Derrick Simmons was a name that was mentioned quite frequently on Tuesday by the local media after Jonathan Smith told reporters that he was one of the team's standout performers.
The coveted defensive lineman from Frankenmuth, Mich., was one of the top in-state prospects in the 2025 class, and he was ranked No. 245 nationally by 247Sports. He was one of the few four-stars in Smith's first class and he enrolled early in January and partook in spring practices.
So he was already on everyone's radar, including Smith's.
But hearing the head coach name him as the first guy who was standing out so far through the first practice of fall camp just further fed in to that breakout narrative that a lot of us have.