Of all the players that will be drafted in the second round this year, none will be as talented as Mississippi State defensive tackle Jeffery Simmons.

Both NFL Network’s lead draft analyst Daniel Jeremiah and Bleacher Report’s lead draft analyst Matt Miller have each said Simmons would have been ranked in their top five players based on tape alone. Even now, he finds himself ranked as the 12th-best player on each board.

As a sophomore and junior, he was named All-SEC for his tremendous play, and then as a senior, he racked up 17 tackles for a loss including two sacks. Simmons has been compared to All-Pro defensive tackle Gerald McCoy and would fill one of the Broncos’ bigger needs.

So, why will Jeffery Simmons slip to the second round, and if he’s there why is it even a question whether or not the Broncos should select him?

While training for his pro day, Simmons tore his ACL — meaning he will have to sit out at least half of the 2019 season — and there’s a very real possibility he won’t play until 2020.

Even worse, a video from when Simmons was a senior at Noxubee County High School shows the NFL prospect hitting a woman, now identified as Sophia Taylor. In the video, Simmons strikes Taylor multiple times after she allegedly insulted a deceased family member. (You can watch the video here.)

Apparently, before the video was taken, Simmons’ sister and Sophia Taylor were fighting, Simmons attempted to break it up at which point the situation escalated which eventually led to Simmons striking Taylor. Simmons said, “I really didn’t know I did that and when I watched the video, I kind of had a mental breakdown like, ‘Dang, this can’t be true.'”

According to Dr. Mitch Adams, an anger management expert and sports psychologist, who works with the New Jersey state prison system, that type of blackout moment caused by rage is fairly common. Abrams also said, “When you’re angry, you feel so empowered and you don’t care about anything but imposing your will. But when you have a little distance or perspective, all of a sudden people can go, ‘Holy shit. Look at what I did. I don’t want this to be my legacy.'”

It’s a hard video to watch, and what Simmons does in it is undeniably awful, there’s no question about that. There’s no question about whether or not he will be drafted either, due to his high-end talent and All-Pro potential. The question is, should this video make John Elway take Simmons off his draft board?

To answer that question, we have to take a look at his actions and his character before and after the incident.

Immediately following the incident, Simmons made an apology post on Facebook stating “I take full responsibility for my actions that occurred on Thursday evening. My apology goes out to the Taylor family and especially to Sophia Taylor. What was I thinking? Honestly, I wasn’t thinking, all I could think was this is my family and I’m supposed to defend my family.”

Mississippi State defensive line coach Brian Baker said that following the incident Simmons took accountability for his actions and was well aware of what he did. Also stating, “There is nothing, nothing, nothing about him that would indicate that action represents who he is as a man.”

It also appears that Simmons’ youth coach Gary Naylor and high school coach/father figure Tyrone Shorter believes the incident was an outlier in his character. They have described him as a “yes sir, no sir” type of kid. The only time they could remember having to discipline Simmons was when he and a group of his friends snuck onto the football field to play seven-on-seven football without permission.

Naylor, who’s still in touch with Simmons said, “I know I’m making him sound like a saint, but if he ever did anything wrong I’d tell you.”

So, the question remains, does Jeffery Simmons deserve a second chance and should the Broncos be the team to give him that opportunity?

Simply, yes.

While the actions of Simmons are inexcusable, the young man has owned them, never trying to deny them or pass the blame. From Day One he’s taken full responsibility for what he’s done and has shown serious remorse. It’s a black spot that will never be removed from his legacy, nor should it, but unlike Tyreek Hill or Greg Hardy, there isn’t a pattern of violent behavior with Simmons. For the first 18 years of his life, before the incident, he was a model citizen and in the three years since, that has continued.

Jeffery Simmons made an awful mistake and that shouldn’t be wiped away. That being said, it’s hard to say that one black spot on an otherwise spotless record should stop Simmons from playing the league. Especially when you consider how he’s shown remorse, given countless sincere apologies and tried to make the situation right.

One can only hope he stays on that path once he’s drafted.