Is Texas Edge Rusher Collin Simmons the Nation's Best True Freshman?

CBS Sports hops onto the Colin Simmons hype train, noting him as the best true freshman for Texas heading into the year.

April 20, 2024; Austin, Texas, USA: Texas White team edge Colin Simmons warms up ahead of the Longhorns' spring Orange and White game at Darrell K Royal Texas Memorial Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Sara Diggins-USA Today Sports via American Statesman / Sara Diggins/USA Today Sports via

Between the level of hype from the media and the praise from coaches and players alike in the Texas football community, freshman edge Colin Simmons is making a name for himself before he plays his first college snap.

A top 20 player in 247Sports’ 2024 Top Football Recruits Rankings, the Duncanville edge rusher has been one of the most talked about true-freshman of the Longhorns offseason. Head coach Steve Sarkisian has noted his early development, both on the field and in the weight room, while Late Kick Live’s Josh Pate noted him as one of the most notable freshmen entering the scene in 2024.

Now, CBS Sports has jumped onto the bandwagon in a recent article denoting the top true freshman on the top teams in college football. Texas is ranked fourth on CBS’s 2024 team rankings, and Simmons was one of the highest-rated players on the list of top-10 teams' best recruits.

“Simmons is the type of edge-rushing talent Texas has not had in years,” said Chris Hummer, a CFB writer for the website and author of the article.

Simmons is the highest-rated edge rushing recruit since Jackson Jeffcoat in 2010, a player who registered 19.5 tackles for loss and 13 sacks in 2013. 

Hummer noted in the article how Simmons could have a similar impact to last year’s standout true freshman, Anthony Hill. Hill was second on the team in tackles and sacks in 2023 and was another highly touted five-star recruit. If Simmons has a similar impact to Hill in 2024, this defense may be the best we’ve seen in Austin in quite some time.

Even in a packed edge rushing group, expect a player like Colin Simmons to elevate the pass rush game, especially in later down situations. Even if Simmons isn’t used in the early down game, where bigger athletes like Barryn Sorrell and Ethan Burke can help in the run game, expect Simmons to be one of the most feared pass rushers in the SEC as early as Texas’ first game in the conference against Mississippi State.