Inside The Panthers

Ultra-Productive DT Set to Visit Pitt Panthers This Week

A state champion defensive tackle from New Jersey will visit Pitt next Saturday.
Kevin Sinclair|
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Another prospect has confirmed that he’ll be visiting the Pitt Panthers this week - defensive lineman Brandon Simmons Jr. 

Simmons Jr. told Irish Illustrated this weekend that he’s set to be in Pittsburgh on Saturday, March 15. It’s a date on the calendar worth circling for those who follow Pitt recruiting closely as several prospects will be on campus. 

Currently, Simmons Jr. is set to join in-state tight end recruit Lucas Shanafelt out of Peters Township High School, 6-foot-7, 270-pound tackle Pete Eglitis, and recently-offered interior offensive line prospect Nathan Zappitelli next Saturday in Pittsburgh. 

What should Pitt know about Simmons Jr.? 

It starts with the numbers. 

Last season as a junior at Glassboro (NJ) High School, Simmons Jr. was wildly productive as a state champion, especially for an interior defender. The 6-foot, 275-pound rising senior stacked up an eye-popping 122 total tackles, 32 tackles for loss, 20 sacks, seven hurries, three pass deflections, and two fumble recoveries. 

Over the last two seasons combined, Simmons Jr. has recorded 222 total tackles, 67 tackles for loss, 33 sacks, 14 hurries, three pass breakups, three fumble recoveries, and a forced fumble. 

So far, Miami, Pittsburgh, and West Virginia represent his Power Four scholarship offers alongside Akron, Charlotte, Connecticut, Kent State, Liberty, New Hampshire, and Temple. 

At Glassboro High School, Simmons Jr. is a teammate of Amari Sabb, a three-star prospect with dynamic speed and a loaded offer list that includes Pitt. 

Sabb told Inside the Panthers last week that he’s looking into attending a spring practice in Pittsburgh. 

It’ll be interesting to see how the Panthers fare with these talented Jersey teammates. 

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Kevin Sinclair
KEVIN SINCLAIR

Kevin Sinclair writes coverage of the Pitt Panthers along with the Baltimore Ravens, the New England Patriots, the Pittsburgh Steelers, and the Tennessee Titans for On SI. Previously, he was a recruiting reporter and managing editor at Irish Illustrated, the privately-owned Notre Dame site within the 247Sports Network, for over seven-and-a-half years. Kevin studied multimedia journalism and has been a sports writer for nearly a decade.

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