For the Record:
For the record, Here's the skinny on Deshane Simmons when he committed in 1994, once again per the Stat Master Fathead...
Simmons, DeShaan DL Duluth, Ga. 6'04" 235 4.9– AJC Super Southern 100, Top 50 in Ga., USA Today 1st Team A.A., Super Prep A.A., #13 DL-I-USA, #18 P-I-Dixie, 10.00 Jeff Whitaker
USA Today 1st Team All-American
10.00 Jeff Whitaker - only other one I remember signing was Quincy Carter.
Hard to get a "bigger tag" than this line
update: Looking over my records, the following were Jeff Whitaker 10.00 recruits:
2001 class
Reuben Houston
AJ Suggs
2000 class
Jimmy Dixon
Hobie Holiday
1996 class
Quincy Carter
1995 class
Joe Hamilton
1994 class
Deshaan Simmons
I think that would indicate that Deshane was a National Recruit even if he happened to be in our region. But that's just my opinion.