Most underrated NFL players at each position

#12 Safety – Justin Simmons

I already talked a bit about the Broncos and the young core they have built on offense, but that defense is filled with emerging talents as well. That reaches from an already proven commodity in Bradley Chubb over an under-the-radar second-year linebacker in A.J. Johnson to what should have been a Pro Bowl safety in Justin Simmons.

The fourth-year man out of Boston College has recorded four interceptions and a safety-leading 14 more passes broken up. He has been limiting big plays through the air all year long for a defense that is still top ten in both yards and points allowed, surrendering a passer rating of just 38.1 individually. After having a down-season in 2018, Simmons has shined as more of prototypical free safety under Vic Fangio in Denver.

I was very high on him coming out of college due to his high football IQ and the 26-year old’s athleticism has been apparent ever since he first stepped on an NFL field, as he picked off a couple of passes in just three starts as a rookie and also blocked a kick.

Back in 2017, I called for Simmons to earn more playing time for a Broncos defense that was just coming off a Super Bowl run and he has taken full advantage of the opportunity he was given. Now about to enter his first phase of free agency, he will be looking for a lucrative long-time deal to stay at Mile High, since guys who can patrol the deep middle and be secure tacklers on the back-end aren’t easy to find.

Honorable mentions: Jordan Poyer, Jaquiski Tartt, and Anthony Harris