With the No. 19 overall pick in the 2019 NFL Draft, the Tennessee Titans acquired former Mississippi State defensive lineman Jeffery Simmons on Thursday night in Nashville.
Simmons has overcome his life’s lowest point and conquered the field to put him in the position he’s in today– giving the Titans a high-risk but potentially high-reward for their upcoming seasons.
Here are five things to know about the Titans’ most recent addition:
1. Simmons could have been selected much higher under different circumstances.
The Mississippi State star-athlete was one of the most recruited players in his class before a physical altercation in March of 2016 involving his mother, sister and a 30-year old woman. The video of the altercation has been made public and was even shown on ESPN on Thursday.
He was recruited to Mississippi State in the fall of 2016 and was suspended for one game due to his assault charges.
2. Simmons has done well off-the-field.
Coming back from his guilty-plea of malicious mischief, Simmons has made his regret of the altercation evident on multiple occasions. Since then, he has worked to be the best player on the field and an inspiring man off the field.
He gives back to his community by visiting elementary schools and summer camps as a motivational speaker and mentor throughout his time at MSU.
He kept a 4.0 GPA and received the Conerly Trophy in 2018.
3. Some teams went public with their intention to draft Simmons, but shied away due to controversial character concerns.
Teams like the Miami Dolphins and Green Bay Packers have made it public knowledge that they were considering drafting Simmons. But they put a lot of stock into his controversial past that drew some red flags and ultimately took him out of the drawing for a number of clubs — not including the Titans, of course.
4. Simmons could miss significant time in 2019.
Simmons is still in the process of recovering from a torn ACL and meniscus surgery he sustained training for the draft in February.
He tweeted earlier in the year that he is “working extremely hard to get healthy and become a leader” for his NFL team. There is currently no clear timetable for his return.
5. Simmons was a key piece of the Mississippi State defense, and should make an instant impact for the Titans.
Simmons spent his 2018 seasons dominating the field. With 68 tackles and two sacks, the DT was seemingly unstoppable. The 6-foot-4, 300-pounder is quick on his feet and has the ability to shake off some major blocks. Expect Simmons to become a major piece of the Titans defense when gets back to the field.
