Marquis Simmons – OLB – 6-1, 225 – Dominguez HS
Scout Ranking: #7 Weak-side Linebacker
Dominguez product Marquis Simmons was the first commitment in the Trojans’ 2009 recruiting class. Since Simmons committed so long ago he is often overlooked, but make no mistake, he is a very talented football player. Simmons is an attacking weak-side linebacker that that loves to blitz and put pressure on the quarterback. As a senior, he had 81 tackles and 7 sacks.
The 6-foot-1, 225-pound linebacker grew up in a football family and is the younger brother of former USC linebacker Melvin "Champ" Simmons, who was a member of USC’s 2003 national championship team.
According to Carroll: “He’s been a star player for his school for a number of years. He’s been a leading tackler and a guy that makes everything happen. He’s an obvious penetrator and a guy that blitzes very well. He’s an outside speed guy and runs sideline to sideline and a kid we’ve watched grow up in the program.”
Reason for Choosing USC: “It was a dream come true when I got that (USC) offer. When I got the offer from USC it was like, Bam! Alright! I’ll take that! I always wanted to go to USC. I was in Pop Warner when “Champ” (brother Melvin) was at ‘SC and I saw all the hype and the players and the fans.”
Chose USC Over: UCLA, Oregon, Arizona State
Future Impact: Simmons has a good opportunity to come in and compete with USC’s other outside linebackers in 2009. Look for Simmons to see action on special teams early in his career and continue to develop as a linebacker.
Marquis Simmons was the first commitment in the Trojans' star-studded 2009 class.
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If you have any questions, comments or suggestions you can reach Kevin Carden at kevin@scplaybook.com