College football season is here again, which means Sportsvival will be studying game film and profiling the top prospects eligible for the 2027 NFL Draft. This time, we turn our attention to Texas edge rusher Colin Simmons, a defender who can change an entire game before an offense has time to make an adjustment.
If you watched Texas play Tennessee, you already understand why Simmons belongs near the top of the conversation. His historic performance against the Volunteers provided another reminder of how valuable an explosive pass rusher can be.
Colin Simmons
Position: EDGE
School: Texas
Height: 6-foot-3
Weight: 246 pounds
Class: Junior
Hometown: Dallas, Texas
High School: Duncanville
2027 NFL Draft Status: Eligible following the 2026 season.
BACKGROUND AND RECRUIT PROFILE
Simmons arrived at Texas as one of the premier defensive recruits in the country. At Duncanville, he helped lead his team to consecutive state championships and earned Defensive MVP honors in both championship games. His junior season included 22.5 sacks, a school record.
That background matters because Simmons had experience carrying major expectations before stepping onto a college field. Texas recruited a defender accustomed to making important plays against strong competition, and his impact carried over quickly.
COLLEGE CAREER
Simmons wasted little time establishing himself. As a true freshman in 2024, he produced nine sacks and 14 tackles for loss while earning the Shawn Alexander National Freshman of the Year award.
He followed that with 12 sacks in 2025, leading the SEC and earning first-team All-SEC recognition. Through two seasons, he had accumulated 91 tackles, 29.5 tackles for loss, 21 sacks and six forced fumbles.
Those numbers give his draft outlook a foundation beyond athletic potential. Simmons had already established a substantial record of production before beginning his junior season.
2026 SEASON
Through Texas’ first four games, Simmons has recorded 7.5 sacks, with one against Ohio State, one against UTSA and his enormous 5.5-sack performance against the Tennessee Volunteers.
In Texas’ 20-17 victory at Tennessee on September 26, Simmons finished with nine tackles, six solo tackles, 5.5 sacks and one forced fumble. His sacks accounted for 55 yards lost. The performance established a new Texas single-game sack record and tied the SEC single-game mark.
He subsequently earned national weekly recognition from the Bednarik Award, Nagurski Trophy and Walter Camp Award.
For Sportsvival, the significance goes beyond the final stat line. Simmons repeatedly disrupted possessions in a close road game. His ability to create negative plays helped Texas survive an afternoon when every defensive stop mattered.
That is exactly the kind of impact NFL teams seek from an early draft selection.
WHAT SPORTSVIVAL LIKES
Explosive First Step
The first trait that stands out in Sportsvival’s evaluation is Simmons’ acceleration. He can threaten the outside shoulder immediately, forcing an offensive tackle to gain depth quickly.
That creates opportunities elsewhere. Once a blocker begins protecting against the outside rush, an inside counter becomes more dangerous. Simmons’ burst gives him the foundation to dictate the matchup.
Bend and Closing Speed
Simmons’ ability to turn the corner is central to his appeal. Getting outside a tackle is only part of the job. A pass rusher must also flatten his path toward the quarterback.
His movement skills give him the potential to finish those rushes without being carried harmlessly behind the pocket. Once he has a clear path, his closing burst can erase the quarterback’s escape window.
Sustained Effort
Sportsvival likes the energy Simmons brings to a possession. An initial block does not have to end his involvement. Continuing to pursue, redirect and work toward the football creates opportunities after the first rush stalls.
That effort becomes especially valuable against mobile quarterbacks and offenses that extend plays.
Production Against Strong Competition
His Tennessee performance strengthened an already impressive record against ranked opponents. Texas reported that Simmons had accumulated 14.5 career sacks against Top 25 teams through that game, with a sack in seven consecutive appearances against ranked opponents.
For an evaluator, that provides meaningful evidence. His production has carried into games where the opposition has the personnel and preparation to challenge him.
AREAS SIMMONS CAN IMPROVE
Strength at the Point of Attack
The next step in Sportsvival’s evaluation is determining how consistently Simmons can hold his ground against powerful NFL-caliber blockers.
His quickness can disrupt running plays, but professional offenses will also test him directly. Hand placement, leverage and the ability to disengage will determine how complete an every-down defender he becomes.
Developing a Complete Rush Plan
Simmons’ athletic ability provides an excellent starting point. Continued refinement of his counters could make him even more difficult to block.
NFL tackles will study his preferred approach. Sportsvival wants to see consistent answers when an opponent takes away the outside rush, including decisive inside moves and a stronger transition from speed to power.
Maintaining Edge Discipline
Aggressive pursuit must work within the defensive assignment. Against option concepts and mobile quarterbacks, Simmons will need to balance attacking the backfield with protecting the outside lane.
This is an area to monitor as his responsibilities expand.
Avoiding Costly Penalties
Simmons also gave NFL evaluators something to examine beyond his dominant performance against Tennessee. After one of his sacks, he celebrated with a gesture that appeared to mimic urinating on the field, drawing an unsportsmanlike conduct penalty that allowed Tennessee’s possession to continue.
Some NFL teams may look more closely at his character, particularly his maturity, judgment and ability to control his emotions. One incident does not define a player’s character, but scouts may want to understand whether it was an isolated lapse or part of a broader pattern.
Sportsvival loves the competitive fire Simmons brings. The next step is making sure his celebrations do not undermine the plays he works so hard to create.
NFL COMPARISON
Brian Burns
Sportsvival’s stylistic comparison is Brian Burns.
The connection comes from Simmons’ explosive get-off, ability to threaten the corner and pursuit speed. His clearest path to NFL success is as an attacking edge defender who forces offenses to account for him on passing downs.
This comparison describes how Simmons could win at the next level. His development against the run and refinement as a technician will determine how complete that NFL role becomes.
2027 NFL DRAFT PROJECTION
Current Sportsvival Grade: Top-5 talent
Projected Draft Range: Top 5 to Top 10
NFL Comparison: Brian Burns
Simmons belongs in the discussion to become the first defensive player selected in the 2027 NFL Draft, should he declare.
That is Sportsvival’s early assessment, based on his established production, athletic traits and ability to influence major games. Continued consistency, health and the eventual pre-draft evaluation will help determine his final position.
The Tennessee performance strengthens his case considerably. A defender who can repeatedly destroy possessions in a tight SEC road game offers the kind of impact teams pursue near the top of the draft.
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