2020 NFL Draft sleepers who are obscured by stars on their own team

Clemson Tigers

First Round Prospect: Isaiah Simmons, LB (projected first round, #16 PFF NFL Mock Draft)

Teammate to Watch: Tanner Muse, SS

Isaiah Simmons is about as “plug and play” of a player that has been seen in the NFL draft. The term “plug and play” was created for players like him.

Isaiah Simmons has been tasked with playing a variety of roles in the past three years, playing as a linebacker, safety and even slot cornerback at various times for Clemson. Built more like an NFL safety than a linebacker, the 6-foot-4, 230-pound Simmons is going to go off of the board early at the 2020 NFL draft.

However, another player is lining up in the Clemson secondary that is deserving of a closer look. That guy is Tanner Muse. Muse is a 6-foot-1 strong safety from North Carolina who has been productive at Clemson for three years. Muse has six interceptions since 2016, giving up only three touchdowns in the same period.

Like Simmons, Muse is also a productive pass rusher, with seven tackles for a loss in his career. He is so highly thought of, he made the 2019 All-ACC Preseason Football team, voted on by 173 credentialed media members covering the ACC.

The game tape shows a Safety who shifts coverages around in the backfield preceding the snap. He has shown an ability to sniff out run plays exceptionally well and move up to tackle the runner. Tanner also plays well staying in the backfield and assisting cornerbacks in their coverage and tackling with good form. His reception percentage against is 46.2 according to PFF, which is third-best by a safety in the ACC (minimum 158 snaps).

Tanner Muse is not a finished product by any stretch of the imagination. Watching the Clemson game against Notre Dame last year, showed a player with great skills, but he seemed to slow down by the end of the third quarter, where he missed a tackle and gave up a first down with a completely blown assignment handoff on back to back plays (3rd QT 5:09/4:42).

While the score was 23-3 at that point, with 20 minutes of gameplay left, the game was hardly out of reach for Notre Dame to excuse such lackadaisical coverage from the young safety.

However, I believe Tanner Muse has shown enough on tape to warrant a look from NFL teams this year and is deserving of a job in the NFL, either as a depth player or as a third safety to contain the outside run. His teammate Isaiah Simmons is a unique talent who will require a team spending a first or second-round draft pick to retain his services. But while you’re watching Simmons shut down receivers and run like an elite LB this year, make sure to check out #19 Tanner Muse as well.

If Muse can make some big plays during the final games of the season (and expected college playoffs) and clean up some of his late-game faux pas’, don’t be surprised to see him as a practical second or third-day pick in the 2020 NFL Draft.