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Texas Recruiting Notes 2021

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satyanash

satyanash 15358

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(Mike Roach) Lone Star Showdown: Jordon Thomas talks Top 2, decision timeline

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Jordon Thomas cut right to the chase. While many prospects use the spring to figure out who will be in their Top 15, Thomas is ready to announce his two finalists. Thomas told Horns247 that Texas and Texas A&M will be the two programs he focuses on from here. That’s not a surprise based on recent reporting. This has always been a race between the two in-state recruiting rivals. Thomas was offered by the Longhorns very early in his recruiting process and the Longhorns enjoyed the early momentum in his recruitment.

Thomas told Horns247 that Texas checked quite a few boxes for him when visiting. “Coach (Oscar) Giles broke it down to me how UT is starting to re-build again,” he said. “He’s making some good decisions on where I need to be, and he’s informing my family on every step he’s making. It’s really a big step, and I feel like it’s really family over there. It’s a family type of environment over there. I really like the place and I’m also a Muslim. They were going to go to Mecca for volunteer work. I’m big on volunteer work so that was a big plus right there.”

Texas A&M was able to gain ground after offering later in the spring. Thomas visited College Station on multiple occasions last year, and the Aggies looked like they might have the momentum. That balanced out after Thomas made several spring visits to Austin. Thomas told Horns247 that he forged a strong relationship with Texas A&M defensive line coach Terry Price, and he feels that he could be a big piece of the puzzle at A&M.

“It’s kind of similar but in different ways,” Thomas said. “Coach Price is like one of the best guys over there. He treats his players with respect, and they are like his sons. They always have team events because coach Price is cooking and stuff. They really build a team bond. Coach Jimbo (Fisher) looks at me like a person who can be a big part in the small puzzle. I feel like I can really go places going to Texas A&M because coach Price had a lot of defensive ends go to the league. That’s really a bonus right there because I know I don’t have to worry about proceeding to the next level after college.”

Thomas said that he hasn’t spoken with many commits from either school. In fact, the only commit to contact him was Texas offensive line commit Hayden Conner. “The only person I talked to was Hayden Conner, and I think that’s it,” Thomas said. “At first, he was working on me but he kind of backed off. That was the only person, but he hasn’t been talking to me recently.”

Despite the early cut, Thomas still plans to take his time with the decision. He will take official visits to both schools, but his final decision won’t come until late in the season. “During the season closer to the end,” he said. “We’re going to the playoffs no matter what. When we get closer to the end, that’s when I was going to make a big decision.” At 6-foot-3, 240 pounds, Thomas is ranked as the No. 15 weak-side defensive end in the nation and No. 36 overall prospect in Texas, according to 247Sports Composite.

 

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Tex Pete

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3 hours ago, SydneyCarton said:

What the fuck is the point of this article? I realize Roach is starved for content, but why would anyone write a fucking retrospective on a fucking bust? "Hey, lets pile jump on this failure and remind everyone at Texas bad memories!" Plus, I don't want to hear Roach's perspective on Allen, they're probably the same fucking age.  Which is why the entire fucking article is basically a copy paste of dry facts. Fuck off, Roach. 

Just reminding us that they haven't known shit for a long time.

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George Clooney

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Alton McCaskill, a RB from Conroe Oak Ridge, has finally started reeling in offers. I watched his hudl a few months ago and was impressed, and it helps that John Wozniak (a very good RB coach for Ok State) identified him early. Texas should offer ASAP.

https://247sports.com/player/alton-mccaskill-46084459/

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Goodman

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25 minutes ago, George Clooney said:

Alton McCaskill, a RB from Conroe Oak Ridge, has finally started reeling in offers. I watched his hudl a few months ago and was impressed, and it helps that John Wozniak (a very good RB coach for Ok State) identified him early. Texas should offer ASAP.

https://247sports.com/player/alton-mccaskill-46084459/

Kid looks very good.

I hate how little confidence I have in RB recruiting and I just witnessed getting Bijan. 

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Hornsfan91

Hornsfan91 181

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IT Friday Humidor

TEAM

If you read something redundant this week it’s because we heard that info again.

- In February we noted junior-to-be DeMarvion Overshown was moved to linebacker. We’ve learned former Plano East standout Tyler Owens was also moved to linebacker before the team left campus seemingly six months ago. From the moment of his arrival, new defensive coordinator Chris Ash has made it clear he wants to have the fastest defense in the country. Having a linebacker who ran the 100m in the 10.3 range in high school is one way to accomplish that. Owens is able to make this move because of his size, but he’s also more of a downhill, straight-line player to begin with while Ash prioritizes hips and coverage in the back-end.

- Redshirt junior Josh Thompson is going to start out at corner when football resumes, but he has the versatility to slide over to the Spur (nickel), or maybe even boundary safety. Thompson will be interesting to watch because the new staff is said to be high on his athleticism. When asking a source about player versus player competitions, he mentioned corner is really a three-way battle between Thompson, Jalen Green, and D’Shawn Jamison. He said it’s too hard to handicap the winners but feels Jamison might emerge as the best corner on the team. Ash has made mention that a lead boundary corner, along with an elite edge rusher, are the keys to a championship caliber defense. The battle for boundary corner will be the battle for best corner on the team.

- Caden Sterns and Chris Brown would be your starting safeties if Texas played a game tomorrow. The staff loves Brown’s mentality. They’re trying to get the most dogs on the field, guys who run to the ball. If you watched Brown last year, that pretty much defines him.

- What’s unknown at safety is what happens when BJ Foster returns from injury. Without practice, or even the team being on campus, no players are getting ahead of Foster. He’s still a safety and if that remains when he’s healthy and the team returns to campus, then he’ll likely battle with Brown. We still haven’t heard much about dime looks and wonder if that role could have Foster’s name on it, or if it will end up going to the runner-up at nickel. Or the third corner. So many defensive backs.

- Chris Adimora's phenomenal Alamo Bowl performance versus Utah left an impression on the incoming staff. He'd be your starting Spur if fall camp began today. This decision will be about trade-offs. Adimora can cover very well for a safety, but he doesn’t cover as well as Cook. Cook is physical for a corner, but not as physical or powerful as Adimora. That’s another battle our sources say is too close to call, though Adimora holds a slight edge.

- With Denzel Okafor electing to remain at Texas, the offensive line should be set, at least as far as the starting point goes. That o-line would be Sam Cosmi-Junior Angilau-Derek Kerstetter-Denzel Okafor-Christian Jones. We’re sure we’ll hear about other configurations as Hand tinkers but this is most likely.

- Our source said the main battle on offense will be between Jake Smith and Jordan Whittington. Whittington has to prove he’s fully back and can remain healthy while returning to his native receiver position. It won’t take him long to re-acclimate but Smith will prove tough to unseat. It’s still unknown how much new offensive coordinator Mike Yurcich will elect to be in 11 personnel. Our source concedes 10 personnel would be very dangerous.

- Another battle to watch doesn’t matter all that much because both Keaontay Ingram and Roschon Johnson will play a lot, possibly even at the same time. But everyone wants to be called the starter and Ingram and Johnson will push each other. Our sources want to see the Ingram who shows flashes of brilliance consistently while they’re very excited to see Johnson with some more time at running back under his belt. The staff is selling two back sets on the recruiting trail, so hopefully we see it, especially with Bijan Robinson on the way.

- We’re hearing redshirt freshman wide receiver Kennedy Lewis should return to the team when everyone else does. That said, he and another player may be facing a suspension to start the season. “So who’s the other player.” Welcome to Inside Texas, this must be your first day! We’ll let the school handle that.

- The working assumption is still the players will return to campus on June 1st but obviously that isn’t set in stone. Either way, they need to stay focused and keep working hard. The players know workouts are going to be brutal when they eventually do return.

STATE OF RECRUITING

With plenty of time on their hands, the Texas staff has been vigilant in its evaluations over the last few weeks. Time is something college coaches don't have much of to begin with, so this new downtime has allowed for more Hudl watching and time to build new relationships. New names are popping up seemingly daily.

We’ll take a look at a couple of those names and also check in on a pair of priority targets who dropped their list of top schools with the Longhorns firmly inscribed.

Jaydon Williams, LB - South Oak Cliff (2021): The 6-foot-1, 195-pound outside linebacker was offered this week and looks to be a clear fit at Will in Chris Ash's defensive scheme. He holds 20 offers, including Colorado, Arizona State, Tennessee, Ole Miss, Mississippi State, and Texas Tech. But that Texas offer hit hard. Of all the recent verbal invitations, Williams might be the one that you can pencil in this cycle. Texas is his dream school, not a dream school. His 32 tackles, eight tackles for loss, and five sacks in seven games helped SOC to the second round of the 5A-DII playoffs in 2019. He’s raw but a natural football player and pure athlete. He was offered by Coach Hutzler but was also supposed to talk to Coach Herman on Thursday. We’re not sure if that conversation happened but we’ve heard Texas is big on Williams. If they press, like we think, this one should go according to plan.

Jordon Thomas, OLB/DE - Port Arthur Memorial (2021): When the four-star from the Golden Triangle dropped his final Top 2, Texas and A&M were the last teams standing. The key here is his family may prefer Austin to College Station and that carries a lot of weight in Thomas' eyes. Thomas, who missed his junior season due to injury but has been on the mend, would feature as a swing defensive linemen, perhaps eventually growing into a defensive tackle. Think Lamarr Houston. He says he doesn't want to decide until August/September or the end of his senior year, but we'd pick Texas if he made his choice today. He’ll be a priority for us to see when he’s back in action.

Deuce Harmon, DB - Denton Guyer (2021): It took long enough but the Texas staff extended an offer to the four-star defensive back one of the best pound for pound athletes in the state. After an impressive showing at the SMU/Texas satellite camp in Dallas last June where he recorded a laser timed 4.4 40, former cornerback coach Jason Washington became a big fan. Still, an offer didn’t happen for Harmon and the staff overhaul didn’t help much either as the new coaches surveyed the landscape. First viewed as a nickel, the UT staff now sees him as a cornerback. Harmon was always fond of the Horns, but the lack of attention pushed him in a different direction, like A&M. The Aggies are the current leader for the Guyer stud. It'll be an uphill battle for the staff. We’ll get a good idea of Jay Valai’s recovery speed.

Ishmael Ibraheem, CB - Dallas Kimball (2021): While Jordon Thomas only listed two schools, the state's top corner dropped his Top 10 with Texas squarely in the mix. I don't believe there's a decision timeline here yet and he seems genuinely open. He's a must-get in the staff's eyes and they'll ride this thing until the end.

JD Coffey, S - Kennedale (2021): You know the story here; the previous staff liked Coffey, but then turned sour towards the end of last season. Then when Ash and Valai joined the Texas staff, Coffey was viewed as being similar to previous cycle takes like Jerrin Thompson and Xavion Alford. This week, the four-star dropped his Top 6 with the Longhorns logo making the cut. The staff has kept in contact but also likes Andrew Mukuba (Austin LBJ) and Isaiah Nwokobia (Dallas Skyline). I believe the staff is starting to warm to the idea of Coffey being a legitimate take. We’ll see how it plays out, but for now, let’s hope @Ktown777 ‘s Lloyd Dobler impression doesn’t hurt the staff’s chances.

Brenen Thompson, ATH - Spearman (2022): There's fast, then there's Brenen Thompson fast. The sophomore from west Texas ran a 10.44 100 meters early in the season. That's flat-out flying and the speed shows up on tape. Add to the mix his versatility and quickness, and it's easy to see why he's the hottest in-state recruit for the Class of 2022. Nebraska, TCU, and Baylor were among his early offers, but when Texas gave him the verbal invitation three days ago, his stock jumped through the roof. Alabama, OU, and Texas A&M followed with offers over the last 48 hours to the 5-foot-10, 165-pound four-star athlete. His coach Aaron Witten calls him, "the fastest player he's ever seen." Thompson is just enjoying the new found popularity and isn't in any hurry to make a decision. He's barely seen a college campus so unofficials are on the agenda when they become possible. Texas sees Thompson as an offensive threat at the next level but they’re recruiting him as an athlete.

 

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Schulz2.0

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On 4/8/2020 at 7:50 AM, SydneyCarton said:

Also, classic Justin Wells. Really going out on a limb and say he's starting to really like a kid that looks like a Derrick Johnson clone. "It took awhile, but man, I'm really starting to warm up to this Vince Young as a prospect." That fucking guy. 

Wells saying "I'm really starting to like this kid" is him saying he expects the kid to end up at Texas.

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SydneyCarton

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2 minutes ago, Mdhorn said:

Did I miss something on Kenyatta Watson II?  Is he working out at corner?

He's a corner. I just implied he's not ready to start over the 3 guys listed. Watson as a great physical project, but he probably had a ways to go considering lack of actual challenges at the HS level. He was thrown at, what, 13 times or something dumb his entire senior season?

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texifornia

texifornia 58786

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Just now, SydneyCarton said:

He's a corner. I just implied he's not ready to start over the 3 guys listed. Watson as a great physical project, but he probably had a ways to go considering lack of actual challenges at the HS level. He was thrown at, what, 13 times or something dumb his entire senior season?

Yeah, and he was on that stacked Grayson team - the opposing QB's role was probably "bomb it at the guy Watson isn't covering in the 2 milliseconds you have before Owen Pappoe hurts you very very badly."

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Burt Macklin

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4 hours ago, Hornsfan91 said:

IT Friday Humidor

TEAM

If you read something redundant this week it’s because we heard that info again.

- In February we noted junior-to-be DeMarvion Overshown was moved to linebacker. We’ve learned former Plano East standout Tyler Owens was also moved to linebacker before the team left campus seemingly six months ago. From the moment of his arrival, new defensive coordinator Chris Ash has made it clear he wants to have the fastest defense in the country. Having a linebacker who ran the 100m in the 10.3 range in high school is one way to accomplish that. Owens is able to make this move because of his size, but he’s also more of a downhill, straight-line player to begin with while Ash prioritizes hips and coverage in the back-end.

- Redshirt junior Josh Thompson is going to start out at corner when football resumes, but he has the versatility to slide over to the Spur (nickel), or maybe even boundary safety. Thompson will be interesting to watch because the new staff is said to be high on his athleticism. When asking a source about player versus player competitions, he mentioned corner is really a three-way battle between Thompson, Jalen Green, and D’Shawn Jamison. He said it’s too hard to handicap the winners but feels Jamison might emerge as the best corner on the team. Ash has made mention that a lead boundary corner, along with an elite edge rusher, are the keys to a championship caliber defense. The battle for boundary corner will be the battle for best corner on the team.

- Caden Sterns and Chris Brown would be your starting safeties if Texas played a game tomorrow. The staff loves Brown’s mentality. They’re trying to get the most dogs on the field, guys who run to the ball. If you watched Brown last year, that pretty much defines him.

- What’s unknown at safety is what happens when BJ Foster returns from injury. Without practice, or even the team being on campus, no players are getting ahead of Foster. He’s still a safety and if that remains when he’s healthy and the team returns to campus, then he’ll likely battle with Brown. We still haven’t heard much about dime looks and wonder if that role could have Foster’s name on it, or if it will end up going to the runner-up at nickel. Or the third corner. So many defensive backs.

- Chris Adimora's phenomenal Alamo Bowl performance versus Utah left an impression on the incoming staff. He'd be your starting Spur if fall camp began today. This decision will be about trade-offs. Adimora can cover very well for a safety, but he doesn’t cover as well as Cook. Cook is physical for a corner, but not as physical or powerful as Adimora. That’s another battle our sources say is too close to call, though Adimora holds a slight edge.

- With Denzel Okafor electing to remain at Texas, the offensive line should be set, at least as far as the starting point goes. That o-line would be Sam Cosmi-Junior Angilau-Derek Kerstetter-Denzel Okafor-Christian Jones. We’re sure we’ll hear about other configurations as Hand tinkers but this is most likely.

- Our source said the main battle on offense will be between Jake Smith and Jordan Whittington. Whittington has to prove he’s fully back and can remain healthy while returning to his native receiver position. It won’t take him long to re-acclimate but Smith will prove tough to unseat. It’s still unknown how much new offensive coordinator Mike Yurcich will elect to be in 11 personnel. Our source concedes 10 personnel would be very dangerous.

- Another battle to watch doesn’t matter all that much because both Keaontay Ingram and Roschon Johnson will play a lot, possibly even at the same time. But everyone wants to be called the starter and Ingram and Johnson will push each other. Our sources want to see the Ingram who shows flashes of brilliance consistently while they’re very excited to see Johnson with some more time at running back under his belt. The staff is selling two back sets on the recruiting trail, so hopefully we see it, especially with Bijan Robinson on the way.

- We’re hearing redshirt freshman wide receiver Kennedy Lewis should return to the team when everyone else does. That said, he and another player may be facing a suspension to start the season. “So who’s the other player.” Welcome to Inside Texas, this must be your first day! We’ll let the school handle that.

- The working assumption is still the players will return to campus on June 1st but obviously that isn’t set in stone. Either way, they need to stay focused and keep working hard. The players know workouts are going to be brutal when they eventually do return.

STATE OF RECRUITING

With plenty of time on their hands, the Texas staff has been vigilant in its evaluations over the last few weeks. Time is something college coaches don't have much of to begin with, so this new downtime has allowed for more Hudl watching and time to build new relationships. New names are popping up seemingly daily.

We’ll take a look at a couple of those names and also check in on a pair of priority targets who dropped their list of top schools with the Longhorns firmly inscribed.

Jaydon Williams, LB - South Oak Cliff (2021): The 6-foot-1, 195-pound outside linebacker was offered this week and looks to be a clear fit at Will in Chris Ash's defensive scheme. He holds 20 offers, including Colorado, Arizona State, Tennessee, Ole Miss, Mississippi State, and Texas Tech. But that Texas offer hit hard. Of all the recent verbal invitations, Williams might be the one that you can pencil in this cycle. Texas is his dream school, not a dream school. His 32 tackles, eight tackles for loss, and five sacks in seven games helped SOC to the second round of the 5A-DII playoffs in 2019. He’s raw but a natural football player and pure athlete. He was offered by Coach Hutzler but was also supposed to talk to Coach Herman on Thursday. We’re not sure if that conversation happened but we’ve heard Texas is big on Williams. If they press, like we think, this one should go according to plan.

Jordon Thomas, OLB/DE - Port Arthur Memorial (2021): When the four-star from the Golden Triangle dropped his final Top 2, Texas and A&M were the last teams standing. The key here is his family may prefer Austin to College Station and that carries a lot of weight in Thomas' eyes. Thomas, who missed his junior season due to injury but has been on the mend, would feature as a swing defensive linemen, perhaps eventually growing into a defensive tackle. Think Lamarr Houston. He says he doesn't want to decide until August/September or the end of his senior year, but we'd pick Texas if he made his choice today. He’ll be a priority for us to see when he’s back in action.

Deuce Harmon, DB - Denton Guyer (2021): It took long enough but the Texas staff extended an offer to the four-star defensive back one of the best pound for pound athletes in the state. After an impressive showing at the SMU/Texas satellite camp in Dallas last June where he recorded a laser timed 4.4 40, former cornerback coach Jason Washington became a big fan. Still, an offer didn’t happen for Harmon and the staff overhaul didn’t help much either as the new coaches surveyed the landscape. First viewed as a nickel, the UT staff now sees him as a cornerback. Harmon was always fond of the Horns, but the lack of attention pushed him in a different direction, like A&M. The Aggies are the current leader for the Guyer stud. It'll be an uphill battle for the staff. We’ll get a good idea of Jay Valai’s recovery speed.

Ishmael Ibraheem, CB - Dallas Kimball (2021): While Jordon Thomas only listed two schools, the state's top corner dropped his Top 10 with Texas squarely in the mix. I don't believe there's a decision timeline here yet and he seems genuinely open. He's a must-get in the staff's eyes and they'll ride this thing until the end.

JD Coffey, S - Kennedale (2021): You know the story here; the previous staff liked Coffey, but then turned sour towards the end of last season. Then when Ash and Valai joined the Texas staff, Coffey was viewed as being similar to previous cycle takes like Jerrin Thompson and Xavion Alford. This week, the four-star dropped his Top 6 with the Longhorns logo making the cut. The staff has kept in contact but also likes Andrew Mukuba (Austin LBJ) and Isaiah Nwokobia (Dallas Skyline). I believe the staff is starting to warm to the idea of Coffey being a legitimate take. We’ll see how it plays out, but for now, let’s hope @Ktown777 ‘s Lloyd Dobler impression doesn’t hurt the staff’s chances.

Brenen Thompson, ATH - Spearman (2022): There's fast, then there's Brenen Thompson fast. The sophomore from west Texas ran a 10.44 100 meters early in the season. That's flat-out flying and the speed shows up on tape. Add to the mix his versatility and quickness, and it's easy to see why he's the hottest in-state recruit for the Class of 2022. Nebraska, TCU, and Baylor were among his early offers, but when Texas gave him the verbal invitation three days ago, his stock jumped through the roof. Alabama, OU, and Texas A&M followed with offers over the last 48 hours to the 5-foot-10, 165-pound four-star athlete. His coach Aaron Witten calls him, "the fastest player he's ever seen." Thompson is just enjoying the new found popularity and isn't in any hurry to make a decision. He's barely seen a college campus so unofficials are on the agenda when they become possible. Texas sees Thompson as an offensive threat at the next level but they’re recruiting him as an athlete.

 

-If Owens can acclimate to the physicality and learn to read run plays and RPOs, he could be an absolute beast in this defense. Having a sideline to sideline LBs who can make tackles on the RB in the alley and carry a TE down the seam is what can take Ash’s defense from good to elite. 
 

-penciling in Okafor as a starter seems... questionable. I doubt he would’ve put his name in the portal if he was in a solid spot to start next year. 

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EZ$

EZ$ 2125

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17 hours ago, Burt Macklin said:

-penciling in Okafor as a starter seems... questionable. I doubt he would’ve put his name in the portal if he was in a solid spot to start next year. 

Yeah, I think it’s unlikely a guy would transfer if he was going into the season as a no-doubt starter.  My guess is he heard the exact opposite from the coaches. 

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Fud

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23 hours ago, SydneyCarton said:

He's a corner. I just implied he's not ready to start over the 3 guys listed. Watson as a great physical project, but he probably had a ways to go considering lack of actual challenges at the HS level. He was thrown at, what, 13 times or something dumb his entire senior season?

I think Grayson plays some national all star teams. I remember watching them play Hoover, and Kenyatta got toasted a couple of times by Pickering. 

Edit: Pickens, not Pickering

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Red Five

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2 hours ago, EZ$ said:

Yeah, I think it’s unlikely a guy would transfer if he was going into the season as a no-doubt starter.  My guess is he heard the exact opposite from the coaches. 

Maybe he'd rather play tackle and was told that ship has sailed. 

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Dijon Robinson

Dijon Robinson 1511

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47 minutes ago, Elmer_Fudd said:

Q & A article with Byrd.

https://www.dallasnews.com/high-school-sports/football/2020/04/09/qa-with-duncanville-savion-byrd-his-recruiting-process-thoughts-on-smu-and-switching-back-from-dt-to-ot/?outputType=amp&__twitter_impression=true

Relevant bits

Spoiler

Where do you stand in the recruiting process? Have you set a timetable for when you want to commit by?

No, not really. I was going on visits before the virus [pandemic] happened. I was supposed to go to LSU the day that the outbreak really took off. Basically, my whole spring break was going to be visits. I was going to visit Texas, Texas A&M, but I had to cancel. People expect me to still commit to a school, where I honestly haven’t seen everything yet.

Do you want to wait to commit until you have taken official visits to the schools you are considering?

Yeah, definitely.

Texas Insider Mike Roach from 247Sports predicted Monday that you will commit to SMU. What were your thoughts on that?

People say that just because I’ve been up there a lot. When people started posting it on Instagram and stuff like that, everybody thought I was already committed. The only thing I said was that I’m not committed. It didn’t bother me at all. I just let people think what they think.

Is SMU one of the schools you are strongly considering?

Yeah. SMU is a pretty good school.

What are the other front-runners at this point?

Georgia, Texas, Oklahoma, LSU, A&M, TCU and Auburn. They’re pretty tight with me.

Has Ja’Quinden Jackson tried to convince you to pick Texas as your college after he signed there?

Yeah, he mentions it sometimes.

 

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Bamboozled73

Bamboozled73 341

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3 hours ago, ChampionshipLevelPiss said:

Relevant bits

  Hide contents

Where do you stand in the recruiting process? Have you set a timetable for when you want to commit by?

No, not really. I was going on visits before the virus [pandemic] happened. I was supposed to go to LSU the day that the outbreak really took off. Basically, my whole spring break was going to be visits. I was going to visit Texas, Texas A&M, but I had to cancel. People expect me to still commit to a school, where I honestly haven’t seen everything yet.

Do you want to wait to commit until you have taken official visits to the schools you are considering?

Yeah, definitely.

Texas Insider Mike Roach from 247Sports predicted Monday that you will commit to SMU. What were your thoughts on that?

People say that just because I’ve been up there a lot. When people started posting it on Instagram and stuff like that, everybody thought I was already committed. The only thing I said was that I’m not committed. It didn’t bother me at all. I just let people think what they think.

Is SMU one of the schools you are strongly considering?

Yeah. SMU is a pretty good school.

What are the other front-runners at this point?

Georgia, Texas, Oklahoma, LSU, A&M, TCU and Auburn. They’re pretty tight with me.

Has Ja’Quinden Jackson tried to convince you to pick Texas as your college after he signed there?

Yeah, he mentions it sometimes.

 

He gone

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satyanash

satyanash 15358

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Gabe Brooks: Ten potential offers for Texas in the 2021 class

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As the spring progresses, the coronavirus pandemic and resultant recruiting shutdown will likely lead to more film evaluation from college coaches across the country as they search for new targets in the 2021 recruiting cycle. The typical spring evaluation period typically lasts from April 15 through May 31, but we know that obviously won't happen this year as the pandemic prevents coaches from traveling all over and seeing potential targets at spring practices.

With that in mind, we take a look at 10 players who could catch the Texas coaching staff's eye as the Longhorns look for more players in this unique 2021 cycle. These players possess qualities that make sense as potential offers, whether simply being flat-out football players, or playing positions of need, or both. So with that backdrop, here are 10 players who could make sense as Texas targets in the near future.

Elijah Bean, four-star receiver

Humble (Texas) Summer Creek four-star Elijah Bean is a high-ceiling outside receiver with a terrific track and field profile that makes him that much more interesting as a football prospect. At 6-foot-5, 185 pounds, Bean is tall, long, and lean with outstanding frame potential. His almost 20 offers include Arkansas, Baylor, Boston College, Indiana, Iowa State, Northwestern, Pitt, Utah, Vanderbilt, Houston, SMU, and UCF, among others. Bean owns verified track times of 11.05 seconds in the 100 meters, 21.75 in the 200, and 48.77 in the 400. There's a lot of potential here given his physical tools and track profile. Bean is a strong three-star on the industry-generated 247Sports Composite, which ranks him 69th overall in the state of Texas for his class. But he is a 247Sports four-star with a 90 grade, which puts him in the top 50 nationally among 2021 receivers and No. 41 overall in the Lone Star State.

Tavierre Dunlap, four-star running back

One of the two talented running backs on this hypothetical list, Del Valle (Texas) four-star Tavierre Dunlap is a local prospect to whom the Longhorns could turn if they're looking for another running back to target. Texas will likely take a couple of backs in this class, and the Horns are in pursuit of high-end prospects such as LJ Johnson and Camar Wheaton, while also sitting well in the recruitment of Jonathon Brooks. But Dunlap is a worthy back in his own right after rushing for more than 1,300 yards and 20 touchdowns as a junior, while catching 20 passes for 208 yards and three TD's. The 6-foot, 196-pounder has encouraging speed with verified times for 4.63 in the 40 and 11.23 in the 100 from a year ago during his sophomore year. The 247Sports rates Dunlap as a high three-star ranked 25th among 2021 running backs and No. 52 overall Texas, but he's a 247Sports four-star ranked higher in both categories: 19th among 2021 backs and No. 43 overall in the Lone Star State. Dunlap has reported 30 offers, including the following programs: Arizona, Arizona State, Cal, Colorado, Duke, Iowa State, Michigan State, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, Northwestern, Oklahoma State, Purdue, Texas Tech, UCLA, USC, Utah, Virginia Tech, Washington, and Washington State.

Byron Murphy II, three-star defensive tackle

DeSoto (Texas) defensive tackle standout Byron Murphy II is a disruptive interior defender with impressive production who performed very well in front of us not only on last spring's elite camp circuit, but when we saw him in the fall in game action. Murphy recorded 98 tackles, 12 tackles for loss, 5 1/2 sacks, four forced fumbles, three fumble recoveries, and one defensive touchdown in 2019. Murphy owns 15 offers, with schools such as Baylor, Colorado, Georgia, Texas Tech, and Houston as potential contenders. The 2019 Texas AP Class 6A first-team all-state selection ran a verified 5.01-second 40-yard dash as a sophomore at 276 pounds in March 2019. His athleticism manifests on the field as well. The 247Sports Composite rates Murphy as a high three-star ranked 21st nationally among 2021 defensive tackles and No. 55 overall in Texas. He owns an 89 grade on 247Sports -- the highest three-star rating -- and ranks higher in both categories: 19th among 2021 D-tackles and No. 47 overall in Texas.

Alton McCaskill, three-star running back

One of the spring's most popular recruits in the state of Texas is Conroe Oak Ridge running back Alton McCaskill, a high three-star on 247Sports with an 89 grade who ranks 26th nationally among 2021 running backs and 52nd overall in Texas. McCaskill has reported 20 FBS offers since March 1, including 10 Power Five offers since March 11: UCLA, Florida State, Arkansas, Penn State, Virginia Tech, Virginia, Auburn, Syracuse, Michigan, and USC. Oklahoma State was McCaskill's first offer all the way back in May 2019. McCaskill ran a 10.91-second 100-meter dash March 5, and his recruitment has exploded since. But his tape is strong, too, and he ran for 845 yards and 10 TD's on 7.0 yards per carry in 2019. At 6-foot-1, 195 pounds with that verified speed, McCaskill will no doubt continue to reel in big offers in the coming weeks.

CJ Baskerville, three-star safety

There are some good safeties in Texas in this 2021 class and Richland High's CJ Baskerville is one of them. Oklahoma State recently got the first 247Sports Crystal Ball forecast for the 6-foot-2, 180-pound Baskerville, who owns offers from the Pokes, Kansas, Syracuse, San Diego State, SMU, and Tulsa. The 247Sports rankings consider Baskerville a high three-star with a grade of 88, which puts him 23rd nationally among 2021 safeties and No. 56 overall in the Lone Star State. Baskerville finished the 2019 season with 85 tackles, one tackle for loss, one interception, one forced fumble, one fumble recovery, and seven pass breakups.

Keuan Parker, three-star cornerback

We know that Texas is already interested in Keuan Parker, a high three-star prospect (88) from consistently talent-laden Booker T. Washington in Tulsa. The 5-foot-11, 173-pound cornerback is among the top prospects in the state of Oklahoma and has been in contact with Texas DB's coach Jay Valai. Arkansas, Kansas, and Nebraska are three potential contenders for Parker, who also has gotten offers from Baylor, Iowa State, Michigan State, Oregon, and several more FBS programs. The 247Sports Composite puts Parker in the top 30 corners in the 2021 class and No. 6 overall in Oklahoma for this cycle.

Jackie Marshall, three-star linebacker

Reserve (La.) East St. John defensive standout Jackie Marshall is an interesting prospect because he owns plenty of experience on the edge, but his build and physical nature would translate well to a traditional inside/middle linebacker role. The 6-foot-1 1/2, 230-pound Marshall is a high three-star (88) on 247Sports ranked 17th nationally among 2021 inside linebacker prospects, as well as No. 13 overall in Louisiana for his class. Marshall ran an encouraging 4.81-second 40 a year ago at 230 pounds when he was a sophomore. That's an impressive time relative to his size and age. Marshall's projected position is not set in stone, and he's somebody could potentially fit different roles depending on scheme. With about 20 offers to date, Marshall has reported offers from Arizona, Baylor, Colorado, Memphis, Michigan State, Oklahoma State, Ole Miss, Texas Tech, and Washington State at the P5 level.

Canon Boone, three-star offensive tackle

To round out this list, let's look at three talented offensive linemen. This is not only a strong in-state cycle at the top on the O-line, but there is plenty of quality depth, and these three names show that. If the Longhorns find themselves in the market for more OL targets, Dickinson (Texas) three-star tackle Canon Boone is one of the more under-offered P5-caliber OT's in Texas in this cycle. Colorado and Virginia Tech arethe only P5 offers to date, but the 6-foot-4, 260-pound Boone owns more than a dozen offers, including Hawaii, Houston, Nevada, Rice, and UTSA, among others. Boone is a high three-star (87) on 247Sports, which ranks him 56th among 2021 offensive tackle prospects, as well as No. 89 overall in the Lone Star State.

Ezra Oyetade, three-star center

One of the more intriguing interior offensive linemen in Texas, Garland Lakeview Centennial three-star center Ezra Oyetade is a 6-foot-3, 285-pound who can move. Not only that, but he can dunk, too. Oyetade, who also throws the discus, is approaching 20 offers, including Vanderbilt, Virginia, Boise State, Houston, North Texas, SMU, Tulane, and plenty of others. A strong three-star (86) on 247Sports, Oyetade opens holes for aforementioned running back standout Camar Wheaton, a 247Sports Composite five-star and top Texas target. The Composite ranks Oyetade eighth among 2021 center prospects and No. 82 overall in the state of Texas.

Jack Tucker, three-star offensive tackle

Argyle (Texas) three-star offensive tackle Jack Tucker is another state top 100 prospect on the 247Sports rankings, which put the 6-foot-6, 270-pounder at No. 57 nationally among 2021 tackles. Tucker, who throws the shot put, also has an offer list approaching 20 schools. He has reported P5 offers from Arkansas, Auburn, Baylor, Cal, Illinois, Minnesota, Ole Miss, Purdue, Texas Tech, USC, and Washington State. Tucker owns terrific frame potential thanks to his height and length.

 

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satyanash

satyanash 15358

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(Mike Roach) The Stampede: Predicting the 2021 defensive class

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The Texas recruiting class got off to a quick start last summer, but the Longhorns haven’t struck gold in quite some time. The Texas coaches are doing what they can right now, but are at a disadvantage as an almost completely new staff is hamstrung by recruiting during a pandemic. While coronavirus could give the Longhorns the time they need to catch up, several prospects are starting to pull the trigger on commitments as the possibility of no spring or summer visits looms very large.

Sources on the staff indicated confidence in the long-term plan if the Longhorns were able to show off what they had on both sides of the ball this coming year. Still, it’s a long cycle, and Texas can still score with many of the top targets. Over the weekend, I checked around to determine the status of several Texas targets. The Texas recruiting effort may seem stuck in neutral for now, but a strong foundation with the original members of their class means the Longhorns can finish with a strong group.

In this week’s edition of The Stampede, Horns247’s weekly gathering of recruiting intel, I take my run at predicting what the 2021 Texas class might look like on the defensive side of the ball.

Landon Jackson, DE, Texarkana Pleasant Grove

He’s yet to cut down to finalists, but it really feels like the Landon Jackson recruitment is shaping up to be a huge battle between Texas and Texas A&M. Jackson has always been high on Texas and the opportunities in Austin, but now the Longhorns have a more palpable defensive scheme for Jackson. Terry Price at Texas A&M has done a fantastic job in this recruitment, but Oscar Giles has been equal to the task. This will likely come down to the fall, but I like where Texas stands at the moment.

Jordon Thomas, DE, Port Arthur Memorial

Thomas recently named Texas and Texas A&M as his finalists, and this will be another battle for Oscar Giles straight up against Terry Price. Giles had a strong cycle in 2020, and he could potentially be in for another strong one in 2021. Texas A&M seemed to have the momentum last fall, but Texas grabbed it during the spring as they hosted Thomas on multiple occasions. This recruitment could be swayed by the way the 2020 season plays out, but I’ve been told the family prefers Texas as of right now.

Marcus Burris, DT, Texarkana Pleasant Grove

This pick is a bit more of a projection, but I’m banking on landing Landon Jackson netting the Longhorns his high school teammate. Until earlier this year, I was sure that Burris would be heading elsewhere, but Texas made a huge impression on him during his visit in January. Burris and Jackson aren’t necessarily a package deal, but it’s likely that one could have a big influence on the other.

Ja’Tavion Sanders, DE, Denton Ryan

The highest-rated prospect in the Texas class right now, Sanders has the ability to finish as a legitimate five-star prospect at the end of the cycle. Sanders committed to Texas early along with his teammate Billy Bowman, and he’s been locked in since that point in time. Sanders is the elite edge rusher Texas has been looking for over the last few years, and there’s a good chance he will play early once he makes it to Austin.
Shadow Creek LB Terrence Cooks (Photo: Mike Roach, 247Sports)

Terrence Cooks, LB, Pearland Shadow Creek

Cooks is another huge priority for Texas as they look to infuse athleticism into the linebacker room. Cooks now holds 35 offers, but Texas was in the first group to put an offer on the table. Cooks built a strong friendship with Texas commit Derrick Harris Jr., and Texas made a big impression on him when he visited in January. Texas A&M and Oklahoma will likely be the big competition, but Cooks is still fairly open in his recruitment. The Longhorns struck an early impression with the Cooks’ family, and this appears to be a recruitment where Coleman Hutzler can truly establish himself.

Clayton Smith, LB, Texarkana Texas High

Smith is one of the biggest priorities on the Texas board, and there is some flexibiltity as to where he could play at the next level. Smith is currently projected as an off the ball linebacker, but he could also play as a down defensive lineman depending on the way his body physically develops. Oklahoma and LSU seem to be other programs that will give Texas the biggest push down the stretch, but Smith’s brother played for Bob Shipley at Coppell, with Jay Valai and under Chris Ash at Wisconsin. Those links seem to be helping right now, Smith has been high on Texas since the time they offered.

Jaydon Williams, LB, South Oak Cliff

Texas recently offered Williams, and despite the timing, they are in a strong position. The Longhorns were a dream offer for Williams, and I’m told Texas is firmly in the mix. After speaking with sources, it sounds like Arizona State and Ole Miss are the two schools at the top of his list along with Texas, but the Longhorns reached top tier status in a hurry. Williams wanted to make a spring decision, but his timetable has been interrupted. Still, it wouldn’t be a surprise to see Texas close the deal.

Derrick Harris Jr., LB, New Caney

Harris was one of the early commits in the Texas class, and he’s been a vocal leader in the Texas class. Harris stayed solid through the coaching change and grew to have a strong relationship with the Texas defensive staff. Harris has been recruiting other members of the 2021 class and waving the flag for the Longhorns in the early going. Barring something crazy, Harris is firmly entrenched into the 2021 class.

Ishmael Ibraheem, CB, Dallas Kimball

Ibraheem is one of the highest priorities on the Texas board and a prototype of what the Longhorns are looking for in a corner. Long and athletic, Ibraheem is the perfect press corner and the top ranked player at his position in the state of Texas. Ibraheem recently released his Top 10 earlier in the week, and Texas is high up on his list along with LSU, Oklahoma and TCU. Jay Valai is putting in a ton of work in this recruitment, and right now, he’s the coach making the biggest impact for Ibraheem.

Philip Riley, CB, Valrico (Fla.) Bloomingdale

I’ll admit that this pick is me going out on a limb a bit, but it’s encouraging that Riley included Texas in his top group of schools so quickly after being offered. Riley began his high school career in Washington, but he moved last year to Florida as part of a military family. Riley has no real ties to the Florida area, and this feels like a recruitment Jay Valai and Chris Ash can reel in if they can top programs like Washington and Oregon.

Billy Bowman, S, Denton Ryan

Bowman is another early commit in the Texas class with a shot at reaching five-star status. Like his teammate Ja’Tavion Sanders, Bowman will have the chance to step in and play early. Bowman has been strongly locked in since committing last summer, and the Texas staff has strong ties to Denton Ryan. Bowman is listed as an athlete, but he probably fits best at safety or nickel for Texas. It would be surprising to see Bowman come off of his commitment.

Andrew Mukuba, S, Austin LBJ

Texas has been making up ground with Mukuba over the last month, and I’m told the Longhorns are shooting up his list. Clemson and Oklahoma are two schools I’ve heard of making waves with Mukuba, but he’s made it clear that staying close to home is a factor in his recruitment. Only time will tell how big of a factor it truly is. Chris Ash has been putting in overtime trying to win this recruitment, and Texas can certainly do it given the current rate of improvement.

 

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Elmer_Fudd

Elmer_Fudd 22957

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7 minutes ago, Thiefery said:

If we end up with that class on the defensive side of the ball, I will dip my penis in a cup of hot cappuccino for a whole segment talk of Roach's love of Babe's or whatever that restaurant's name he loves to talk about.

No doubt.  Burris would be a big time get.  Maybe pitch him on being the lone DT take for this class?  I wont get any hopes up yet on that one.  Shemar Turner can also be had and I think he's comparable to Burris.  

Also think Nwokobia will be a DB take and still think we need 3 CB's.  Maybe Hunter Washington?  Omarion Cooper?

Still want Blackwell at LB.  He should be a take no matter what IMO. 

I don't think Smith will be an off the ball LB, but that's OK.

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Thiefery

Thiefery 5108

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5 minutes ago, Elmer_Fudd said:

No doubt.  Burris would be a big time get.  Maybe pitch him on being the lone DT take for this class?  I wont get any hopes up yet on that one.  Shemar Turner can also be had and I think he's comparable to Burris.  

Also think Nwokobia will be a DB take and still think we need 3 CB's.  Maybe Hunter Washington?  Omarion Cooper?

Still want Blackwell at LB.  He should be a take no matter what IMO. 

I don't think Smith will be an off the ball LB, but that's OK.

Seeing cooks and Harris at that camp early in the year.. Makes me think Harris would spin down to DE, he just doesn't have the lateral quickness Cooks or Blackwell has.  Feel the same about Smith spinning down to DE as well.  

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Burt Macklin

Burt Macklin 19211

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2 hours ago, Thiefery said:

Seeing cooks and Harris at that camp early in the year.. Makes me think Harris would spin down to DE, he just doesn't have the lateral quickness Cooks or Blackwell has.  Feel the same about Smith spinning down to DE as well.  

There’s basically no chance Harris will be successful as an off-ball LB and all the other LBs were recruiting/current safeties were spinning down seem to point to the staff thinking he’ll be an EDGE also. 

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Ricky's one-hitter

Ricky's one-hitter 9602

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IT Scoop - Nahlin/Wells

iT's PrEdIcTiOn SzN!!!

Spoiler

By: Eric Nahlin and Justin Wells

Before you eat all the Easter candy and clean up the eggs in the yard, get some Inside Scoop on your Monday.

From: @Eric Nahlin

TREND LINES ARE BECOMING A BIT MORE CLEAR

There’s still a little fog on the road due to lack of visits, but I think we can reasonably guess a handful of guys Texas will land in the 2021 class.

The staff is in a pretty good spot, all things considered. They hit the gas on the class last summer then hit the brakes just as hard. The class came to a screeching halt as the 2019 season began, then of course the season disappointed and a number of coaching changes were made.

Tom Herman and his personnel department didn’t experience a wreck or breakdown, they simply ran out of gas. They’re now at Buc-ee’s filling up on all it has to offer before beginning the journey anew. Cycles are the 24 Hours of LeMans, not a drag race.

Here are guys I like for the class based on what we know now. Not listing a player doesn’t mean Texas won’t land him. I hate that I have to write that reminder 12 times a year, but Person A beckons.

RB Jonathon Brooks, Hallettsville (Hallettsville, TX): The only way this doesn’t happen is if Texas backs off. I like him as a take with safety being an option if running back doesn’t work out.

WR Hal Presley, Mansfield Summit (Arlington, TX): Again, as long as they press him to commit, this looks good. My suspicion is Presley and Ketron Jackson (Royse City) might be competing for the same spot.

TE Landen King, Atascosita (Humble, TX): He’s picked up numerous big offers recently but I still think he’ll end up in Austin.

OL Team Brockermeyer, All Saints (Fort Worth, TX): Obviously this has a ways to go but I can’t see that last name on any other uniform.

DE Landon Jackson, Pleasant Grove (Texarkana, TX): The current circumstances do Texas no favors as he’s not going to get to take his visits ahead of a summer decision. We still like where Texas sits.

DE Clayton Smith, Texas High (Texarkana, TX): Crazy year in Texarkana on the defensive line with Jackson, Smith, and Marcus Burris. If Texas can land Smith, he’ll be bendiest edge-bender they land. We like Texas here.

DL Jordon Thomas, Memorial (Port Arthur, TX): It wouldn’t be a big shock if Thomas was the next member of the class. I can’t wait to see him in action this fall. Missing last season muted the hype around him but my gut says he’s a top-15 player in the class at a minimum.

LB Terrence Cooks, Shadow Creek (Pearland, TX): His family is definitely fond of Palo Alto but I think Texas will win out. Liking Stanford is a good sign for UT.

LB Jaydon Williams, South Oak Cliff (Dallas, TX): Had he visited already I could see him committing on the spot. He has visited A&M and OU, with OU saying they like him at safety. Skeptical.gif. But it’s telling of his athleticism for linebacker.

DB Isaiah Nwokobia, Skyline (Dallas, TX): Nwokobia was an early, confident ID by Chris Ash and I like UT’s standing.

BATTLES LOOMING

Texas is directly in it for the following players, though I wouldn’t say UT leads. Some I *think* will be Horns but that requires speculating on a changing landscape, or betting on coaches I’m just getting to “know.”

RB LJ Johnson, Cy-Fair (Cypress, TX): Take him at his word, he’s open and Texas is squarely in it. I’ll know by the end of September how real UT’s chances are. He also likes LSU, A&M, and OU. I don’t see him going too far from home.

RB Camar Wheaton, Lakeview Centennial (Garland, TX): Texas may be in better standing with Wheaton than Johnson at the moment. One of them landing at OU helps Texas with the other. OU and SMU are also in this one. Stan Drayton is a good recruiter of running backs. I bet he pulls a rabbit out of his hat.

WR Theodore Knox, The Woodlands (The Woodlands, TX): I know Texas is in it but I don’t have a great feel for the competition. The good news is the staff would be happy to land Knox and JoJo Earle.

WR JoJo Earle, Aledo (Aledo, TX): I think he stays in the Big 12, which helps Texas, but OU and TCU are formidable opponents recruiting the position. The pre-virus visit was absolutely huge for Texas’ efforts to get back in it.

Texas and Andre Coleman are casting a wide net. I think they’ll find some responsive waters in the process. Key will be getting kids to campus to hear from players how much they’ve improved under Coleman.

OL Bryce Foster, Taylor (Katy, TX): His current leader is in fact OU. OU does not have a good throwing program and I do think that could eventually catch up to the Sooners. Like @Horn18, I’ve also pondered if OU is a compromise school given his family ties to A&M. UT needs to get him to campus a couple more times and keep working on mama. And the staff needs an assist from the Texas throwing program. Doable.

OL Savion Byrd, Duncanville (Duncanville, TX): I’ve never had a good feeling here and I don’t think that will change. UT will get an official visit, though. Maybe Ja’Quinden Jackson will give an assist. Watch LSU here. SMU has a slight, slight chance.

OL Bram Walden, Saguaro (Scottsdale, AZ): Texas should make things interesting but I still think he ends up at Oregon. First and foremost he needs to visit. I’m listing him because he’s been positive in his feedback.

DL Shemar Turner, DeSoto (DeSoto, TX): I really like UT’s long-term chances and almost put him in the first group but he’s going to take a lot of visits to big-time programs in the coming months. While UT will have a lot of defensive linemen committed before he decides, they won’t have anyone like him. If he decided right now I think it would be Texas.

CB Deuce Harmon, Guyer (Denton, TX): Readers of these pages will know I’m a big fan of setting the floor early in a cycle. It extends the latitude you can give elite players and doesn’t require the urgent, late push for a lesser player than the floor player. Would the player in question improve your previous class? He’s probably a take. Harmon trained with Jay Valai as a youngster so there’s some familiarity, but does that put Texas at an advantage or disadvantage? I think Texas should win out but we’ll see. More from JW below.

CB Ishmael Ibraheem, Kimball (Dallas, TX): There’s the possibility of him getting swept off his feet at some point in the process so Texas needs to keep a close eye. This will be a tricky one for Valai, who hasn’t exactly experienced these high profile recruitments. If it’s Valai versus, say, Corey Raymond at LSU, he’s going to have to bring his ‘A’ game for months on end. I think Valai is up to the task, especially if the corners play up to their reputation this season.

DB Andrew Mukuba, LBJ (Austin, TX): There’s sentiment that UT was late to offer but I’m not sure how that’s justified. Late compared to who? This is shaping up to be RRS battle. Mukuba scored a 30 on his ACT. His family moved here from Africa to better their life. Academics are important? Joe Erotic, the lion guy, can do this math.

DB Denzel Burke, Saguaro (Scottsdale, AZ): I think UT can pull this one off but he needs to visit and then take an official visit. He comes with the added value of having ability at receiver, too.


From: @Justin Wells

DEUCE HARMON

One of the state's top defensive backs finally got the call from Texas last week. The 5-foot-9, 185-pound four-star with the 40-inch vertical added UT to an offer list that includes Notre Dame, Texas A&M, Mississippi State, and TCU.

The Denton Guyer two-sport athlete in football and track is pound-for-pound one of the state's best prospects. He's tallied 90 tackles, 20 pass break-ups, and five INTs over the last two years. He could be a corner, nickel, or safety, but the Horns like him on the island. I caught up with Harmon this weekend after his Texas offer on all things recruiting.

"I am still enjoying it a lot," said Harmon, on the recruiting process. "It is a great experience. I honestly never thought my recruitment would get like this."

On the record, he lists no leaders. But I believe A&M is his top school today.

"All of my top 10 schools are standing out and Texas has time to do the same," Harmon said. "I want to visit Oregon, Mississippi State, USC when we can start taking trips again."

Harmon knows what he wants in a future college program.

"I’m really just looking for a school that I can trust the coaches," said Harmon. "Build a great relationship, a place where I can be comfortable with for 3-4 years, and a school where I can fit in at with the way I play football."

Harmon has visited Austin before and wants to go back soon. His relationship with former CB coach Jason Washington now resides in Starkville, so Jay Valai has some work to do here for the burnt orange. But it can be done.

"Texas was one of the schools that I wanted," Harmon said. "I have known Coach Valai for a while, we already have a good little connection. Him being short in football and me being short in football, we would be able to connect easy."

Even though his brother plays basketball at OU, I don’t get the sense that gives them any advantage. Deuce wants to forge his own path.

Texas jumped into this race late, but hopefully not too late. With nothing but time on the staff's hands, let the building begin.
 

 

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