Once the dust settles on the upcoming college football season, in a mere six months, Texas junior edge Colin Simmons will hear his name be called within the first 15 picks of the 2027 NFL Draft, achieving a boyhood dream.
But before that dream can take flight, Simmons wants to win a national championship for Texas — badly.
Fans are certainly itching for one, having waited more than 20 years since getting to see the Longhorns lift the trophy. At least on paper, the stars want to align for Texas.
The expectations for this year’s roster cannot be overstated. The Longhorns have a seasoned quarterback in redshirt junior Arch Manning, in what is likely his final collegiate season, wide receiver junior Cam Coleman and, just as importantly, a more mature and experienced Simmons. His performance on the field and leadership off of it will be key to Texas’ hopes this season.
The individual accolades will come pouring in, but above all else, what matters is adding to the win column week after week from September until mid-January.
“Honestly, my individual goals are the team goals,” Simmons said. “It’s the team’s success, winning, winning a national championship, making the playoffs, everything that comes with it.”
Simmons is certainly the centerpiece of the team’s defense. Last season, he started in all 13 games, accumulating 43 tackles, 12 sacks and three forced fumbles, establishing himself as not only one of the Southeastern Conference’s top edge rushers, but one of the best defensive players in the country.
The junior from Duncanville, Texas, not only took a leap on the field last season in efficiency, but also as a leader. Even as a sophomore, he could be seen rallying his teammates on the sidelines and in the locker room amidst a tumultuous season while setting the standard for commitment and work ethic for the younger players.
With the exits of defensive powerhouses Michael Taaffe, Anthony Hill Jr. and Malik Muhammed, the defensive ship is now his to captain. He has the opportunity to help shape the unit’s identity and culture of the team. He gets to help determine the legacy this team leaves behind.
Despite the sky-high expectations surrounding Texas, head coach Steve Sarkisian noted that the motivation comes from within. He said he knows how the pressure of national title expectations and the scrutiny that will come if it’s anything but that. It takes strong leaders to keep a team focused internally and block out the external noise, and Sarkisian said he believes Manning, junior offensive lineman Trevor Goosby and Simmons embody those qualities.
“I think all three of these guys exude the leadership that is needed, the commitment to the program, the commitment to their teammates and the mental and physical toughness to be a champion,” Sarkisian said.
Every veteran has a role, but Simmons’ approach is simple — be authentic. He wants to instill confidence in his teammates, encouraging them to embrace who they are rather than chase others’ approval, believing they’ll play their best when they play freely, he said.
“Just being myself, showing my teammates that they can just be themselves,” Simmons said. “They don’t have to change. They don’t have to impress nobody. People are going to have opinions regardless of what it is, good or bad. But at the end of the day, as long as you stay true to yourself, can’t nothing move you.”
As Simmons enters what could be his final season on the Forty Acres, his legacy will not only be measured by the sacks he records, but by how he carries forward the culture and standards that those who came before him established amidst national championship aspirations.