Titans Veteran Jurrell Casey Ready to Show Rookie Jeffery Simmons the Way

May 07, 2019 at 05:24 PM

Jim Wyatt

Senior Writer/Editor

NASHVILLE – Jurrell Casey likes what he's heard about first-round pick Jeffery Simmons.

And as Simmons prepares to enter the NFL, the eight-year veteran and four-time Pro Bowler is more than willing to help show him the way.

"Our saying is: 'If you take care of the team, the team is going to take care of you'," Casey said. "From day one, if he comes in and has his mind on right, I am willing to help him. My biggest thing is getting him under my wing early, and getting him going fast."

Simmons, the 19th overall pick of the NFL Draft out of Mississippi State, sounds like a guy who is ready to work, and ready to learn from Casey, who has 46 sacks and 611 tackles in his eight seasons with the Titans.

The defensive linemen should be a force together in Tennessee.

Simmons and the Titans, of course, will have to be patient. Simmons is still recovering from an ACL injury, and the team's doctors and trainers will get a better idea of his timetable when he reports to Nashville for the rookie camp this weekend, and continues his rehab under the eyes of Titans officials.

Simmons made it clear he wants to learn from Casey, a player he has admired from afar.

"I watched him play and he's probably one of the best D-tackles in the league right now," Simmons said of Casey. "I'm not even trying to pick his brain, I want him to pick my brain. I want him to try to see what he could get out of me. I'm mature enough to ask him a lot of questions. I'm here to learn, especially coming in, him playing so long and me being a rookie. I just want to learn -- How can I get better as a man first, then as a player on the field.

"I know he's one of the leaders of the defense. Eventually one day he may be gone, one day I may be gone. Just the traits of a leader that I can learn from him, that's what my thing is right now. Just take in everything I can take in from him, him being a veteran."

.@Jurrellc on @Titans first-round pick @GrindSimmons94: “He’s going to be a monster.” #TitansCaravan pic.twitter.com/j52v8Ak1Xg
— Jim Wyatt (@jwyattsports) May 7, 2019

Casey, speaking from the Titans Caravan on Monday night at Dickson County High School, said he's already spoken to Simmons on the phone. He's looking forward to meeting him in person, and playing alongside him.

Casey has liked what he's seen on film, and loves the thought of wreaking havoc with Simmons.

"I am ready to work with him, and in the next couple of days I know he'll be coming to town and I'm sure we'll be sitting down a whole lot and getting to know one another," Casey said. "I am definitely excited about (having him). When you see a guy that big and see a guy that talented and can move as big as he is, I think he is going to be a great asset for our defense. I am looking for him to come in nice and healthy, and when he gets on that field be ready to work.

"From what I have seen he is going to be a monster – I don't think (they're) going to be able to block him," Casey continued. "The length that he has, and the speed and the strength that he has, it is unbelievable. I've never seen a guy move (like that) who is that big and that strong. So to be able to see that and have him next to me is going to make the game that much easier. They can't double-team me no more."

1 / 35

2 / 35

Mississippi State defensive tackle Jeffery Simmons (94) rests during warm-up drills before their NCAA college football game against Louisiana Tech on Saturday, Nov. 3, 2018, in Starkville, Miss. (AP Photo/Jim Lytle)

3 / 35

Mississippi State defensive lineman Jeffery Simmons strips the ball from Auburn quarterback Jarrett Stidham (8) as he tries to throw a pass during the first half of an NCAA college football game Saturday, Sept. 30, 2017, in Auburn, Ala. (AP Photo/Butch Dill)

Butch Dill/Associated Press

4 / 35

Mississippi State defensive lineman Jeffery Simmons (94) strips the ball from Auburn quarterback Jarrett Stidham (8) as he tries to throw a pass during the first half of an NCAA college football game, Saturday, Sept. 30, 2017, in Auburn, Ala. (AP Photo/Butch Dill)

Butch Dill/Associated Press

5 / 35

Butch Dill/Associated Press

6 / 35

LSU running back Leonard Fournette (7) dives to recover his own fumble in front of Mississippi State defensive lineman Jeffery Simmons (98) in the second half of an NCAA college football game in Baton Rouge, La., Saturday, Sept. 17, 2016. LSU win 23-20. (AP Photo/Gerald Herbert)

Gerald Herbert

7 / 35

Texas A&M quarterback Trevor Knight (8) is pressured by Mississippi State defensive lineman Jeffery Simmons (98) as he sets up to pass in the first half of an NCAA college football game in Starkville, Miss., Saturday, Nov. 5, 2016. (AP Photo/Rogelio V. Solis)

Rogelio V. Solis

8 / 35

Alabama quarterback Jalen Hurts (2) is grabbed from behind by Mississippi State defensive lineman Jeffery Simmons (94) after a short gain during the second half of an NCAA college football game in Starkville, Miss., Saturday, Nov. 11, 2017. Alabama won 31-24. (AP Photo/Rogelio V. Solis)

Rogelio V. Solis

9 / 35

Alabama quarterback Jalen Hurts (2) runs past Mississippi State defensive lineman Jeffery Simmons (94) for a short gain during the second half of an NCAA college football game in Starkville, Miss., Saturday, Nov. 11, 2017. Alabama won 31-24. (AP Photo/Rogelio V. Solis)

Rogelio V. Solis

10 / 35

Mississippi State defensive tackle Jeffery Simmons (94) pushes through a double team of Stephen F. Austin offensive linemen on a play during the first half of their NCAA college football game, Saturday, Sept. 1, 2018, in Starkville, Miss. (AP Photo/Rogelio V. Solis)

11 / 35

Arkansas quarterback Austin Allen is sacked by Mississippi State defender Jeffery Simmons during the second half of an NCAA college football game Saturday, Nov. 18, 2017, in Fayetteville, Ark. (AP Photo/Michael Woods)

12 / 35

Mississippi State defensive lineman Jeffery Simmons (94) prepares to tackle Kentucky running back Benny Snell Jr. (26) during the first half of an NCAA college football game in Starkville, Miss., Saturday, Oct. 21, 2017. The play was called back for a penalty. (AP Photo/Jim Lytle)

13 / 35

Louisville running back Dae Williams (25) stretches to avoid a touchback tackle by Mississippi State defensive lineman Jeffery Simmons (94) during the second half of the TaxSlayer Bowl NCAA college football game, Saturday, Dec. 30, 2017, in Jacksonville, Fla. Mississippi State beat Louisville 31-27. (AP Photo/Stephen B. Morton)

Stephen B. Morton

14 / 35

FILE - In this Sept. 8, 2018, file photo, Mississippi wide receiver A.J. Brown (1) hauls in a 38-yard touchdown pass reception as Southern Illinois safety Michael Elbert (37) defends during the first half of an NCAA college football game in Oxford, Miss. Brown and Mississippi State's Jeffery Simmons are the top two candidates for the Conerly Trophy, which is given to the state's top college football player on Tuesday night, Nov. 27, 2018. (AP Photo/Rogelio V. Solis, File)

15 / 35

Mississippi State defensive lineman Jeffery Simmons speaks with reporters about being a veteran player on the young football team, during Mississippi State Media Day, Saturday, Aug. 11, 2018, in Starkville, Miss. (AP Photo/Rogelio V. Solis)

16 / 35

Auburn quarterback Jarrett Stidham (8) looks for an open receiver while Mississippi State defensive tackle Jeffery Simmons (94) pressures him during the second half of an NCAA college football game in Starkville, Miss., Saturday, Oct. 6 2018. Mississippi State won 23-9. (AP Photo/Rogelio V. Solis)

17 / 35

FILE- In this Sept. 1, 2018, file photo, Mississippi State defensive tackle Jeffery Simmons (94) pushes through a double team during the first half of an NCAA college football game against Stephen F. Austin in Starkville, Miss. Simmons is a possible pick in the 2019 NFL Draft. (AP Photo/Rogelio V. Solis, File)

18 / 35

FILE - In this Oct. 6, 2018, file photo, Mississippi State defensive end Montez Sweat (9) forces Auburn quarterback Jarrett Stidham (8) to fumble as he attempts to pass during the second half of an NCAA college football game, in Starkville, Miss. A main reason Mississippi State is allowing fewer than 13 points per game is a defensive front anchored by end Montez Sweat and tackle Jeffery Simmons. Sweat has 18 sacks in 19 career games. Mississippi State plays at LSU on Saturday, Oct. 20. (AP Photo/Rogelio V. Solis)

19 / 35

Former Mississippi State defensive players Jeffery Simmons, left, and Montez Sweat, joke around during Pro Day at the university, as other players were being tested by NFL football scouts and coaches, Wednesday, March 27, 2019, in Starkville, Miss. Sweat ran some agility drills, while Simmons stayed on the sidelines as he recovers from a leg injury. (AP Photo/Rogelio V. Solis)

20 / 35

Mississippi State defensive tackle Jeffery Simmons (94) signs toward the Florida bench during the first half of an NCAA college football game in Starkville, Miss., Saturday, Sept. 29, 2018. Florida won 13-6. (AP Photo/Rogelio V. Solis)

21 / 35

Former Mississippi State defensive player Jeffery Simmons, watches as other players were being tested by NFL scouts and coaches, Wednesday, March 27, 2019, in Starkville, Miss. Simmons stayed on the sidelines as he recovers from a leg injury. (AP Photo/Rogelio V. Solis)

22 / 35

Mississippi State cornerback Cameron Dantzler (3) reacts with defensive tackle Jeffery Simmons (94) after intercepting the ball during an NCAA college football game against LSU in Baton Rouge, La., Saturday, Oct. 20, 2018. (AP Photo/Tyler Kaufman)

Tyler Kaufman/Tyler Kaufman

23 / 35

Former Mississippi State defensive player Jeffery Simmons walks around the Palmero Center while a number of former teammates were being tested by NFL scouts and coaches, Wednesday, March 27, 2019, in Starkville, Miss. Simmons stayed on the sidelines as he recovers from a leg injury. (AP Photo/Rogelio V. Solis)

24 / 35

Mississippi State defensive tackle Jeffery Simmons (94) waits for the next drill during warm-ups before their NCAA college football game against Louisiana Tech on Saturday, Nov. 3, 2018, in Starkville, Miss. (AP Photo/Jim Lytle)

25 / 35

Mississippi State defensive tackle Jeffery Simmons (94), left, and defensive end Montez Sweat (9), right, share a laugh during warm-up drills before their NCAA college football game against Louisiana Tech on Saturday, Nov. 3, 2018, in Starkville, Miss. (AP Photo/Jim Lytle)