College football player Amitral “AJ” Simon died just one week before potentially realizing his pro-ball dreams, his former university announced Wednesday.
Simon, 25, transferred to the University of Albany where he played as a defensive lineman with the Great Danes for the 2022-2023 season. The school said in a statement on social media that Simon will be “profoundly missed.”
“AJ was a tremendous young man and even better teammate throughout this time at UAlbany,” the school said.”He was a role model both on and off the field, serving as a pillar to this program over the last two years.
A cause of death was not disclosed.
Simon was eligible for next week’s NFL Draft and, according to NBC Sports, had made a recent visit to New England.
He announced his decision to enter the draft in December, once his time on the team ended. He described his collegiate career as a Great Dane as “pivotal” in shaping his path to the NFL Draft, making him into a better person both on and off the field.
