Class of 2027 4-star Amos P. Godby (FL) receiver Jamarin Simmons made his recruiting decision on Wednesday, and in the end, the Auburn Tigers didn't appear to be much of a factor, despite efforts from Kodi Burns to reel in the Tallahassee native earlier this year.
Simmons chose the Clemson Tigers. On3's Hayes Fawcett may have reported that it was a recruiting win "over" the Florida Gators, Florida State Seminoles, Auburn, and the Tennessee Volunteers, but the Simmons sweepstakes was predominantly a two-horse race between FSU and Clemson.
Florida just landed Port Charlotte product Elias Pearl and has another pair of 4-star receiver recruits in Tramond Collins and Anthony Jennings. The Gators were out of the running on Tuesday, truthfully.
As for Auburn, Simmons last visited in April. Since then, there's not been much noise. Simmons was always Clemson's recruit to lose, and the Seminoles were always the team with the most momentum to catch them. Unfortunately for FSU, the Noles couldn't keep the Class 3A star in-market.
Who is Auburn targeting in the 2027 class at receiver?
With only 3-star Riverdale (TN) receiver Brylan Oduor in tow, the Tigers will look to build their 2027 class around 3-star Brookwood (GA) quarterback Gary Chatman Jr., Tristan Ti'a, or whoever else will be leading the program from under center in the post-Byrum Brown years on the Plains.
Alex Golesh has shown a penchant for finding strong, if undervalued, receiving talent, bringing several SEC-level receivers to Tampa, including former USF Bulls/current Auburn receivers Keshaun Singleton, Chas Nimrod, Jeremiah Koger, Christian Neptune, and Kory Pettigrew during his first truncated recruiting cycle in East Central Alabama.
While Simmons won't be part of the picture, the Tigers have Oduor as a nice start. Oduor just had 24 receptions for 484 yards and eight touchdowns during his junior season. He's been said to have "good hands, excellent athleticism, high football IQ, great jump ball skills and a relentless motor."
What does Jamarin Simmons' commitment mean?
Simmons' commitment means that working hard beyond offering the biggest paycheck still holds at least a modicum of value in College Football. As Rubbing the Rock's Zach Lentz relayed, Dabo Swinney and his staff did everything possible to land Simmons.
"Simmons' relationship with the Clemson coaching staff runs deep. The 5-foot-11, 165-pound speedster from Amos P. Godby High School in Tallahassee, Florida, was actually the very first wide receiver in the 2027 class to secure a Clemson offer, earning it the old-fashioned way after an absolutely dominant, eye-popping performance at Dabo Swinney's camp last June," Lentz wrote.
"He was back on campus for the Elite Retreat in March, and that’s when the staff put the full-court press on to lock him down. Now, he’s already set to return to the Upstate for Clemson’s can’t-miss official visit weekend at the end of May."
Of course, as Swinney learned with Cal Golden Bears transfer linebacker Luke Ferrelli, he'll have to continue those recruiting efforts even beyond what was previously thought to be necessary. Still, Simmons is a major victory in Upstate South Carolina for a program that's building solid momentum for their 2027 class.
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