An undrafted transfer from an HBCU powerhouse, Torricelli Simpkins III fought his way onto the Saints' roster as a versatile interior lineman.
Torricelli Simpkins III is a guard for New Orleans who took an unconventional route to the NFL, starting at North Carolina Central before transferring to the SEC for his final college season. After going unselected in the 2025 draft, he made the Saints' roster out of camp and carved out a rotational role up front.
Path to the league
Simpkins began his college career at North Carolina Central, where he earned First-Team All-MEAC honors in both 2022 and 2023 and was named a First-Team HBCU All-American as a junior. He transferred to South Carolina for the 2024 season, started all 13 games at right guard, and posted the highest pass-blocking grade of any Gamecocks offensive lineman that year according to Pro Football Focus. Simpkins went undrafted in the 2025 NFL Draft and signed with the New Orleans Saints as a free agent.
Career highlights
At South Carolina, Simpkins played 854 total offensive snaps in 2024, the third most on the team, and earned third-team All-SEC recognition from both the league's coaches and College Football Nation. His combination of size and pass-protection skill made him a training-camp standout despite his undrafted status.
2025 season recap
Simpkins made the Saints' 53-man roster as a rookie and appeared in 15 games, including two starts, working his way into the offensive line rotation as a first-year pro.
Sources
- Wikipedia: Torricelli Simpkins III
- Pro Football Reference: Torricelli Simpkins
Player Profile
Background
- Position
- Guard
- Group
- offense
- College
- South Carolina
- Hometown
- Charlotte, NC, USA
- Age
- 24
- Status
- active
