Five-Star Plus+ EDGE Colin Simmons talks Texas, names Longhorns his co-leader at the On3 NIL Elite Series

Top prospects from around the nation are in Nashville this week for On3’s NIL Elite Series, including several top Longhorn targets. One of those targets is the No. 1 player in Texas for 2024, Duncanville (Texas) Five-Star Plus+ EDGE Colin Simmons.

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Simmons sat down with On3’s JD PicKell and Josh Newberg to talk about the latest in his recruitment.

Q: You’ve taken a lot of visits, what has stood out to you so far? What have you seen that you really like?

Colin Simmons: “Everything, honestly. Everything. Every visit I’ve been on, I liked it, I loved it, honestly.”

Q: What are some of the places that stood out to you?

CS: “LSU, Miami, Florida, Texas, Oregon, I feel like Oregon and LSU stood out.”

Q: I saw the pictures from the LSU visit. You’re on the sideline with Angel Reese, you’re with Ja’Marr Chase. It was like the red carpet during a spring game. It looked unbelievable. Did that move LSU up to that top tier for you when it comes to picking schools?

CS: “Not necessarily. Bringing them out certainly moved them up, but (LSU) has always been up there.”

Q: A lot of people, a lot of fans, a lot of reporters, when it comes to your recruitment, you hear the word Texas. You hear the LSU. You didn’t hear a lot about the Florida schools until you started making trips there. What was it about Florida and Miami that stood out to you?

CS: “The University of Florida. Honestly, the atmosphere, the fans, the people there, it’s just… DJ Lagway wasn’t lying when he told me the fanbase is crazy, like they love the athletes. It’s just.. I loved it. I love being around people that show love to athletes. It means that you care. Then Miami, then environment in Miami, I love it. The landscape, it’s just amazing.”

Q: Does it hit a little different when you hear it from a guy like DJ Lagway, who is also from Texas and making a move to the state of Florida?

CS: “Oh yeah, for sure. That just speaks a lot.”

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Q: You mentioned having it matter to a fanbase. Both Texas and Texas A&M, I’m sure Colin as you know, it matters to those fanbases. They love their football teams. Where do they stand right now in your recruitment? What are your thoughts around potentially getting back there for some visits?

CS: “Texas, I’ll tell you this; Texas is for sure up there. Texas A&M is for sure up there too. They’ll both be receiving an official visit. Just staying in-state, ain’t nothing wrong with that. Being close to family, I mean, I love it.”

Q: Is there any pressure around having to stay in the Lone Star State? Do you feel pressure around that at all?

CS: “Yeah, I do. A lot of people pressure me, people who’s friends with my mom and the rest of my family. They pressure me to stay in-state.”

Q: I know you have a lot of pressure on you. Do you ever think maybe if I eliminate some schools and narrow my list, maybe I can get some of these people off me? Do you consider doing that? Maybe a top 10, maybe a top five before the season starts?

CS: “I tell myself I do. I tell myself do I want to go ahead and drop that top five, top seven or something like that. I think like I can just go ahead and find my home and just come out with it, a commitment. I might just do that.”

Q: What is it you like about the Longhorns?

CS: “Home. It’s home. I mean.. my family, people from DFW that already graduated that goes there now.. Anthony Hill, Johntay Cook, Manny (Muhammad) from SOC (South Oak Cliff). Just with me going up there, seeing them and doing what they are doing as freshmen, speaks a lot.”

Q: Do you have a leader right now? I know it’s early. You told me you’re not going to make a decision until the end of the fall. Right now, as it stands, do you have a leader?

CS: “Texas and LSU, head to head.”

Q: For someone like yourself, a Five-Star Plus+ player, you turn on the tape it’s evident, dude’s a baller, NIL has to be a little bit different for someone like yourself. How have you handled that and how does that look for you, being a player of your stature?

CS: “Honestly, I like to leave it to my mom a little bit, but I like to hear it myself. Because it sounds good. I like to hear the money talk, but like to leave it to my mom, let her handle that business and come back to me and tell me what sounds best.