By Kevin Lonnquist
Publisher
When the No. 1 player in a recruiting class arrives on campus for a visit, that’s a groundbreaking recruiting event.
Rivals 2024 No. 1 player Colin Simmons of Duncanville arrived for Tuesday’s practice to check out the Bears.
For Baylor, it was historic. In its annals, Baylor has rarely – if ever – drawn the interest much less a visit from the top nation’s highest recruit. Proximity helped the 90-minute drive. But there have been a lot of highly rated players living close to Baylor who have made the time to come.
This wasn’t Simmons’ first visit to Baylor. But this may have been his most revealing.
“It was kinda unexpected coming from Baylor,’’ he said. “I honestly didn’t know what to expect.’’
Coming off a season where the Bears were one of the best defensive teams in the country, it’s easy to see why. Everything that the defensive end saw was eye-opening.
What he watched was an approach that was methodical, educational and where the ends justified the means. He sat in on team meetings, film sessions and then took in the practice. Process matters.
“Yeah, and that they all treat each other with respect,’’ Simmons said. “It ain’t a program where they sit there and get mad if you mess up. It’s a program where when you mess up, they teach and tell you what to do correctly and you go back out there and fix it.’’
It’s not by accident that Baylor is attracting a higher level of recruit to its campus. When it comes to defense, that rises to a higher level.
Simmons’ offer sheet is filling up slowly but surely. But it’s significant when defending national champion Georgia is already on there. The Bears are also joined by Oklahoma, Auburn and Texas A&M.
After playing mostly sub-varsity ball in 2020, Simmons burst on to the scene in 2021 helping the Panthers to the Class 6A Division I state championship game. He finished the season with 68 tackles, 12 sacks and three forced fumbles.
Operating out of a 3-man front, Simmons’ burst off the edge is extraordinary. And weighing what he currently does, 215 is just a starting point with two more years of high school ball to play.
“Coach Aranda is a cool guy,’’ Simmons said. “He’s one of the cool laid-back coaches who can teach u something in a regular voice instead of sit there and yell at you for doing wrong.’’
Simmons is also getting ready for Duncanville’s spring football season that is scheduled to begin April 26.
Publisher
When the No. 1 player in a recruiting class arrives on campus for a visit, that’s a groundbreaking recruiting event.
Rivals 2024 No. 1 player Colin Simmons of Duncanville arrived for Tuesday’s practice to check out the Bears.
For Baylor, it was historic. In its annals, Baylor has rarely – if ever – drawn the interest much less a visit from the top nation’s highest recruit. Proximity helped the 90-minute drive. But there have been a lot of highly rated players living close to Baylor who have made the time to come.
This wasn’t Simmons’ first visit to Baylor. But this may have been his most revealing.
“It was kinda unexpected coming from Baylor,’’ he said. “I honestly didn’t know what to expect.’’
Coming off a season where the Bears were one of the best defensive teams in the country, it’s easy to see why. Everything that the defensive end saw was eye-opening.
What he watched was an approach that was methodical, educational and where the ends justified the means. He sat in on team meetings, film sessions and then took in the practice. Process matters.
“Yeah, and that they all treat each other with respect,’’ Simmons said. “It ain’t a program where they sit there and get mad if you mess up. It’s a program where when you mess up, they teach and tell you what to do correctly and you go back out there and fix it.’’
It’s not by accident that Baylor is attracting a higher level of recruit to its campus. When it comes to defense, that rises to a higher level.
Simmons’ offer sheet is filling up slowly but surely. But it’s significant when defending national champion Georgia is already on there. The Bears are also joined by Oklahoma, Auburn and Texas A&M.
After playing mostly sub-varsity ball in 2020, Simmons burst on to the scene in 2021 helping the Panthers to the Class 6A Division I state championship game. He finished the season with 68 tackles, 12 sacks and three forced fumbles.
Operating out of a 3-man front, Simmons’ burst off the edge is extraordinary. And weighing what he currently does, 215 is just a starting point with two more years of high school ball to play.
“Coach Aranda is a cool guy,’’ Simmons said. “He’s one of the cool laid-back coaches who can teach u something in a regular voice instead of sit there and yell at you for doing wrong.’’
Simmons is also getting ready for Duncanville’s spring football season that is scheduled to begin April 26.
