Vanderbilt football has hired Barton Simmons as its “general manager,” according to Robbie Weinstein of 247 Sports. Weinstein reported that the role will “function as the Commodores’ director of player personnel.”
Simmons most recently worked for 247 Sports as its director of scouting and routinely appeared on CBS Sports HQ to contribute to its football coverage. Simmons, a Nashville native, worked for Rivals.com as a national analyst before moving over to 247 Sports 2010. He spent a decade in various lead roles for 247 Sports’ scouting department.
Simmons played high school football at Montgomery Bell Academy, where he was a teammate of Vanderbilt’s head football coach Clark Lea. He was a two-time state champion in football and earned first team All-Midstate honors, first team All-State honors and Division Defensive MVP. Simmons also lettered in basketball, serving as a team captain of both teams his senior year. He went on to play college football at Yale.