Albert Haynesworth Fired Up About the Titans Selection – and Potential – of Big DT Jeffery Simmons

May 02, 2019 at 09:48 AM

Jim Wyatt

Senior Writer/Editor

NASHVILLE – The Titans picked a mammoth defensive tackle in the first round of the NFL Draft, and it made another big guy smile.

Jeffery Simmons, a 6-4, 300-pounder, was picked 19th overall, and the Titans expect him to be a disruptive force for years to come. Titans fans have to go all the way back to 2002 to find the last time the Titans took a defensive tackle in the first round, and that player – Albert Haynesworth – turned out pretty well.

Haynesworth has high hopes for Simmons.

"I would love to see him go in there and disrupt things – that's what I love to see, great defensive line play," Haynesworth said of Simmons. "I hope he goes in there and balls out, and be like me, I guess. I want him to be that guy where no matter what another team does, they can't stop him.

"I want the other teams to have to gameplan around him where they have to get away from him. I want him to control the line of scrimmage. I just want to see dominant defensive line play, because I'd be stoked. I want him to go out there and be extremely disruptive, and bring back the Tyrants."

A 6-foot-6, 330-pounder, Haynesworth was a monster inside for the Titans from 2002-2008, twice earning All-Pro and Pro Bowl honors while racking up 24 sacks. Haynesworth left the Titans in 2009 to join the Redskins.

The 6-4, 301-pound Simmons racked up 163 tackles, seven sacks, four forced fumbles and six passes defensed in three seasons at Mississippi State, where he began the offseason as a potential top-10 pick before suffering a torn ACL doing a routine drill during a workout in February.

Haynesworth, who played at the University of Tennessee, said he was familiar with Simmons before the Titans picked him. After the Titans made the pick, he looked up his highlight reel and explored his game further.

"He is so explosive, and I really think that's what the Titans have been missing – real explosive interior guys who are really disruptive," Haynesworth said. "You need guy who can get in there and really overpower the man in front of you. To get pressure, a lot of times now the Titans have to blitz, and you are not going to go that far in the playoffs and things like that if you constantly have to do that – you have to be able to win up front.

"I think (Simmons) is definitely the piece that can help do that, if he goes in there and plays like he is supposed to, where he's attacking and going straight ahead. If he does that, I think it could be amazing."

Haynesworth said the presence of Simmons should allow four-time Pro Bowl defensive lineman Jurrell Casey, a third-round pick in 2011, and those around him to be even better, which was the case when he played alongside Robaire Smith and Tony Brown, and defensive end Kyle Vanden Bosch.

"I think he's a great athlete, and he was a steal at 19," Haynesworth said of Simmons. "He played in the SEC, which is a dominant conference. So while going from the SEC to the NFL is a step up, of course, it's not going to be a crazy jump.

"He's definitely the type of guy who can adjust because he's that type of player."

Haynesworth said he'd like to come to training camp to meet Simmons, and help him any way he can.

Haynesworth's advice to Simmons for now: Get healthy, and when you're ready to take the field, know what you're doing.

It could lead to dominance.

"He just needs to get in there and work extremely hard, get that knee right, and put the past in the past and move forward," Haynesworth said. "While he's recovering from his injury, he needs to really learn the defense where he can just play without having to think about things and be able to pin his ears back and go.

"As long as he gets into the playbook and can just play and not worry about thinking, I think it could be something great. I think he has the potential to be a great defensive tackle for the Titans."

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Mississippi State defensive tackle Jeffery Simmons (94) rests during warm-up drills before their NCAA college football game against Louisiana Tech on Saturday, Nov. 3, 2018, in Starkville, Miss. (AP Photo/Jim Lytle)

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Mississippi State defensive lineman Jeffery Simmons strips the ball from Auburn quarterback Jarrett Stidham (8) as he tries to throw a pass during the first half of an NCAA college football game Saturday, Sept. 30, 2017, in Auburn, Ala. (AP Photo/Butch Dill)

Butch Dill/Associated Press

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Mississippi State defensive lineman Jeffery Simmons (94) strips the ball from Auburn quarterback Jarrett Stidham (8) as he tries to throw a pass during the first half of an NCAA college football game, Saturday, Sept. 30, 2017, in Auburn, Ala. (AP Photo/Butch Dill)

Butch Dill/Associated Press

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Butch Dill/Associated Press

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LSU running back Leonard Fournette (7) dives to recover his own fumble in front of Mississippi State defensive lineman Jeffery Simmons (98) in the second half of an NCAA college football game in Baton Rouge, La., Saturday, Sept. 17, 2016. LSU win 23-20. (AP Photo/Gerald Herbert)

Gerald Herbert

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Texas A&M quarterback Trevor Knight (8) is pressured by Mississippi State defensive lineman Jeffery Simmons (98) as he sets up to pass in the first half of an NCAA college football game in Starkville, Miss., Saturday, Nov. 5, 2016. (AP Photo/Rogelio V. Solis)

Rogelio V. Solis

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Alabama quarterback Jalen Hurts (2) is grabbed from behind by Mississippi State defensive lineman Jeffery Simmons (94) after a short gain during the second half of an NCAA college football game in Starkville, Miss., Saturday, Nov. 11, 2017. Alabama won 31-24. (AP Photo/Rogelio V. Solis)

Rogelio V. Solis

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Alabama quarterback Jalen Hurts (2) runs past Mississippi State defensive lineman Jeffery Simmons (94) for a short gain during the second half of an NCAA college football game in Starkville, Miss., Saturday, Nov. 11, 2017. Alabama won 31-24. (AP Photo/Rogelio V. Solis)

Rogelio V. Solis

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Mississippi State defensive tackle Jeffery Simmons (94) pushes through a double team of Stephen F. Austin offensive linemen on a play during the first half of their NCAA college football game, Saturday, Sept. 1, 2018, in Starkville, Miss. (AP Photo/Rogelio V. Solis)

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Arkansas quarterback Austin Allen is sacked by Mississippi State defender Jeffery Simmons during the second half of an NCAA college football game Saturday, Nov. 18, 2017, in Fayetteville, Ark. (AP Photo/Michael Woods)

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Mississippi State defensive lineman Jeffery Simmons (94) prepares to tackle Kentucky running back Benny Snell Jr. (26) during the first half of an NCAA college football game in Starkville, Miss., Saturday, Oct. 21, 2017. The play was called back for a penalty. (AP Photo/Jim Lytle)

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Louisville running back Dae Williams (25) stretches to avoid a touchback tackle by Mississippi State defensive lineman Jeffery Simmons (94) during the second half of the TaxSlayer Bowl NCAA college football game, Saturday, Dec. 30, 2017, in Jacksonville, Fla. Mississippi State beat Louisville 31-27. (AP Photo/Stephen B. Morton)

Stephen B. Morton

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FILE - In this Sept. 8, 2018, file photo, Mississippi wide receiver A.J. Brown (1) hauls in a 38-yard touchdown pass reception as Southern Illinois safety Michael Elbert (37) defends during the first half of an NCAA college football game in Oxford, Miss. Brown and Mississippi State's Jeffery Simmons are the top two candidates for the Conerly Trophy, which is given to the state's top college football player on Tuesday night, Nov. 27, 2018. (AP Photo/Rogelio V. Solis, File)

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Mississippi State defensive lineman Jeffery Simmons speaks with reporters about being a veteran player on the young football team, during Mississippi State Media Day, Saturday, Aug. 11, 2018, in Starkville, Miss. (AP Photo/Rogelio V. Solis)

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Auburn quarterback Jarrett Stidham (8) looks for an open receiver while Mississippi State defensive tackle Jeffery Simmons (94) pressures him during the second half of an NCAA college football game in Starkville, Miss., Saturday, Oct. 6 2018. Mississippi State won 23-9. (AP Photo/Rogelio V. Solis)

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FILE- In this Sept. 1, 2018, file photo, Mississippi State defensive tackle Jeffery Simmons (94) pushes through a double team during the first half of an NCAA college football game against Stephen F. Austin in Starkville, Miss. Simmons is a possible pick in the 2019 NFL Draft. (AP Photo/Rogelio V. Solis, File)

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FILE - In this Oct. 6, 2018, file photo, Mississippi State defensive end Montez Sweat (9) forces Auburn quarterback Jarrett Stidham (8) to fumble as he attempts to pass during the second half of an NCAA college football game, in Starkville, Miss. A main reason Mississippi State is allowing fewer than 13 points per game is a defensive front anchored by end Montez Sweat and tackle Jeffery Simmons. Sweat has 18 sacks in 19 career games. Mississippi State plays at LSU on Saturday, Oct. 20. (AP Photo/Rogelio V. Solis)

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Former Mississippi State defensive players Jeffery Simmons, left, and Montez Sweat, joke around during Pro Day at the university, as other players were being tested by NFL football scouts and coaches, Wednesday, March 27, 2019, in Starkville, Miss. Sweat ran some agility drills, while Simmons stayed on the sidelines as he recovers from a leg injury. (AP Photo/Rogelio V. Solis)

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Mississippi State defensive tackle Jeffery Simmons (94) signs toward the Florida bench during the first half of an NCAA college football game in Starkville, Miss., Saturday, Sept. 29, 2018. Florida won 13-6. (AP Photo/Rogelio V. Solis)

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Former Mississippi State defensive player Jeffery Simmons, watches as other players were being tested by NFL scouts and coaches, Wednesday, March 27, 2019, in Starkville, Miss. Simmons stayed on the sidelines as he recovers from a leg injury. (AP Photo/Rogelio V. Solis)

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Mississippi State cornerback Cameron Dantzler (3) reacts with defensive tackle Jeffery Simmons (94) after intercepting the ball during an NCAA college football game against LSU in Baton Rouge, La., Saturday, Oct. 20, 2018. (AP Photo/Tyler Kaufman)

Tyler Kaufman/Tyler Kaufman

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Former Mississippi State defensive player Jeffery Simmons walks around the Palmero Center while a number of former teammates were being tested by NFL scouts and coaches, Wednesday, March 27, 2019, in Starkville, Miss. Simmons stayed on the sidelines as he recovers from a leg injury. (AP Photo/Rogelio V. Solis)

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Mississippi State defensive tackle Jeffery Simmons (94) waits for the next drill during warm-ups before their NCAA college football game against Louisiana Tech on Saturday, Nov. 3, 2018, in Starkville, Miss. (AP Photo/Jim Lytle)

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Mississippi State defensive tackle Jeffery Simmons (94), left, and defensive end Montez Sweat (9), right, share a laugh during warm-up drills before their NCAA college football game against Louisiana Tech on Saturday, Nov. 3, 2018, in Starkville, Miss. (AP Photo/Jim Lytle)