The agent of Ohio State Buckeyes offensive tackle Josh Simmons, Drew Rosenhaus, provided a health update after Simmons recently declared for the 2025 NFL Draft. Simmons suffered a season-ending knee injury on Oct. 12 in a 32-31 loss to the Oregon Ducks.
Prior to the injury, Simmons was skyrocketing up NFL Draft boards amid an impressive campaign at one of the top college football programs in the nation. Though the injury could impact his draft stock and projection, Rosenhaus clearly does not echo this sentiment.
Josh Simmons Health Update and Draft Projection
Rosenhaus provided a positive update and indicated that his client was already well ahead of schedule.
“Josh will be fully cleared for practice by the start of NFL training camp, and he will be a high first-round pick,” the agent outlined.
Ohio State offensive tackle Josh Simmons has declared for the NFL draft. Simmons had season-ending knee surgery after the Oregon game, but his new agent Drew Rosenhaus said surgery went well and he’s already ahead of schedule with his rehab. “Josh will be fully cleared for… pic.twitter.com/XQfqxolo4K
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) December 4, 2024
Despite the comments, there is a chance that Rosenhaus’ message was simply to reassure teams that Simmons is available and that his injury will not negatively impact his long-term NFL future. However, there is no doubt that Simmons has the skill set to succeed at the professional level and be an instant-impact addition on the offensive line of any NFL franchise.
What Can Simmons Bring to the NFL?
Before the knee injury, Simmons was performing at an extremely high level for the Buckeyes, something that saw ESPN analyst Mel Kiper highlight the player as a potential first-round pick.
Though Simmons has now fallen out of the top 25 as of Kiper’s Nov. 28 mock draft, he is still the fourth-ranked available offensive tackle, behind Kelvin Banks Jr. (Texas), Will Campbell (LSU), and Cameron Williams (Texas).
According to Jack Borowsky of Pro Football Network, Simmons “showed that he has NFL potential, which is why a premium program like Ohio State coveted him in the portal. Simmons steadily improved throughout this season after switching positions. That same foot quickness and balance he had at right tackle were evident, but his overall range and ability to adjust to counters have improved.”
While it remains to be seen whether the devastating knee injury negatively impacts his NFL Draft position, it is clear that Simmons’ agent believes that he will be ready for training camp and will make an instant impact at the NFL level.