Ohio State’s Josh Simmons is the player to watch in Green Bay, per draft analyst Trevor Sikkema.
Pro Football Focus’ Trevor Sikkema recently wrote an article in his “Summer Scouting” series detailing one offensive player that every NFL club should be paying attention to going into the 2025 draft cycle. With the quarterback (presumably) locked up and the non-quarterback skill positions being strong for the Green Bay Packers moving forward, I’ll leave you to guess which direction he went here.
Wait. No I won’t. It’s an offensive lineman. It’s always an offensive lineman and it will always be an offensive lineman (except when it’s a defensive lineman.)
The player Sikkema tabbed for the Packers was none other than Ohio State left tackle Josh Simmons, who is currently ranked 81st on the consensus draft board behind seven other tackle prospects and five interior offensive linemen.
Here’s what Sikkema had to say about his choice:
Simmons is a former three-star recruit who started his career at San Diego State before transferring to Ohio State to be the team’s left tackle. He’s a bit shorter than average, at 6-foot-5 and 310 pounds, but his arm length looks longer than his height suggests. Simmons also has great knee bend and balance, quick footwork and a patient pass-blocking style. I am a big fan of his potential and could see him being a Packers type of player if Jordan Morgan ends up at guard.
I’m uncertain what range Sikkema expects Simmons to be taken, but there probably isn’t much room for Green Bay to take another tackle body early in the draft — even though that’s lightyears away. Rasheed Walker, Elgton Jenkins, Zach Tom and Jordan Morgan are still under contract for multiple seasons and can all play the tackle position. Heck, Andre Dillard might be a Week 1 starter depending on how this camp shakes out on the interior offensive line.
For what it’s worth, Sikkema had eight offensive linemen on his list of 32 names. He liked Simmons so much that he also named him a player to watch for the Washington Commanders in this draft cycle.
We are double-dipping with Simmons on this list. Washington fans weren’t thrilled with the fact that their team didn’t address the offensive tackle position until selecting TCU’s Brandon Coleman in the third round of the 2024 NFL Draft, although he could be a starter for the team one day.
Simmons is about to enter his third straight season as a starter at left tackle, and I have been impressed by his blend of size, speed, length and technique throughout summer scouting.
If the name read on the first day of the draft in Green Bay when the Packers are hosting the event is another offensive lineman, rather than a shiny, fun toy like Cooper DeJean was when they were on the clock at #25 overall in April, I don’t think the hometown crowd will be very welcoming of the selection.
