Texas Football: Analyzing 5 Junior Day visitors to watch this weekend

Colin Simmons, EDGE

Potentially the most important blue-chip visitor for Junior Day in Austin this weekend is the elite five-star Duncanville edge rusher Colin Simmons.

Anyone that follows Texas recruiting likely knows this name. Simmons is often regarded as the top-ranked edge rusher recruit in the nation in the 2024 class. And he’s someone that co-DC/LB coach Jeff Choate, special teams coordinator/TE coach Jeff Banks, and the Longhorns have prioritized to the highest of degrees in the last year or so.

Simmons has also had contact with Sark himself on a pretty consistent basis since last offseason. As I mentioned earlier in this piece, it’s always a good litmus test to tell how much Texas is prioritizing a defensive recruit when Sark is in frequent communication.

Moreover, Texas will look to keep Simmons around the Forty Acres as much as possible this offseason. Texas is trying to keep Simmons away from some of the top SEC schools that are making huge pushes for the elite edge rusher this spring.

It’s clear at this point of his recruitment that Simmons wants to play in the SEC. That’s why the likes of the Georgia Bulldogs, Alabama Crimson Tide, LSU, Texas A&M, etc. are considered to be in the top group for Simmons at the moment.

Yet, if Texas can continue to keep Simmons’ focus on the Forty Acres throughout the offseason, and they have a solid run on the field on this side of the ball this fall, that could be enough to win this recruitment when it’s all said and done.