Army AA Simmons holds off on commitment
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Jordan Simmons was close to making his commitment Tuesday, but the four-star offensive lineman from Encino (Calif.) Crespi has decided to hold off until he takes some visits.
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It was a big day, anyway, since Simmons was presented with his U.S. Army All-American Bowl jersey during a ceremony at his high school.
The 6-foot-5, 333-pound prospect is really looking forward to his week in San Antonio - whether he's playing offensive tackle or offensive guard.
"It's a real big honor," Simmons said. "I'm the first one in my family to do it and the first one at Crespi.
"I feel I worked hard for it and I feel like everything has paid off. I appreciate the Army All-American committee for recognizing me as one of the top players in the country. It's a huge honor to play in this game and I couldn't ask for anything more.
"I'm really looking forward to competing against some of the best guys from back East. I got a little taste of it at The Opening. A lot of guys from The Opening will be playing in this game and if I keep working hard and keep working on my fundamentals then I should be fine."
No official visits are set up yet but Simmons, the top-rated offensive guard and No. 36 overall in the 2012 class by Rivals.com, said he would definitely like to visit Oregon, LSU and Ohio State for sure.
An official trip to USC might also happen. Simmons has joked in the last few weeks that he still has a top 15.
It is believed Simmons was going to decide between USC and Oregon if he committed Tuesday but after discussing his recruitment with his parents has decided to see some college campuses before ending things.
"I talked to my family and they thought it was best for me to weigh out my options and see what was best for me to pick a school," Simmons said.
"They also want me to make the perfect choice because I don't want to look back a year from now or four years from now saying, 'I wish I never went to that school.'"
One of the reasons why Simmons, No. 8 in the California state rankings by Rivals.com, wanted to make his pledge is so that things wouldn't be so hectic.
Since he has offers from pretty much every major program in the country, Simmons has dealt with recruiting for years and that he feels it's about time to make his decision and focus on the rest of his senior year.
But it looks like Simmons will wait just a while longer until he can take some visits - with Oregon, LSU and Ohio State almost certainly on the official visit list - to announce his choice.
"I wanted to get it out of the way," Simmons said.
"It's kind of stressful, really every week people are asking me about my top 10, top five and when I'm going to make a decision."
Simmons isn't ready to make his commitment. Fans from schools across the country will have to wait a while longer to find out where he ends up.
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