Steelers at Kent St. Pro Day

[steelerkeylargo]

Per Wexell


The Steelers sent Ray Jackson, their director of player development (the front-office position made famous by Donnie Shell in Carolina), to Kent State to watch defensive end and probable 3-4 OLB Monte' Simmons, who had 21.5 sacks and 38.5 tackles for loss during his college career.

A native of the Pittsburgh suburb of Swissvale, Simmons, according to the Akron Beacon-Journal, ran a 4.6 40, benched 22 times, and had a 10-2 broad jump.

Jackson compared Simmons's build to former Penn Stater Courtney Brown and said, "If you go off looks, he's a day-one guy."

Then again, since Simmons wasn't invited to the combine, looks aren't everything.

[RuthlessBurgher]

Re: Steelers at Kent St. Pro Day

Courtney Brown was a 6'4" 285 lbs. defensive lineman.

Montae Simmons is a 6'1" 226 lbs. linebacker.

What a weird comparison.

[hawaiiansteel]

Re: Steelers at Kent St. Pro Day

NFL scouts notice Kent State's Simmons, others

Steelers say defensive end 'looks the part.'

By Marla Ridenour
Beacon Journal sports columnist

Published on Thursday, Mar 10, 2011


KENT: Former Browns defensive back Raymond Jackson thought he'd found a clone of old teammate Courtney Brown on Wednesday at Kent State University's pro day.

KSU defensive end Monte' Simmons intrigued Jackson, the Pittsburgh Steelers' director of player development.

Simmons said his wingspan measured 83 1/2 inches, just shy of seven feet. Standing 6-foot-1 and 234 pounds, the muscular Simmons looks like all arms and legs when he runs, which he said has prompted such nicknames as ''Orangutan'' and ''Inspector Gadget.''

''He looks the part; he's a specimen,'' Jackson said of Simmons after the workout. ''He reminds me so much of Courtney Brown. Size-wise, he's a rare specimen. If you go off of looks, he's a day-one guy.

''The film doesn't lie. If he can play he's going to be on somebody's roster.''

Simmons, who had 21.5 sacks and 38.5 tackles for losses in his career at KSU, said his best compliment came after the bench press, when he lifted 225 pounds 22 times.

''The Ravens scout said I was probably the only one who did it right, locked it fully out,'' Simmons said. ''With my arms I can't really cheat because they're going to be able to tell. I don't want to cheat myself, either.''

Simmons also ran the 40 in an official 4.6 seconds and hit 10-2 in the broad jump and 32 inches in the vertical jump.

''I still feel like I had more in me to show,'' said Simmons, of Swissvale, Pa. ''I have another pro day on March 15, just to get myself seen more.''

Nine NFL teams were represented — the Browns, Ravens, Steelers, Bills, Jets, Colts, Giants, Dolphins and Buccaneers. That didn't seem like a large turnout considering Kent State had 10 players in the league last season, including former Pro Bowlers Antonio Gates and Joshua Cribbs and 2008 defensive player of the year James Harrison.

[url="http://www.ohio.com/sports/kent_state/117720678.html"]http://www.ohio.com/sports/kent_state/117720678.html[/url]