WVU's Marcus Simms not selected in NFL supplemental draft
Former West Virginia wide receiver Marcus Simms was considered one of the few prospects available to NFL teams in the supplemental draft that was held Tuesday afternoon.
After the draft concluded, Simms remains a free agent.
Washington State defensive back Jalen Thompson was the only player chosen Tuesday, going to the Arizona Cardinals in the fifth round. By selecting Thompson, the Cardinals will forfeit their fifth-round pick in the 2020 draft.
Simms, a 6-foot, 195-pound prospect, was scheduled to be West Virginia’s top returning wide receiver, but he decided to leave school after Neal Brown was hired to replace Dana Holgorsen as head coach. Simms entered the transfer portal in April, but then declared for the supplemental draft in June.
Simms had 46 catches for 699 yards and two touchdowns in 2018 and he had 87 career receptions for 1,457 yards and eight scores.
Simms is free to sign with any NFL team. The downside is he has missed all of spring workouts and minicamp and would be behind the learning curve as he enters an NFL training camp.
Other players available but not taken in the supplemental draft were Syracuse linebacker Shyheim Cullen, Northland Community College tight end Devonaire Clarington and St. Francis (Ill.) defensive back Bryant Perry.
Joe Rutter is a TribLive reporter who has covered the Pittsburgh Steelers since the 2016 season. A graduate of Greensburg Salem High School and Point Park, he is in his fifth decade covering sports for the Trib. He can be reached at jrutter@triblive.com.
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