Malcolm Simmons Is the Kind of Swing Will Stein Has to Take at Kentucky
Will Stein’s first year at Kentucky isn’t going to be judged just by wins and losses. Not yet, at least.
What fans really want to see right now is a signal - a clear, unmistakable sign that this program is serious about taking the next step. And in today’s SEC, that means one thing: landing SEC-caliber playmakers, especially when they’re already proven in the league.
Enter Malcolm Simmons.
The Auburn wide receiver has hit the portal, and if Kentucky wants to show it’s not just checking boxes but actually building something formidable, this is the kind of recruitment that has to be more than a courtesy call. This is a test of intent. A test of teeth.
Simmons Isn’t Just a Name - He’s a Problem for Defenses
Let’s get something straight: Malcolm Simmons isn’t a gadget guy or a slot-only safety valve. He’s the kind of wideout who makes defensive coordinators adjust their game plan. He changes the geometry of the field - the way safeties shade, the way linebackers drop, the way corners panic when the ball’s in the air.
The raw stats - 25 catches, 457 yards, two touchdowns - don’t tell the whole story. What jumps off the page is how he closed out the 2025 season.
Simmons dropped 149 yards on Mercer, then followed it up with 143 yards against Alabama. That’s not a fluke.
That’s a receiver who’s heating up when everyone else is wearing down. That’s a guy who’s still winning even when the scouting report has circled his name in red ink.
And then there’s the track background. It shows up in all the ways that make defensive backs miserable: late hands, sudden separation, and that extra gear when the ball is floating and it’s a race to the spot.
Simmons doesn’t just run past people - he times his burst like a sprinter coming out of the blocks. That’s the kind of speed you can’t coach and Kentucky hasn’t had enough of.
Why Simmons Fits What Will Stein Wants to Build
Stein’s offensive system is built on rhythm. It’s about clean breaks, precise timing, and letting athletes turn short completions into long gains.
Think 12-yard slants that turn into 40-yard problems. That’s where Simmons fits like a glove.
He thrives in that dreaded “in-between” zone - crossers, seams, deep digs - the routes that force linebackers to hesitate and safeties to pick their poison. He’s not just a vertical threat; he’s a matchup nightmare in the intermediate game. And if Kentucky gets consistent quarterback play that trusts the timing of the offense, Simmons becomes the kind of target who can make the whole thing click faster than expected.
Let’s be honest: Kentucky’s had too many seasons where the wide receiver room was full of guys who might win a one-on-one, and the best plan was to hope someone stepped up. Simmons isn’t a hope. He’s an answer.
There’s More to the Story - And Kentucky Knows That
Any major recruitment comes with context, and this one is no different. Simmons had a domestic violence allegation before the season, but he was cleared, per WSFA.
That’s part of the background, and any program - especially one trying to build something sustainable - will do its homework. That’s just the reality of big-time college football in 2025.
But from a football standpoint, the question is simple: is this the kind of athlete you go to battle for?
If Stein wants to raise Kentucky’s ceiling quickly - and make no mistake, that’s the goal - this is the kind of swing you take. You don’t build a contender by only winning the battles you’re supposed to win. You build one by walking into tough rooms, with real competition, and walking out with the player.
This Recruitment Is a Litmus Test for What Kentucky Wants to Be
This isn’t just about Simmons. It’s about what Kentucky is becoming.
Fans are watching this recruitment like a scoreboard, and that’s exactly what it is. If Stein can go toe-to-toe with SEC heavyweights and land a player like Simmons, it sends a message - to the rest of the league, to high school recruits, to future portal targets.
The message isn’t that Kentucky is in the mix.
The message is that Kentucky is hunting.