AUSTIN, Texas — Kenneth Sims, a two-time consensus All-American defensive lineman at Texas (1978-81) and the No. 1 overall selection in the 1982 NFL Draft by the New England Patriots, died Friday at the age of 65.
Sims, a native of Kosse, Texas, had been battling illness and apparently died in his sleep, according to a close friend of Sims.
Sims was beloved as a person, a jovial giant, who spent his sophomore year at Texas backing up future Pro Football Hall of Famer Steve McMichael and Bill Acker and then broke out his junior year, posting 131 tackles, and was named All-Southwest Conference and an All-American.
As a senior in 1981, Sims became the first Longhorn to win the Lombardi Award and was the top defensive vote-recipient for the Heisman Trophy and earned All-SWC and All-American status again.
In 1981, Sims helped Texas to a 10–1–1 finish with a win in the 1982 Cotton Bowl and a No. 2 year-end ranking, Texas' best end-of-year ranking since 1970.
Sims became only the third Longhorn to be selected with the first pick in the NFL Draft by the New England Patriots in 1982, joining Tommy Nobis and Earl Campbell.
In Sims' rookie year, he came in fifth in the voting for the NFL Defensive Rookie of the Year. Sims played 74 career games and had 17 sacks over eight NFL seasons. In 1985, Sims' best year as a pro, he had 5.5 sacks despite only playing in 13 games after he broke his leg late in the regular season. He did not get to play in Super Bowl XX, which the Patriots lost to the Chicago Bears, whose roster included Sims' former Texas teammate Steve McMichael.