Stock soaring for NoCal athlete
There is a player in NorCal who is getting offers faster than McDonalds serves burgers and it doesn't look like it is going to slow down anytime soon. This player starts on both sides of the ball and is getting looks from D-I colleges as both a tight end and defensive end.
A.J. Simmons (6-4, 262, 4.85) from Oakland (Calif.) O'Dowd is the player causing the stir.
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So far this spring Simmons has picked up offers from LSU, Arizona, Cal, Oregon, Oregon State, Washington State, Utah and Fresno State.
Offers could come in the future from Washington, Arizona State, USC, UNLV, Boise State, Colorado, Michigan, Miami and Ole Miss.
All the above schools have or are going to visit the O'Dowd campus in the very near future.
From his tight end position Simmons caught 19 passes for 285 yards and four touchdowns.
As a defensive end, Simmons accounted for 46 tackles, four batted passes, three sacks, two fumble recoveries and two forced fumbles.
"A.J. has everything you want in a football player," O'Dowd coach Paul Perenon said. "He has size, quickness, explosion, get-off – you name a quality you want in a football player and A.J. has it."
"A.J. can change directions very well for a big man," Perenon said. "He's a tremendous talent."
"Another that you notice about his work ethic," Perenon said. "He's an extremely hard worker. Even though he plays baseball, A.J. still finds time to work out."
For those of you up in northern California or those of you expecting to be in Palo Alto this Saturday you can see Simmons in action at the NIKE Camp.