Florida State was the easy choice for 4-star OT Lucas Simmons

Clearwater (Fla.) Academy International offensive tackle Lucas Simmons came to the United States last spring from Sweden as someone new to college football recruiting. He went through the process over the past year, amassing offers from across the country. Eventually he narrowed down to four schools: Florida State, Florida, Tennessee, and USC.

Last month, he took official visits to each, and said he felt good about all of the programs he was considering. But ultimately, the program he’d connected with and been offered by first won out. On Monday, Simmons announced for Florida State, choosing the Seminoles in what is a much-needed recruiting win for head coach Mike Norvell.

“It wasn’t difficult picking Florida State,” he told On3. “I had to take my time and make sure that the feeling I had about Florida State was going to last. It really did. It was hard telling the other schools no, but committing to Florida State was easy. I felt in my whole body that I wanted to play for Florida State.”

The No. 11 offensive tackle in the On3 Consensus said there was no ‘No. 2 team.’ It was a close race between the other finalists, but Florida State kept standing out to him above the rest.

“Throughout the recruiting process, I was focused on the people and the stats,” he added. “I realized that stats matter, but it is about right now and not the stats from the past. When I started looking at it through my heart instead of focusing on other things, like stats, I knew it was Florida State. My heart wants Florida State.”

Early offer helped set FSU apart for Lucas Simmons

The Seminoles were just the third Power Five school to extend Simmons an offer last spring after he had moved stateside. An early belief in him as a prospect, as well as the chance to start building rapport with coaches meant a lot to the 6-foot-7, 295-pounder.

“Florida State offering me early and establishing a relationship with me early was major,” he said. “Coach Alex Atkins has been the same with me from the beginning. From when they offered me to when I got stars and ranked to when I committed, he has never changed. Coach Atkins has never changed and that really stands out. The love remained the same. He was genuine and that didn’t go unnoticed. Being real the whole time meant a lot to me. “

Florida State always stuck around

Even as other schools started their pursuit of him, Lucas Simmons kept coming back to the relationships he had not only with Atkins, but also with Norvell and others in the program.

Offering later didn’t necessarily hurt the other schools, but they were playing catchup to the Seminoles from the beginning.

“I had a lot of great schools recruiting me, but Florida State was always in the back of my mind,” he said. “I have been there five or six times and every time I was there, I didn’t want to leave. I loved it. I always wanted to go back.

… It feels like home for me at Florida State. It is natural for me there. Sitting in meetings with the coaches is one of my favorite parts about visiting there. I feel so comfortable there. I am happy there.”