Florida State turns up the recruiting heat with 2028 linebacker Deshawn Simmons after campus camp visit

Florida State used a recent recruiting weekend to make a major impression on one of the better linebackers in the 2028 class. Multiple recruiting reports say the Seminoles hosted 2028 four-star linebacker Deshawn Simmons on campus for a camp, and Simmons subsequently placed Florida State among his top five schools.

Simmons’ profile gives the visit extra weight. The 6-foot-3, 215-pound prospect is ranked by the 247Sports composite as the No. 9 linebacker nationally and the No. 132 overall prospect. According to coverage of the trip, Simmons also brings more than 30 scholarship offers into his recruitment, with reported interest from programs including Alabama, Georgia, LSU, Miami, Texas, Texas A&M, Ole Miss, Texas Tech, and others.

For Florida State, the timing matters as much as the recruiting outcome. Linebackers coach Ernie Sims is entering his first season in the role, and the program’s staff is using the early months of that transition to establish relationships at one of college football’s most talent-dependent positions. Simmons’ recruitment update highlights how the coaching connection built during prior interactions appears to have strengthened after this latest visit.

The campus tour and program pitch were central to the impression the trip left, according to recruiting notes. Simmons told Noles247 that seeing Florida State’s “new facilities” stood out, describing the atmosphere as “electric” and saying he “Loved the coaches.” He also indicated that he was able to spend meaningful time talking football and other recruits, reinforcing the idea that the Seminoles were not only selling the pitch but also the people and the plan.

Florida State’s challenge is that linebacker recruiting is often a numbers game that plays out across years, not weeks. In the past, the Seminoles have been working to improve results at the position group, and this recruitment fits that broader objective. Sims’ arrival, and the staff’s push to lock in top-tier prospects early, are designed to change the baseline talent level on the roster, which can influence depth, special teams, and defensive versatility as classes turn over.

According to the recruiting reporting tied to this visit, Simmons lists five schools as his main group: Alabama, Miami, Georgia, LSU, and Florida State. That is a heavy Southeastern Conference and in-state group, which can raise the recruiting friction points for any program outside that top tier. Florida State will now need to convert continued contact and repeat visits into momentum, especially because Simmons has shown interest in multiple elite programs.

What to watch next is whether Florida State can sustain the relationship and earn additional decision-impact visits. If the staff can keep Simmons engaged through the summer and into the next evaluation windows, the Seminoles could turn a strong showing into a more realistic shot as the 2028 class firms up. The current update does not confirm a commitment, but it does map out a path: keep building the relationship, keep showing facilities and development, and keep Simmons’ schedule pointed at Tallahassee as interest narrows.

Overall, the immediate takeaway is that Florida State is not waiting for late-cycle recruiting to address its linebacker needs. Instead, the Seminoles are actively chasing a prospect rated among the best at his position and, at least on this visit, landing a meaningful early advantage in how Simmons frames his decision set. For a program working through recruiting momentum and staff transitions, that is a clear, actionable win in the process, even if the final outcome remains months away.