Tennessee is in the midst of a commitment flurry. After picking up a handful of public pledges, the Vols are hoping the recruitment precipitation continues.
Lucas Simmons is one of the next prospects set to decide between Tennessee and a host of schools. According to his social media posts, the 6-foot-7, 300-pound offensive lineman in Clearwater Academy (Fla.) International will announce his decision between Florida, Florida State and Southern California, along with the Vols, on July 11.
Here are four things to know concerning Simmons, his announcement date, list of schools and the odds that the Vols make the final cut for the four-star prospect.
The 6-foot-7, 300-pound prospect looks like a prototypical left tackle
With an 82-inch wingspan, Simmons has the length to keep opposing defenders at bay. Simmons has shown the ability to move laterally to the left or right, meaning he could play right tackle if a school needs him there. However, he certainly looks like a left tackle just waiting to develop.
Simmons is still learning his body. That means he has a tendency to let defenders come into his personal space instead of vice versa. Some more upper body strength and technique will take care of that.
Simmons’ recruitment has exploded
Believe it or not, there was a time earlier this year when a scholarship offer from Alcorn State was a newsworthy event in Simmons’ recruitment. No longer. Since the end of May, Simmons has taken official visits to Tennessee, Southern California, Florida and Florida State. The recruiting whirlwind is set to calm soon.
Sooner Legacy
Simmons’ father, Able Simmons, was an offensive lineman for Oklahoma. However, that doesn’t seem to have affected Simmons’ decision. The younger Simmons showed very mild interest in the Sooners, who also didn’t seem to make Simmons a priority.
Simmons Is Swedish
One of the reasons that Simmons isn’t rated even higher than his four-star rating is because he’s relatively new to football. Simmons great up in Sweden and began playing preseason high school football in 2022.
