The Carolina Panthers have signed a former Clemson star.

The Panthers announced Tuesday they have signed former Tiger defender Isaiah Simmons to their practice squad, in a move to add depth at linebacker amid a number of injuries the team is dealing with at that position.

A former top-10 overall draft pick, Simmons signed with the Green Bay Packers in free agency this past offseason, before being released in late August as part of final roster cuts.

Simmons, who was selected by the Arizona Cardinals with the No. 8 overall pick in the 2020 NFL Draft, played with Arizona from 2020-22 before spending the 2023 and 2024 seasons playing for the New York Giants. He was traded to New York from the Cardinals prior to the 2023 season and then re-signed with the Giants as a free agent prior to the 2024 campaign.

In 84 games (42 starts) during his NFL career with the Cardinals and Giants across five seasons from 2020-24, the 27-year-old Simmons has recorded 329 total tackles (15 for loss), 8.5 sacks, 13 quarterback hits, 21 passes defended, nine forced fumbles, three fumble recoveries and five interceptions, including two he returned for touchdowns.

He made the PFWA All-Rookie Team in 2020, when he tallied 54 total tackles (four tackles for loss), two sacks, three quarterback hits, two passes defended, one interception, a forced fumble and a fumble recovery.

Prior to entering the NFL, Simmons played at Clemson from 2016-19. He transitioned from safety in 2017 to the starting nickel/sam linebacker position in 2018 and was eventually named the Butkus Award winner as the nation’s top linebacker in 2019 in only his second year at the position. He was also a unanimous All-American and the ACC Defensive Player of the Year in 2019, as well as a first-team All-ACC selection.

–Photo courtesy of Sarah Kloepping/USA TODAY NETWORK-Wisconsin / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images