Simmons picks up very early offer

The recruiting game has gotten earlier and earlier seemingly every year. With several members of the class of 2013 receiving early verbal offers lately, a few even younger prospects are getting attention as well. Only a dozen or so sophomores-to-be have offers at this time but Mansfield (Texas) Timberview safety Brandon Simmons added his name to that list on Wednesday.

The 6-foot, 170-pound class of 2014 defender had caught the eye of SMU recruiter Adrian Klemm recently and the Mustangs were the first to extend an offer.

"Coach Klemm from SMU offered him," Brandon's father Kashann Simmons said. "He saw Brandon's film on our website and he also heard about him last year. Last year as an 8th grader he went to our 7-on-7 in Alabama and played against (class of 2012 USC wide receiver signee) Victor Blackwell at the corner spot and did very well. That's when heads started turning.

"He also had a very good freshman season. Coach Klemm told me that they wanted to offer him early because they think he's going to be a four- or five-star kid here in Texas. We're definitely grateful to coach Klemm for taking a shot on him early. He's excited about it."

Simmons will have a chance to check out the SMU campus on an unofficial visit in the very near future.

"He's going to SMU this weekend," the elder Simmons said. "They're holding the 7-on-7 national championship there so he'll get a chance to visit and see the campus as well."

Though he has been receiving quite a bit of attention from schools, Simmons is not making the rounds to summer camps just yet.

"Not as of yet," Kashaan said. "A lot of schools came by spring ball and he had a good spring. He probably won't go to any camps this year. He'll start camps next year."

Though it is still very early in the recruiting process, Simmons has already had the opportunity to check out several campuses and a few made strong impressions on him.

"He travels with me to camps so he's been to a lot of places so he's had a chance to see a lot of schools," the elder Simmons said. "He's been to Auburn. He liked it there. He liked Stanford, USC and a lot of Pac-12 schools. He likes West Virginia because I went there. I took him on a visit up there when he was in 7th grade and he liked it up there.

"He's new to the Texas area. We moved from New Jersey so he's still starting to feel out the Texas schools. He hasn't been to many. The same thing with the Midlands schools like KU and Missouri. He's been real familiar with the SEC, the Pac-12 and the Big East."

SMU also offered fellow class of 2014 Timberview safety Edward Paris on Wednesday as well.