Clemson's football program was expected to be well-represented out of the gate Thursday night as the 2020 NFL Draft got underway and that moment materialized with former Tiger linebacker Isaiah Simmons being selected by the Arizona Cardinals as the eighth player overall.

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Simmons, who ran a 4.39-second forty-yard dash at this spring's NFL Combine, also becomes the 58th Clemson player to be selected in the draft in the Dabo Swinney Era.

The Olathe (Kan.) native arrived in Clemson in 2016, but as a mere three-star prospect by Rivals.com. Following a redshirt, Simmons pulled in over 250 snaps in 14 games in 2017 before beginning a two-year stretch as a starter.

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Simmons, the Atlantic Coast Conference's Defensive Player of the Year last fall, led the Tiger defense in tackles in both 2018 and 2019. The SAM backer also was a Nagurski Trophy finalist, Bednarik Award finalist, Lott IMPACT Trophy finalist and a Walter Camp Player of the Year semifinalist in 2019.

In 2019 Simmons became the Clemson program's first Butkus Award winner, while also becoming the Tigers' sixth unanimous All-American, joining Terry Kinard, Gaines Adams, C.J. Spiller, Da'Quan Bowers and Christian Wilkins.

Three Clemson players were selected in the first round of the draft in 2019 - Wilkins, Clelin Ferrell and Dexter Lawrence.

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