Colin Simmons, a five-star edge rusher from Duncanville (Texas) High School, committed to Texas on Thursday afternoon. Here’s what you need to know:
- Simmons is ranked No. 8 overall and the No. 1 edge rusher in the 247Sports Composite in the Class of 2024.
- He is the first five-star prospect in Texas’ 2024 class that is now ranked No. 17 nationally.
- Simmons is one of nine five-star prospects in the state of Texas in the 2024 cycle. Six have now announced their decisions — two to Florida and one each to Texas, Georgia, Clemson and Oklahoma.
- Simmons’ teammate at Duncanville, four-star running back Caden Durham, also issued his commitment on Thursday afternoon. Durham, ranked No. 95 nationally, picked LSU over Oklahoma and Texas A&M.
The Athletic’s instant analysis:
Backstory
Simmons has been a highly productive player at Duncanville High. As a junior, he recorded 33 tackles for loss, including 22 1/2 sacks, and 45 quarterback hurries to lead the Panthers to a 15-0 record and a state championship in Texas’ highest classification. He earned state defensive player of the year honors from the Texas Sportswriters Association.
The Dallas-Fort Worth area has produced some elite pass rushers over the years, such as Von Miller (DeSoto High) and Myles Garrett (Arlington Martin). Simmons is cut from similar cloth, and it’s easy to envision him developing into a high NFL Draft pick in three years. — Kahn
What this means for Texas
It’s a big win for the Longhorns to secure a verbal commitment from Simmons, the No. 1 recruit in Texas. Notably, Texas hasn’t signed the top in-state recruit out of high school since landing then-safety Caden Sterns in 2018, so if the Longhorns hold on through signing day, they’ll end that drought. (Quarterback Quinn Ewers, the top recruit in the 2021 class, first signed with Ohio State before transferring to Texas.)
Upgrading talent at edge rusher is a priority for Texas, and it doesn’t get much better than Simmons. At 6-foot-3, 225 pounds, he boasts speed, athleticism, length, strength, burst off the line of scrimmage, strong hands and the physical nature that has made him an elite high school prospect. He’s gifted enough to be an instant-impact freshman in the SEC and should see the field for the Longhorns in 2024. — Kahn
Required reading
(Photo of Steve Sarkisian: Kevin Jairaj / USA Today)
