2024 NFL Draft Scouting Report: Auburn DB Jaylin Simpson

From now until the 2023 NFL Draft, we will scout and create profiles for as many prospects as possible, examining their strengths, weaknesses, and what they can bring to an NFL franchise. These players could be potential top-10 picks, all the way down to Day 3 selections, and priority undrafted free agents. Today, a scouting report on Auburn DB Jaylin Simpson.

#36 JAYLIN SIMPSON, DB, AUBURN – (R-SENIOR) 6000, 179 POUNDS

SENIOR BOWL INVITE

MEASUREMENTS

THE GOOD

— Possesses good play speed and explosiveness
— Can run with receivers down the seam and across the field
— Does a good job breaking on the ball once in the air
— Competes at the catch point for the football, fighting for the takeaway
— Has ballhawk skills with his eyes and hands
— Willing tackler in run support that comes downhill in a hurry
— Plays bigger than his size when near the line of scrimmage
— Does a good job transitioning from a backpedal to running in coverage
— Has started at both cornerback and safety during his college career
— Takes good angles to the football, displaying great instincts
— Has long arms and big hands that help him in coverage
— Seeks contact like a missile to break up passes

THE BAD

— Pretty slender for his height/length
— Will have a tough time disengaging from blocks due to his size
— Resorts to ankle/diving tackles often in run support
— Tends to bite on double moves when trying to aggressively play the football
— Can be slow in flipping his hips in coverage when tasked with man-to-man coverage

BIO

— Redshirt Senior prospect from Brunswick, GA
— Born March 17
— Can perform a backflip with ease as he did at the NFL Combine
— Likes to rap battle as a hobby
— Four-star recruit according to Rivals
— High school state high jump champion, also played basketball and baseball
— Appeared in four games in 2019 and made two total tackles
— Played in 10 games in 2020, missing two to injury, and recorded 14 total tackles (10 solo), and three pass deflections
— Played as a reserve in 2021, missing two games to injury, and recorded 27 total tackles (22 solo), an interception, and three pass deflections
— Rotated in as a starter at cornerback in 2022 and notched 37 total stops (29 solo), two interceptions, and five pass deflections
— Started every game at safety in 2023 and recorded 38 total tackles (29 solo), one fumble recovery, four interceptions (one returned for a touchdown), and three pass deflections.
— First-team All-SEC (2023)

TAPE BREAKDOWN

Jaylin Simpson is quite the personality in interviews, as well as a football player on the field. He naturally carries himself with a lot of confidence as a seasoned veteran in the Auburn secondary, having started at both cornerback and safety during his time with the Tigers. He broke out in 2023 as their starting safety, showcasing his skill set as a ballhawk as well as his tenacity to play the ball in the air in coverage as well as do his part in run support.

When you pop in the tape on Simpson, you see a long, angular defender that has a knack for locating the football in coverage and making plays in the secondary. He does a great job reacting when the ball is in the air and breaking on the intended target to contest the pass. Take a look at this clip against Georgia, where Simpson is covering the middle deep-third in zone coverage and sees TE Brock Bowers running to his vicinity, making contact with the intended target as the ball arrives to break up the pass and keep Bowers from scoring the touchdown by knocking the ball out of his hands.

Simpson has the instincts and awareness of the quarterback to break on passes downhill as well, putting himself in a position to undercut routes for potential picks. Here’s a great example in the same game where Simpson rolls over as the deep safety to keep the receiver on the outside from winning deep but sees the passer targeting the receiver who breaks his route inside. Simpson quickly closes the space between him and the intended target and jumps in front of the receiver for the ball, wrestling it away from the intended target for the interception.

Even when Simpson doesn’t make the splash play himself, he helps his teammates get in position to make plays thanks to his instincts at work on the field. Take a look at this rep against LSU, where Simpson is on the right side of a two-high safety look before the ball is snapped, breaking quickly on the ball intended for WR Malik Nabers, who breaks his route inside against zone coverage. Simpson manages to step in front of the pass but is unable to corral the ball, popping it up in the air for his teammate to run under for the interception and the turnover for the Auburn defense.

When it comes to contributing as a run defender, Simpson does a good job of displaying effort in pursuit, as well as a willingness to stick his face in the fan despite coming in at slightly under 180 pounds. Here’s an example against the Bulldogs where Simpson makes an open-field tackle on the receiver coming out of the backfield for the run-after-catch opportunity in the flat, coming downhill from his deep safety spot and manages to break down on the ball carrier and make an ankle tackle around a blocker near the line of scrimmage to bring down the ball carrier after getting minimal YAC.

While Simpson doesn’t have the requisite size and strength to routinely bring down bigger backs and tight ends as a solo tackler, he does bring the desire as well as the aggressiveness to seek out contact and invites it as a slender defensive back. Take a look at this play Simpson makes in the Senior Bowl this spring backed up on his own goal line, flying in from his safety spot a few yards into the end zone to meet the runner in the open field with the goal line in sight, wrapping him up and wrestling him down to the ground to bring up third-and-goal on the defense’s goal line stand.

CONCLUSION

Jaylin Simpson is an experienced, opportunistic defensive back who brings some versatility to the table, having started at both cornerback and safety during his college career. His most recent season may make him better suited for safety, but his lack of overall bulk, as well as his instincts and athleticism, could make for a fine slot option, depending on where teams view him best. He will need to continue to put on functional mass and strength, but he’s an instinctive defender who can make plays on the football and is willing to do his part against the running game.

When coming up with a pro comparison for Simpson, Julian Blackmon of the Indianapolis Colts also came to mind as another savvy ballhawk at the position that boasts a nearly identical frame as well as athleticism. Blackmon went in the third round of the 2020 NFL Draft and quickly worked his way into the starting lineup, making plays all over the place for the Colts’ defense.

I foresee Simpson going somewhere in the middle rounds of the draft this spring like Blackmon, having the opportunity to rotate in right away at safety as well as contribute in the slot as he works to earn a starting job while likely serving as a special teamer. The Pittsburgh Steelers could use more help at slot corner and safety, and given his experience as well as his ball skills, Simpson could make for a good target with one of their later picks.

Projection:  Day 3
Depot Draft Grade: 7.6 – Potential Starter/Good Backup (3rd Round)
Games Watched: vs Georgia (2023), at LSU (2023), vs Alabama (2023) Senior Bowl