Former NFL No. 1 overall pick Kenneth Sims passes away at 65

The football world has lost a Hall of Famer way too early. Kenneth Sims, a two-time First-Team All-American for the Texas Longhorns, passed away on March 21 at 65 after battling an illness.

Sims played at Texas from 1978 to 1981 and was an absolute superstar for the Longhorns. 

A 6-foot-6, 265-pound defensive lineman, his career at Texas saw him notch 322 tackles, 29 sacks, 50 tackles for loss, 15 forced fumbles, seven fumble recoveries and three blocked kicks.

He was so good, specifically in 1981, that he won the Lombardi Award, which goes to the best lineman in college football yearly. He was also the top defensive vote-getter for consideration for the 1981 Heisman Trophy. Again, he was a defensive lineman. Football was different then, but a defensive lineman being a Heisman Trophy candidate is wild.

Sims was ultimately selected No. 1 overall in the 1982 NFL Draft by the New England Patriots. His NFL career wasn't as successful as his time at Texas, but he still played with the Pats from 1982-89, and he was a part of their team that made it to Super Bowl XX before losing to the Chicago Bears.

Sims started 64 of his 74 games at the NFL level and he was a Defensive Rookie of the Year candidate in 1982.

"We are deeply saddened by the passing of Kenneth Sims, a truly dominant force on the field and a cherished member of the Hall of Fame and the greater college football community," NFF Chairman Archie Manning said in a statement announcing Sims's death. "His legacy as a Longhorn great and College Football Hall of Famer is cemented not only by his remarkable achievements but also by the way he carried himself off the field. We extend our heartfelt condolences to his family, friends, the Longhorn faithful and all who were fortunate enough to know him."