Josh Simmons OT Ohio State | NFL Draft Profile & Scouting Report
Josh Simmons OT Ohio State
NFL Draft Profile & Scouting Report
| SUB-POSITION: Right Tackle | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Last Updated: 02/07/2025 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Draft Year: 2025 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 40 time: 5.15 seconds (73%*) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Age: 22.1 DOB: 12/26/2002 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| SUB-POSITION: Right Tackle | |
| Last Updated: 02/07/2025 | |
| Draft Year: 2025 | |
| 40 time: 5.15 seconds (73%*) | |
| Age: 22.1 DOB: 12/26/2002 | |
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| Overall Rating: | 87.9 / 100 | |
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| Average rating of opposition Defense player has faced | ||
| Defense Rating: |
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76% |
| Click the links below to view how player ranks vs other prospects. | ||
| Pass Blocking: |
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86% |
| Run Blocking: |
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75% |
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DRAFT PROJECTION:
1st - Mid
Overall Rank:
#14
Position rank:
#3
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| College Games: 31 College Snaps: 1855 | ||
ESPN RATING: 80/100
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247 RATING: 89/100
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RIVALS RATING: 5.8 (95%)
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| Player Comparison* (Similarity level) | ||
|---|---|---|
| Jordan Morgan - Arizona |
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91% |
| Jalen Mayfield - Michigan |
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89% |
| Matthew Bergeron - Syracuse |
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88% |
Draft Profile: Bio
Ohio State's Josh Simmons established himself as one of college football's premier offensive tackles before a devastating knee injury cut short his 2024 campaign. The San Diego native's path to becoming a potential first-round NFL Draft pick began at Madison High School before transferring to Helix, where he emerged as a consensus four-star recruit. After initially committing to San Diego State, Simmons redshirted in 2021 before starting 13 games at right tackle for the Aztecs in 2022.The 6'5", 310-pound tackle transferred to Ohio State in 2023, immediately winning the starting left tackle job and showcasing the athleticism and technical refinement that would eventually catch NFL scouts' attention. His versatility and durability were on full display as he started 26 consecutive games between San Diego State and Ohio State, proving equally effective at both tackle spots. Prior to his season-ending knee injury against Oregon in October 2024, Simmons hadn't allowed a single sack and was gaining momentum as a potential top-25 draft prospect.
His development from local San Diego prospect to Big Ten standout mirrors his transformation as a player. Simmons earned Third Team All-Big Ten honors in 2024 despite playing just six games, a testament to his dominance before the injury. The human development and family services major, nicknamed "Jimmy" by his teammates due to an abundance of Joshes in the offensive line room, declared for the 2025 NFL Draft in December.
Scouting Report: Strengths
- Exceptional lateral mobility allows him to mirror speed rushers and execute backside cutoff blocks with rare fluidity for a man his size
- Devastating punch power combined with independent hand usage - consistently lands first meaningful contact while showing variety in strike patterns
- Elite foot speed and kickslide technique lets him consistently beat rushers to the spot, rarely getting beat around the corner
- Displays outstanding spatial awareness when working combo blocks and picking up stunts, showing natural chemistry with his guard
- Explosive first step and closing burst help him eliminate linebackers at the second level - arrives balanced and ready to deliver a blow
- Brings serious juice in the screen game, showing rare ability to track down and eliminate targets in space for his size
- Natural knee bend and anchor strength allow him to absorb power rushes without giving ground, even against bull rush specialists
- Position versatility is a major plus - has started and played well at both tackle spots against quality competition
Scouting Report: Weaknesses
- October 2024 knee injury raises significant medical concerns and will require thorough evaluation during the pre-draft process
- Shows occasional lapses in hand placement against wide-9 alignments, allowing defenders into his chest plate too frequently
- Racked up 25 penalties over past two seasons between SDSU and Ohio State - must clean up technical infractions
- Can get overaggressive seeking contact in space, leading to balance issues and whiffed blocks on more elusive defenders
- Limited 2024 sample size of just six games means teams didn't see him against the meat of Ohio State's schedule
Scouting Report: Summary
Simmons isn't just a good athlete who can move in space - he's a tone-setter who brings legitimate power and finishing ability to pair with his high-end movement skills. The explosiveness shows up early in drives when he's fresh, where he'll absolutely bury edge defenders on down blocks and drive linebackers 15 yards downfield in the screen game. That combination of traits makes him an ideal fit for teams running wide-zone concepts that ask their tackles to reach 4i-techniques and climb to the second level.The knee injury muddies his evaluation, but the tape from his six games in 2024 was nothing short of exceptional. He showed the ability to mirror Penn State's speed rushers, anchor against Michigan's power players, and consistently reach defensive tackles on wide zone - three critical boxes for projecting NFL success. His pass protection technique and hand usage took a massive leap forward from 2023, suggesting he's still ascending as a player despite the limited 2024 sample size.
Teams drafting between 15-25 should be sprinting to the podium if the medical checks come back clean. You're getting a day-one starter with Pro Bowl upside who plays with genuine meanness in the run game while showing the feet and anchor to handle NFL edge rushers in protection. The improvement trajectory from San Diego State to his final games at Ohio State points to a player who could develop into one of the league's premier tackles within his first three seasons.
Written By:
K.C. Martinez (Big Ten)
How other scouting services rate Josh Simmons (Overall Rank)
All Scouts AverageOverall Rank
24.2
All Scouts AveragePosition Rank
3.0
*Percentile Ranking in Player's Position Group (NFL Combine Historical Data): This percentile reflects how a player's specific statistics rank
in comparison to historical performances at the NFL Combine, specifically within their position group. A higher percentile indicates a better performance.
For instance, being in the 90th percentile for a particular stat means the player outperformed 90% of their peers in that category.
*Similarity Percentage: This percentage is calculated based on a comprehensive analysis of various factors, including height, weight, 40-yard dash times, on-field performance statistics, and overall player rating. The analysis is conducted against our database of draft prospects from 2021 to 2023. This similarity score helps in evaluating how closely a current prospect aligns with past prospects. It is important to note, however, that this score reflects similarities based on college production and attributes, and does not account for eventual success or performance in the NFL.
*Similarity Percentage: This percentage is calculated based on a comprehensive analysis of various factors, including height, weight, 40-yard dash times, on-field performance statistics, and overall player rating. The analysis is conducted against our database of draft prospects from 2021 to 2023. This similarity score helps in evaluating how closely a current prospect aligns with past prospects. It is important to note, however, that this score reflects similarities based on college production and attributes, and does not account for eventual success or performance in the NFL.