ESPN’s Jordan Reid has the New Orleans Saints looking ahead to the 2027 NFL Draft, and in his latest mock, he hands them a name that could eventually matter a lot: Texas edge rusher Colin Simmons.
Reid published the mock on Thursday, August 27, and while preseason projections are always more about education than prediction, Simmons stands out as one of the players to know heading into the season. Reid described him as “arguably the top defender in the nation” after a strong 2025 campaign.
“Simmons would be a major boost to New Orleans' defensive front as the most productive edge rusher in this class. He led the SEC with 12 sacks last season, and the 6-foot-3, 245-pounder is a terror with an unpredictable assortment of pass-rush moves,” Reid wrote. “His combination of power and upfield quickness has him in the argument with Dylan Stewart as the top edge in this draft.”
The appeal is obvious. Simmons brings a rare mix of force and burst, with a first step that puts offensive tackles under pressure immediately. He uses his hands aggressively, stacks and sheds well, and has the leverage to win at the point of attack against both the run and the pass.
He also brings a strong football IQ. Simmons is comfortable setting the edge, doesn’t bite on read options, and keeps himself in good position when plays develop.
There’s another layer to his game, too: coverage. Simmons can move smoothly and drop into coverage when needed, giving a defensive coordinator a flexible piece to deploy in different ways.
The question is whether that package translates cleanly to the NFL. Simmons has been dominant in college, including against SEC competition, but the source material notes that he is a bit undersized for the league and has had trouble in some matchups, especially against the run. How he handles those battles will go a long way toward determining whether he becomes a top-10 pick.
For the Saints, the fit is easy to understand. They need edge help, Cameron Jordan is still productive but not getting any younger, and Brandon Staley has to line up a successor while also giving Chase Young a dynamic running mate for the future. It’s a position New Orleans will need to address next offseason, and Simmons is already shaping up as one of the names to watch.
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