Mississippi State defensive tackle Jeffery Simmons, considered a potential top-15 pick in April's NFL draft, may not hear his name called on the first day of selections. According to a report from ESPN.com's Adam Schefter and Chris Mortensen, Simmons suffered a knee injury during training and it is believed to be a torn ACL.
From @mortreport and me: Mississippi St. DT Jeffery Simmons, projected to be a top 15-pick in April, suffered a knee injury during training that is thought to be a torn ACL, per league sources. A statement to offer clarity on Simmons' injury is expected to be released today.
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) February 12, 2019
If the diagnosis is confirmed as a torn ACL, Simmons will presumably sit out some or all of his rookie season in order to rehabilitate, and it will be difficult for teams to know what kind of player they are getting if and when he returns to the field.
Simmons, who had 30 tackles for loss and seven sacks during the past two seasons as Mississippi State and is considered one of the top available defensive linemen in the draft, was already facing questions regarding off-the-field issues. He had previously been informed that he would not receive an invitation to the NFL Combine due to the league's rule regarding issues of violence.
Mississippi State DT Jeffery Simmons – a potential top-10 pick – and Colorado State WR Preston Williams have been informed they won’t be invited to the scouting combine because they don't meet the criteria under the NFL's policy about past issues involving violence, sources say.
— Tom Pelissero (@TomPelissero) January 31, 2019
As we wrote at the time, the lack of a combine invite for Simmons is standard operating procedure since the NFL instituted a rule in 2016 that it would not invite prospects who had previously had issues with violence to the combine. Simmons was seen on video in 2016 striking a woman. Mississippi State allowed him to enroll in the school anyway, ultimately suspending him for one game.
