Josh Simmons injury update: Ian Rapoport gives promising news on NFL prospect during Combine

Josh Simmons missed the final 10 games of Ohio State‘s national championship-winning 2024 season after being sidelined by a torn patella tendon in mid-October.

Now, nearly five months removed from the injury, the NFL-bound former Buckeyes left tackle is telling teams at the 2025 NFL Scouting Combine that he’s “way ahead of schedule” in his recovery, according to NFL Network insider Ian Rapoport.

“My understanding after talking to several sources informed of his medical and physical here, it sounds like it went incredibly well,” Rapoport said Sunday during the final day of the Combine. “(Simmons) reported that he’s way ahead of schedule and I was told he’s healing extremely nicely and there’s a very real chance – an expectation almost – that he’s ready to start the 2025 season. It also sounds like his interviews went really well. So for Simmons, who no doubt saw his future flash before his eyes with that bad injury this past college season, much more optimistic after the visit to Indy.”

From our Combine coverage: #Ohio State OT Josh Simmons had very positive medical evaluations in Indianapolis and is healing well, sources say. He is a first-round pick, despite the injury. pic.twitter.com/laWi7I86yQ

— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) March 2, 2025

The 6-foot-5, 310-pound Simmons did not participate in any drills at the Combine but still managed to make a strong case to be among the top tackles selected in April’s 2025 NFL Draft and is widely expected to be a first-round pick on April 24.

ESPN’s Field Yates, Mel Kiper Jr. name perfect fit for Josh Simmons in 2025 NFL Draft

ESPN’s Field Yates has Ohio State offensive tackle Josh Simmons heading to the San Francisco 49ers with the No. 11 overall selection in his latest mock draft. 

It’s a fascinating selection, as the 49ers already have future Hall of Fame left tackle Trent Williams at the position. However, with Williams’ NFL future murky beyond 2025, Mel Kiper Jr. believes it could be a steal of a selection for San Francisco, if it comes to fruition.

“You’re the heir apparent to Trent Williams. A player that the 49ers are sitting there at No. 11, ‘Let’s get a guy that we would never usually see there in the late first round.’ (Simmons is) there at No. 11. Could’ve gone No. 5, No. 6 if he’d been healthy all year, but he gets hurt against Oregon in October, and now he’s available,” Kiper explained, via ESPN First Draft.

“So, the medical at the Combine is going to be really important for a lot of players this year, probably more so this year than ever before, where so many you know guys in our Top 25, or were in a Top 25 at some point, are medical question marks,” Kiper continued. “Josh Simmons, as a left tackle, was well on his way this year to becoming maybe the third, fourth, fifth pick in the draft. But he didn’t finish out the year,” Kiper added. “He had cleaned up all the issues with penalties. He had developed into an elite left tackle. Probably ahead of Will Campbell had he been healthy, but he’s not, and when’s he going to be ready? We’ll see. But yeah, for the 49ers? Makes perfect sense.”

On3’s Steve Samra contributed to this report.