Photo courtesy of Kelly Donoho/MSU Athletics
A potential first-round pick in the upcoming NFL Draft out of Mississippi State has suffered a major injury.
According to the NFL Network, DL Jeffery Simmons suffered a torn ACL while training ahead of April’s draft.
Miss. St standout DT Jeffery Simmons does, in fact, have a torn ACL from doing a routine drill during a workout, source said. Statement is coming, but so is surgery. Simmons can’t attend the Combine for an off-field incident, per NFL rules, but the injury brings more questions.
— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) February 12, 2019
Simmons has been projected as a first-round pick in nearly every mock draft, and ESPN’s Todd McShay had him as high as the 7th overall pick in his latest mock draft.
On the field, Simmons anchored the Bulldog defensive line throughout his career and racked up over 30 tackles for a loss.
Off the field, Simmons was not invited to the NFL Combine due to his past conviction for simple assault after he was caught on video striking a woman before arriving in Starkville.
It remains to be seen how the injury will affect his draft stock.
