Derrick Simmons was a name that was mentioned quite frequently on Tuesday by the local media after Jonathan Smith told reporters that he was one of the team's standout performers.
The coveted defensive lineman from Frankenmuth, Mich., was one of the top in-state prospects in the 2025 class, and he was ranked No. 245 nationally by 247Sports. He was one of the few four-stars in Smith's first class and he enrolled early in January and partook in spring practices.
So he was already on everyone's radar, including Smith's.
But hearing the head coach name him as the first guy who was standing out so far through the first practice of fall camp just further fed in to that breakout narrative that a lot of us have.
Jonathan Smith very complimentary of true freshman DL Derrick Simmons, from Frankenmuth.
— Emmett Matasovsky (@E_Matasovsky57) July 29, 2025
And I'm here to say: I'm buying all the Derrick Simmons stock that I can afford.
Simmons, a 6-foot-3, 297-pound monster, is joining a defensive line that just couldn't get to the quarterback last year. He's joining a position group that needs a spark and I have a feeling that he's going to provide that from day one. He already has the frame and if an offensive-minded head coach like Smith is already raving over him, you know he's a special player.
Why am I buying the stock now? Well, it may only take a few games before that stock price doubles because he may just have the highest ceiling of anyone in the defensive line room.
OK, I actually think that may be Jalen Thompson or even a guy like Alex VanSumeren who hasn't been able to stay healthy, but Simmons is right there.
This may be just a feeling or a hunch, but Simmons reminds me of a slightly smaller Derrick Harmon as a freshman for Michigan State. If he's anything like Harmon, he's going to be playing on Sundays before we know it.
Let's just hope Smith can keep Simmons from transferirng to Oregon.