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LB John Simon - (2012 B1G DPOY, Super Bowl Champ)

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Simon makes a change
By Matt Florjancic, Staff Writer

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MOBILE, Ala. -- Former Ohio State defensive end John Simon has made a transition to outside linebacker during Senior Bowl week.

MOBILE, Ala. -- As a defensive lineman, John Simon was a four-year letterman who earned second-team All-American honors during his senior season at Ohio State.

Now, he finds himself trying to make his mark at outside linebacker as he prepares for the 2013 Senior Bowl, which will be played at Ladd-Peebles Stadium on Saturday.

At 6-foot-2, 263 pounds, Simon worked at both weak side and strong side linebacker during the North team?s first practice of the week on Monday.

?Going to outside linebacker is a challenge for me,? Simon said following Monday?s practice. ?I?m looking forward to it. I?ve done a lot of similar (things) in the past, but there?s some differences in the coverages. I?m working on that every day and trying to improve. They?ve got me as a 'Sam' linebacker right now. There?s still some times where I?m on the ball, attacking tight ends, but then, on third down, there?s some droppage that I?m going to have to continue to work on.

?You?ve just got to be mentally and physically prepared, and just stay focused, day-in and day-out. It?s a big challenge. A lot of us here are doing that, moving around to different positions, and it makes you probably a better prospect to NFL scouts if you have more capabilities.?

cont..
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http://www.clevelandbrowns.com/news...a-change/b55e5148-adf3-4fac-9bde-362c42420ad1

It was a rough day for Ohio State linebacker John Simon, who looked like a fish out of water attempting to cover running backs and tight ends one-on-one in man coverage. He often found himself turned around, lacking the natural hip movement or footwork to quickly adjust and blanket his man. As a college defensive lineman, it's unfair to judge him based on the first practice, but it's obvious Simon will need a lot of coaching if he wants to stay at linebacker.
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http://www.cbssports.com/nfl/draft/blog/rob-rang/21594694/2013-senior-bowl-monday-north-practice
 
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Best thing that could have happened for him. After Monday they already had him as a "falling" status player. The combine will do him a lot of good and his tape of actual games. The move to LB in and a week's preparation were not going to make him look very good.
 
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MililaniBuckeye;2295463; said:
JFC. Whose Einsteinian decision was that? No way is Johnny a LB...[censored], might as well put him at CB.
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I've seen multile suggestions thatSimon will have to play LB if he is to play in the NFL. I'm not here to say that is definitely the case, but just that the notion that Simon may not have a future as a d lineman isn't new.
 
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MOBILE, Ala. - A funny thing happened as the North team made its way out of the hotel and towards the team bus for Senior Bowl practice on Monday.

Former Ohio State star John Simon's hands were full, so somebody held the door for him.

Simon looked over to see it was former Michigan quarterback Denard Robinson. And this good deed was neither a setup nor blasphemy.

"We should have gotten a picture of that," Simon said.

The Senior Bowl marks a new start for both, including what's both a ceremonial and real burying of past grudges for Simon and Robinson, who have more in common than their Big Ten roots this week. Robinson is trying to get medically cleared for full contact so he can show NFL scouts how far along he is in a potential transition to wide receiver, while Simon is playing outside linebacker and playing football for the first time since Nov. 17.

His lingering knee issues got worse the week of the Michigan game, keeping him out of the finale of Ohio State's 12-0 season. Simon is here to work on his future this week, but he did reveal that he never expected to miss the Ohio State game, even in the locker room just before kickoff as his teammates warmed up on the field.

"It was crazy," Simon said. "I really had no thought that I would miss the game. I thought, 'Hey, I'll take care of this. It will be fine. I really didn't make that decision until about 10 minutes before kickoff. Even when the team was out warming up and I was in the locker room getting ready, doing to some stuff to try to fix it, I still thought I was going to be able to go out there.

"Yes, it was rough all year. I wasn't healthy for any of the games. The least pain I felt was probably that (Wisconsin) game (he had four sacks), physically not mentally. It was a tough season, but it paid off. It was well worth it."

Simon walked slowly to midfield during Senior Day festivities just before the Michigan game, wearing sweats instead of pads.

"I came to the conclusion that I wasn't going to be able to do it," Simon said. "That was a very long walk."

All the 2012 Big Ten Defensive Player of the Year will say now is that "the knee is healed," and that he's shaking some rust and getting his wind back this week at the Senior Bowl, where he's playing strong side linebacker in a 4-3 defense for the first time ever. Simon played mostly defensive end but also played some inside and standing up in some situations, but nothing like the position he's playing this week.

"It's definitely a transition," he said. "I'm better at attacking tight ends and setting the edge for the run than I am in coverage right now. That's just how it is. I have to keep getting better.

"It's a jump start. I get to show that I can play not only defensive end but that I can help at linebacker as well. This week can do nothing but benefit me."

Simon measured at 6'1 and a half, 256 pounds at the official Senior Bowl weigh-in on Monday. This week and over the next few months he'll try to show the NFL his knee is healthy and he's athletic enough for a potential move to linebacker, either in a 4-3 or a 3-4 defense.
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http://www.foxsportsohio.com/01/22/...ing_ohiostate.html?blockID=852759&feedID=3725
 
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John Simon, 6-foot-2, 260 pounds, defensive end/outside linebacker, senior

Overview: Simon, who lives in the workout room and has been named to Bruce Feldman's "Freak List," was a five-star recruit out of Cardinal Mooney in Youngstown. As a junior in 2011, Simon had a team-high seven sacks and 16 tackles for a loss en route to being named First Team All-Big Ten. Last season, he again earned First-Team honors with a conference-high nine sacks and 14.5 tackles for a loss. He was also one of eight finalists for the Lott IMPACT Trophy.

NFLDraftScout.com overall rankings/projections: Simon is ranked as the 84th best player in the draft class and the ninth best outside linebacker. He carries a third-round grade.

What they're saying: Simon has a motor that never quits. ... Is extremely relentless. ... He has a strong upper body to swat and use his limbs to beat blocks with his natural power. ... Does a nice job of setting the edge against the run. ... Takes aggressive angles in the run game and doesn't play hesitant, trusting his eyes and reacting in a flash. ... Tackles through the ball carrier. ... Good snap anticipation and dip off the edge to bend around the tackle. ... Plays every snap as if it's his last and doesn't know how to go half speed. ... Smart, heady player who makes plays against the run and pass. ... He's almost too bulked up, which limits his fluidity, and he lacks ideal arm length. ... More of a one-speed rusher and doesn't flash consistent explosion. ... Lacks creativity as an edge rusher. ... Struggled to cover running backs or tight ends in one-on-one coverage.

NFLDraftScout.com player comparison: Allen Bailey, defensive end, Kansas City Chiefs.
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http://www.ohio.com/news/2013-nfl-draft-a-look-at-the-top-five-prospects-from-ohio-state-1.373773
 
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Top 10: The most intriguing players at the combine

10. John Simon, Ohio State, DL-OLB: Urban Meyer and seemingly every other coach who has been around this guy raves about his motor and toughness. Simon, the Big Ten's Defensive Player of the Year, is a guy who figures to have a shot at benching 225 in the 40s.

He's also pretty explosive off the bench, having broad-jumped 10 feet and, according to OSU strength staff, has clocked in the 4.6s in the 40 despite weighing 270 pounds. A shoulder injury, which kept him out of the Senior Bowl, is something that is worth monitoring. A bigger question will be whether he's seen as stiff when it comes to positional drills as team project where he'll play at the next level.

Entire article: http://www.cbssports.com/collegefoo...10-the-most-intriguing-players-at-the-combine
 
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