Isaiah Simmons’ NFL journey has taken several turns since he left Clemson as one of the most unique defensive prospects in college football.
The latest one gives him another chance with the Carolina Panthers.
Carolina has promoted Simmons from its practice squad, putting the former Tigers’ linebacker back on the active roster. The transaction came as the Panthers moved running back Jonathon Brooks to injured reserve.
Simmons originally arrived in the NFL with huge expectations after Arizona used the No. 8 overall selection on him in 2020. His combination of size, speed and positional flexibility made him one of the most intriguing players in that draft class.
His professional career has since included stops with the Cardinals, Giants, Packers and
Panthers.
Green Bay brought Simmons in ahead of the 2025 season before releasing him in August. He remained unsigned for several months before Carolina added him to its practice squad on Nov. 25.
The Panthers later moved Simmons onto the 53-man roster in late December after Trevin Wallace went on injured reserve.
Simmons has accumulated 329 tackles during his six NFL seasons. His career totals also include 8.5 sacks, 15 tackles for loss, nine forced fumbles, three fumble recoveries and five interceptions.
Long before his NFL career became a winding one, Simmons was one of the centerpieces of Clemson’s defense.
His ability to handle several responsibilities helped make him a matchup problem during his college career. Clemson used him at safety before eventually turning him into a hybrid defender who could operate at linebacker, nickel and in the secondary.
That versatility helped Simmons produce a huge 2019 season. He captured the Butkus Award, was named ACC Defensive Player of the Year and earned unanimous All-American recognition.
California unveils uniform combination vs Clemson football in Week 4
— Clemson Wire (@Clemson_Wire) September 24, 2026
📸 James Snook-US PRESSWIRE, IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect https://t.co/m9zHVc1cF8 pic.twitter.com/7nFFCMOUkN
Simmons became just the sixth unanimous All-American in Clemson history at the time, joining Terry Kinard, Gaines Adams, C.J. Spiller, Da’Quan Bowers and Christian Wilkins.
He was also part of both the 2016 and 2018 Clemson national championship teams and helped the Tigers return to the College Football Playoff National Championship Game following the 2019 season.
Now, Simmons has another opportunity to carve out a role at the NFL level with Carolina.
Contact us at @Clemson_Wire on X (formerly Twitter) and like our page on Facebook for ongoing coverage of Clemson Tigers news, notes and opinions.
This article originally appeared on Clemson Wire: Former Clemson star defender moves from practice squad for NFL roster
