5-Star EDGE Colin Simmons Commits to Texas Over LSU, Miami

Colin Simmons has a new home.

The 5-star edge-rusher announced his commitment to Texas on Thursday, bypassing LSU and Miami.

Simmons, a 6'3" and 225-pound pass-rusher from Duncanville, TX, is considered the No. 8 player in the Class of 2024 and both the top player from his state and at his position, per 247Sports' Composite Rankings.

Gabe Brooks of 247Sports wrote in his scouting report that Simmons has "nuclear playmaking ability" and called him "one of the top pass rushers in the country across multiple classes entering his senior season. Projects as a potential multi-year impact player at the Power Five level with a long-term ceiling that could lead to early-round NFL Draft consideration."

He's flashed a next-level ability to get after the quarterback and make plays at the high school level, with 147 tackles (33 for loss), 34.5 sacks and three forced fumbles in the past two seasons.

"I wanted to break the sacks record for Duncanville, which was like 18, so that was one of my main goals," Simmons told Greg Riddle of The Dallas Morning News in January. "It means a lot. That's history. But I feel like I could have gotten way more [sacks]. I feel like I should have been in the 30s."

And to think that he didn't even originally want to play football.

"Honestly, I didn't want to play football. It just wasn't my sport. I liked playing basketball," he told Riddle. "I was kind of forced to play [football] at first. I cried my first time going out there. But over the years I got used to it and started loving it."

Texas is more than a little happy he stuck with the pigskin.

He's definitely an excellent addition for the Longhorns, especially for their maiden season in the SEC come 2024. Texas has been busy in this recruiting class, but before Simmons the Longhorns hadn't landed a 5-star recruit.

SEC rivals-to-be Georgia (three 5-stars), Florida (two), Alabama (two), Auburn (two), Tennessee (one), Texas A&M (one), Oklahoma (one) and even South Carolina (one) have been busy in that regard, so it was time for Texas to catch up. Simmons is a good first step.