The 2024 Senior Bowl will provide an opportunity for NFL draft prospects to prove themselves on the largest pre-draft stage. Auburn safety Jaylin Simpson plans on taking full advantage. Simpson recently spoke exclusively with the Senior Bowl and Draft Network to discuss his motivation for accepting his invitation to compete in Mobile, Alabama.
Simpson also discussed what he's striving to prove to NFL general managers and scouts in attendance at the Senior Bowl, playing interchangeable roles as a versatile safety, how he’d write his own scouting report, and more. Let's get to know Simpson better ahead of his journey to the Senior Bowl.
JM: Where were you when you found out about your Senior Bowl invite and what was your initial reaction?
Jaylin Simpson: I was having a conversation with coach Hugh Freeze when it happened. We were chopping it up in his office. When we got done, he walked up to me and handed me the Reese’s Senior Bowl box. My face lit up. I was like, wow. I didn’t know I was getting an invite. There was some noise going around, but I wasn’t positive. I was so excited. I thanked my entire coaching staff. There was so much joy.
JM: That sounds like a special moment. What motivated you to accept the Senior Bowl’s offer?
Jaylin Simpson: There are a lot of different reasons why I accepted the invite. A lot of great players walked those halls before me. Prior to receiving the invite, I’m not sure I fully realized what a big deal it is.
I had to further familiarize myself. My coaching staff helped me grasp the full range of its importance. Roger McCreary and Derick Hall played in the Senior Bowl. I feel blessed to be walking in their footsteps. They were highly-ranked draft prospects. It’s a great sign for me. I’m going to showcase my abilities. I’m very joyful. It means I did what I needed to do during the season to get it done.
JM: Getting a bit more specific, what are you hoping to prove to NFL general managers, coaching staffs, and scouts in attendance in Mobile?
Jaylin Simpson: One thing that I definitely want to prove is that I can play any position across the defensive backfield. I can play corner, nickel, and safety. I played cornerback throughout my first two years at Auburn.
I made the move to safety for my last two seasons. I can definitely play nickel as well. I’ve played nickel on occasion, but I believe I can play it more frequently if given an opportunity. I want to show the scouts that I can add a lot of value to a defense by playing all three positions.
JM: What was that transition like from corner to safety?
Jaylin Simpson: It was definitely different. I played both safety and cornerback in high school. That was nothing compared to the college level though, especially from a competition aspect having played in the SEC.
The one-on-one matchups are different. Playing safety allowed me to see the entire field. You’re able to play with more anticipation at safety. Overall, it wasn’t too different from playing cornerback.
JM: So if you were writing your own scouting report, how would you describe your skill set in your own words? Self-scout yourself.
Jaylin Simpson: I would say that my athleticism is through the roof. I can cover. I can play both man and zone coverage. I’m not afraid to come downhill and make a tackle. I play a physical brand of football. I’m a very smart football player at the end of the day. I can pick up different defenses and schemes. I have a high football IQ.
JM: We love that. If you had to compare yourself to a current NFL safety, who would you choose and why?
Jaylin Simpson: I’ve been watching a lot of Jalen Pitre tape lately. I also really like Minkah Fitzpatrick. I’d probably say Minkah. I look up to Minkah Fitzpatrick and I watch a lot of his film.
You can tell he’s a smart player just by watching him. He plays and moves with so much intelligence. He plays with such a high motor and he’s always all over the field. That’s what I want to be like when I get into the league.
JM: As a safety in today’s pass-happy NFL, how important is it for you to be interchangeable with your safety partner, to complement each other’s skill sets and vice versa?
Jaylin Simpson: It’s extremely important. Both safeties should be communicating on a play-by-play basis. We have to complement one another. That’s a very important piece of it. That’s true both in college and in the NFL.
At times at Auburn, I played with a safety partner that was very different from me. We had very different skill sets and we found a way to complement each other. We did that in a special way at Auburn. It’s very important, especially at this level. Your communication has to be on point in a pass-happy league. It’s about great communication.
JM: What’s on Jaylin Simpson’s pre-game playlist?
Jaylin Simpson: These are my top three favorite artists. NBA Youngboy, NBA Youngboy, and NBA Youngboy (laughs). That’s all I listen to all day, every day. I’ll be listening to NBA Youngboy for the next 30 years.
JM: That’s great (laughs). At the end of the week, what does a successful Senior Bowl look like for Jaylin Simpson?
Jaylin Simpson: I’m excited to be a great teammate in Mobile. I’m going to recognize some players that we played against. I’m going to compete against some players that I want to compete against, ones I didn’t get that opportunity against in college.
I’m going to compete and have fun. I’m going to enjoy the experience of the Senior Bowl. I’m going to meet a lot of new people. I want to put my best stuff on tape in front of the scouts. I’m going to have a bunch of fun.
