30 biggest college football scandals of all time
By Ethan Lee
Mississippi State keeps Jeffery Simmons in signing class following an assault
Jeffery Simmons, one of the most talented players in the 2019 NFL draft, was the center of a college football scandal before he even stepped onto a college campus as a college student. And this scandal isn’t the typical recruiting scandal that most might assume it to be.
During the spring of 2016, the jewel of the Mississippi State Bulldogs’ signing class, Jeffery Simmons, was caught on video striking a woman while she was on the ground during a fight. Sophia Taylor, the woman struck by Simmons, suffered head and neck injuries.
And the Bulldogs decided to enroll him anyways.
There were stipulations and Simmons was monitored, but Mississippi State enrolled him and gave him a one-game suspension for his freshman season.
Simmons was charged and had to pay fines for assault, criminal mischief and then also had to pay restitution to the victim. He said he regretted his actions and apologized. But this scandal is likely going to stick with him throughout his career.