5 things to know about Broncos' No. 3 pick Justin Simmons

Day 2 of the NFL Draft came to end just before 9:15 Friday night as the defending Super Bowl-champion Broncos put the cap on the proceedings by selecting Boston College safety Justin Simmons with the final pick of the third round.

Here are five things Broncos Country needs to know about the former Atlantic Coast Conference standout:

1. The 6-foot-3, 200-pound Simmons appeared in 50 of a possible 50 games during his four seasons at B.C., including 25 starts his final two seasons. As a junior in 2014, Simmons started 13 games – seven at free safety and six at right cornerback after moving there when injuries struck the position. He returned to free safety as a senior last fall, starting all 12 games in center field.

2. The native of Stuart, Fla., who was a second-team All-ACC pick and fourth-team All-America selection by analyst Phil Steele last fall, fits right in with the Denver D after leading the Eagles with 10 forced turnovers (five interceptions, three fumble recoveries and two forced fumbles) in 2015. Overall, Boston College owned the stingiest defense in the nation with an average of 254.3 yards allowed per game. Simmons’ five picks tied for 20^th in the FBS ranks last fall and gave him eight interceptions for his college career.

3. Simmons definitely wasn’t afraid to mix it up as he’s credited with 229 total tackles over his 50 games. His career high came as a junior Sept. 29, 2014 when he notched 11 stops – 10 solo – in a loss to visiting Colorado State.

4.Simmons is the first Boston College player to come off the board this draft. He was the ninth safety – and seventh of the night Friday — to be selected, and according to Pro Football Reference.com, now goes down as the highest-drafted defensive back of the 13 all-time selections out of B.C. Rico Labbe held that distinction prior to Friday, getting selected in the fourth round (109^th overall) in 1990 by Washington. Labbe, however, never went on to appear in an NFL game.

5. When it comes to Orange & Blue draft picks, Simmons is the fifth Boston College player to be selecred by Denver and the first since center Tom Nalen was stolen in the seventh round of the ’94 draft. Nalen started 201 total games in 14 seasons with the Broncos, including the back-to-back Super Bowl victories in 1997 and ’98, and en route was selected to five Pro Bowls. Guards Doug Widell (1989 draft), Steve Schindler (’77) and running back Tom Bougus (’72) are the other Denver draftees from B.C.