KANSAS CITY, Mo. — Clemson star and Olathe native Isaiah Simmons officially is a top-10 NFL draft pick.
Simmons, a 2016 graduate of Olathe North, went No. 8 overall to the Arizona Cardinals during the opening night of the 2020 NFL Draft. He was the first linebacker picked.
After red-shirting his first season in college, Simmons played in 14 games for the Tigers in 2017 and amassed 49 tackles as a safety.
Before the 2018 season in which Clemson cruised to a national title, Simmons switched to strong-side linebacker and led the team with 97 tackles, including 9.5 for a loss. He also broke up seven passes.
Simmons won the Butkus Award last fall as the nation’s top linebacker and again helped Clemson reach the College Football Playoff National Championship Game.
He also was a unanimous All-American and the Atlantic Coast Conference Defensive Player of the Year.
For the second straight season, Simmons led the Tigers with 107 tackles, including 16 for a loss, with eight sacks and 10 pass breakups, emerging as one of the most versatile defensive talents in college football.
Olathe Public Schools congratulated Simmons on social media.
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