Dukes Land N.J. Defensive End

HARRISONBURG – Khurram Simpson liked the idea of his lead recruiter also serving as his future position coach and defensive coordinator.

Especially since he said the bond between him and James Madison assistant Corey Hetherman is a strong one.

On Monday morning, the Mater Dei (Middletown, N.J.) defensive end, Simpson, announced his commitment to the Dukes via Twitter and became the seventh pledge in JMU’s 2020 recruiting class.

“It’s a great relationship,” Simpson said. “I like Coach Hetherman a lot. He’s one of the main reasons why I chose JMU.”

Simpson had other offers from Bryant, Maine and Wagner, but it was Hetherman’s relentless pursuit that paid off for Madison. Simpson said Hetherman, the Dukes’ first-year defensive coordinator and defensive ends coach, initially visited parochial power Mater Dei in the spring. After that, Hetherman kept in contact and saw Simpson compete during a camp at Rutgers earlier this summer.

It’s not uncommon for college coaches at one school to work camps at others.

“The way he teaches things and explains things, it just works for me,” Simpson said.

And this past Friday when Simpson attended JMU’s final prospect camp of the summer, it was the performance in front of Hetherman and Dukes coach Curt Cignetti that finally led to the scholarship offer Simpson said he was waiting for.

“I did good in the one-on-ones,” Simpson said. “And the drills, but I think it helped that he saw me at Rutgers, too. That’s what I think was the main thing.”

Simpson said another reason why JMU topped his list was because of the high-level football and academic combination it has.

“When I was there I just could imagine myself there,” he said.

Hetherman’s plan is to begin the 6-foot-2, 240-pounder at defensive end next year as a freshman, according to Simpson, but as he grows, to use him as a defensive lineman who bounces between end and defensive tackle.

Simpson trusts Hetherman’s projection and said, “I just want to play.”

Simpson said he’s also looking forward to joining JMU freshman safety Jordan White, another New Jersey native, at the school. Both Simpson and White are from West Orange, N.J.

“I texted him after [I committed],” Simpson said. “And he was like, ‘You’re going to really like it here and I really like it here, so it’s a good decision.’”

Simpson said he’s happy his decision is made ahead of his senior season at Mater Dei. The Seraphs were 10-2 in 2018, but fell in the NJSIAA Non-Public Group 3 championship game at MetLife Stadium leaving Simpson anxious to focus on his last go-around at the prep level.

“We’re trying to get back and win the championship,” Simpson said. “So that’s our goal.”