As we are just a couple of days out from Clearwater Academy International (Fla.) four-star offensive tackle
Lucas Simmons’ decision, I spoke to him last night to gauge where his head is at as he chooses between his top four of
Florida State, Florida, USC, and
Tennessee.
He tells me that he has not made his decision yet, and I believe it. There are aspects of each of his top four teams that stand out to him, but he maintains that his decision will ultimately come down to “the people.” There was no indicators in our conversation that he was leaning towards any specific program. However, he did tell me why he would choose each of the four schools when it comes down to it.
Why he would choose Tennessee:
“For me, the first time I went there, I thought they were going to use all the flash and glitz and glamour of it being Tennessee, SEC, the facilities and all that, like I thought that was going to be the main points, but once I got there, it was the people,” said Simmons. “That’s what really surprised me. Of course they have all the things that you would really want, but they are more focused on the people, and all the flashy things come second, so I just like where their heads are and what they think is real – what they think is important.”
Why he would choose Florida:
“I like how they have five O-line coaches and I know I'll get developed,” said Simmons. “There is constant development when you have five guys on you. I like where they are going as well.”
Why he would choose Florida State:
“I’ve been there so many times,” said Simmons. “I feel very comfortable with them. It feels real every time I'm there. It doesn't feel fake, and I’ve never had to question what they say. I trust them and I know what I'm getting from them, and they know what they are getting from me.”
Why he would choose USC:
“The opportunities and all,” said Simmons. “It’s a mix of the football side, then outside of football as well, talking about networking opportunities in LA and all of that. It could really set you up for life after football.
I also asked about the relevancy of NIL in his recruitment and whether that will factor into his decision as we come down to crunch time.
“No. Money comes in the league,” he responded.
If Florida State were to land Simmons’ talents, you could argue it as the biggest recruiting win of the Norvell era, as the 6-foot-7, 300-pounder is a legitimate left tackle prospect with obvious NFL upside.
We will continue getting updates on Simmons’ status as his announcement time approaches — 1pm on Monday.
The Sweden native checks in as the 13th best offensive tackle prospect, and the 109th overall prospect in the 2023 class by the 247Sports Composite Rankings.
