NFL Draft Prospect AJ Simon Dead
AJ Simon, an NCAA pass rusher who was an NFL Draft prospect, has passed away at the age of 25.
Simon's school, the University of Albany, announced his death on Wednesday.
"Forever a Great Dane."
"The UAlbany football program was deeply saddened to learn of the passing of former student-athlete Amitral 'AJ' Simon this morning," the team said. "AJ was a tremendous young man and even better teammate throughout his time at UAlbany. He was a role model both on and off the field, serving as a pillar to this program over the last two years."
"He will be profoundly missed."
"We love you, 8" the school's Twitter account posted on X.
Forever a Great Dane pic.twitter.com/OoNxvLsqNb
— UAlbany Football (@UAlbanyFootball) April 17, 2024
Simon had left school after the 2023 season and was hoping to be selected in the upcoming 2024 NFL Draft.
"The No. 1 constant from his tape was the effort," The Athletic's report of him read, "which earned him a lot of attention from NFL teams the last few months. I thought his competitive play personality gave him a legitimate chance to stick in the NFL, either as a late-round draft pick or priority free agent. His passing is heartbreaking news for so many people, including the NFL community."
Simon was first-team all-conference defensive end, and helped lead Albany to an appearance in the FCS playoffs last season.
Greg Gattuso, Simon's head coach at Albany, made a post about his former player:
"Two joyous year [sic] coaching and becoming friends with AJ Simon," he wrote. "My prayers are dedicated to the Simon family. I love you AJ and will always have a special place in my heart for #8."
As proof that Simon was a legitimate contender to play in the NFL, the New England Patriots had recently used one of their pre-draft visit slots to meet Simon.
Many experts had him going in the late rounds of the draft or signing with a team as an undrafted free agent.
This much is clear:
Simon's career wasn't supposed to be over this soon.
