MSU 4-Star Football Signee Simmons Sees Bump in Exclusive List

The Michigan State Spartans landed a stud in Frankenmuth defensive lineman Derrick Simmons. He just took a small jump in the recent recruiting rankings...
Nov 2, 2024; East Lansing, Michigan, USA;  Michigan State Spartans head coach Jonathan Smith looks over his sidelines during the first quarter against the Indiana Hoosiers at Spartan Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Dale Young-Imagn Images
Nov 2, 2024; East Lansing, Michigan, USA; Michigan State Spartans head coach Jonathan Smith looks over his sidelines during the first quarter against the Indiana Hoosiers at Spartan Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Dale Young-Imagn Images / Dale Young-Imagn Images

Michigan State's 2025 four-star defensive lineman signee Derrick Simmons was one of, if not the biggest gets for Coach Jonathan Smith in 2024.

For one, the late recruitment and come-from-behind nature of landing Simmons in the summer before his senior season was an impressive feat for a young coaching staff looking to make a name for itself on the recruiting trial in their home territory and the Midwest as a whole.

When the 6-foot-3, 270-pound prospect rose from high three-star to bona fide four-star, it gave the Spartans a lot more credibility. Not that Smith and Co. would care; for them, it's not about the stars on a recruiting profile or whether you've earned an invitation to play in the U.S. Army All-American Bowl.

Do you have the intangibles and the tools to fit with the vision that Smith has for the program? That is likely the No. 1 question the staff is asking when evaluating each target. Sure, they have their non-negotiables like measurables and physical traits.

But for Smith, culture and locker room fit is arguably just as important as anything else.

Nonetheless, the Spartans scored a blue-chipper in Simmons. The prospect just received a recruiting rankings boost, too. He was originally No. 247 in 247Sports' rankings, which earned him the designation of Top247 player status. He jumped two spots in their most recent update, now placing in at No. 245.

Simmons is the No. 27-ranked defensive lineman in the country and the state of Michigan's No. 4 prospect. National recruiting analyst Allen Trieu projects Simmons as a Power 4 starter and compares him to the Kansas City Chiefs' Marlon Tuipulotu.

"Standout two-way high school player and thrower in track and field. Explosive, strong and has a low center of gravity," Trieu wrote. "Played mostly competition he was significantly more gifted than and was not always challenged. Will need to keep developing in terms of technique and hand usage in college when he cannot physically out-match his opponents. But has good traits, plays hard, works, and projects as a starting college three-tech who should have a good chance to play beyond college as well."

Michael France is Sports Illustrated's Michigan State recruiting beat writer, covering all things Big Ten recruiting for Spartan Nation. Be sure to follow him on Twitter/X@michaelfrancesi for exclusive Spartans recruiting coverage.

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