Jaylin Simpson is ready for his redemption

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Jaylin Simpson is ready for his redemption

By Giana Han

4 minutes

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Shaun Shivers (8) carries the ball as Nehemiah Pritchett (18) and Jaylin Simpson (36) run after him during Auburn's open football practice on Saturday, March 20, 2021. (Photo by Giana Han)

2021 is Jaylin Simpson’s redemption year.

Just like for most people, Simpson’s 2020 did not go as planned, and he’s ready to move on from circumstances he couldn’t control.

Despite the pandemic, last season actually started out well for Simpson. After a redshirt freshman year playing behind Javaris Davis and Noah Igbinoghene, Simpson entered 2020 fall camp as one of the five guys competing to fill the cornerback spot across from Roger McCreary, which opened with Davis’s and Igbinoghene’s departures.

The competition was fierce, but Simpson won the job. However, he wasn’t able to keep it, through no fault of his own.

Simpson was among the first group of defenders to hit the field in the season opener against Kentucky. He performed so well, recording four tackles, a tackle for loss and a pass breakup, that the SEC named him newcomer of a week.

But by the second game, Simpson was hit by injury. He didn’t play against Georgia or Arkansas and was limited the rest of the season.

“I was very — hurt physically, but I was really hurt mentally,” Simpson said. “I had just got my feet wet, first game.”

In the meantime, his teammate Nehemiah Pritchett seized his chance and became one of the top defensive backs in the league, allowing the fewest yards per target of any cornerback in the SEC, which made it very hard for someone to knock him out of his spot.

But 2021 brought a new coach, a new system and a new opportunity for Simpson.

Since the start of workouts, things have been going well for Simpson. He said the strength and conditioning coaches have worked on getting him bigger and stronger while also keeping him healthy.

“They knew about what I had going on,” Simpson said. “They told me, that’s not goin—we’re going to make sure that doesn’t happen again.”

Already, Simpson feels better, and it seems to have translated to the field now that spring practice is underway. He’s been seen taking snaps with the ones in the spot that opened up when the coaches moved Pritchett to nickleback.

Defensive coordinator Derek Mason, who is taking an active role in developing the secondary, said they’re working on getting Simpson to play across different platforms, and so far he’s shown tremendous talent, “great short-area quickness and good long speed.”

As Simpson goes through spring and looks toward the season, his No. 1 focus is staying healthy. Simpson knows what he’s capable of — he showed flashes of that against Kentucky last season — but he can only realize that potential if he’s healthy.

This season is about taking that promise he flashed last year and finally building on it. And as Simpson gets better in his personal game, he hopes to help his team win some games — and maybe even a championship — along the way. Simpson has the day the 2021 season starts circled, and it can’t get here fast enough.

“I’m just ready for September 4th,” Simpson said.