- #
- 16
- Position
- Outside linebacker
- Height
- 6'3"
- Weight
- 240
- Current Team
- Clemson
Trenton Simpson: Linebacker, Clemson: NFL Draft Scouting Profile and Projected Draft Position
Trenton Simpson Clemson Stats
| Year | School | Class | Pos | G | Solo | Ast | Tot | Loss | Sk | PD | FF |
| 2020 | Clemson | FR | LB | 8 | 17 | 11 | 28 | 6.5 | 4 | 0 | 1 |
| 2021 | Clemson | SO | LB | 13 | 42 | 23 | 65 | 12.5 | 6.5 | 2 | 0 |
| 2022 | Clemson | JR | LB | 12 | 41 | 31 | 72 | 4 | 2.5 | 3 | 2 |
Trenton Simpson Scouting Report
Per NFL Draft Buzz, Simpson has the following strengths and weaknesses:
Strengths
- Shows a burst to close. Flashes explosive hitting ability and good lateral and downfield pursuit.
- Handles misdirection well with quick change-of-direction ability.
- He’s a sure and violent wrap-up tackler with sideline-to-sideline range
Weaknesses
- As good as Simpson is attacking downhill, he can get overaggressive and overrun plays, opening up cutback lanes for counter runs
- Simpson lacks the ability to drop weight and anchor against the run, getting manhandled at the point of attack
Check Out Our Entire List of 2023 NFL Draft Profiles
Trenton Simpson in Mock Drafts
According to NFL Mock Draft Database, Simpson is a projected late first-round pick. The raw skills are there to be a great linebacker in the NFL. His weaknesses are ones that can be corrected with coaching or could be masked in the right defense. Below is a list of mock drafts and where they have Simpson being drafted.
- Sporting News – No. 13 overall: Jets
- Touchdown Wire – No. 14 overall: Patriots
- CBS Sports – No. 18 overall: Lions
- 33rd Team – No. 20 overall: Seahawks
- USA Today – No. 23 overall: Chargers
Would Trenton Simpson Fit on the Packers?
Simpson fits the profile of someone who Packers GM Brian Gutekunst would draft. He is ultra-athletic and gets downhill quickly. His skill set reminds me a lot of Quay Walker. For this reason, I don’t think he would be a good fit for the Packers. The Packers already have this on their roster. While building depth is always nice, having two identical players on the roster while other holes exist seems like mismanagement.
Check Out Another Prospect That Could Fit For the Packers
There’s always a chance that Gutekunst could try and stack talent at one position. Simpson would not be a bad pick by any means but with so many other holes on the roster, it seems like the first round is not the place to build that depth. That is more for the middle rounds when you can take some swings on players you are hoping will develop into starters. Simpson is a great prospect, just not for the Packers.
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