If Giants defensive coordinator Wink Martindale could create a player in a lab, he’d probably produce Isaiah Simmons.
Tall, fast, long arms and versatile — Simmons embodies everything Martindale’s trademark aggressive defensive scheme emphasizes.
And if Simmons could create a defensive coordinator from scratch, it’d probably result in Martindale.
“Wink in particular, I don’t know, I just feel like me and him have a connection, even though I haven’t been here that long,” Simmons told The Post after the Giants’ practice on Wednesday. “It feels good to be in a place where you know you’re wanted and they know how to use you effectively.”
Simmons, while he was with the Cardinals, previously lacked a defensive coordinator with the vision and creativity of Martindale.
He played under Vance Joseph for the three seasons he spent in Arizona, which perhaps explains Simmons’ early-career struggles.
The Giants acquired Simmons, the No. 8-overall pick in the 2020 NFL Draft, from the Cardinals for a seventh-round pick just under three weeks ago.
A hybrid linebacker and safety, Simmons is expected to fill multiple roles on defense.
The Giants’ Week 1 opponents, the Cowboys, are adept both in the passing and running games, so Simmons will be immediately tested against both.
Dallas has historically shredded the Giants’ defense with tight ends, a position Simmons likely will be asked to help cover.
“I think he’s perfect for this defense,” Martindale said. “Joe [Schoen, the GM] told me to initially look at him. I loved him coming out of the draft. … I think he fits our system great. It’s not what position we’re gonna play him, we’re gonna play him wherever we need him, because he can do so many different things. I’ve talked before about a positionless defense, he’s perfect for that.”
Simmons’ athleticism helps him provide value beyond defense.
He has been working with various special teams units throughout his early Giants days, particularly the kickoff and punt coverage teams.
Special teams coordinator Thomas McGaughey raved about Simmons as “very, very talented” and head coach Brian Daboll suggested Simmons will likely receive special teams reps, at least to start the season.
“I think it can make us a better team,” Simmons said. “Just putting some athleticism out there that typically may not be of this size along with the athleticism. I feel like typically in special teams, the guy is either smaller and athletic or bigger and not that athletic. I think I’m a bigger athletic guy. I think it can bring a lot of value.”
Simmons did not want to look back on what went wrong with the Cardinals, saying he preferred to focus on his new chapter.
But clearly, Simmons finally feels he’s in a spot where he belongs.
“God don’t say, ‘Oops,’ ” Simmons said. “Whatever happened, happened for a reason, which put me in this position that I’m in …
“I feel like Wink really understands me, understands the skill set I have. The versatility throughout the whole defense, it’s not necessarily specific to just me. I feel like there’s been times in the past where the versatility in the defense came only from my spot, and everything else was regular. I don’t think things necessarily will work as effectively as the whole thing being versatile.
“Everybody’s probably seen multiple guys do multiple things here.”
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