TJ Simmons Commits to Alabama: In-State WR an Offensive Weapon for 2016 Class

There was little time to weigh options for T.J. Simmons. He knew what he wanted.

Get the offer from Alabama, appreciate the offer, accept the offer.

It only took a few hours for the 3-star wide receiver from Pinson, Alabama, to give his verbal commitment to Nick Saban and the Crimson Tide early Thursday afternoon. Simmons became the fourth player to commit to Alabama and the first receiver to pledge, per 247Sports.

At 6'2" and 180 pounds, Simmons has good size, good hands and, as a 3-star player, may be considered an underrated target by some. He had additional offers from Mississippi State, Cincinnati, Southern Miss and Arkansas State, among others.

Alabama saw a lot of potential in Simmons during the 2014 season, and Simmons is in a great situation where he can silence a ton of critics who only see his star rating. He is only the 11th 3-star player to commit to the Crimson Tide since 2014, per 247Sports. The Crimson Tide have had 54 players commit since 2014—13 of those being 5-star athletes and 30 being 4-star athletes.

According to Drew Champlin of AL.com, Simmons was an all-state receiver who nearly recorded 1,000 yards on only 43 catches, averaging better than 22 yards a catch. He scored 20 all-purpose touchdowns in helping Clay-Chalkville High School win a state championship.

In short, Simmons isn't a marginal talent.

Simmons was a big-play receiver as a junior, and much is expected of him in his senior year. Alabama is hoping he can be just as big of a weapon when he arrives in Tuscaloosa in 2016. Champlin said Simmons made several trips to Alabama for games last season. Pinson is roughly an hour drive away from Tuscaloosa.

Simmons, additionally, is Alabama's first in-state commit of the 2016 class, which could be an advantage for him. He will be called upon to be a player-recruiter, which is important in a state with several elite players still uncommitted.

The level of competition at receiver is always high, as Saban, offensive coordinator Lane Kiffin and receivers coach Billy Napier do a great job of putting the best talent on the field. Simmons will be called upon to deliver his A game during every practice and every game.

Simmons hopes to follow the footsteps of Amari Cooper, DeAndrew White and the other receivers to wear crimson and white. In the meanwhile, look for Simmons to get better all-around as a receiver and target a few other players with Alabama offers. Among the in-state talents available are 5-star defensive end Marlon Davidson and 5-star linebackers Lyndell Wilson and Ben Davis.

Damon Sayles is a National Recruiting Analyst for Bleacher Report. All player ratings are courtesy of 247Sports' composite ratings. Follow Damon via Twitter: @DamonSayles