Isaiah Simmons

Physical Profile

Listed at 6-0, 200 lbs. Taller than 4% and heavier than 12% of 2026 Linebacker prospects in the SEC Scouts database (207 with a listed size).

Play Style

Based on his production and athletic profile (no full film evaluation was available), Simmons plays like a downhill, speed-first pressure linebacker. Maury appears to have used him heavily as a blitzer and edge or overhang rusher, turning his acceleration into a 27-sack season. Expect a player who fires through gaps on the snap, wins with quickness rather than power, and closes on the ball carrier with sprinter's speed. His 109 tackles show he also chases the ball from the second level. The areas to watch on tape are how he handles blockers climbing to him when he cannot run around them, and how disciplined he is in coverage and gap responsibility when he is not the one rushing.

Strengths

• Pass-rush production: 27 sacks in one season is exceptional for any high school defender, let alone a 6-0 linebacker. It points to real skill at timing blitzes, getting skinny through gaps and finishing at the quarterback, plus a staff that trusted him as its main pressure piece.
• Verified speed: sophomore times of 11.00 in the 100m and 22.64 in the 200m give him range to chase ball carriers sideline to sideline, close quickly on blitzes and carry backs and tight ends up the seam.
• High-level winning experience: he was a key contributor to a Maury program that went 43-1 across 2022-24 and won three straight Class 5 state titles. That means he has regularly faced the strongest competition in Virginia's Hampton Roads area and is used to big-game snaps.
• Tackle volume backs up his range: 109 tackles alongside 27 sacks shows he was not just a designated rusher. He also produced as a run-and-chase defender.
• His recruitment was validated by 16 offers, including Duke, Georgia Tech, Michigan, Syracuse, Virginia Tech, Virginia and Indiana. Power 4 staffs across the country saw him as a Power 4 linebacker.

Areas to Improve

• Getting fully back from the ACL and lateral meniscus tear: the priority is regaining his burst and change of direction, not just being medically cleared. The rehab should also be used to add good weight.
• Adding mass and taking on blocks: at about 190-200 lbs he must add 20+ lbs to meet climbing guards and hold his gap. In high school he likely won by avoiding blocks; ACC offensive linemen will overpower him if he cannot shed with his hands.
• Off-ball linebacker instincts and coverage: sack-heavy production suggests he often lined up near the line of scrimmage as a pressure player. He will need to show he can read keys from depth, fit the run correctly and handle zone drops and man coverage on backs.
• Consistency across rankings: services split between high three-star and four-star, which suggests evaluators disagree about his size and his true every-down linebacker traits. College tape will have to settle that.

College Projection

He will not play at Pitt in 2026 because enrollment was pushed to January 2027 while he recovers from the knee injury. That timing works in his favor: he gets spring 2027 practices, and a full offseason for rehab and strength work, before the 2027 season. Realistic path: special teams and rotational pass-rush packages in 2027 (redshirt eligibility preserved), then a push for a starting weakside or star linebacker role in 2028-29 once he is at 215-220 lbs. Pat Narduzzi's defense has a history of turning undersized, fast linebackers into productive blitzers, which suits his skill set. Because of the injury, expect about a year of lag before he is at full explosiveness.

NFL Outlook

A long-term projection. His upside is a Day 3 type as a speed linebacker or special-teams core player if he fully regains his speed, adds mass without losing it, and carries his pass-rush production into ACC play. Size (6-0) and the knee injury are real limits against NFL linebacker standards, so his path would depend on elite testing and special-teams value. At this stage he is more a player to watch than a projected draft pick.

Best Fit

An aggressive, pressure-heavy 4-3 or multiple-front defense that uses a fast weakside or star linebacker as a primary blitzer and chase player and keeps him clean from climbing linemen. Pitt under Narduzzi is a strong fit. He needs a strength staff and medical team that will be patient with his ACL and meniscus recovery and prioritize getting his explosiveness back before rushing him onto the field.