Awards and Honors:
2022 All-ASUN Conference
OVC Defensive Player of the Week: Nov. 21 (2021)
Athletic Director's Honor Roll (F21, S22)
2021: An All-ASUN Conference selection, he played in all 11 games and made 10 starts at safety… Had three tackles, an interception, and two pass breakups in the season opener at Western Kentucky (Aug. 27)… Added five tackles and another interception against Alabama A&M (Sept. 17)… Picked up his first-career tackle for loss in a two-tackle outing against Eastern Kentucky (Sept. 24)… Made seven tackles against Central Arkansas (Oct. 1) and Jacksonville State (Oct. 29)… Finished the season with double-digit tackles in the final three games, starting with an 11-tackle performance – with nine solo stops – against North Alabama… Also added a half tackle for loss and interception with a. 35-yard return against UNA… Had a career-high 12 tackles – including eight solo tackles – to go along with a tackle for loss and fumble recovery against Kennesaw State (Nov. 12)… Racked up a career-best 12 tackles – nine of which were solo stops – for the second-straight game to go with a pair of pass breakups in the season finale at Alabama (Nov. 19)… Ranked fourth on the team and 14th in the ASUN with 63 total tackles, his 38 solo tackles ranked seventh in the conference… Finished tied for the team lead and tied for third in the ASUN with three interceptions.
2021: Played in all 11 games, starting nine… Had two tackles and two pass breakups in his Austin Peay debut against Chattanooga (Sept. 2)… Broke onto the scene on the season’s biggest stage with a then career-high 11 tackles, a forced fumble, a fumble recovery, and a pass breakup at Ole Miss (Sept. 11) … Picked off a pair of passes against Eastern Illinois (Nov. 6)… Had three tackles and a season-high three pass breakups at Tennessee State (Nov. 13)… Had another two-interception day in the regular-season finale against Tennessee Tech (Nov. 20) that earned him OVC Defensive Player of the Week honors… Had six games of five or more tackles… Led the OVC with 10 pass breakups and finished second on the team with four interceptions… Ranked fourth on the team with 32 solo tackles and 50 tackles.
Prior to Austin Peay: A transfer from Hutchinson Community College … Redshirted as a freshman in 2019… Totaled 20 tackles in four appearances during the Blue Dragons’ 2020-21 NJCAA National Championship season… Posted three tackles in NJCCA National Championship game against Snow College (Utah)… Recorded a season-high seven tackles and a half tackle for loss in the season opener against Coffeyville Community College (March 26, 2021)… Had five tackles and a tackle for loss against Independence Community College (May 2, 2021).
High School: Prepped at Clay Central High School for head coach Danny Horn… Helped lead the Volunteers to an Alabama 5A State Championship as a senior in 2018… Was an Alabama Sports Writers Association (ASWA) First Team All-State selection as an athlete in his senior season… Also played basketball at Clay Central, where he was an ASWA Second Team All-State selection after averaging 20.5 points, 11.4 rebounds, 6.0 assists, and 4.0 steals in his senior season.
Personal: Shamari Keshaun Simmons is the son of Stanford Simmons and Madeline Durrell… Birthday is March 5… Father, Stanford, was a defensive back at Auburn (1999-2001)… A sport and wellness specialist major.
