Former Albany defensive lineman AJ Simon, who was just 25 years old when he passed away, had been holding out hope that he would be selected in the next NFL Draft.
The devastating news was shared on social media by the university on Wednesday, with the following statement being posted: “The UAlbany football program was deeply saddened to learn of the passing of former student-athlete Amitral “AJ” Simon this morning.”
“During his tenure at the University at Albany, AJ was not just an outstanding young man but also an even greater teammate. Over the course of the last two years, he has been and continues to be an integral part of our program, acting as a model both on and off the field.
They proceeded to… “He will be profoundly missed.” Unfortunately, neither the reason nor the method of Simon’s passing is yet known.
After starting his collegiate career at Bloomsburg University, Simon, who was originally from Tobyhanna, Pennsylvania, served as a member of the Great Danes for a total of two seasons.
AJ had a fantastic year in 2023, as shown by the fact that he racked up 12.5 sacks and was selected to the first team of All-CAA conference players.
The draft gurus at The Athletic rated Simon as the 36th best edge rusher, and he was still holding out hope that he would be selected the next week.