Ohio State vs. Clemson Fiesta Bowl: 2020 NFL Draft prospects to watch

Isaiah Simmons, Linebacker/Safety, Clemson

Isaiah Simmons is one of my favorite players in the 2020 NFL Draft so far. He can just do everything on the defensive side of the football. He can play deep in a zone as a safety or rush the passer as a linebacker. He makes tackles from sideline to sideline in the run game and can contribute absolutely anywhere that a coach can think to put him.

Growing up playing football, “The Unicorn” never really had one true position. So he learned to play pretty much all of them and play them at a very high level. I rarely like prospects that have multiple positions next to their name. Typically I feel that as a prospect if you don’t have one position to really brand yourself as, you don’t really have a position. But Simmons is different. Simmons is special.

Just take a look at Simmons’ stat line and it is clear how versatile AND effective he is at multiple spots on the defense. Playing middle linebacker, Simmons racked up a team-leading 93 tackles so far this season. Playing around the line of scrimmage, Simmons has seven sacks and 14.5 tackles for loss.

Dropping back into coverage as a safety? Six pass breakups and two interceptions. Throw in two forced fumbles and a fumble recovery and you have the ACC Defensive Player of the Year and Dick Butkus Award winner for 2019.

Simmons will be a key to stopping the multiple dangerous facets of the Ohio State defense. Wrapping up J.K. Dobbins will be a priority, but helping in coverage against all of the solid Ohio State receivers and bringing pressure against a not-100% healthy Justin Fields are also ways that Simmons could impact this game.

Another great outing or two to finish off the season and Simmons could find himself in the top five picks of the 2020 NFL Draft, as I have him projected in my latest 2020 NFL Draft first-round mock.

Tee Higgins, Wide Receiver, Clemson

Clemson wide receiver Tee Higgins is another prospect that I have been projecting in the first round of my 2020 NFL Draft mocks. Higgins’ big-body presence and incredible athleticism are just too much to pass on for a receiver-needy team later in the first round.

While he may not be as polished of a route runner as some of the other 2020 NFL Draft wide receiver prospects, Higgins is certainly a force to be reckoned with on the outside, and his numbers show how effective he can be.

Improving each and every season with Clemson, Higgins now has a career-high 1,082 yards and 13 touchdowns on 52 catches this season. With his 6-foot-4 frame and incredible leaping ability, Higgins will be a great red zone, jump ball target at the next level. But Higgins can also easily beat you deep with his speed, as he leads the ACC with 20.8 yards per reception. He also has a nose for the end zone, leading the ACC in receiving touchdowns for the second consecutive season.

I presume that Higgins will likely see Jeffrey Okudah lined up across from him the majority of the game Saturday night, however Ohio State trusts all of their corners to get the job done, so they may not have Okudah specifically shadow Higgins all game long.

Clemson may try to exploit those other matchups and get Higgins out there against some small and slower defenders that he can take advantage of. But when they are lined up across from one another, it will be fun to watch two top 2020 NFL Draft prospects go at it head-to-head on such a big stage.