RAVENS ADD PRO ARENA FOOTBALL WR TODD SIMMONS JR TO THEIR SPECIAL TEAMS PACKAGE
The Baltimore Ravens have added arena football star wide receiver Todd Simmons Jr to their potential special teams package, after working him out last week. The news was first reported by Windy City Gridiron’s Jacob Infante this weekend.
Simmons had a private workout at the Ravens’ training facility on Saturday and impressed enough to earn a contract with the team. Standing at 6-foot-1, 195 pounds, the former Dubuque star has spent the last six years fighting through the ranks of division I and II schools trying to find a look from an NFL team. Simmons has been training with former NFL receivers Torrey Smith and Jacoby Jones who, according to reports, advocated for him to get an invite from the Ravens.
After declaring for the 2023 NFL Draft following a successful 2022 season, Simmons didn’t hear his name called and entered the undrafted free agent market, where he was invited to workout with both the Chicago Bears and the Las Vegas Raiders. Those invites did not materialize into a roster spot unfortunately.
Simmons eventually signed with the XFL Arlington Renegades as an undrafted free agent before joining Harrisburg’s Pro Arena Football team as a wide receiver and kick returner. A two-way offensive threat with the Harrisburg Stampede, Simmons put up an impressive 12 total touchdowns across 8 games this spring.
As per Infante, the speedy wideout recorded a 23.8mph top speed in his workout with Baltimore, beating out his personal best 23.41mph top speed from his pre-draft workouts last offseason. Simmons did not receive an invite to the NFL combine but recorded an official 1.5 second 10-yard split in the 97th percentile on his 40-yard dash. The quarterback turned wide receiver ran a 4.40 40-yard dash, and recorded a 10.7 broad jump and a 41-inch vertical.
One of the hardest working players on the field, Simmons consistently moved the chains for his team and was used as a primary target on third down play calls. Not only did he show great toughness and hands to high-point the ball but also a unique ability to make defenders miss in space. Simmons has a knack for finding soft spots and also boasts crisp, clean routes, making him a threat for most defensive backs in the league.
Amongst his stats, Simmons accounted for 42 receptions, 548 receiving yards and 4 touchdowns in ten games with the Dubuque Spartans in 2022.
With a new chance at the NFL, Simmons is expected to compete for the kick returner position at Ravens training camp this month. The Ravens’ updated roster currently features former Bills wide receiver Deonte Harty and fourth-year wideout Tylan Wallace as their kick and punt return players. The Ravens, much like the other 31 NFL teams, are still evaluating all options on the new kickoff return after the league announced that it will be implemented on a trial basis for the 2024 season.
Simmons posted pictures of himself in a Ravens jersey over the weekend at Baltimore’s facility with a purple emoji, indicating his happiness at getting the workout invite. If the arena football star maximizes the opportunity and wins the job, Simmons will be the Ravens’ kick return man this fall as Baltimore prepares for yet another Super Bowl push after falling in the AFC Championship last year.
The Ravens will be the first team in the NFL to open training camp next week and will welcome its rookies as early as Saturday, July 13th. Veterans arrive on July 20th as work for the upcoming season begins to ramp up.
-Maher Abucheri
Twitter: @pabloikonyero
Photo: Austin Kirk. This file is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution 2.0 Generic license.