Damari Simeon

Physical Profile

Listed at 6-3, 275 lbs. Taller than 37% and heavier than 41% of 2026 Defensive Line prospects in the SEC Scouts database (227 with a listed size).

Play Style

An attacking one-gap interior lineman who plays in the backfield. He fires off the ball with good pad level, shoots gaps, and makes plays behind the line on runs and screens more often than he collapses the pocket with a long rush. 247Sports' Andrew Ivins compared him to Taron Vincent, a compact, quick-twitch Ohio State interior lineman. That comparison fits his penetrate-and-disrupt style over a heavier space-eating nose tackle.

Strengths

• Backfield disruption: 35 career TFL is elite production, showing he consistently gets into the backfield rather than just occupying blockers
• Leverage and pad level: his 6-2 build lets him stay lower than guards, which is the key trait for a penetrating 3-technique
• Versatility: he lined up both inside and outside along St. Augustine Prep's front, which gives Ohio State flexibility in sub-packages and stunts
• Athletic background: his shot put and two-way (tight end) experience point to explosive hips and body control that show up in his first step
• Frame development: he added about 17 pounds to reach 292 without a reported drop in quickness, so he is on track physically for Big Ten interior play

Areas to Improve

• Anchor against double teams: at 292 and 6-2, he needs to keep adding functional strength to hold up against Big Ten combination blocks and down-blocks on run downs
• Pass-rush plan: 10 career sacks is modest next to his 35 TFL, so he needs to add a counter move and hand-fighting tools beyond first-step penetration
• Length: shorter arms mean he has to win with hand placement and timing, because experienced guards will lock him out if his punch is late

College Projection

In May 2026, Eleven Warriors had Simeon competing with fellow freshmen Emmanuel Ruffin and Jamir Perez for the sixth defensive tackle spot on the three-deep, behind James Smith, Eddrick Houston, Jason Moore, John Walker and Will Smith Jr. The most likely 2026 path is limited rotational or special-teams snaps while preserving a redshirt. As of 9/30/2026 no snap counts or redshirt news could be found. A realistic timeline is a rotational role in 2027 and a push for a starting 3-technique job in 2028 as Ohio State's older interior players move on.

NFL Outlook

He is a mid-round-or-better NFL candidate if his development continues. Interior linemen at 6-2, 290-300 who win with get-off and leverage are drafted regularly as 3-techniques, especially from Ohio State's defensive line pipeline. His draft value depends on turning his high school TFL production into college pressure numbers and on showing he can anchor at around 300 pounds. His earliest realistic draft window is 2029.

Best Fit

An attacking, one-gap 4-3 or multiple front that frees the 3-technique to penetrate and uses stunts and twists. That is essentially what Ohio State already runs. He would be a weaker fit in a two-gap 3-4 asking him to play head-up nose, where his 6-2 frame and shorter reach would be exposed.