Diavalo Simpson

Height:
6-3
Weight:
275
Class:
Junior
Hometown:
Moss Point, Miss.
Prev School:
East Miss. CC

A junior college transfer who took an unconventional redshirt season during initial year on campus because of a nagging lower leg injury ... Expected to contribute and provide depth at the defensive end position in 2011 after a sold spring practice period ... Could also experience action at nose guard if necessary ... Was not credited with any tackles during the first spring April 2 but registered two stops during the program[apos]s second contest April 9 ... Added three hits and a sack for a nine-yard loss during the Purple-Gold Game (April 16) ... A strong and deceptively quick athlete who officially inked with the East Carolina program as an offensive lineman during the mid-year signing period Dec. 18, 2009 while the Pirates were preparing for the AutoZone Liberty Bowl ... Made move over to defensive tackle in the ECU[apos]s old 4-3 alignment during the second week of spring practice in 2010 under the new coaching staff.

2010: Redshirted during initial season in ECU program and spent time on the scout team.

Junior College: Starting left tackle who led the Lions to a No. 4 national ranking in the final 2009 National Junior College Athletic Association (NJCAA)/JCFootball.com poll after team completed the year with an 11-1 mark - the most victories in school history ... Played key role in EMCC[apos]s 41.3 scoring average during a season-ending eight-game win streak that included a 27-24 triumph over Arizona Western College in the Mississippi Bowl on Dec. 6 ... Helped Lions capture their first-ever Mississippi Association of Community & Junior Colleges (MACJC) state title in [apos]09 and back-to-back MACJC North Division championships ([apos]08-09) after rolling to a 12-0 composite divisional record ... Anchored a line that allowed East Mississippi to rank in the top three in the NJCAA in total offense and passing both seasons ... Protected first-team all-America quarterback Randall Mackey ... Lions went 19-3 in two seasons under head coach Buddy Stephens, who also served as the team[apos]s offensive line coach.

High School: A three-year letterman at Moss Point (Miss.) High School.

Personal: Born April 6, 1990 ... Nickname is Boogie ... Has not declared a college major.