Boise State roster countdown 2020: Day 78, Julian Simpson

78 is the atomic number of platinum, so if anyone asks, you can tell them that today’s countdown went platinum. With 78 days (hopefully) until kickoff, today we’ll look at that number on the Boise State roster—Julian Simpson

#78, Julian Simpson, RS Freshman, OL

Stats

Height: 6’1”

Weight: 310 lbs

High School: Gunderson High School, San José, CA

How’d he get to the Blue™?

I’m not really sure, to be honest. I believe he walked on, but I don’t know if he was the “preferred” variety or the “Sonatane Lui” variety. Both types have found heaps of success at Boise State, so I’m not picking nits...I just don’t recall hearing much about him until he showed up on the roster. In fact, the roster doesn’t even really say a lot about the mysterious Simpson...just that he was a two-way lineman for 3 years at Gunderson HS and recorded 86 tackles on defense (I’m glad they clarified). Frankly, I think his height and weight say more about him than his bio does...he’s a stout lad.

Nickname

”Homer”

This is the lowest-hanging fruit I’d allow myself to grasp (note, I didn’t say “Marge”)

Look-alike

Get Out star Daniel Kaluuya

Career Highlights

This might be a first, but I couldn’t locate any. As I relayed in the “How’d he get to the Blue” section, he was a two-way lineman for three full years at Gunderson. I did dig up a tweet that indicates he played in the 2019 Bay Area All-Star football game, so that’s something! Let’s just say his best days are ahead of him.

2020 Prospectus

I’m flying blind on this one as Simpson is a mystery wrapped in an enigma wrapped in a cotton/poly blend. All I really know is that he’s got a desire to play for the Broncos and thanks to an exodus on the O-line at the end of last season, will have opportunities to do so. From his highlight tape (above), it appears he primarily played left tackle at Gunderson on the offensive side of things, but I don’t really think his body type projects to tackle at the collegiate level. I’d say he’d be a cracking guard or even a center as he seems to have the more compact build of a Thomas Byrd or Matt Paradis...given that guys like John Molchon, Ezra Cleveland, Garrett Larson, and Eric Quevedo have all moved on means that there will be plenty of new(ish) faces along the line and some are sure to mix and match at new positions.

The only guys we’ve really seen much of, to be honest, are Jake Stetz, John Ojukwu, Donte Harrington, and a dash of Kekanioka Gonzalez. If a pop gun were against my temple, I’d spitball the 2020 O-line thusly: Jacob Golden, Dallas Holliday, Donte Harrington, Jake Stetz, John Ojukwu...just Js and Ds. Where I think Simpson might make the rotation would be the #2 at LG, but man, we sure don’t know much about this ‘20 O-line except they are going to be under a TON of scrutiny. Bedell’s O-lines have rarely stormed out of the gate, so let’s hope for a little magic this year—we sorely deserve some.

Is he on Twitter?

Can’t find him, so maybe?

Completely made up fact

Given that Julian’s family is literally The Simpsons, Danny Elfman made them their own theme song...for some reason it’s 7 minutes long.