Five-Star Plus+ EDGE Colin Simmons is a 'must-win' recruitment for Texas
In Steve Sarkisian’s relatively short tenure at Texas, the head coach has landed elite prospects along the offensive line, at quarterback, linebacker, wide receiver and more. But the EDGE position has escaped the Longhorns. Enter Duncanville (Texas) Five-Star Plus+ EDGE Colin Simmons.
The nation’s No. 3 overall prospect, according to the On3 Industry Ranking, Simmons is a big of a recruit as there is for the Longhorns in the 2024 cycle.
On the latest edition of the On3 Roundtable, Texas recruiting insider Gerry Hamilton broke down just how important he is:
“Texas is moving to the SEC next year. And who are you battling for Colin Simmons? He’s gonna sign with an SEC program. You’re battling LSU, Georgia, Alabama, Texas A&M and Florida. This is one you have to win,” Hamilton said. “There are certain must-get recruitments, there are certain guys that programs in the state can’t afford to lose. They must win for the No. 1 EDGE prospect in the country.”
Colin Simmons could be a missing piece for the Longhorns
Texas signed back-to-back top-five classes in Sarkisian’s first two years at the helm, including landing Five-Star Plus+ quarterback Arch Manning in 2023. But missing from the list of signees over the last 24 months is an elite pass-rusher like Simmons, Hamilton says.
“If you look at the Texas team this year, we talk about Texas getting to 10 wins and that kind of getting Steve Sarkisian over that hump and really getting some tidal wave of momentum moving in the SEC,” he added. “But they haven’t signed that five-star EDGE prospect. They’ve signed a lot of five-star guys in the last two classes and some really talented players. But the EDGE position is the one when you look at this team headed into this year that they’re one guy — that 10, 11, 12-sack guy — away from really being a contender in people’s eyes, and it doesn’t get better in Colin Simmons.”
The 6-foot-2, 225-pounder has been compared to NFL star and future Hall of Famer Von Miller. He ultimately chose Texas A&M back in 2007 over Texas and a number of others, but the Longhorns are very much in the race for Simmons along with the aforementioned schools. He has yet to announce where he will take official visits, but has been to Texas, LSU and TCU more than any other schools. Each of those three are likely to get OVs.
“Going on campus to those schools, I just want to see if I can stay there for the next three-to-four years, see if I’ll actually have fun and enjoy myself out there rather than not feel the school,” Simmons told On3’s Chad Simmons in March. “I want to feel comfortable.
… Just whoever I feel comfortable with, whoever I feel like I can trust, whoever I feel like is going to have my best interest, who’s gonna take care of me and protect me for the next three-to-four years,” he added about what he looks for in a school. “I’m keeping a close eye on the coaching staff. Everybody tells you the same thing, so I want to see with my own eyes.”