says that Brown will be taking Rays vacated spot inside but I don't know. Brown is good in coverage and moves side line to side really well....which would be Ellerbe's old spot. Simon is more of a "Ray Lewis" type LB in the sense that Ray was fast North to South but not as much East to West.... Simon is the same way. He hits the holes really hard and can make the tackles. Both can stuff the run and Brown in coverage. I think if you put these 2 guys side by side as Will and Mike.....WOW.....talk about a LONG TERM fix to our LB situation ( assuming you could re sign them both in 4 years ). Tell me what you think.

 

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2HBge_-skSI

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W1NOuWaku_4

 

[T-ray]

Hmm, an idea worth exploring, especially since we have major question marks behind Brown, while we have major depth at DE/OLB.

[Geving]

http://boards.baltimoreravens.com/topic/52762-john-simon-at-ilb/?hl=simon

[cushrinada1986]

Can we move Leach to LB? God that would be awesome. Make him earn that check. Lol. Squeeze every penny.

In certain packages I could see that working. Whereas you would have him in the ILB role and he is blitzing to the inside, I could see him having a strong enough bull rush to take out the center or at least keep him from making holes for the RB on a draw or something like that.

[cushrinada1986]

At this point and time, after losing Ray and Ellerbe and not being 100% sure McClain will be back to his old self after the injury and whether Ronaldo will even play with his checkered past coming back to haunt him here in baltimore even before we had our first game, maybe taking a look at Simon as ILB is not a bad idea. We have a lot of guys on the OLB spot and some real talented guys may not make it due to all the bodies on roster. To keep some of that talent in house and on the field, see if they can convert to ILB. That way we can optimize our talent on the field and keep other teams from getting stronger from guys we let go.

[izvoodoo]

I wish people would stop moving players around like it's madden.  He's a D-end

[Blackbirds Rule]

. Simon is more of a "Ray Lewis" type LB in the sense that Ray was fast North to South but not as much East to West

 

You may only know the Ray Lewis of last year and this past year. Ray Lewis from his rookie year to about 2008 was fast north & south and east &west. We ran the 4-3 and Ray made tackles everywhere. Around 2008 he started to lose a step but he made plays off of his instinct and ability to read the plays before and as they were happening. Simon is best as a straight off the edge rusher and edge setter. He'll have to learn to be able to play in space. The better he gets at that the more snaps he'll begin to see.

[redrum52]

Keep him for run support. Already have McClainX2, McClellan, Brown and Bynes. A little extra edge setters never hurt. We've seen what most of the inside guys can do, with the olb spot looking a little thin as far as actual production goes. We know the main 3, Doom, Suggs and Upshaw, but after that it's a guessing game.

[The Raven]

There isn't enough in those videos to convince me that he'd be good at ILB. He's not doing many things that ILBs do.

[1/28/01]

Simon is more of a "Ray Lewis" type LB in the sense that Ray was fast North to South but not as much East to West.

I know it was already mentioned, but wow, must be a newer fan here. Go watch some older videos and come back to us. Maybe the 2000 SB ;)