Jeffery Simmons looks to be one of the more interesting prospects heading into the 2019 NFL Draft.

The dominant lineman from Mississippi State earned just about every accolade possible during his three-year playing career in Starkville and appeared poised to be a top selection in the upcoming draft before he suffered an ACL injury training for his Pro Day. Of course, the Mississippi State Pro Day was the only opportunity Simmons had to impress professional scouts as the NFL banned him from participating in the 2019 NFL Scouting Combine due to his videotaped assault of a woman, which occurred before he enrolled at Mississippi State.

At MSU’s recent Pro Day, Simmons answered the following questions from the media on hand to interview the hulking lineman from Starkville.

Question: What has it been like for you with your injury?

“It’s been challenging. The main thing is, I have to stay focused. I just wake up every morning, get my day started and going to rehab. I’m just controlling the things that I can control right now.”

Question: When you talk to teams, are they hopeful that you’ll be able to play this season?

“I actually have been talking to them about that. The main thing we say is just to get healthy. That’s my thing. Trying to get healthy is what I can control right now.”

Question: You mentioned trusting the process. What has this experience been like for you?

“Even though I’m not really doing drills, this is what I dreamed of. Growing up, my little brother and I used to be in the backyard hitting trees with shoulder pads. One day, I want to put my mom in a big house. My dreams are turning into reality right now. Doing interviews with NFL teams and with teams that I watched growing up is amazing. I’m just blessed for the opportunity.”

Question: How much, mentally, have you had to grow since being recruited in high school?

“It’s different. You had all of the hype coming out of high school with people saying, ‘You’re the best player on your team.’ Coming into college, everybody is good. Entering an SEC program, you have to get your mind right. You have to be a step ahead and put extra work in. That’s me anyways, even in high school. You have to be mentally strong. You have to get up for class and go to meetings. Even now, it’s still mental. The game is mental.”

Question: How has the process of rehabbing your knee gone?

“I am not able to be on the field actually to put in work with football drills. The knee injury has helped me become more mentally strong. At times, it can be ‘why did this happen to me?’ As I’ve said, it is just one of those mental things where you have to stay focused.”

During a video segment with Tom Pelissero of the NFL Network, Simmons was asked how he will handle questions about his character from NFL teams and the potential backlash he will receive from fans of a professional team that reacts to his selection.