http://www.nfldraftcountdown.com/scoutingreports/olb/erniesims.html


Ernie SimsHeight: 5-11 1/8 | Weight: 231 | 40-Time: 4.50 http://www.nfldraftcountdown.com/playerpics/olb/erniesims.jpg
Official Bio (http://seminoles.collegesports.com/sports/m-footbl/mtt/sims_ernie00.html)

http://www.nfldraftcountdown.com/images/stars/four.gif Strengths:
An outstanding natural athlete...Very quick and fast...Solid tackler who hits like a ton of bricks and plays bigger than he is...A playmaker with tremendous instincts who is always around the action...Has great strength for his size...Doesn't get hung up on blockers...Does a nice job in coverage...Has sideline-to-sideline range...Fiery and intense player with a top motor...Experienced and productive.

Weaknesses:
Does not have the size you look for in terms of height or weight...Can be too aggressive at times...Dealt with some injuries and missed some time with a concussion...Had an off-the-field incident but that was not considered to be indicative of his overall character...Might need to be in the right scheme to excel.

Notes:
Has a lot of family ties at Florida St. with his father Ernie Jr. having played for Bobby Bowden in 1977, 78, 80 and 81, his mother being an All-American sprinter on the Seminole track team from 1980-83 and now his little brother Marcus just signing a letter of intent to play for Bowden as well...Was charged with a couple of misdemeanors for domestic battery and resisting arrest without violence in June of 2005...Similar to Derrick Brooks and has everything you want except size.

http://www.nfl.com/draft/profiles/2006/sims_ernie


SUMMARY
Sims is a junior who came out early for the 2006 NFL Draft that could have really improved his status by staying for his senior season. He is a well-built linebacker with good athletic ability, and when he plays aggressively and under control, he is consistently productive. Gets moving quickly at the snap, and when he reads the play correctly, he can accelerate quickly to the ball, close fast and make a lot of tackles chasing in pursuit. Has the natural strength to fill quickly and blow plays up in the hole. But if the blocker can get a hold of him first, Sims struggles to shed in time to make the play. Overall, Sims is going to be drafted high due to his excellent off-field workouts, but he is not the consistently productive player that is a high draft pick is considered to be. He will end up being a starting linebacker in the NFL who makes his share of plays each game, but will struggle to be the consistently productive linebacker he has the physical ability to be.

STRONG POINTS
Sims is a good athlete with the quickness, acceletation and speed to make plays from sideline to sideline against the run and the pass. Has good instincts and has shown the ability to read and react quickly to the play when he stays focused. Has good natural strength and can stand up the lead blocker in the hole on the inside run. Drops off the ball into zone coverage very smoothly, reads the quarterback correctly, breaks and closes quickly. Can use his front arm to break up the pass well. Has shown the athleticism and speed to cover tight ends in tight man-to-man coverage -- can stay with them down the seam and out of their cuts.

WEAKNESSES
Obviously, Sims is shorter than ideal and this allows blockers to engulf him if they can lock up. Cannot make plays on high passes in man-to-man coverage. The biggest thing that hinders his production is his tendency to play too aggressive and get out of control at times, because this leads Sims to jumping on fakes and missing too many tackles. Overall, his weaknesses are definitely correctable because he has the physical tools. Rarely do players become better tacklers once they get to the NFL.

POSITIONAL FACTORS
5.5 Read & React
Usually reads and reacts fast, but will bite on fakes due to over aggressiveness too often.
6.0 Initial Quickness
He does not always get moving in the right direction, but always gets moving quickly at the snap.
5.5 Play Strength
He has the natural strength to play strong at the point of attack, but does not do it nearly consistently enough.
5.5 Tackling
Too often he stops his feet before contact and ends up lunging and diving, which leads to missed tackles
5.5 Shed Blocker
When he attacks the play and uses hands aggressively, Sims can take on and shed blocks well.
5.5 Run at Him
Needs to attack the play more consistently, because at times he tries to go around blocks too often.
6.0 Pursuit/Range
His effort, acceleration and speed help him consistently chase plays down in backside pursuit.
6.0 Closing Burst
Has a good closing burst to finish plays when he gets close to the ball carrier.
6.0 Zone Coverage
Drops quickly into zone coverage, reads the quarterback well and can break and close fast to make plays on the ball.
5.5 M/M Coverage
Can stay right on tight ends when he stays focused, but occasionally is a beat late when picking up tight end and allows separation.
6.0 Pass Rush Ability
Not explosive off the ball from a three-point stance, but has very quick hands and feet to defeat blocks.
5.5 Errors
Gets over aggressive and out of control, which leads to misreads and missed tackles too often.

ATHLETIC ABILITY Section Grade: 6.0
Sims' good athletic ability is a big part of what has helped him be a productive college linebacker, but he does not consistently play up to that ability. Has very quick feet, which allow him to accelerate to full speed fast and help him to break quickly to what he reads. Has the quick feet and agility to change directions fast and can burst quickly in the other direction while chasing down plays in pursuit. When he stays over his feet and under control, Sims no doubt has the athletic ability to break down and tackle well out in space. But the trouble is that more often than not he does not tackle well in space. His foot quickness, agility and flexibility allow him to bend his knees and drop off the ball quickly and smoothly -- can transition out of his backpedal easily, closes quickly on the pass, and makes hard hits right after the pass is caught.

COMPETITIVENESS Section Grade: 6.0
Sims has shown toughness in playing through dings to stay in the lineup. Not afraid to take on lead blockers strong and aggressive at the point of attack. Sims' overall production in key situations is completely dependent on how aggressive he plays while still staying focused and under control. When he attacks the play, he can stand up the lead blocker strong at the point of attack, flashing the ability to get free to make tackles. However, when he does not attack the play, blockers can get on him and eliminate him. Sims is productive in pass coverage -- plays well when dropping into zone coverage, can cover the tight end well in tight man-to-man coverage, and "buzzes" out to the flat to pick up the running back on short dump-off passes. The trouble is that when Sims is not aggressive, he is unproductive. When he is too aggressive, he ends up biting on play fakes and misdirection plays, and ends up missing too many tackles in space. He is definitely a team player who consistently competes hard and nevers stops hustling and chasing after the ball to make plays in pursuit.

MENTAL ALERTNESS Section Grade: 5.5
Sims has shown intelligence in his use of hands to take on and defeat blocks, but it is concerning that he does not have a good tackling technique and lets his emotions get the better of him at times. He has good instincts and the quick feet to react quickly, but because he gets over aggressive at times, he jumps on fakes and misdirection plays and cannot recover quick enough. Has a tendency to lose his focus and concentration at times, and it leads to him getting over aggressive and out of control, which ends up causing missed tackles and other mistakes.

STRENGTH/EXPLOSION Section Grade: 5.5
Sims is definitely shorter than ideal for a linebacker, but he is very solidly built, which helps him make up for it at times. His lack of size for the position and inconsistent aggressiveness is a concern about his ability to be a durable NFL linebacker. He is a naturally explosive linebacker and shows it when he attacks the play -- can make explosive hits and can close on passes to make plays on the ball. When he plays with knees bent, his leverage and aggressive hand usage can make him a strong player at the point of attack, but he has a tendency to get up high when he plays passive and is not strong at the point of attack. Can be driven out of the play by blockers and can be dragged for extra yards by ball carriers.

http://cbs.sportsline.com/nfl/story/9372650/2


Rising stock could make N.Y.C. Sims' city on April 29

http://images.sportsline.com/images/author/8690.jpgApril 12, 2006
By Clark Judge
CBS SportsLine.com Senior Writer
Tell Clark your opinion!
Ask Florida State's Ernie Sims to choose one play or one game he believes best typifies his football career, and he reaches for videotape of the Florida state championship game his junior year of high school.
"I scored three touchdowns," he said, "and nobody on the field could stop me."
Ernie Sims was a running back then; he's an outside linebacker today. And still nobody stops him.
Sims is on the elevator going up in this year's NFL Draft, one of the hottest prospects at any position. Three months ago he figured he'd go somewhere near the top of the second round, which was probably conservative but not all that far off pro projections.
Then he arrived at the NFL scouting combine in February, and life changed.
Coaches and scouts there raved about him, gushing about his rare explosion, speed and sure tackling. He suddenly became the next-best linebacker to Ohio State's A.J. Hawk and one of the combine's most talked-about attendees.
In short, Ernie Sims was hot, hot, hot. He still is, with his name included among the top 15 players in the April 29 draft.
"I always felt I was good enough to be in the first round," he said, "but people had me in the middle of the second. That's why I was shocked when my agent told me I had a good shot at being a first-round guy. It just felt like I wasn't going to move that far. It's a weird situation, but it's a dream come true."
Well, not yet it isn't. There's still that matter of going through the torturous wait and having your name called by Paul Tagliabue in New York. But Sims will not be this year's Aaron Rodgers. He's on his way up the draft ladder, not down.
(http://www.sportsline.com/nfl/story/9378404)
"I love the guy," said an AFC player personnel director. "He has unbelievable explosion. He'll pass a lot of people to get to the ball."
Sims comes by his speed naturally. His mother was an All-American sprinter in college, and his father played running back for Bobby Bowden at FSU. It was that speed that had Sims playing running back and linebacker at North Florida Christian, where he scored 23 touchdowns his senior year and had 133 tackles, including 73 solos.
When colleges called, Sims was given the option of playing running back or linebacker. He chose defense.
"I felt, as a running back, your chances of lasting in the league very long were short because of injuries," he said. "I just thought as a linebacker I could play longer. I remember watching Terrell Davis and how short his career was. He was a great back, but he didn't play that long. And I didn't want to be a running back because of that."
Sims said he never regretted his decision. He was a two-year starter with the Seminoles and started 24 straight games -- including all 13 last season when he produced 10 tackles for losses. He was good enough to be a Butkus semifinalist but not good enough to join linebackers like Hawk, Alabama's DeMeco Ryans and Iowa's Chad Greenway near the top of the draft board.
Until now.
If there's one hangup on Sims -- and there's a flaw in just about everyone eligible to be drafted -- it's his height. He's 5-feet-11, and that's not what pro scouts want from linebackers. But keep this in mind: When Florida State's Derrick Brooks went through the draft he was told he'd be a six-foot pro safety.
Brooks insisted he wouldn't budge from linebacker -- and lucky for Tampa Bay he didn't.
"I see it as an advantage," Sims said of his size, "because I can get under offensive linemen's pads very easily. Plus, I can jump as well as anyone who's 6-2 or 6-3. The key is: What kind of player I am. It doesn't matter how big I am; it's how hard I play.
"I look at the pros and see someone like Ray Lewis, and he's not 6-2 or 6-3. I have a lot of confidence in myself that I can produce like that or like Derrick Brooks. All I know is that the team that picks me is going to get someone who will spend every minute I have learning the defense to make plays. I'm going to hustle as hard as I can and give it all my heart. And I think I'm going to make an impact."
He already has.

http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/football/2006/draft/players/5110.html


Ernie Sims Grade: 4.33 Position: OLB (http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/football/2006/draft/breakdowns/by_position/olb.html)
Class: Jr
School: Florida State (http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/football/2006/draft/breakdowns/by_school/flast.html)
Conference: Atlantic Coast (http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/football/2006/draft/breakdowns/by_conference/acc.html)
Ht., Wt.: 5-11, 231
40 Time: 4.56
Selected by: Detroit Lions (http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/football/2006/draft/teams/lions.html)
Round 1 (http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/football/2006/draft/breakdowns/by_round/1.html), pick 9 (9 overall)
Grading System (http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/football/2006/draft/grading_system/)

http://i.a.cnn.net/si/images/football/nfl/logos/lions_100.gif BIO: Two-year starter awarded All-Conference honors both seasons. Junior totals included 72/10/2.5 when he intercepted two passes and broke up four more. Sophomore numbers included a career-high 86 tackles.

POSITIVES: Explosive linebacker who displays a complete game. Fast, quickly changes direction and flashes on the scene, forcing the action. Explosive collapsing from the outside making plays, fires up the field in run defense and gets depth on drops in coverage. Outstanding lateral movement skills and effective in pursuit. Instinctive and does a good job staying with assignments.

NEGATIVES: Takes false steps to the action and is not efficient. Struggles with his back to the play.

ANALYSIS: A three-down linebacker who plays bigger than his listed size, Sims has starting potential in a one-gap system. Needs to get accustomed to NFL size but should quickly find a starting spot at the next level.

http://www2.jsonline.com/packer/insider/draft/2006/biosdetail.aspx?fname=Ernie&lname=Sims&pos=LB


OVERVIEW

Regarded as the school's finest linebacker prospect since the Derrick Brooks era (1991-94), Sims is a legacy at Florida State. His father, Sims, Jr., played for head coach Bobby Bowden with the Seminoles from 1977-81 as a running back, while his mother, the former Alice Bennett, was an All-American sprinter on the Seminole track team from 1980-83. Sims was given jersey No. 34 upon arriving at Florida State in 2003, a number that was retired in honor of former Seminole great Ron Sellers. With Sellers' permission, the number was brought out of retirement at the request of the Seminole coaching staff.

At North Florida Christian High School, Sims was rated the nation's best prep prospect in 2003. He earned All- American honors by Parade as the top prep linebacker in the nation and USA Today All-USA second-team accolades. He was named to the top 100 in the state of Florida by the Orlando Sentinel, was a member of the Super 75 team as selected by the Florida Times Union, chosen as the best player in the south and to the All-South Top 20 by the Tampa Tribune.

Sims earned five varsity letters at NFC, as he earned varsity spot in eighth grade. He led the Eagles to four state championships (1998-2001) during his five-year career. An incredible two-way player, he totaled 133 tackles (73 solos), 15 stops for lost yardage, six forced fumbles, seven fumble recoveries and one blocked field goal attempt from his linebacker position and ran for 1,081 yards on 115 carries for 23 touchdowns as a running back during his senior season. He led NFC to the Class A state championship as he rushed for three touchdowns in the championship game.

Sims recorded 180 tackles, 41 stops for losses, 12 sacks and forced seven fumbles as a linebacker and rushed for over 600 yards and 17 touchdowns as a running back during his junior season. Upon graduation, Sims selected Florida State over Miami, Florida, Georgia, Oklahoma, Michigan, Tennessee, Auburn, Southern Cal and Oregon.

As a true freshman, Sims appeared in every game as a reserve linebacker. He recorded 42 tackles (32 solos) with two stops for losses, a forced fumble and a pair of pass deflections in 2003. He started the final eleven games of the 2004 campaign, earning second-team All-Atlantic Coast Conference honors as he totaled 86 tackles (41 solos) with 4.5 sacks, nine stops behind the line of scrimmage and nine quarterback pressures. He also caused two fumbles, batted away five passes and blocked a kick.

The Butkus Award semi-finalist manned the strong-side linebacker position in 2005. He finished fourth on the team with 72 tackles (22 solos), adding 2.5 sacks, ten stops for losses and seven pressures. He also caused a fumble, deflected four passes and picked off two others.

In 38 games at Florida State, Sims started his final 24 contests. He finished his career with 200 tackles (95 solos), seven sacks for minus 61 yards and 21 stops for losses of 74 yards. He registered nineteen quarterback pressures, a fumble recovery and three forced fumbles. He also blocked a kick, gained three yards on two interception returns and had eleven pass deflections.



ANALYSIS

Positives: Undersized, but has above average quickness, good instincts and plays with reckless abandon...High-energy linebacker with very good aggression in his play...Is quick to see plays develop and while he needs to be free in order to make the play, he moves very well through traffic to locate the ball...Compensates for a lack of bulk by relying more on his quickness and sudden burst to beat blocks...Uses his hands well to keep separation and play off blocks (scrapes to the ball well)...Has the hand usage to sift through traffic and has the acceleration needed to get to the edge and contain the outside run...Generates good power behind his hits, showing the body control to break down, wrap up and hammer the ball carriers with authority...Shows very good reaction dropping back in pass coverage, as he is capable of covering tight ends and slot receivers in the short area and also gets enough depth in his pass drops to stay tight on the receivers going deep...Against the run, he is best when allowed to flow to the ball, as he can run, slide and move in space...Fast and athletic in his lateral movements, getting through trash to run the field and move down the line in pursuit...Takes proper angles in pass coverage and has the hip flexibility and body control to react immediately to plays in front of him...Is very good at reading the quarterback and reacting to the ball, showing the leaping ability to get up and deflect passes...Explosive hitter with good flexibility to counter blocks and close on the passer, but is better when playing off the line than in backside pursuit.

Negatives: Lacks the lower body strength to prevent the bigger blockers from washing him out of the play when they are able to latch on to his body...Lacks overall muscle development and gets bounced around quite a bit when taking on blockers in a phone booth...Shows good aggression, but will get reckless in his play and does not have the plant-and-drive agility to recover when he out-runs the ball...Tries so hard to avoid blocks that he takes a wide loop around them, failing to get back into the action in time to make the play and close on the passer in backside pursuit...Better coverage defender than a pass rusher, as he does not show good hand usage and an array of pass rush moves to get an edge on a blocker (has better hand placement on the move than when having to hold ground at the point of attack)...When he gets out of control in his pursuit, the runners are quick to find the cutback lanes...Has some durability concerns due to a fractured fibula and a concussion in 2005.

Sims is an undersized linebacker who plays with reckless abandon, which helps him pile up tackles, but also causes him to out-run plays. He struggles to recover from his over-pursuit and while he has good tenacity and aggression, he needs to play with better control of his emotions in order to be effective. A strong-side linebacker, he lacks the bulk and muscle mass to man that position in the pros and is better served on the weak-side, where his range, quickness and pass coverage ability can be put to better use.

Sims shows a good feel for reading blocks and works hard to avoid them. His problems occur when the bigger blockers latch on to his body, as he does not have the bulk or power to shed and disengage. He is best when allowed to flow to the ball, but by taking the wide loop around offensive tackles in attempts to gain backside pursuit, he is often late in closing on the pocket. He shows good hand usage to counter blocks, but if the lineman gets into his body, the lack of strength causes him to get washed out of the play, especially when working in tight quarters.

Sims has the range and lateral movements to be very effective working in space. He has the functional upper body power to reroute tight ends and backs in the short area and also gets very good depth in his pass drops to mirror the receiver on long routes. He is very instinctive working in the zone, handling switch-offs well and takes proper angles to close on the ball. He has excellent hip flexibility to come out of his backpedal without having to gather and anticipates the receiver's routes.

His range outside the box allows him to make plays on the perimeter and push the outside running game back inside. He needs to be free in order to make the play, as he does not shed blocks well, but he can sift through traffic and locate the ball. He relies more on quickness to beat blocks coming off the edge, but lacks the pass rush moves needed to seal the deal in the backfield.

If you look at his statistics, you will see a player that is capable of making the plays working in space and in motion, but most of his tackles come from arriving late and jumping in on the action. There are concerns about his marginal size and lack of raw power, limiting him to Cover-2 schemes at the next level, where his weaknesses will not be exposed as much. Durability issues are also a concern, along with maturity (see Off-Field Issues).

While he has the size and speed of Tampa Bay's Derrick Brooks, to put him in that category at this stage of his career is ridiculous. He will best be served working at weak-side linebacker, as he does not have the strength or bulk to handle strong-side duties in the pros.


AGILITY NOTES

Campus: 4.56 in the 40-yard dash.


INJURY REPORT

2005: On 3/30 in spring drills, Sims suffered an ankle fracture while being blocked on a running play. Sims underwent outpatient surgery on his fractured lower fibula and six weeks later, participated in the team's summer volunteer programs and was at full strength for fall practice...Suffered a concussion when he collided with a teammate while making a tackle on QB Marques Hagans after a 6-yard run with three minutes left in the Virginia contest (10/15).



(Continued Below)

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CAREER NOTES

Started his final 24 games for the Seminoles...Tied with Derrick Alexander (1992-94) for 14th on the school's career-record list with 21 stops behind the line of scrimmage.


HIGH SCHOOL

At North Florida Christian (Tallahassee, Fla.) High School, Sims was rated the nation's best prep prospect in 2003...Earned All- American honors by Parade as the top prep line-backer in the nation and USA Today All-USA second-team accolades...Named to the top 100 in the state of Florida by the Orlando Sentinel, was a member of the Super 75 team as selected by the Florida Times Union, chosen as the best player in the south and to the All-South Top 20 by the Tampa Tribune...Earned five varsity letters at NFC, as he earned varsity spot in eighth grade...Led the Eagles to four state championships (1998-2001) during his five-year career...An incredible two-way player, he totaled 133 tackles (73 solos), 15 stops for lost yardage, six forced fumbles, seven fumble recoveries and one blocked field goal attempt from his linebacker position and ran for 1,081 yards on 115 carries for 23 touchdowns as a running back during his senior season...Led NFC to the Class A state championship as he rushed for three touchdowns in the championship game...Recorded 180 tackles, 41 stops for losses, 12 sacks and forced seven fumbles as a linebacker and rushed for over 600 yards and 17 touchdowns as a running back during his junior season.


PERSONAL

Environmental Studies major...Father, Ernie Jr., played football at Florida State as a running back for head coach Bobby Bowden (1977-81) while his mother, the former Alice Bennett, was an All-American sprinter on the Seminole track team from 1980-83...Brother, Marcus, a standout running back at North Florida Christian High, recently signed a letter of intent to play football at Florida State in 2006...Wore jersey No. 34, which was retired in honor of former Seminole great Ron Sellers. With Sellers' permission, the number was brought out of retirement at the request of the Seminole coaching staff...Born 12/23/84... Resides in Tallahassee, Florida.

Enough said...



http://i13.photobucket.com/albums/a282/lazymuchacho/sims.jpg