Simmons recaps visit, ready to sign

Nashville defensive lineman Elijah Simmons committed to the Vols back in July. Simmons, who has been on Tennessee’s campus unofficially this fall, took his official visit to the Vols over the weekend.

“Really it was getting to know the players better and getting a better relationship with the coaches,” Simmons said of what he was looking for this weekend. “

That was what I was focused on.”

Simmons hung mostly with fellow defensive lineman Emmit Gooden.

“My host was Emmitt. I hung with him the majority of the time,” Simmons offered.” We chilled and played video games and stuff like that. We didn’t really talk a lot of football. We just hung out.”

“As far as coaches, I talked to coach Rocker and coach Fair the most.”

Fair recruits the Nashville area for Jeremy Pruitt.

As for the message from Tennessee’s coaches in terms of football, it was simple: Arrive in shape in May, which means dropping some pounds.

“They said they wanted me to play defensive tackle and nose guard,” Simmons said. They wanted me to focus on my weight. They want me at 325 by the time I arrive in January. I currently weigh 350.”

Since committing to Tennessee back in July, Simmons has enjoyed a relaxing fall where he could just focus on his senior year of football. Simmons said that’s been nice and is looking forward to officially becoming a Vol next week.

“It’s been pretty good. I haven’t been getting all the calls so I just got to relax this fall and focus on football."

Now that focus is on losing weight before his arrival in six months.