[kccrow]

Originally Posted by DJ's left nut

With that level or risk, him getting back to 'what he was before' has to mean a top 5 talent, IMO. That's where the risk is worth the reward.

Simmons is, IMO, a guy who wouldn't have clearly set himself apart from the Campbell or Membou in an OT draft that is pretty dang weak at the top. Even healthy, I'm not sure he's the top OT in the class.

"What he was" has to be INCREDIBLY valuable in order for me to be willing to look past the injury and be willing to take the risk. I just don't think he was THAT good. Top 15 -- sure.

But top 5? Nah. The best OT in the class? Probably not. And when you're a good but not elite prospect to begin with, you just don't have that far you can drop off to begin with. If he was an elite prospect at comes back at 90% of what he was, that's probably still an NFL starter. If he was a good prospect and comes back at 90%, it almost certainly isn't.

Then you have some questions as to Ohio State offensive linemen -- notably the fact that Paris Johnson, who was definitely a better pure prospect than Simmons, hasn't been what anyone hoped. Taylor Decker was quite some time ago and really that's the only successful OL to have come from Ohio State of late, is it not? Am I missing anyone?

There are just too many flags there. Maybe the board gets massacred and I'd take him anyway, but it seems really really unlikely.

Paris Johnson has been quite good. You're thinking of Petit-Friere who has sucked ass. Dawand Jones probably will too, at least if they have any considerations of putting him at LT instead of RT.

Decker was OSU duncan.