Travon Simmons

Height:
5-10
Weight:
187
Class:
Junior
Hometown:
Marietta, Ga.
High School:
Hillgrove
Major:
Finance

Regarded as an honors candidate at the conference level, despite positional move during the spring of 2017 … A two-year starter at free safety and four-year member of ECU’s depth chart … Wrapped up spring drills and off-season work battling Bobby Fulp for starting honors at the strong safety position … Asked to relocate to the SS slot after arrival of Auburn transfer Tim Irvin … A Preseason All-American Athletic Conference (third-team) choice by Athlon Sports … Has played in 33 career contests (24 starts) and booked 105 tackles (64 solo) … Has been credited with 14 pass breakups, two interceptions, 1.5 TFLs, one forced fumble and one recovered fumble … Author of 23 multi-stop contests … Among all returnees, is the Pirates’ second-leading tackler heading into the 2017 campaign (behind ILB Jordan Williams) … Booked one stop during each of the first two spring scrimmages (April 1, April 7) before logging a pair of hits during the Purple-Gold Game on April 22.

2016: Played in all 12 contests and made 11 starts at free safety … Had 22-game starting streak snapped by coming off the bench against SMU on Nov. 12 … Credited with 53 tackles (29 solo), one of which resulted in lost yardage vs. Connecticut … Also had one interception (seven-yard return vs. Western Carolina), one fumble recovery (five-yard return vs. NC State) and three pass breakups (UCF, USF, Tulsa) … Tallied two more stops in 11 outings, including a pair of season-high eight-tackle performances vs. Virginia Tech and Cincinnati … Other notable hit totals came against NC State (seven), USF (five), Connecticut (five), Tulsa (five), Temple (four), South Carolina (three), UCF (three), Western Carolina (two) and SMU (2) … Had single tackle vs. Navy … Twenty-nine (29) stops were on rushes, 24 came on pass plays … Stood third on unit with 20 tackles in four non-conference matchups (5.0 tpg) … Averaged 4.1 stops per game during eight-game AAC schedule … Ranked as team’s second-leading defender on the road, tallying 33 tackles during six trips (5.5 per game) … Did not participate in spring drills because of a shoulder injury before being medically cleared prior to preseason camp.

2015: Opened all 12 games at free safety as a sophomore and stood fourth on team with 45 tackles (30 solo) … Led all defenders with nine pass breakups and recorded one TFL (Virginia Tech) … Stood 11^th in the American Athletic Conference with a 0.75 passes defended average … Logged at least one stop in 10 games (all multi-tackle performances) … Booked a career-high nine hits (seven solo) in season finale against Cincinnati … Had a trio of six-stop outings (Florida, Virginia Tech, Temple) and a pair of four-tackle efforts (BYU, USF) … Established a personal-best with three pass breakups vs. Tulsa and closed year with two knock-downs against Bearcats … Produced single PBUs in games against Gators, Hokies, Mustangs and Cougars … Only TFL resulted in a three-yard loss against Hokies at Dowdy-Ficklen Stadium … Of 45 overall hits, 22 were on rushes and 23 on pass plays … Averaged 4.5 tackles per game in four non-conference tilts (18), while netting 3.4 stops in eight AAC contests (27).

2014: Played in nine games with one start … Made first collegiate start against Southeastern Conference member Florida in the Birmingham Bowl and responded with a season-best three tackles (two solo) … Overall, was credited with seven stops (five solo), two pass breakups (SMU, Tulsa), one forced fumble (Florida) and one interception (SMU) … Pick against the Mustangs came in the third quarter and did not feature return yardage … Posted a pair of two-tackle outings – vs. N.C. Central and Tulane … Both stops against the Green Wave were solo hits … Played, but did not record statistics against South Carolina, North Carolina, Connecticut and UCF … Did not experience action vs. Virginia Tech, USF, Temple and Cincinnati.

2013: Redshirted during true freshman campaign … Praised for play on scout teams by coaching staff … Signed with Ruffin McNeill’s program in February.

High School: Played key role for a Hillgrove High School program that advanced to the Georgia High School Association 6A Playoffs before falling to Camden County in 2012 ... Helped the Hawks to an overall record of 6-5 and a 5-3 mark in 6A Region 4 play as a senior with 23 tackles (16 solo), three interceptions and six pass breakups ... Anchored a defense for coach Phil Ironside that held six opponents to 15 or fewer points during his senior season, which included consecutive shutouts against Campbell and Pebblebrook ... Also starred as a kickoff return specialist, recording a 78-yarder to open the Pebblebrook contest and adding a 55-yarder against Kennesaw Mountain to begin second half action ... Defensively, picked off a pass against Beach in the first round of the Georgia High School Association playoffs as a junior ... Netted 29 stops (21 solo), four pass thefts and seven breakups in 2011 as Hawks rolled to an 11-1 record (7-0 league mark) ... Tallied 24 tackles (15 solo), five picks and 10 PBUs as a key contributor in 2010 ... In all, finished prep career with 76 hits (52 solo), 12 interceptions and 23 aerial knock-downs ... Participated in the 2012 Nike Combine circuit, posting an electronically-timed 4.69 in the 40-yard dash, a 4.2 clip in the 20-yard shuttle, a 31.6-inch vertical leap and a 82.38 SPARQ score … Earned addition varsity letters in track.

Personal: Full name is Travon Rashad Simmons … Born at Atlanta. Ga. … Brother, Traye, played collegiately in the Big 10 Conference at Minnesota before signing with the San Diego Chargers as an undrafted free agent in 2010 … On track to earn bachelor’s degree in finance during ECU’s Fall Commencement Exercises (December of 2017) … An Honor Roll student as an undergraduate.