Auburn S Jaylin Simpson was part of a loaded Auburn Tigers secondary that also has CB D.J. James and CB Nehemiah Pritchett on the same squad, suiting up with his teammates one more time before going off to the league. The 5-11, 178-pound safety had a strong senior season for the Tigers, notching 38 total tackles (29 solo), three pass deflections, and four interceptions, with one going back to the house for a defensive touchdown.
Simpson played cornerback for Auburn before making the move to safety and has seen his fair share of battles going up against the likes of Georgia WR Ladd McConkey, who is a fast, shifty wide receiver, as well as Kansas State TE Ben Sinnott, who is a big-bodied tight end with the clear size advantage on Simpson.
I asked Simpson about his skill set and his ability to cover receivers of all shapes and sizes, making plays against slot receivers as well as big-bodied tight ends in coverage during his time in Mobile at the Senior Bowl as well as over the course of his career at Auburn.
“For one, I will never go up against a guy where I don’t know you,” Simpson told me at the Senior Bowl. “I’m going to make sure I know who I’m going against. If it’s Tyreek Hill, I’m gonna know that I gotta be on-point or stay on top of this guy, or he will outrun me. Or if it’s a slow guy…like Tom Brady, if he’s lined up in the slot, I’m not going to be too fast on him. So you just gotta know what techniques you gotta pull out of your bag with certain players with down and distance and certain coverages also playing a role.”
Simpson has played all over the defense during his time in Mobile, operating as a deep centerfield safety, split zone safety, and also in the slot as a nickel/dime defender. He’s been asked to wear many hats on defense for the American team, but he’s responded well to the challenge thus far, showcasing his versatility for NFL scouts and executives on hand for the practices.
I asked Simpson who he likes to model his game after in the NFL at safety, to which Simpson responded with a player Steelers fans know well: Minkah Fitzpatrick.
“I watch Minkah Fitzpatrick,” Simpson said. “When I first even heard of Minkah, I would just watch TV and see this #29 all over the field before I knew who he was. However, when I finally realized who Minkah was, I started to watch him a little bit, seeing him play in those big games, got to the league, and is still making plays.”
Fitzpatrick has proven to be a jack-of-all-trades safety himself, proving to be a multifaceted defensive back coming out of Alabama, and that skill set has transitioned well to the league, being able to play all over Pittsburgh’s defense as their primary free safety, but he can wear many hats like playing in the slot as well.
I asked Simpson if he had the opportunity to talk to HC Mike Tomlin, who has been up close and personal with the rest of the players down here at Mobile, but Simpson mentioned that he got a little skittish when the opportunity presented itself to talk to the Pittsburgh Steelers head coach.
“I’m not gonna lie, I saw him, and I couldn’t believe it because I’ve never been to an NFL game or NBA game, so I’ve never really seen famous people in my life,” Simpson said. “Somebody was next to me, and I was like, ‘Is that Mike Tomlin?’ My first instinct was like, I want to introduce myself, but I’m not gonna lie, I was scared. I was nervous. It was a very nervous moment for me, and I folded. I couldn’t do it.”
It’s apparent that Pittsburgh means something to Simpson, seeing as his favorite player to study suits up for the Steelers, and their head coach left him starstruck just seeing him on the sidelines during practice. Simpson told me he plans to meet with the Steelers formally tonight, so he better be ready to talk to Tomlin and get over those “pre-game jitters” to make a good impression as Pittsburgh looks to potentially add another versatile safety to the room here this spring.
