Clemson linebacker Trenton Simpson says he’s met with Miami Dolphins: ‘I feel like they liked me a lot’

By Jonathan Sherman
Updated: March 1, 2023

The Miami Dolphins don’t have a lot of draft picks heading into the 2023 NFL Draft, and that fact makes the choices that they make all the more important. It looks like linebacker prospect Trenton Simpson is one player the Dolphins are looking at closely.

Simpson and the Dolphins have met, and the Clemson University linebacker believes that the Dolphins came away impressed.

Clemson LB Trenton Simpson says at NFL scouting combine he has met with the Dolphins. “I feel like they liked me a lot,” he said.

— David Furones (@DavidFurones_) March 1, 2023

Given the fact that the Dolphins recently hired Vic Fangio to be their defensive coordinator, it is perhaps not very surprising that they are considering selecting a linebacker with one of their upcoming picks.

Fangio’s defensive style is built largely off of controlling the passing lanes and deceiving opposing quarterbacks and offensive linemen before the snap. That means a lot of responsibility is put onto linebackers who have to be able to cover opposing pass catchers really well. It seems like that is precisely the kind of defensive scheme that Simpson would thrive in.

“Clemson linebacker Trenton Simpson projects as a hybrid defender at the NFL level who will be best implemented on passing downs and as a positionless defender who attacks defenses in coverage and zone blitz looks,” his scouting report on Draft Network reads. “He’s a skill-specific player who, when used right, can be an impact starter.”

Some believe the 21-year-old could drop to the second round. That means that he could end up being the Dolphins’ first pick in the 2023 NFL Draft. The team won’t make a selection until the No. 51 overall pick rolls around.

At one point, it had two first-round picks in the upcoming draft. However, it lost one due to tampering violations and then traded away the other to acquire Bradley Chubb in the middle of the 2022 season.

Still, just because the Dolphins lack first-round picks does not mean they can’t make some crucial additions to the roster.

In Simpson’s career at Clemson, he recorded 165 total tackles, 13 sacks, five passes defended and three forced fumbles. He comes in at a wiry 6-foot-3 and 240 pounds. If he ends up being available by the time the Dolphins make their first pick, it seems he could end up coming down to South Florida to start his pro career.