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Texas Recruiting Notes 2023: Strippers, Monkeys, and 5-Stars

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Post Oak

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5 minutes ago, RaysBoomBoomRoom said:

 

Gerry said on the podcast today that one reason Johntay was such a good get is because players are drawn to him.  M. Muhammad, I think, is who he said is very similar.  

Johntay can recruit.  Seems to be working.

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OB Warm Room

I like the sourced evals on our commits. I think it makes the desire for a 5th OL pretty clear

Spoiler

(From Suchomel)

It’s been one hell of a ride for Texas in the seven days since Arch Manning committed, and the Longhorns aren’t done. Keep an eye out for some good news to pop this weekend that you all will enjoy.

Let the guessing begin …

******

I caught up with Rivals250 OL Zalance Heard this week for what I thought was a pretty interesting update.

Heard, who Texas had previously been recruiting as a defensive lineman, is now being recruited as an offensive tackle by the Texas staff. Since Bo Davis had already developed a strong relationship, he’s still the point man and the two talked earlier this week.

Last weekend, Heard dropped a top eight consisting of Florida State, LSU, Nebraska, Louisiana Tech, Oklahoma State, Houston, Texas and Auburn.

Heard has taken one official visit, a June 10 stop at Nebraska. So far, he doesn’t have any other trips lined up for late July or the fall.

Here’s where things get interesting …

The Monroe (LA) Neville standout said he doesn’t have a timeframe for a decision and said it’s not out of the question that he could make a decision this summer without taking any other official visits.

“Pretty much when I feel like the time is right. It may be before the season, I know for a fact it won’t be after the season,” Heard said of a commitment timeframe.

Heard has been to Texas “four or five times” so he’s obviously very familiar with the program. He’s also familiar with UT’s recent recruiting run and said it impacts his thinking of the Longhorns.

“It actually does. That got me thinking. They had what, 7 people commit in the last week?,” Heard said. (actually 10, but who’s counting?)

When Heard and Bo Davis talked a couple of days ago, Davis told Heard he should go ahead and commit and join the fun.

“He said they want me to be a part of it. I told him I’m thinking about it,” Heard said.

Most predictions have Heard eventually committing to LSU and while that may wind up being the case, I don’t at all get the impression in talking to him that he’s locked in for the Tigers. Texas could be a sneaky contender here.

“I don’t mind going far away, don’t mind getting away from Louisiana,” Heard said.

Heard is friends with Texas commitment Derek Williams and target Jordan Matthews. That trio actually visited UT together once previously.

******

Speaking of Jordan Matthews, there’s been a lot of talk about the Baton Rouge (LA) Woodlawn corner of late, wondering if he might jump on board with a Texas commitment.

The good news … Texas continues to be in a good spot in this one. The bad news … if you’re looking for an early commitment, Matthews probably isn’t your guy, barring a complete change of heart.

Arch Manning has reached out to Matthews, and as mentioned above, Matthews and new Texas commitment Derek Williams are friends, so that can only help UT’s chances.

“Arch has actually contacted me a couple of times. Yesterday we talked a couple of times on text message,” Matthews said. “Him going there is a big piece of the puzzle, I feel like. It would be a great addition to that legendary team if I would go. That’s not the main thing I would base my decision off of, but it does play a part.”

On the unofficial visit he took to UT with Derek Williams and Lance Heard:

“We went on that unofficial visit earlier this year together. We’re all from Louisiana, all three of us going over there, it really felt like a home vibe we could create over there and ultimately build in the team. I just feel like the Louisiana mindset is different. I’m not hating on Texas, but Texas high schools are kind of built to be successful. In Louisiana we have to kind of get out the mud.”

Matthews has taken official visits to Michigan, Stanford and Tennessee. His plan is to take a visit to Alabama for the Tide’s season-opener and then take one to Texas when the Longhorns host Alabama in week two. He hopes to have a decision shortly after those visits are completed.

Another factor that could weigh in UT’s favor … Matthews takes his academics very seriously and said he wants to study business. He’s anxious to get a good look at the McCombs School of Business when he visits UT in September.

“Academics are very important to me. My parents have always stressed that to me from a young age, you should always take good care of your academics,” Matthews said. “That will take care of you long after football. Being that I have considered Stanford, Michigan, Texas – them being athletically and academically sound is important to me.”

LSU isn’t a factor in this one, despite Matthews’ father having gone there. Like Heard earlier, Matthews is aware of Texas’s recruiting momentum.

“With arch and everybody starting to commit, they’ve been trying to get me to hop on the wave. I don’t want to rush anything, but I’m definitely heavily considering Texas,” Matthews said. “I’m going to be patient with them like they’ve been patient with me.”

******

Recent Texas commitment Billy Walton was still on cloud nine when we caught up with him this week to talk about his decision.

The South Oak Cliff standout says he’s officially done with the recruiting process and won’t be taking any other visits.

“The reason why I ended up pulling the trigger, it was literally because of the coaches. They say all the right stuff, treated me right,” Walton said. “I feel like they’re really transparent with all the players. It doesn’t matter if you start or not, you’re going to be taken care of.

“It feels good, feels right. Nothing feels forced. It just feels like this is home at this point.”

Walton will now put on his recruiter hat for the Longhorns. He’d already been talking to Johntay Cook and said his big priority is getting Malik Muhammad to commit as well.

“Next is getting my cousin Malik on board. They all feel the same as I do,” Walton said. “I asked him what was the move, he said ‘I don’t know, you’ll find out.’”

******

New OL offer Miles McVay tells OB he’ll definitely consider the Longhorns. In fact, McVay says a Texas visit is “in the works” and he’s looking to get to Austin at the end of July.

If that visit happens, it’ll most likely be an unofficial visit. McVay has already taken three official visits to Texas A&M, Michigan State and Oregon. He has October official visits scheduled for Alabama and Florida.

******

I’ll have a full report on Braylan Shelby in the coming days, but if you’re looking for him to commit, you’ll probably have to wait for a bit. The Friendswood standout told me on Thursday evening that he’s hoping to decide in mid to late July, or possibly August at the latest.

Pretty much a Texas and USC battle and Shelby says it’s almost a 50/50 race. He also wants to study business and both schools are very strong in that area, making the decision even tougher.

******

Lastly, a quick note on 5-star defensive end DJ Hicks …

There’s been a lot of chatter about Hicks and Texas over the last week (remember, Hick previously told OB he was intrigued with the possibility of playing with Arch Manning).

I checked in with a source close to Hicks who said Manning’s commitment doesn’t really change anything for Hicks and his family. Sounds like it didn’t need to. That same source went on to say how good of a job Bo Davis has been doing in recruiting Hicks and his family. Basically, if Texas wins out, it won’t be because of Arch’s commitment, it’ll be because the staff has done a really good job from top to bottom in this one.

A&M is still a major factor here. OU is in play and Hicks has taken OVs to Michigan State, Miami and Oregon.

Hicks will be in Austin again in September for the Alabama game and grapevine talk has Texas in a better position than many people realize for the nation’s top-ranked strong-side defensive end prospect.

*****

(Alex)

Here are a few notes about a handful of Texas' most recent commitments (and some of the earlier ones) from a recruiting source at a major D1 Texas university who has had the opportunity to evaluate, recruit and get to know many of the athletes that have committed to play at Texas:

ON OL CONNOR STROH: "We've seen him a lot, he's consistently gotten better every year ... obviously he's huge. Thick and stiff-ankled, but a giant. He has issues with his feet, but he knows it and works to address it. Do you remember when (Derek) Kerstetter came out? His feet were not good either. But he worked at it and was a good producer eventually (at Texas), right? I think (Stroh) can have an outlook like that. I don't think he'll play tackle, his upside would be a Kerstetter-level type. A best-case-scenario at tackle would be like that. If he plays guard he has a chance to be really solid. He's really strong. A lot of big schools were in on him and they had reasons to be."

ON OL ANDRE COJOE: "He's massive, but it was probably a reach (for Texas to take him). With the portal how it is, you shouldn't take high school players who you don't think can contribute in a way to help you win championships sooner than later. We (a lesser recruiting presence than Texas) weren't even really going full-speed after him. He has an inconsistent motor and is an inconsistent competitor. But if (Kyle Flood) likes him, then he likes him. He's still really young and so big. It's just ... can he play inside? He has zero foot speed. He's a big project."

ON OL TREVOR GOOSBY: "VERY Gifted! Just go to his twitter and look at the videos of him dunking. 360 dunks. I'm not sure how much he loves football, he has hoop dreams. But, I thought that about Sam Cosmi, too, and look at him now. People also said that about Mike Evans. Goosby is what your dream left tackle looks like coming out of school. He has the most upside of any of them (that committed to Texas)."

ON OL JAYDEN CHATMAN: "He's really good. I think he has the length to play tackle but they could use him at guard too. He's definitely the best (of the OLs committed to Texas) on film and will come in the most ready."

ON TE WILL RANDLE: "(Isidore Newman High School) beat up on bad teams. That's nothing against Randle or Arch (Manning) but that competition is not good and to me, Randle looks like a guy who normally you would think would go someplace like here (his university) but not Texas. I understand the dynamics in play with Manning, though. To me, he looks like a good high school football player. Maybe he can be a Cade Brewer type at Texas."

ON S DEREK WILLIAMS: "I watched like 20 seconds of his highlights and said 'yep, we're not going to be able to get his guy.'"

ON LB S'MAJE BURRELL: "Really very good. Explosive guy with a good vertical, and he's an all-around linebacker. He can turn and cover, he's into track. If (Texas) has any room on the depth chart, I'd think he could surprise people and play earlier than some would expect. Good player. A good get for sure."

ON LB/EDGE BILLY WALTON: "He's just a great kid, just great. Just all-around. We've seen him a lot and when he first committed (to OSU) he rushed his commitment. I know he had a great time at the Texas Spring BBQ and I don't think --- well I just don't know whether he thought his offer was committable. The South Oak Cliff coaches basically forced their players to commit before the spring game there. I don't think he would have committed to OSU otherwise. He's loose-hipped, sudden and natural. He cares a lot about academics. He is an excellent leader and a guy people are drawn to. The only question is, is he big enough? To that I say, there have been plenty of rushers in the Big 12 that have been slightly undersized."

ON WR RYAN NIBLETT: "Ask anyone in the city of Houston who's the best high school athlete in the city and (Niblett) will probably be your answer. Sark needs speed and Niblett has it but he's not just a lid-lifter, he really is a crazy athlete. I think he can play corner. You can see that in his ability to react and move in short-areas. Great player."

ON DE DYLAN SPENCER: "You know the saying looks like Tarzan plays like Jane? Well, I'm not saying he plays like Jane, but he does look like Tarzan. You can see when you meet him why everyone is so in love with the guy. He hasn't put it all together on film yet, and you wonder what is going on with .. well, has he transferred 3 times during his high school? He just hasn't had the continuity, but when you see his build and his frame and flashes of what he can do, that's what gets everyone excited."

ON WR JOHNTAY COOK: "Holy s*** dude, he's Devonta Smith 2.0. Sick player."

 

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HtownHorn

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4 minutes ago, Bodacious Bevo said:

OB Warm Room

I like the sourced evals on our commits. I think it makes the desire for a 5th OL pretty clear

  Reveal hidden contents

(From Suchomel)

It’s been one hell of a ride for Texas in the seven days since Arch Manning committed, and the Longhorns aren’t done. Keep an eye out for some good news to pop this weekend that you all will enjoy.

Let the guessing begin …

******

I caught up with Rivals250 OL Zalance Heard this week for what I thought was a pretty interesting update.

Heard, who Texas had previously been recruiting as a defensive lineman, is now being recruited as an offensive tackle by the Texas staff. Since Bo Davis had already developed a strong relationship, he’s still the point man and the two talked earlier this week.

Last weekend, Heard dropped a top eight consisting of Florida State, LSU, Nebraska, Louisiana Tech, Oklahoma State, Houston, Texas and Auburn.

Heard has taken one official visit, a June 10 stop at Nebraska. So far, he doesn’t have any other trips lined up for late July or the fall.

Here’s where things get interesting …

The Monroe (LA) Neville standout said he doesn’t have a timeframe for a decision and said it’s not out of the question that he could make a decision this summer without taking any other official visits.

“Pretty much when I feel like the time is right. It may be before the season, I know for a fact it won’t be after the season,” Heard said of a commitment timeframe.

Heard has been to Texas “four or five times” so he’s obviously very familiar with the program. He’s also familiar with UT’s recent recruiting run and said it impacts his thinking of the Longhorns.

“It actually does. That got me thinking. They had what, 7 people commit in the last week?,” Heard said. (actually 10, but who’s counting?)

When Heard and Bo Davis talked a couple of days ago, Davis told Heard he should go ahead and commit and join the fun.

“He said they want me to be a part of it. I told him I’m thinking about it,” Heard said.

Most predictions have Heard eventually committing to LSU and while that may wind up being the case, I don’t at all get the impression in talking to him that he’s locked in for the Tigers. Texas could be a sneaky contender here.

“I don’t mind going far away, don’t mind getting away from Louisiana,” Heard said.

Heard is friends with Texas commitment Derek Williams and target Jordan Matthews. That trio actually visited UT together once previously.

******

Speaking of Jordan Matthews, there’s been a lot of talk about the Baton Rouge (LA) Woodlawn corner of late, wondering if he might jump on board with a Texas commitment.

The good news … Texas continues to be in a good spot in this one. The bad news … if you’re looking for an early commitment, Matthews probably isn’t your guy, barring a complete change of heart.

Arch Manning has reached out to Matthews, and as mentioned above, Matthews and new Texas commitment Derek Williams are friends, so that can only help UT’s chances.

“Arch has actually contacted me a couple of times. Yesterday we talked a couple of times on text message,” Matthews said. “Him going there is a big piece of the puzzle, I feel like. It would be a great addition to that legendary team if I would go. That’s not the main thing I would base my decision off of, but it does play a part.”

On the unofficial visit he took to UT with Derek Williams and Lance Heard:

“We went on that unofficial visit earlier this year together. We’re all from Louisiana, all three of us going over there, it really felt like a home vibe we could create over there and ultimately build in the team. I just feel like the Louisiana mindset is different. I’m not hating on Texas, but Texas high schools are kind of built to be successful. In Louisiana we have to kind of get out the mud.”

Matthews has taken official visits to Michigan, Stanford and Tennessee. His plan is to take a visit to Alabama for the Tide’s season-opener and then take one to Texas when the Longhorns host Alabama in week two. He hopes to have a decision shortly after those visits are completed.

Another factor that could weigh in UT’s favor … Matthews takes his academics very seriously and said he wants to study business. He’s anxious to get a good look at the McCombs School of Business when he visits UT in September.

“Academics are very important to me. My parents have always stressed that to me from a young age, you should always take good care of your academics,” Matthews said. “That will take care of you long after football. Being that I have considered Stanford, Michigan, Texas – them being athletically and academically sound is important to me.”

LSU isn’t a factor in this one, despite Matthews’ father having gone there. Like Heard earlier, Matthews is aware of Texas’s recruiting momentum.

“With arch and everybody starting to commit, they’ve been trying to get me to hop on the wave. I don’t want to rush anything, but I’m definitely heavily considering Texas,” Matthews said. “I’m going to be patient with them like they’ve been patient with me.”

******

Recent Texas commitment Billy Walton was still on cloud nine when we caught up with him this week to talk about his decision.

The South Oak Cliff standout says he’s officially done with the recruiting process and won’t be taking any other visits.

“The reason why I ended up pulling the trigger, it was literally because of the coaches. They say all the right stuff, treated me right,” Walton said. “I feel like they’re really transparent with all the players. It doesn’t matter if you start or not, you’re going to be taken care of.

“It feels good, feels right. Nothing feels forced. It just feels like this is home at this point.”

Walton will now put on his recruiter hat for the Longhorns. He’d already been talking to Johntay Cook and said his big priority is getting Malik Muhammad to commit as well.

“Next is getting my cousin Malik on board. They all feel the same as I do,” Walton said. “I asked him what was the move, he said ‘I don’t know, you’ll find out.’”

******

New OL offer Miles McVay tells OB he’ll definitely consider the Longhorns. In fact, McVay says a Texas visit is “in the works” and he’s looking to get to Austin at the end of July.

If that visit happens, it’ll most likely be an unofficial visit. McVay has already taken three official visits to Texas A&M, Michigan State and Oregon. He has October official visits scheduled for Alabama and Florida.

******

I’ll have a full report on Braylan Shelby in the coming days, but if you’re looking for him to commit, you’ll probably have to wait for a bit. The Friendswood standout told me on Thursday evening that he’s hoping to decide in mid to late July, or possibly August at the latest.

Pretty much a Texas and USC battle and Shelby says it’s almost a 50/50 race. He also wants to study business and both schools are very strong in that area, making the decision even tougher.

******

Lastly, a quick note on 5-star defensive end DJ Hicks …

There’s been a lot of chatter about Hicks and Texas over the last week (remember, Hick previously told OB he was intrigued with the possibility of playing with Arch Manning).

I checked in with a source close to Hicks who said Manning’s commitment doesn’t really change anything for Hicks and his family. Sounds like it didn’t need to. That same source went on to say how good of a job Bo Davis has been doing in recruiting Hicks and his family. Basically, if Texas wins out, it won’t be because of Arch’s commitment, it’ll be because the staff has done a really good job from top to bottom in this one.

A&M is still a major factor here. OU is in play and Hicks has taken OVs to Michigan State, Miami and Oregon.

Hicks will be in Austin again in September for the Alabama game and grapevine talk has Texas in a better position than many people realize for the nation’s top-ranked strong-side defensive end prospect.

*****

(Alex)

Here are a few notes about a handful of Texas' most recent commitments (and some of the earlier ones) from a recruiting source at a major D1 Texas university who has had the opportunity to evaluate, recruit and get to know many of the athletes that have committed to play at Texas:

ON OL CONNOR STROH: "We've seen him a lot, he's consistently gotten better every year ... obviously he's huge. Thick and stiff-ankled, but a giant. He has issues with his feet, but he knows it and works to address it. Do you remember when (Derek) Kerstetter came out? His feet were not good either. But he worked at it and was a good producer eventually (at Texas), right? I think (Stroh) can have an outlook like that. I don't think he'll play tackle, his upside would be a Kerstetter-level type. A best-case-scenario at tackle would be like that. If he plays guard he has a chance to be really solid. He's really strong. A lot of big schools were in on him and they had reasons to be."

ON OL ANDRE COJOE: "He's massive, but it was probably a reach (for Texas to take him). With the portal how it is, you shouldn't take high school players who you don't think can contribute in a way to help you win championships sooner than later. We (a lesser recruiting presence than Texas) weren't even really going full-speed after him. He has an inconsistent motor and is an inconsistent competitor. But if (Kyle Flood) likes him, then he likes him. He's still really young and so big. It's just ... can he play inside? He has zero foot speed. He's a big project."

ON OL TREVOR GOOSBY: "VERY Gifted! Just go to his twitter and look at the videos of him dunking. 360 dunks. I'm not sure how much he loves football, he has hoop dreams. But, I thought that about Sam Cosmi, too, and look at him now. People also said that about Mike Evans. Goosby is what your dream left tackle looks like coming out of school. He has the most upside of any of them (that committed to Texas)."

ON OL JAYDEN CHATMAN: "He's really good. I think he has the length to play tackle but they could use him at guard too. He's definitely the best (of the OLs committed to Texas) on film and will come in the most ready."

ON TE WILL RANDLE: "(Isidore Newman High School) beat up on bad teams. That's nothing against Randle or Arch (Manning) but that competition is not good and to me, Randle looks like a guy who normally you would think would go someplace like here (his university) but not Texas. I understand the dynamics in play with Manning, though. To me, he looks like a good high school football player. Maybe he can be a Cade Brewer type at Texas."

ON S DEREK WILLIAMS: "I watched like 20 seconds of his highlights and said 'yep, we're not going to be able to get his guy.'"

ON LB S'MAJE BURRELL: "Really very good. Explosive guy with a good vertical, and he's an all-around linebacker. He can turn and cover, he's into track. If (Texas) has any room on the depth chart, I'd think he could surprise people and play earlier than some would expect. Good player. A good get for sure."

ON LB/EDGE BILLY WALTON: "He's just a great kid, just great. Just all-around. We've seen him a lot and when he first committed (to OSU) he rushed his commitment. I know he had a great time at the Texas Spring BBQ and I don't think --- well I just don't know whether he thought his offer was committable. The South Oak Cliff coaches basically forced their players to commit before the spring game there. I don't think he would have committed to OSU otherwise. He's loose-hipped, sudden and natural. He cares a lot about academics. He is an excellent leader and a guy people are drawn to. The only question is, is he big enough? To that I say, there have been plenty of rushers in the Big 12 that have been slightly undersized."

ON WR RYAN NIBLETT: "Ask anyone in the city of Houston who's the best high school athlete in the city and (Niblett) will probably be your answer. Sark needs speed and Niblett has it but he's not just a lid-lifter, he really is a crazy athlete. I think he can play corner. You can see that in his ability to react and move in short-areas. Great player."

ON DE DYLAN SPENCER: "You know the saying looks like Tarzan plays like Jane? Well, I'm not saying he plays like Jane, but he does look like Tarzan. You can see when you meet him why everyone is so in love with the guy. He hasn't put it all together on film yet, and you wonder what is going on with .. well, has he transferred 3 times during his high school? He just hasn't had the continuity, but when you see his build and his frame and flashes of what he can do, that's what gets everyone excited."

ON WR JOHNTAY COOK: "Holy s*** dude, he's Devonta Smith 2.0. Sick player."

 

Holy shit, paste as plain text is your fucking friend.

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Post Oak

Post Oak 20254

Posted
Posted
6 minutes ago, Bodacious Bevo said:

OB Warm Room

I like the sourced evals on our commits. I think it makes the desire for a 5th OL pretty clear

  Reveal hidden contents

(From Suchomel)

It’s been one hell of a ride for Texas in the seven days since Arch Manning committed, and the Longhorns aren’t done. Keep an eye out for some good news to pop this weekend that you all will enjoy.

Let the guessing begin …

******

I caught up with Rivals250 OL Zalance Heard this week for what I thought was a pretty interesting update.

Heard, who Texas had previously been recruiting as a defensive lineman, is now being recruited as an offensive tackle by the Texas staff. Since Bo Davis had already developed a strong relationship, he’s still the point man and the two talked earlier this week.

Last weekend, Heard dropped a top eight consisting of Florida State, LSU, Nebraska, Louisiana Tech, Oklahoma State, Houston, Texas and Auburn.

Heard has taken one official visit, a June 10 stop at Nebraska. So far, he doesn’t have any other trips lined up for late July or the fall.

Here’s where things get interesting …

The Monroe (LA) Neville standout said he doesn’t have a timeframe for a decision and said it’s not out of the question that he could make a decision this summer without taking any other official visits.

“Pretty much when I feel like the time is right. It may be before the season, I know for a fact it won’t be after the season,” Heard said of a commitment timeframe.

Heard has been to Texas “four or five times” so he’s obviously very familiar with the program. He’s also familiar with UT’s recent recruiting run and said it impacts his thinking of the Longhorns.

“It actually does. That got me thinking. They had what, 7 people commit in the last week?,” Heard said. (actually 10, but who’s counting?)

When Heard and Bo Davis talked a couple of days ago, Davis told Heard he should go ahead and commit and join the fun.

“He said they want me to be a part of it. I told him I’m thinking about it,” Heard said.

Most predictions have Heard eventually committing to LSU and while that may wind up being the case, I don’t at all get the impression in talking to him that he’s locked in for the Tigers. Texas could be a sneaky contender here.

“I don’t mind going far away, don’t mind getting away from Louisiana,” Heard said.

Heard is friends with Texas commitment Derek Williams and target Jordan Matthews. That trio actually visited UT together once previously.

******

Speaking of Jordan Matthews, there’s been a lot of talk about the Baton Rouge (LA) Woodlawn corner of late, wondering if he might jump on board with a Texas commitment.

The good news … Texas continues to be in a good spot in this one. The bad news … if you’re looking for an early commitment, Matthews probably isn’t your guy, barring a complete change of heart.

Arch Manning has reached out to Matthews, and as mentioned above, Matthews and new Texas commitment Derek Williams are friends, so that can only help UT’s chances.

“Arch has actually contacted me a couple of times. Yesterday we talked a couple of times on text message,” Matthews said. “Him going there is a big piece of the puzzle, I feel like. It would be a great addition to that legendary team if I would go. That’s not the main thing I would base my decision off of, but it does play a part.”

On the unofficial visit he took to UT with Derek Williams and Lance Heard:

“We went on that unofficial visit earlier this year together. We’re all from Louisiana, all three of us going over there, it really felt like a home vibe we could create over there and ultimately build in the team. I just feel like the Louisiana mindset is different. I’m not hating on Texas, but Texas high schools are kind of built to be successful. In Louisiana we have to kind of get out the mud.”

Matthews has taken official visits to Michigan, Stanford and Tennessee. His plan is to take a visit to Alabama for the Tide’s season-opener and then take one to Texas when the Longhorns host Alabama in week two. He hopes to have a decision shortly after those visits are completed.

Another factor that could weigh in UT’s favor … Matthews takes his academics very seriously and said he wants to study business. He’s anxious to get a good look at the McCombs School of Business when he visits UT in September.

“Academics are very important to me. My parents have always stressed that to me from a young age, you should always take good care of your academics,” Matthews said. “That will take care of you long after football. Being that I have considered Stanford, Michigan, Texas – them being athletically and academically sound is important to me.”

LSU isn’t a factor in this one, despite Matthews’ father having gone there. Like Heard earlier, Matthews is aware of Texas’s recruiting momentum.

“With arch and everybody starting to commit, they’ve been trying to get me to hop on the wave. I don’t want to rush anything, but I’m definitely heavily considering Texas,” Matthews said. “I’m going to be patient with them like they’ve been patient with me.”

******

Recent Texas commitment Billy Walton was still on cloud nine when we caught up with him this week to talk about his decision.

The South Oak Cliff standout says he’s officially done with the recruiting process and won’t be taking any other visits.

“The reason why I ended up pulling the trigger, it was literally because of the coaches. They say all the right stuff, treated me right,” Walton said. “I feel like they’re really transparent with all the players. It doesn’t matter if you start or not, you’re going to be taken care of.

“It feels good, feels right. Nothing feels forced. It just feels like this is home at this point.”

Walton will now put on his recruiter hat for the Longhorns. He’d already been talking to Johntay Cook and said his big priority is getting Malik Muhammad to commit as well.

“Next is getting my cousin Malik on board. They all feel the same as I do,” Walton said. “I asked him what was the move, he said ‘I don’t know, you’ll find out.’”

******

New OL offer Miles McVay tells OB he’ll definitely consider the Longhorns. In fact, McVay says a Texas visit is “in the works” and he’s looking to get to Austin at the end of July.

If that visit happens, it’ll most likely be an unofficial visit. McVay has already taken three official visits to Texas A&M, Michigan State and Oregon. He has October official visits scheduled for Alabama and Florida.

******

I’ll have a full report on Braylan Shelby in the coming days, but if you’re looking for him to commit, you’ll probably have to wait for a bit. The Friendswood standout told me on Thursday evening that he’s hoping to decide in mid to late July, or possibly August at the latest.

Pretty much a Texas and USC battle and Shelby says it’s almost a 50/50 race. He also wants to study business and both schools are very strong in that area, making the decision even tougher.

******

Lastly, a quick note on 5-star defensive end DJ Hicks …

There’s been a lot of chatter about Hicks and Texas over the last week (remember, Hick previously told OB he was intrigued with the possibility of playing with Arch Manning).

I checked in with a source close to Hicks who said Manning’s commitment doesn’t really change anything for Hicks and his family. Sounds like it didn’t need to. That same source went on to say how good of a job Bo Davis has been doing in recruiting Hicks and his family. Basically, if Texas wins out, it won’t be because of Arch’s commitment, it’ll be because the staff has done a really good job from top to bottom in this one.

A&M is still a major factor here. OU is in play and Hicks has taken OVs to Michigan State, Miami and Oregon.

Hicks will be in Austin again in September for the Alabama game and grapevine talk has Texas in a better position than many people realize for the nation’s top-ranked strong-side defensive end prospect.

*****

(Alex)

Here are a few notes about a handful of Texas' most recent commitments (and some of the earlier ones) from a recruiting source at a major D1 Texas university who has had the opportunity to evaluate, recruit and get to know many of the athletes that have committed to play at Texas:

ON OL CONNOR STROH: "We've seen him a lot, he's consistently gotten better every year ... obviously he's huge. Thick and stiff-ankled, but a giant. He has issues with his feet, but he knows it and works to address it. Do you remember when (Derek) Kerstetter came out? His feet were not good either. But he worked at it and was a good producer eventually (at Texas), right? I think (Stroh) can have an outlook like that. I don't think he'll play tackle, his upside would be a Kerstetter-level type. A best-case-scenario at tackle would be like that. If he plays guard he has a chance to be really solid. He's really strong. A lot of big schools were in on him and they had reasons to be."

ON OL ANDRE COJOE: "He's massive, but it was probably a reach (for Texas to take him). With the portal how it is, you shouldn't take high school players who you don't think can contribute in a way to help you win championships sooner than later. We (a lesser recruiting presence than Texas) weren't even really going full-speed after him. He has an inconsistent motor and is an inconsistent competitor. But if (Kyle Flood) likes him, then he likes him. He's still really young and so big. It's just ... can he play inside? He has zero foot speed. He's a big project."

ON OL TREVOR GOOSBY: "VERY Gifted! Just go to his twitter and look at the videos of him dunking. 360 dunks. I'm not sure how much he loves football, he has hoop dreams. But, I thought that about Sam Cosmi, too, and look at him now. People also said that about Mike Evans. Goosby is what your dream left tackle looks like coming out of school. He has the most upside of any of them (that committed to Texas)."

ON OL JAYDEN CHATMAN: "He's really good. I think he has the length to play tackle but they could use him at guard too. He's definitely the best (of the OLs committed to Texas) on film and will come in the most ready."

ON TE WILL RANDLE: "(Isidore Newman High School) beat up on bad teams. That's nothing against Randle or Arch (Manning) but that competition is not good and to me, Randle looks like a guy who normally you would think would go someplace like here (his university) but not Texas. I understand the dynamics in play with Manning, though. To me, he looks like a good high school football player. Maybe he can be a Cade Brewer type at Texas."

ON S DEREK WILLIAMS: "I watched like 20 seconds of his highlights and said 'yep, we're not going to be able to get his guy.'"

ON LB S'MAJE BURRELL: "Really very good. Explosive guy with a good vertical, and he's an all-around linebacker. He can turn and cover, he's into track. If (Texas) has any room on the depth chart, I'd think he could surprise people and play earlier than some would expect. Good player. A good get for sure."

ON LB/EDGE BILLY WALTON: "He's just a great kid, just great. Just all-around. We've seen him a lot and when he first committed (to OSU) he rushed his commitment. I know he had a great time at the Texas Spring BBQ and I don't think --- well I just don't know whether he thought his offer was committable. The South Oak Cliff coaches basically forced their players to commit before the spring game there. I don't think he would have committed to OSU otherwise. He's loose-hipped, sudden and natural. He cares a lot about academics. He is an excellent leader and a guy people are drawn to. The only question is, is he big enough? To that I say, there have been plenty of rushers in the Big 12 that have been slightly undersized."

ON WR RYAN NIBLETT: "Ask anyone in the city of Houston who's the best high school athlete in the city and (Niblett) will probably be your answer. Sark needs speed and Niblett has it but he's not just a lid-lifter, he really is a crazy athlete. I think he can play corner. You can see that in his ability to react and move in short-areas. Great player."

ON DE DYLAN SPENCER: "You know the saying looks like Tarzan plays like Jane? Well, I'm not saying he plays like Jane, but he does look like Tarzan. You can see when you meet him why everyone is so in love with the guy. He hasn't put it all together on film yet, and you wonder what is going on with .. well, has he transferred 3 times during his high school? He just hasn't had the continuity, but when you see his build and his frame and flashes of what he can do, that's what gets everyone excited."

ON WR JOHNTAY COOK: "Holy s*** dude, he's Devonta Smith 2.0. Sick player."

 

Thx

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texifornia 57033

Posted
Posted
9 minutes ago, Bodacious Bevo said:

OB Warm Room

I like the sourced evals on our commits. I think it makes the desire for a 5th OL pretty clear

  Reveal hidden contents

(From Suchomel)

It’s been one hell of a ride for Texas in the seven days since Arch Manning committed, and the Longhorns aren’t done. Keep an eye out for some good news to pop this weekend that you all will enjoy.

Let the guessing begin …

******

I caught up with Rivals250 OL Zalance Heard this week for what I thought was a pretty interesting update.

Heard, who Texas had previously been recruiting as a defensive lineman, is now being recruited as an offensive tackle by the Texas staff. Since Bo Davis had already developed a strong relationship, he’s still the point man and the two talked earlier this week.

Last weekend, Heard dropped a top eight consisting of Florida State, LSU, Nebraska, Louisiana Tech, Oklahoma State, Houston, Texas and Auburn.

Heard has taken one official visit, a June 10 stop at Nebraska. So far, he doesn’t have any other trips lined up for late July or the fall.

Here’s where things get interesting …

The Monroe (LA) Neville standout said he doesn’t have a timeframe for a decision and said it’s not out of the question that he could make a decision this summer without taking any other official visits.

“Pretty much when I feel like the time is right. It may be before the season, I know for a fact it won’t be after the season,” Heard said of a commitment timeframe.

Heard has been to Texas “four or five times” so he’s obviously very familiar with the program. He’s also familiar with UT’s recent recruiting run and said it impacts his thinking of the Longhorns.

“It actually does. That got me thinking. They had what, 7 people commit in the last week?,” Heard said. (actually 10, but who’s counting?)

When Heard and Bo Davis talked a couple of days ago, Davis told Heard he should go ahead and commit and join the fun.

“He said they want me to be a part of it. I told him I’m thinking about it,” Heard said.

Most predictions have Heard eventually committing to LSU and while that may wind up being the case, I don’t at all get the impression in talking to him that he’s locked in for the Tigers. Texas could be a sneaky contender here.

“I don’t mind going far away, don’t mind getting away from Louisiana,” Heard said.

Heard is friends with Texas commitment Derek Williams and target Jordan Matthews. That trio actually visited UT together once previously.

******

Speaking of Jordan Matthews, there’s been a lot of talk about the Baton Rouge (LA) Woodlawn corner of late, wondering if he might jump on board with a Texas commitment.

The good news … Texas continues to be in a good spot in this one. The bad news … if you’re looking for an early commitment, Matthews probably isn’t your guy, barring a complete change of heart.

Arch Manning has reached out to Matthews, and as mentioned above, Matthews and new Texas commitment Derek Williams are friends, so that can only help UT’s chances.

“Arch has actually contacted me a couple of times. Yesterday we talked a couple of times on text message,” Matthews said. “Him going there is a big piece of the puzzle, I feel like. It would be a great addition to that legendary team if I would go. That’s not the main thing I would base my decision off of, but it does play a part.”

On the unofficial visit he took to UT with Derek Williams and Lance Heard:

“We went on that unofficial visit earlier this year together. We’re all from Louisiana, all three of us going over there, it really felt like a home vibe we could create over there and ultimately build in the team. I just feel like the Louisiana mindset is different. I’m not hating on Texas, but Texas high schools are kind of built to be successful. In Louisiana we have to kind of get out the mud.”

Matthews has taken official visits to Michigan, Stanford and Tennessee. His plan is to take a visit to Alabama for the Tide’s season-opener and then take one to Texas when the Longhorns host Alabama in week two. He hopes to have a decision shortly after those visits are completed.

Another factor that could weigh in UT’s favor … Matthews takes his academics very seriously and said he wants to study business. He’s anxious to get a good look at the McCombs School of Business when he visits UT in September.

“Academics are very important to me. My parents have always stressed that to me from a young age, you should always take good care of your academics,” Matthews said. “That will take care of you long after football. Being that I have considered Stanford, Michigan, Texas – them being athletically and academically sound is important to me.”

LSU isn’t a factor in this one, despite Matthews’ father having gone there. Like Heard earlier, Matthews is aware of Texas’s recruiting momentum.

“With arch and everybody starting to commit, they’ve been trying to get me to hop on the wave. I don’t want to rush anything, but I’m definitely heavily considering Texas,” Matthews said. “I’m going to be patient with them like they’ve been patient with me.”

******

Recent Texas commitment Billy Walton was still on cloud nine when we caught up with him this week to talk about his decision.

The South Oak Cliff standout says he’s officially done with the recruiting process and won’t be taking any other visits.

“The reason why I ended up pulling the trigger, it was literally because of the coaches. They say all the right stuff, treated me right,” Walton said. “I feel like they’re really transparent with all the players. It doesn’t matter if you start or not, you’re going to be taken care of.

“It feels good, feels right. Nothing feels forced. It just feels like this is home at this point.”

Walton will now put on his recruiter hat for the Longhorns. He’d already been talking to Johntay Cook and said his big priority is getting Malik Muhammad to commit as well.

“Next is getting my cousin Malik on board. They all feel the same as I do,” Walton said. “I asked him what was the move, he said ‘I don’t know, you’ll find out.’”

******

New OL offer Miles McVay tells OB he’ll definitely consider the Longhorns. In fact, McVay says a Texas visit is “in the works” and he’s looking to get to Austin at the end of July.

If that visit happens, it’ll most likely be an unofficial visit. McVay has already taken three official visits to Texas A&M, Michigan State and Oregon. He has October official visits scheduled for Alabama and Florida.

******

I’ll have a full report on Braylan Shelby in the coming days, but if you’re looking for him to commit, you’ll probably have to wait for a bit. The Friendswood standout told me on Thursday evening that he’s hoping to decide in mid to late July, or possibly August at the latest.

Pretty much a Texas and USC battle and Shelby says it’s almost a 50/50 race. He also wants to study business and both schools are very strong in that area, making the decision even tougher.

******

Lastly, a quick note on 5-star defensive end DJ Hicks …

There’s been a lot of chatter about Hicks and Texas over the last week (remember, Hick previously told OB he was intrigued with the possibility of playing with Arch Manning).

I checked in with a source close to Hicks who said Manning’s commitment doesn’t really change anything for Hicks and his family. Sounds like it didn’t need to. That same source went on to say how good of a job Bo Davis has been doing in recruiting Hicks and his family. Basically, if Texas wins out, it won’t be because of Arch’s commitment, it’ll be because the staff has done a really good job from top to bottom in this one.

A&M is still a major factor here. OU is in play and Hicks has taken OVs to Michigan State, Miami and Oregon.

Hicks will be in Austin again in September for the Alabama game and grapevine talk has Texas in a better position than many people realize for the nation’s top-ranked strong-side defensive end prospect.

*****

(Alex)

Here are a few notes about a handful of Texas' most recent commitments (and some of the earlier ones) from a recruiting source at a major D1 Texas university who has had the opportunity to evaluate, recruit and get to know many of the athletes that have committed to play at Texas:

ON OL CONNOR STROH: "We've seen him a lot, he's consistently gotten better every year ... obviously he's huge. Thick and stiff-ankled, but a giant. He has issues with his feet, but he knows it and works to address it. Do you remember when (Derek) Kerstetter came out? His feet were not good either. But he worked at it and was a good producer eventually (at Texas), right? I think (Stroh) can have an outlook like that. I don't think he'll play tackle, his upside would be a Kerstetter-level type. A best-case-scenario at tackle would be like that. If he plays guard he has a chance to be really solid. He's really strong. A lot of big schools were in on him and they had reasons to be."

ON OL ANDRE COJOE: "He's massive, but it was probably a reach (for Texas to take him). With the portal how it is, you shouldn't take high school players who you don't think can contribute in a way to help you win championships sooner than later. We (a lesser recruiting presence than Texas) weren't even really going full-speed after him. He has an inconsistent motor and is an inconsistent competitor. But if (Kyle Flood) likes him, then he likes him. He's still really young and so big. It's just ... can he play inside? He has zero foot speed. He's a big project."

ON OL TREVOR GOOSBY: "VERY Gifted! Just go to his twitter and look at the videos of him dunking. 360 dunks. I'm not sure how much he loves football, he has hoop dreams. But, I thought that about Sam Cosmi, too, and look at him now. People also said that about Mike Evans. Goosby is what your dream left tackle looks like coming out of school. He has the most upside of any of them (that committed to Texas)."

ON OL JAYDEN CHATMAN: "He's really good. I think he has the length to play tackle but they could use him at guard too. He's definitely the best (of the OLs committed to Texas) on film and will come in the most ready."

ON TE WILL RANDLE: "(Isidore Newman High School) beat up on bad teams. That's nothing against Randle or Arch (Manning) but that competition is not good and to me, Randle looks like a guy who normally you would think would go someplace like here (his university) but not Texas. I understand the dynamics in play with Manning, though. To me, he looks like a good high school football player. Maybe he can be a Cade Brewer type at Texas."

ON S DEREK WILLIAMS: "I watched like 20 seconds of his highlights and said 'yep, we're not going to be able to get his guy.'"

ON LB S'MAJE BURRELL: "Really very good. Explosive guy with a good vertical, and he's an all-around linebacker. He can turn and cover, he's into track. If (Texas) has any room on the depth chart, I'd think he could surprise people and play earlier than some would expect. Good player. A good get for sure."

ON LB/EDGE BILLY WALTON: "He's just a great kid, just great. Just all-around. We've seen him a lot and when he first committed (to OSU) he rushed his commitment. I know he had a great time at the Texas Spring BBQ and I don't think --- well I just don't know whether he thought his offer was committable. The South Oak Cliff coaches basically forced their players to commit before the spring game there. I don't think he would have committed to OSU otherwise. He's loose-hipped, sudden and natural. He cares a lot about academics. He is an excellent leader and a guy people are drawn to. The only question is, is he big enough? To that I say, there have been plenty of rushers in the Big 12 that have been slightly undersized."

ON WR RYAN NIBLETT: "Ask anyone in the city of Houston who's the best high school athlete in the city and (Niblett) will probably be your answer. Sark needs speed and Niblett has it but he's not just a lid-lifter, he really is a crazy athlete. I think he can play corner. You can see that in his ability to react and move in short-areas. Great player."

ON DE DYLAN SPENCER: "You know the saying looks like Tarzan plays like Jane? Well, I'm not saying he plays like Jane, but he does look like Tarzan. You can see when you meet him why everyone is so in love with the guy. He hasn't put it all together on film yet, and you wonder what is going on with .. well, has he transferred 3 times during his high school? He just hasn't had the continuity, but when you see his build and his frame and flashes of what he can do, that's what gets everyone excited."

ON WR JOHNTAY COOK: "Holy s*** dude, he's Devonta Smith 2.0. Sick player."

 

Love the Williams and Cook quotes. And this guy loves him some Billy Walton. Fun to read.

Sounds like Cojoe is a real lottery ticket but who gives a shit with the numbers being immaterial this year.

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Sandbagging Steve

Sandbagging Steve 982

Posted
Posted
34 minutes ago, Bodacious Bevo said:

OB Warm Room

I like the sourced evals on our commits. I think it makes the desire for a 5th OL pretty clear

  Reveal hidden contents

(From Suchomel)

It’s been one hell of a ride for Texas in the seven days since Arch Manning committed, and the Longhorns aren’t done. Keep an eye out for some good news to pop this weekend that you all will enjoy.

Let the guessing begin …

******

I caught up with Rivals250 OL Zalance Heard this week for what I thought was a pretty interesting update.

Heard, who Texas had previously been recruiting as a defensive lineman, is now being recruited as an offensive tackle by the Texas staff. Since Bo Davis had already developed a strong relationship, he’s still the point man and the two talked earlier this week.

Last weekend, Heard dropped a top eight consisting of Florida State, LSU, Nebraska, Louisiana Tech, Oklahoma State, Houston, Texas and Auburn.

Heard has taken one official visit, a June 10 stop at Nebraska. So far, he doesn’t have any other trips lined up for late July or the fall.

Here’s where things get interesting …

The Monroe (LA) Neville standout said he doesn’t have a timeframe for a decision and said it’s not out of the question that he could make a decision this summer without taking any other official visits.

“Pretty much when I feel like the time is right. It may be before the season, I know for a fact it won’t be after the season,” Heard said of a commitment timeframe.

Heard has been to Texas “four or five times” so he’s obviously very familiar with the program. He’s also familiar with UT’s recent recruiting run and said it impacts his thinking of the Longhorns.

“It actually does. That got me thinking. They had what, 7 people commit in the last week?,” Heard said. (actually 10, but who’s counting?)

When Heard and Bo Davis talked a couple of days ago, Davis told Heard he should go ahead and commit and join the fun.

“He said they want me to be a part of it. I told him I’m thinking about it,” Heard said.

Most predictions have Heard eventually committing to LSU and while that may wind up being the case, I don’t at all get the impression in talking to him that he’s locked in for the Tigers. Texas could be a sneaky contender here.

“I don’t mind going far away, don’t mind getting away from Louisiana,” Heard said.

Heard is friends with Texas commitment Derek Williams and target Jordan Matthews. That trio actually visited UT together once previously.

******

Speaking of Jordan Matthews, there’s been a lot of talk about the Baton Rouge (LA) Woodlawn corner of late, wondering if he might jump on board with a Texas commitment.

The good news … Texas continues to be in a good spot in this one. The bad news … if you’re looking for an early commitment, Matthews probably isn’t your guy, barring a complete change of heart.

Arch Manning has reached out to Matthews, and as mentioned above, Matthews and new Texas commitment Derek Williams are friends, so that can only help UT’s chances.

“Arch has actually contacted me a couple of times. Yesterday we talked a couple of times on text message,” Matthews said. “Him going there is a big piece of the puzzle, I feel like. It would be a great addition to that legendary team if I would go. That’s not the main thing I would base my decision off of, but it does play a part.”

On the unofficial visit he took to UT with Derek Williams and Lance Heard:

“We went on that unofficial visit earlier this year together. We’re all from Louisiana, all three of us going over there, it really felt like a home vibe we could create over there and ultimately build in the team. I just feel like the Louisiana mindset is different. I’m not hating on Texas, but Texas high schools are kind of built to be successful. In Louisiana we have to kind of get out the mud.”

Matthews has taken official visits to Michigan, Stanford and Tennessee. His plan is to take a visit to Alabama for the Tide’s season-opener and then take one to Texas when the Longhorns host Alabama in week two. He hopes to have a decision shortly after those visits are completed.

Another factor that could weigh in UT’s favor … Matthews takes his academics very seriously and said he wants to study business. He’s anxious to get a good look at the McCombs School of Business when he visits UT in September.

“Academics are very important to me. My parents have always stressed that to me from a young age, you should always take good care of your academics,” Matthews said. “That will take care of you long after football. Being that I have considered Stanford, Michigan, Texas – them being athletically and academically sound is important to me.”

LSU isn’t a factor in this one, despite Matthews’ father having gone there. Like Heard earlier, Matthews is aware of Texas’s recruiting momentum.

“With arch and everybody starting to commit, they’ve been trying to get me to hop on the wave. I don’t want to rush anything, but I’m definitely heavily considering Texas,” Matthews said. “I’m going to be patient with them like they’ve been patient with me.”

******

Recent Texas commitment Billy Walton was still on cloud nine when we caught up with him this week to talk about his decision.

The South Oak Cliff standout says he’s officially done with the recruiting process and won’t be taking any other visits.

“The reason why I ended up pulling the trigger, it was literally because of the coaches. They say all the right stuff, treated me right,” Walton said. “I feel like they’re really transparent with all the players. It doesn’t matter if you start or not, you’re going to be taken care of.

“It feels good, feels right. Nothing feels forced. It just feels like this is home at this point.”

Walton will now put on his recruiter hat for the Longhorns. He’d already been talking to Johntay Cook and said his big priority is getting Malik Muhammad to commit as well.

“Next is getting my cousin Malik on board. They all feel the same as I do,” Walton said. “I asked him what was the move, he said ‘I don’t know, you’ll find out.’”

******

New OL offer Miles McVay tells OB he’ll definitely consider the Longhorns. In fact, McVay says a Texas visit is “in the works” and he’s looking to get to Austin at the end of July.

If that visit happens, it’ll most likely be an unofficial visit. McVay has already taken three official visits to Texas A&M, Michigan State and Oregon. He has October official visits scheduled for Alabama and Florida.

******

I’ll have a full report on Braylan Shelby in the coming days, but if you’re looking for him to commit, you’ll probably have to wait for a bit. The Friendswood standout told me on Thursday evening that he’s hoping to decide in mid to late July, or possibly August at the latest.

Pretty much a Texas and USC battle and Shelby says it’s almost a 50/50 race. He also wants to study business and both schools are very strong in that area, making the decision even tougher.

******

Lastly, a quick note on 5-star defensive end DJ Hicks …

There’s been a lot of chatter about Hicks and Texas over the last week (remember, Hick previously told OB he was intrigued with the possibility of playing with Arch Manning).

I checked in with a source close to Hicks who said Manning’s commitment doesn’t really change anything for Hicks and his family. Sounds like it didn’t need to. That same source went on to say how good of a job Bo Davis has been doing in recruiting Hicks and his family. Basically, if Texas wins out, it won’t be because of Arch’s commitment, it’ll be because the staff has done a really good job from top to bottom in this one.

A&M is still a major factor here. OU is in play and Hicks has taken OVs to Michigan State, Miami and Oregon.

Hicks will be in Austin again in September for the Alabama game and grapevine talk has Texas in a better position than many people realize for the nation’s top-ranked strong-side defensive end prospect.

*****

(Alex)

Here are a few notes about a handful of Texas' most recent commitments (and some of the earlier ones) from a recruiting source at a major D1 Texas university who has had the opportunity to evaluate, recruit and get to know many of the athletes that have committed to play at Texas:

ON OL CONNOR STROH: "We've seen him a lot, he's consistently gotten better every year ... obviously he's huge. Thick and stiff-ankled, but a giant. He has issues with his feet, but he knows it and works to address it. Do you remember when (Derek) Kerstetter came out? His feet were not good either. But he worked at it and was a good producer eventually (at Texas), right? I think (Stroh) can have an outlook like that. I don't think he'll play tackle, his upside would be a Kerstetter-level type. A best-case-scenario at tackle would be like that. If he plays guard he has a chance to be really solid. He's really strong. A lot of big schools were in on him and they had reasons to be."

ON OL ANDRE COJOE: "He's massive, but it was probably a reach (for Texas to take him). With the portal how it is, you shouldn't take high school players who you don't think can contribute in a way to help you win championships sooner than later. We (a lesser recruiting presence than Texas) weren't even really going full-speed after him. He has an inconsistent motor and is an inconsistent competitor. But if (Kyle Flood) likes him, then he likes him. He's still really young and so big. It's just ... can he play inside? He has zero foot speed. He's a big project."

ON OL TREVOR GOOSBY: "VERY Gifted! Just go to his twitter and look at the videos of him dunking. 360 dunks. I'm not sure how much he loves football, he has hoop dreams. But, I thought that about Sam Cosmi, too, and look at him now. People also said that about Mike Evans. Goosby is what your dream left tackle looks like coming out of school. He has the most upside of any of them (that committed to Texas)."

ON OL JAYDEN CHATMAN: "He's really good. I think he has the length to play tackle but they could use him at guard too. He's definitely the best (of the OLs committed to Texas) on film and will come in the most ready."

ON TE WILL RANDLE: "(Isidore Newman High School) beat up on bad teams. That's nothing against Randle or Arch (Manning) but that competition is not good and to me, Randle looks like a guy who normally you would think would go someplace like here (his university) but not Texas. I understand the dynamics in play with Manning, though. To me, he looks like a good high school football player. Maybe he can be a Cade Brewer type at Texas."

ON S DEREK WILLIAMS: "I watched like 20 seconds of his highlights and said 'yep, we're not going to be able to get his guy.'"

ON LB S'MAJE BURRELL: "Really very good. Explosive guy with a good vertical, and he's an all-around linebacker. He can turn and cover, he's into track. If (Texas) has any room on the depth chart, I'd think he could surprise people and play earlier than some would expect. Good player. A good get for sure."

ON LB/EDGE BILLY WALTON: "He's just a great kid, just great. Just all-around. We've seen him a lot and when he first committed (to OSU) he rushed his commitment. I know he had a great time at the Texas Spring BBQ and I don't think --- well I just don't know whether he thought his offer was committable. The South Oak Cliff coaches basically forced their players to commit before the spring game there. I don't think he would have committed to OSU otherwise. He's loose-hipped, sudden and natural. He cares a lot about academics. He is an excellent leader and a guy people are drawn to. The only question is, is he big enough? To that I say, there have been plenty of rushers in the Big 12 that have been slightly undersized."

ON WR RYAN NIBLETT: "Ask anyone in the city of Houston who's the best high school athlete in the city and (Niblett) will probably be your answer. Sark needs speed and Niblett has it but he's not just a lid-lifter, he really is a crazy athlete. I think he can play corner. You can see that in his ability to react and move in short-areas. Great player."

ON DE DYLAN SPENCER: "You know the saying looks like Tarzan plays like Jane? Well, I'm not saying he plays like Jane, but he does look like Tarzan. You can see when you meet him why everyone is so in love with the guy. He hasn't put it all together on film yet, and you wonder what is going on with .. well, has he transferred 3 times during his high school? He just hasn't had the continuity, but when you see his build and his frame and flashes of what he can do, that's what gets everyone excited."

ON WR JOHNTAY COOK: "Holy s*** dude, he's Devonta Smith 2.0. Sick player."

 

These are pretty good evals IMO. Refreshing to see, for once.

Goosby is the most underrated player in the class. He has Sunday potential written all over him

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Getafix

Getafix 28685

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Standish (on Mitchell and Hicks).

 

Spoiler


A few weeks ago after his official visit to Texas on June 17th-19th, a source told me that they felt Texas did everything they could for Bergen Catholic (NJ) IDL Sydir Mitchell but they didn’t think it would be enough to supplant Mitchell’s leader at the time Georgia.

A week of pure “All Gas No Brakes” action on the recruiting trail headlined by Arch Manning’s commitment was enough to give the Horns the much needed momentum in this hotly contested battle with Georgia and Texas A&M.

After speaking with a number of sources tonight, I decided to add my own pick to the growing number of crystal ball predictions for Mitchell to end up in Burnt Orange.

One interesting tidbit that I dismissed at the time, but have revisited a couple times today as texts and calls hit my phone about Mitchell was the Bergen Catholic big man posting “Not gonna lie, let’s do it” on an Instagram live shortly after Johntay Cook’s announcement featuring five-star Texas commits Derek Williams and Johntay Cook along with Texas commit Tre Wisner.

Mike spoke with Mitchell after his Texas official visit two weeks ago and the New Jersey native had this to say about his time in Austin.

“The visit went really well. I got to spend time with coach Sarkisian, coach Flood and coach Bo Davis,” he said. “I also got to hang with some of the recruits and current players and we all had a real good time. One of my favorite parts was breaking down film with coach Davis he’s real intense and has a history of producing pros at my position, so I can learn a lot from him. The city of Austin is amazing too.”

When asked about what would be the factors for his college decision Mitchell had this to say.

“Depth chart, style of play and being able to play more than one position on the Dline,” he said. “I’d also say opportunities after football too.”

One last note: I’m confident that Texas will make the top seven for the state’s No. 1 player DJ Hicks out of Katy Paetow high school. 

 

 

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