Isaiah Simmons anxious for chance to sack Trevor Lawrence this season

CLEMSON — Isaiah Simmons faced off against Trevor Lawrence and Travis Etienne plenty of times in practice during his playing career at Clemson.

Now the former first-round pick is set to go up against his former college teammates in a real game for the first time.

Lawrence, Etienne and the Jaguars will face Simmons and the Cardinals on Sept. 26 in Jacksonville. It’s a meeting Simmons is looking forward to and has circled on his calendar.

“I’m trying to get me a little sack on Trevor,” Simmons said laughing while speaking at his camp for kids in Greenville earlier this summer. “Nah, I’m really excited to play against both Trevor and Travis. Just competing with them in practice, it’s going to be fun to really turn it on and get after it with them.”

Simmons is entering his second year in the NFL after being picked No. 8 overall by Arizona in the 2020 NFL Draft.

He had 43 tackles, two sacks, a forced fumble and an interception as a rookie last year. Simmons believes he is ready to make a jump in Year 2.

“I just learned that when you get to that level, just the time and commitment it takes. Even though you have more free time, honestly I would say it’s less free time. Just with all the stuff you have to do and taking care of your body, and just the mental aspect of the game,” Simmons said. “I know it’s kind of cliché but learning how to be a pro [was an adjustment]. That was probably like the biggest learning curve. It’s not so much the Xs and Os.”

Another former Clemson teammate of Lawrence and Etienne will also face the Jaguars this season — Tee Higgins, who starred alongside Lawrence and Etienne for the Tigers.

Higgins, who was drafted in the second round by the Bengals in 2020 out of Clemson, will face Lawrence, Etienne and the Jaguars Thursday, Sept. 30 in Cincinnati.

“I’m looking forward to that one,” Higgins said at the same camp. “Me on the offensive side, I can only really talk to them pregame or after the game, so I’m going to talk my trash then.”

Higgins was one of the best rookie receivers in the NFL last year — finishing the season with 67 catches for 908 yards and six scores.

Higgins played most of the year with Heisman winner Joe Burrow before Burrow was lost for the season to a torn ACL in November.

“Great guy,” Higgins said of Burrow. “He’s all about his business. He made me a better player, and that’s all you can ask for.”