Former Tiger Has a New NFL Home
By: Staff Report August 24, 2023

This Clemson pro is headed for a new home in the NFL.

Per multiple reports, former Tiger star defender Isaiah Simmons is being traded from the Arizona Cardinals to the New York Giants for a 2024 seventh-round draft pick.

Simmons is entering a contract year after the Cardinals didn’t pick up his fifth-year option for 2024, meaning he is slated to become a free agent after the upcoming campaign.

Last season with the Cardinals, the 6-foot-4, 238-pounder tallied 99 total tackles, five tackles for loss, four sacks, seven passes defended, two forced fumbles, one fumble recovery and two interceptions including one he returned for a touchdown.

With the Giants, Simmons will join former Clemson defensive lineman and 2022 Pro Bowler and All-Pro Dexter Lawrence. Simmons and Lawrence were teammates with the Tigers from 2016-18.

A 2020 first-round draft pick (eighth overall), Simmons has totaled 258 tackles, 13 tackles for loss, 7.5 sacks, 11 quarterback hits, four interceptions, 16 passes defended, seven forced fumbles and two fumble recoveries in his NFL career so far (2020-22).

An athletic and versatile defender, Simmons transitioned from safety at Clemson 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 concluded his Clemson career with 253 tackles (28.5 for loss), 10.5 sacks, 22 pass breakups, four interceptions (including one returned for a touchdown), five forced fumbles and a fumble recovery over 44 games (29 starts).

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