Elijah Simmons dealt with a knee injury in 2021, and missed significant time as he only appeared in 7 games for Tennessee.

But the defensive lineman has committed to getting in better shape this offseason and told reporters on Monday that he’s lost 20-25 pounds. It’s unclear what Simmons weighs in now, but as a high school recruit, he was listed at 6-foot-2 and 340 pounds. Defensive line coach Rodney Garner then explained what he sees as a next step.

“I think Elijah Simmons has done a good job of losing some weight,” Garner said. “I think he’s down probably 20-25 pounds. Now we’ve got to get his motor to mirror the weight loss. But it’s good to see he had the discipline to do what they asked him to do.”

Simmons said the most difficult part of the weight loss is missing fried food and burgers, but that’s what motivates him.

“Where I want to be in the future,” he said. “The drive I have, the things I want to accomplish, and where I want to be at. I want to help my family out in the future as well. Those are the main things.”

Simmons certainly has the potential for a breakout year after he has appeared in 20 games and made 6 starts during his career, including the first 4 games of the 2021 season.