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First name emerges for the 2019 Supplemental NFL Draft

By Will Lomas

NORMAN, OK - NOVEMBER 25: Wide receiver Marcus Simms #8 of the West Virginia Mountaineers waits to return a punt against the Oklahoma Sooners at Gaylord Family Oklahoma Memorial Stadium on November 25, 2017 in Norman, Oklahoma. Oklahoma defeated West Virginia 59-31. (Photo by Brett Deering/Getty Images)
NORMAN, OK - NOVEMBER 25: Wide receiver Marcus Simms #8 of the West Virginia Mountaineers waits to return a punt against the Oklahoma Sooners at Gaylord Family Oklahoma Memorial Stadium on November 25, 2017 in Norman, Oklahoma. Oklahoma defeated West Virginia 59-31. (Photo by Brett Deering/Getty Images) /
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It is (supplemental) draft time again!

Despite people making jokes for the last few years, it may be time to take the supplemental draft process seriously.

Last year there were two players selected for the first time in a decade and the first name to emerge this year had a draftable grade according to scouts. This all comes courtesy of Tony Pauline:

So it seems that Marcus Simms is the first name to emerge, but Pauline hints that he is just one of a few names he is hearing.

The question everyone is asking now is, who is Marcus Simms.

For most teams in the NFL, they should look at him as an under the radar player coming out of high school. Despite his low ranking, he spent his sophomore and junior year as a solid contributor on an offense that already featured a lot of weapons.

With David Sills and Gary Jennings combining for over 1,900 receiving yards last year it had to be tough to find chances to make plays in that offense. Those two along with TE Trevon Wesco are now all on NFL rosters, but that didn’t keep Simms from career highs in yards (699) and receptions (46).

Mike Casazza who covers WVU for 247Sports, had this to say about Simms in April when it looked like he was going to transfer schools:

"“Simms, a 6-foot, 195-pound native of Bowie, Maryland, had more catches, yards and touchdowns last season than any of WVU’s returning receivers. He started 10 of the 31 games he played and recorded 87 catches for 1,457 yards and eight touchdowns. He averaged 16.7 yards per reception, and his speed and game-breaking ability helped the Mountaineers on special teams. He averaged 24.2 yards on 41 kickoff returns and was WVU’s special teams player of the year and the second-team all-Big 12 kick and punt returner in 2017.”"

That all looks pretty standard, but there are some key words that really should intrigue Tennessee Titans fans. Namely, “speed” and “punt returner”.

The Titans currently have a big question mark at punt returner with people trying to guess whether Adam Humphries, Amani Hooker or Adoree Jackson will be the man to win the job.

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Simms led the Big 12 in punt returns and kick returns in 2017, and has some impressive plays where he makes the first defender miss before getting upfield and eating up free yards. On top of that, he only has one fumble over the past few years despite being used as a receiver, punt returner and kick returner.

1 fumble in 153 touches in his college career is pretty impressive, especially when you consider how frequently those shifty guys carry the ball away from their body.

If the Titans evaluate him as a punt returner who has the upside of a deep threat, he could be worth a flier in the upcoming supplemental draft. Keep in mind that there is a good chance that Tennessee makes either Tajae Sharpe, Taywan Taylor or both available in a trade this preseason.

With some WR needy teams out there, is it unrealistic to think that someone would trade a 5th or 6th round pick for one of the guys listed above and the Titans could throw out a 2020 7th round draft pick for Simms?

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