NFL Draft
12/22/24
7 min read
Josh Simmons 2025 NFL Draft: Scouting Report For Ohio State Buckeyes OT
Height: 6050 (unofficial)
Weight: 310lbs (unofficial)
Year: Redshirt Junior
Pro Comparison: Christian Darrisaw
Scouting Overview
Ohio State Buckeyes offensive tackle Josh Simmons projects as a potential cornerstone offensive tackle at the NFL level. He has a wonderful blend of foot speed, functional movement skills, active hands, and balance that allow him to flash major ability in all phases of the position.
Simmons’ lateral mobility shines in the run game, where he can work backside cutoff to free his guard or alternatively expand rapidly to create expansion on a front-side defender. He’s well built and offers the necessary hand power and leverage to sit down power rushers and combat all kinds of body types at the NFL level as well.
Unfortunately, Simmons suffered a season-ending knee injury against the Oregon Ducks in October that required surgery. This left the biggest red mark on his resume, not as any potential physical ability but instead as a medical check that every team will need to do their homework on.
2025 NFL Combine Results
TBD
Positives
- Elite foot speed provides foundation for success in all phases of the position
- Very good body control and flexibility through frame allow him to unlock play strength at all angles and directions
- Refined pass protector with strong framing on the perimeter vs. speed and integrity of his inside gap
Negatives
- Coming off season-ending knee surgery in October, every team will have their work to do with medicals
- Was a completely different player in 2024, having turned the corner as a player — but had just a 6-game season and missed all of OSU’s games against the best competition
- 25 credited penalties between 2022 and 2023 seasons, split between San Diego State and Ohio State
Background
Simmons is from San Diego, CA, and played high school football for Madison HS & Helix HS. As a recruit, Simmons played on both sides of the ball and was a highly coveted offensive guard prospect who earned a 4-star recruiting ranking (247 Sports). He collected offers from several of the major programs, including Georgia, Michigan, Ohio State, Oregon, Penn State, and others — but ultimately chose to stay home and attend San Diego State University to start his college career.
Simmons redshirted as a true freshman in 2021 and assumed a starting role for the Aztecs as a redshirt freshman — starting 13 games at right tackle and logging nearly 800 snaps for the season. At the end of that season, Simmons announced he was entering the transfer portal and ultimately landed on Ohio State as his next home.
He flipped from right to left tackle for the Buckeyes and immediately assumed a starting role on their offensive line in 2023 — a job he held in 2024 while experiencing a massive leap in his game. The upward trajectory of his game is hard to ignore, although Simmons’ season came to an abrupt halt with a season-ending knee injury against the Oregon Ducks. He underwent surgery shortly after. Despite missing half the season, Simmons was named Third Team All-Big Ten for his play, and he declared for the 2025 NFL Draft in December.
Tale Of The Tape
Simmons is physically capable of executing a wide variety of concepts. His zone run work at the point of attack shows grace on his tracks, effective power, and strength to create displacement and sustainability thanks to grip strength and balance. His vertical run game work showcases a lot of ground force applied up through his frame to create jolt and knock a lineman’s pads back at first contact.
His pass protection work best showcases his athletic ability. Simmons will attack set points and is highly confident in his reactive athleticism to flash and close space after a rusher declares himself to a track to the quarterback.
Simmons’ natural ability was evident based on his first season of left tackle tape at Ohio State in 2023, but the technical refinements he was able to implement over the course of the 2023/2024 offseason are eye-popping and promise a pro-ready player who has the tools to be an impact starter.
Simmons showcases active and independent hands — not only from one another but also from his feet. He has strike variety on the edge and his play-side punch placement is typically on-point, allowing him to secure blocks and set the hook before seeking to wall off a defender.
When defensive linemen look to swim across his face or push upfield for momentum, Simmons is quick to convert and drive his feet. This allows him to rapidly counter with momentum and wash his man out of the picture altogether.
Simmons has great gravitational pull as a blocker, both on the edge and on the second level. His body control, length and balance give defenders no easy outs to play around him; they are instead forced to try to play through his frame in pursuit and engage in hand-to-hand combat to try to break leverage.
Simmons is savvy in these instances and will implement false hand flashes with a quick reset, chops to snatch a defender off their set, or simply implement a firm grip to latch and sustain. When he’s in close quarters and faced with gap exchanges and twists, Simmons does well to ride through the first defender and deliver him effectively to his guard before resetting hands to re-frame.
This is the kind of athlete that you can get ambitious with for assignments in space. Do you want to leave a dynamic speed rusher 1-on-1 on the edge for a deep drop and shot play? Simmons has the ability to execute it.
If you’re looking to run crack toss and push the tackle up through the C-gap to a stack backer on the front side? Simmons has the ability to execute it. Looking to free up numbers on the front side but need someone to cut off the backside 3T? Simmons can do that, too. This isn’t just a reliable pass protector; he's a weapon on the front and a potential math changer for the spacing of the field.
We were robbed of some big-time prospect showcases this season on account of Josh Simmons’ season-ending knee injury. Ohio State’s late-season matchups vs. Penn State (Abdul Carter) and Tennessee (James Pearce Jr.) could have potentially served as catapults to push Simmons into top-5 overall pick territory — the tape is that good.
As is, he’ll serve as a potential massive steal based on the performance we did get from him this season with an injury tag. And, to be fair to Simmons, his three-year trajectory as a starter is undeniable. He’s been blessed with a lot of natural ability and has been harnessing it more and more effectively each season. If you’re comfortable with the medicals here, Simmons has Pro Bowl potential.
Ideal Scheme Fit, Role
Simmons should be regarded as a universal scheme fit at offensive tackle at the NFL level. He has the physical ability to thrive in just about any concept or scheme, thanks to dynamic athleticism, agility, and power. He’d do just fine in a traditional drop-back offense with a pocket passer.
He has the anchor and mirror skills to attach rushers in space early on and hold his blocks, too. Provided he’s healthy, he should certainly be among an NFL franchise’s best five and starting as a rookie.
Grade: 84.50/100.00, First Round Value
Big Board Rank: TBD
Position Rank: TBD
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