Cody Simon

NoteCARDS:

• Selected by the Cardinals in the fourth round (115th overall) of the 2025 NFL Draft out of Ohio State. Drafted one round before Arizona selected his college teammate CB Denzel Burke in the fifth round (174th overall). One of four Buckeye players selected by the Cardinals in three years under GM Monti Ossenfort.
• Appeared in 16 games (nine starts) in his debut NFL season and finished with 69 tackles, a half-sack, two tackles for loss, two passes defensed and a forced fumble. Also added seven tackles on special teams.
• Following an injury to team captain Mack Wilson Sr. in Week 9, went on to start the final nine games at the "Mike" LB position. During his time as a starter (Weeks 10-18), ranked second among NFL rookies in tackles (67) behind only 2025 Defensive Rookie of the Year LB Carson Schwesinger (86).
• In Week 17 of '25 at Cincinnati, recorded a season-best (for any Cardinals player) 15 tackles against the Bengals.
• Named a team captain as a senior at Ohio State in 2024, was presented with the prestigious Bill Willis Block 'O' jersey for leadership, toughness, accountability and highest of character.
• Was named the Defensive MVP in Ohio State's 41-21 Rose Bowl victory over Oregon (11 tackles, three TFL, 2.0 sacks) and also in the Buckeyes' 34-23 victory over Notre Dame in the CFP National Championship Game (eight tackles, one TFL).
• Played alongside Burke, OL Paris Johnson Jr. and WR Marvin Harrison Jr. at Ohio State for two years (2021-22). Was also a teammate of Cardinals LB Baron Browning with the Buckeyes in 2020.
• Off the field, was a Big Ten Conference Distinguished Scholar, a four-time OSU Scholar-Athlete and a four-time Academic All-Big Ten honoree who graduated with a degree in Finance and is currently working on a master's degree in Human Development and Family Services.

NoteCARDS:

• Selected by the Cardinals in the fourth round (115th overall) of the 2025 NFL Draft out of Ohio State. Drafted one round before Arizona selected his college teammate CB Denzel Burke in the fifth round (174th overall). One of four Buckeye players selected by the Cardinals in three years under GM Monti Ossenfort.
• Appeared in 16 games (nine starts) in his debut NFL season and finished with 69 tackles, a half-sack, two tackles for loss, two passes defensed and a forced fumble. Also added seven tackles on special teams.
• Following an injury to team captain Mack Wilson Sr. in Week 9, went on to start the final nine games at the "Mike" LB position. During his time as a starter (Weeks 10-18), ranked second among NFL rookies in tackles (67) behind only 2025 Defensive Rookie of the Year LB Carson Schwesinger (86).
• In Week 17 of '25 at Cincinnati, recorded a season-best (for any Cardinals player) 15 tackles against the Bengals.
• Named a team captain as a senior at Ohio State in 2024, was presented with the prestigious Bill Willis Block 'O' jersey for leadership, toughness, accountability and highest of character.
• Was named the Defensive MVP in Ohio State's 41-21 Rose Bowl victory over Oregon (11 tackles, three TFL, 2.0 sacks) and also in the Buckeyes' 34-23 victory over Notre Dame in the CFP National Championship Game (eight tackles, one TFL).
• Played alongside Burke, OL Paris Johnson Jr. and WR Marvin Harrison Jr. at Ohio State for two years (2021-22). Was also a teammate of Cardinals LB Baron Browning with the Buckeyes in 2020.
• Off the field, was a Big Ten Conference Distinguished Scholar, a four-time OSU Scholar-Athlete and a four-time Academic All-Big Ten honoree who graduated with a degree in Finance and is currently working on a master's degree in Human Development and Family Services.

Pro Career:

2025: Appeared in 16 games (nine starts) in his rookie season, finishing with 69 tackles, (27 solo), a half-sack, two TFLs, a forced fumble, a pass defensed and seven special teams tackles ... started the final nine of the season replacing captain LB Mack Wilson Sr. at the "Mike" position ... his 69 tackles were the most by a Cardinals rookie LB since Deone Bucannon in 2014 (77) ... one special teams tackle in his NFL debut @ NO (9/7) before leaving the game with injury ... inactive (concussion) vs. Car (9/14) ... registered two special teams tackles @ SF (9/21) ... tallied a special teams tackle vs. Sea (9/25)  ... appeared on special teams vs. Ten (10/5) before exiting the game with injury ... recorded one special teams tackle @ Ind (10/12) ... registered a special teams tackle vs. GB (10/19) ... tallied his first career forced fumble in the MNF win @ Dal (11/3) and also added two tackles and a special teams tackle ... made his first career start @ Sea (11/9) and recorded six tackles (three solo) and his first career pass defensed ... had a team-high 12 tackles vs. SF (11/16), the most by a Cardinal rookie since Budda Baker in 2017 ... tallied seven tackles and a TFL vs. Jax (11/23) ... recorded nine tackles @ TB (11/30) ... started on defense @ Hou (12/14) before exiting the game due to injury ... tallied seven tackles (one for loss) and a pass defensed vs. Atl (12/21) ... led the team with a career-high 15 tackles, a half sack and a QB hit @ Cin (12/28); one of just four players in franchise history to post 15+ tackles and at least 0.5 sacks in a game ... posted eight tackles (five solo) @ LAR (1/14/26).

College:

During his five seasons (2020-24) at OSU, appeared in 58 games (30 starts) and totaled 259 tackles, 23.0 tackles for loss, 10.0 sacks, 11 passes defensed, two forced fumbles, a fumble recovery, an INT and four QB hurries … totaled 255 tackles in 52 games played over his final four seasons (2021-24) ... In 2024, started all 16 games for Ohio State's National Championship team and earned first-team All-Big 10 honors after leading OSU with career-highs in tackles (112), tackles for loss (13), sacks (7.0) and passes defensed (seven) to go along with a forced fumble and fumble recovery … named Defensive Player of the Game in both the Rose Bowl win over Oregon and the CFP National Championship game win over Notre Dame … part of an Ohio State defense that ranked in the top-5 nationally in at least eight major statistical categories, including ranking #1 in both total defense and scoring defense and #3 in rushing and passing defense … had five games with double-digit tackles and eight games with at least eight tackles … earned Academic All-Big 10 Conference honors and was a Big 10 Medal of Honor recipient (recognizes a player for excellence on the field and in academics) ... In 2023, played in 13 games (five starts), totaled 57 tackles, three tackles for loss, 2.0 sacks and two passes defensed … graduated in December with a degree in Finance, was a Big 10 Conference Distinguished Scholar, OSU Scholar-Athlete and Academic all-Big 10 Conference selection … tallied two tackles, including a huge stop on fourth down to prevent QB Sam Hartman from getting a first down, as he helped the Buckeyes to a narrow 17-14 win @ Notre Dame (9/23) … totaled a career-best 12 tackles in the Goodyear Cotton Bowl vs. Missouri (12/29) ... in 2022, played 12 games and totaled 32 tackles, six tackles for loss, a QB hit, a forced fumble and a pass defensed … named an OSU Scholar Athlete and earned Academic All-Big 10 honors … tied his season high with six tackles while recording his second career sack and two tackles for loss vs. Iowa (10/22) ... in 2021, appeared in 12 games (10 starts) and recorded 54 tackles, an INT, a pass defensed, three tackles for loss and a sack … named an OSU Scholar Athlete and earned Academic All-Big 10 honors … started his final 10 games played, making his first career college start vs. Tulsa (9/18) … posted multiple tackles in 10-of-12 games played, including six outings with at least five stops … had his first career sack in the season opener @ Minnesota (9/2) ... as a freshman, played six games, appearing on special teams and defense … finished his inaugural college season with four tackles … named an OSU Scholar Athlete … made his college debut on special teams in a win @ Penn State (10/31).

Personal:

Attended St. Peter's Prep (Jersey City, NJ) High School where he was rated the #9 outside LB nationally and the #3 player in the state … earned first-team All-State honors as both a junior and senior … named the Linebacker MVP a the Opening New Jersey Regional … as a senior in 2019, led the Marauders to the Non-Public Group IV State Championship, capped by an outing in which he totaled nine tackles and a 70-yard punt return TD in the school's 21-14 win over Don Bosco Prep in the title game ... as a junior in 2018, had 89 tackles, 13.5 tackles for loss, 4.5 sacks, an INT (returned for a TD), two fumble recoveries and a forced fumble … brother, Shayne, played LB at Pittsburgh and attended training camp with Buffalo in 2024 … father, Mike, was on the rugby team at Army and his mother, Amy Ellis, starred on the track team at Michigan.