Isaiah Simmons’ unique skillset makes him something of a unicorn, but the Arizona Cardinals seem to have a largely singular role in mind for him.
Speaking with the media on Tuesday, Cardinals defensive coordinator Vance Joseph said that the No. 8 overall pick will play linebacker for them, per Josh Weinfuss of ESPN. Joseph also added that it is unlikely that Simmons will play much in the secondary like he did at Clemson.
The 21-year-old Simmons played all over the field in college, recording 8.0 sacks last year as a linebacker while playing some snaps at defensive end as well. Simmons also saw time at safety and cornerback where he logged an additional three interceptions and eight pass deflections on the year.
The Cardinals will have some big expectations for Simmons after they went against the wishes of their star quarterback to draft him. It is clear however that they think he can best succeed by focusing on the linebacker position.
