Titans pick Southern Utah standout Sims in 5th round of NFL Draft

LeShaun Sims played for small schools in high school, at Agassi Prep, and in college, at Southern Utah. But the soft-spoken cornerback hit the big time Saturday, when he was selected in the fifth round of the NFL Draft with the No. 157 overall pick by the Tennesee Titans.

“I’m so excited that the Titans saw my potential,” Sims said in a Southern Utah press release. “Now I’m ready to get on their field and show everyone that I can work.”

The 6-foot, 200-pound Sims is the first cornerback ever drafted from Southern Utah, a Football Championship Subdivision school in Cedar City where he was a four-year starter and compiled eight interceptions, 25 pass breakups and 33 pass deflections in his career.

Sims is the second Southern Nevada player drafted from SUU this year. Former Thunderbirds safety Miles Killebrew, a Foothill High product, was selected in the fourth round with the 111th overall pick by the Detroit Lions.

Sims was the first student to earn an athletic scholarship from Agassi Prep, a Division III school which played eight-man football in his freshman year.

Sims put on 25 pounds at Southern Utah, where he earned All-Big Sky honors and was invited to the East-West Shrine Game and the NFL combine this year.

Former Thunderbirds coach Ed Lamb recruited Sims out of Agassi Prep.

“Coach Lamb saw a motor in me, a defensive back that doesn’t give up on plays,” Sims said. “I made a specific play in high school where I ran down the ball carrier and coach Lamb told my dad that was the play that made him want to recruit me.”

Sims graduated from SUU with a degree in physical education & human performance and believes his education helped prepare him for the NFL.

“My classes focused on how the body responds to sports performance,” he said. “I was able to take that knowledge and apply it to the field.”

Sims is expected to compete for playing time at cornerback and on special teams for the Titans.

Contact reporter Todd Dewey at tdewey@reviewjournal.com or 702-383-0354. Follow @tdewey33 on Twitter.