The Baltimore Ravens drafted Trenton Simpson a linebacker from Clemson with their third-round pick of the 2023 NFL Draft. The move was a bit surprising considering they have Roquan Smith and Patrick Queen, but they saw him as the best player on their board, and they pounced.
What is it that makes the Ravens interested in Trenton Simpson, and how will he fit it?
3. Trenton Simpson started two years at Clemson
Trenton Simpson was a highly regarded recruit when he came out of high school. The question was where he would wind up playing at Clemson. Simpson was an outside linebacker in high school, and as a true freshman, he mostly was rushing off the edge situationally.
He played 283 snaps as a freshman, and 141 of them were on the defensive line, per PFF. He played a bit in the slot, and the box, but mainly was rushing off the edge.
In 2021, he started to find a home. He played 569 total snaps with 117 as an edge rusher still, but between 207 snaps in the slot and 225 in the slot he was in the STAR type of role for the most part. This also included 12 snaps at safety.
As a junior he went from the STAR role to the MIKE linebacker. He played 404 as a box linebacker with 129 snaps off the edge, and 88 snaps in the slot.
So, he is versatile and can wear a lot of hats. At times, he can even step into the slot like Kyle Hamilton had to do last season. However, if you are looking for his role, it is probably more of a linebacker.
Trenton Simpson has 1,474 snaps in his career in total. He has 612 in coverage, 568 against the run, and 274 as a pass rusher. Of those snaps, Simpson played 387 on the defensive line, 682 in the box as a linebacker, 381 in the slot, and 14 as a deep safety. Expect to see him in the slot here and there, but mainly expect him to develop more in the NFL as a linebacker.