Colin Simmons is no stranger to preseason honors and the sophomore out of Duncanville certainly isn't a player flying under the radar. However, we may not fully appreciate the pass rushing monster that is Simmons as he approaches his sophomore season.
Colin Simmons is no stranger to preseason honors and the sophomore out of Duncanville certainly isn’t a player flying under the radar. However, we may not fully appreciate the pass rushing monster that is Simmons as he approaches his sophomore season.
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When rushing the passer, it helps to have a blitz (five or more rushers) against what will often be five or six blockers. That puts more pressure on each individual blocker to stand tall to the task and not allow their defender pass by. Unsurprisingly, Simmons excelled in these circumstances, getting pressure on the opposing QB at a 23.4% rate in 2024 according to Sports Info Solutions. This was the best among all edge rushers in the NCAA (minimum 10 pressures).
How did he fare when there were only three or four rushers on a given play?
You should already know the answer to that, he is the monster that haunts offensive tackles’ nightmares. At a 18.9% pressure rate, he was tied for sixth best among defensive ends in college football in those situations. Abdul Carter out of Penn State had a 19.9% pressure rate, and he was just drafted 3rd overall by the New York Giants. Even when teams have the ability to focus two or more blockers on a single rusher, Simmons still wins.
At this point, it is likely common sense that no matter how many defenders are rushing the QB, Simmons is a player that is and will be feared. He ranked first in the nation among 2024 defensive ends in pressure percentage with a 19.8% pressure rate with any number of rushers joining him on a given play.
Now the only question is, how will he do after a full offseason with Torre Becton and will his conditioning allow him to stay on the field for more than the 292 pass defense snaps? That didn’t seem to be too much of an issue last year. Rather, Trey Moore ahead of him limited Simmons’ opportunity on the field.
He’ll also need to make sure his run defense is on point, something Simmons himself identified as an area he needed to focus on ahead of the 2025 season.
Texas certainly could use more of Simmons, especially when rushing the passer. Because one thing is for certain: Simmons is a DAWG.
Category: General Sports
