Former Mississippi State defensive lineman Jeffery Simmons, a projected first-round pick in the NFL draft, suffered a torn ACL in his left knee during training, he confirmed in a tweet.
— Jeffery Simmons (@GrindSimmons94) February 12, 2019
He says he will undergo surgery early next week.
"If it is in God's will, no matter which team drafts me this April, I will work extremely hard to get healthy and become a leader in that organization," he wrote.
Simmons was rated as the No. 12 overall draft prospect in the latest big board from ESPN's Mel Kiper, and he was projected to be the No. 7 overall pick by the Jaguars in ESPN draft expert Todd McShay's latest mock draft.
A top prospect coming out of high school, Simmons was captured on video hitting a woman; the incident took place before Simmons arrived at Mississippi State. He later pleaded no contest to simple assault.