Deon

Simon

Simon, a 2015 seventh-rounder, played over 200 snaps last season and received excellent marks from Pro Football Focus for his run defense. There were even some wondering if he could make starter Steve McLendon expendable.

Coming out of small-school Northwestern State, Simon is just two months shy of his 25th birthday. That, coupled with the fact that he didn’t exactly dominate the FCS, makes it unlikely that he will be in for a long stay with the Jets.

Simon (6'4/321) made 19 starts for the Demons, tallying 14.5 career tackles for loss and 7.5 sacks. He missed the last five games of his college career with a Grade 2 MCL sprain but was recovered by the NFL Combine, where Simon ran 5.12 and pumped 35 reps on the bench. Turning 25 in July, Simon is an old prospect who wasn’t especially dominant at a lower-level college. He would do well to earn a rotational job at nose tackle.