Texas recruiting notes 2019

Machinator · February 8, 2019

21 minutes ago, satyanash said:

Eric Nahlin: Where OOS signees would fit within the IT Texas Top 25

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The 2019 cycle came to an end on Wednesday with the signing of offensive lineman Javonne Shepherd. I'm not sure you could have drawn up a more taxing cycle in which a team still finishes inside the top-five. A lot was initially going wrong for the staff within the borders, not all of it their own fault, so Tom Herman made the calculating decision to be ultra-aggressive out West.

While Herman and staff, including support staff, made their own luck, but they also benefited greatly from Clay Helton's rather public trials and defibrillations. Expect Texas to try and take advantage of the USC death rattle once again. But, before we focus too much on the next cycle, we still have some tidying up to do with the current haul. This article discusses how Tom Herman found similar fits for in-state priorities the staff didn't sign. Successfully addressing these issues was the #1 story-line for the entire cycle. Without the successes of out-of-state poaching the class would have finished outside of the top-ten.

When asked where the OOS players would rank within Texas, the hardest part was simply ranking those prospects from first to last. These are some flat-out ballers who represent A) what Herman is looking for, B) he won't settle for less, and, C) the Texas brand is more national than you might have thought. Excluding the two JUCO signees, Texas signed a whopping 10 players from outside the state. Here's how I rank them, though there's tons of room for disagreement.

1. LB De'Gabriel Floyd, Westlake (Westlake Village, CA)
2. WR Bru McCoy, Mater Dei (Santa Ana, CA)
3. WR Jake Smith, Notre Dame Prep (Scottsdale, AZ)
4. CB Kenyatta Watson, Grayson (Loganville, GA)
5. TE Brayden Liebrock, Chandler (Chandler, AZ)
6. DB Chris Adimora, Mayfair (Lakewood, CA)
7. WR Marcus Washington, Trinity Catholic (St. Louis, MO)
8. DL Myron Warren, Many (Many, LA)
9. RB Derrian Brown, Buford (Buford, GA)
10. LB Marcus Tillman, Jones (Orlando, FL)

That was difficult. Many of those guys are bunched closely as far as quality goes, as you'll soon see. No. 3 could be No.1 and No. 7 could be No. 4. Quick takeaways with the added caveat that this is a silly exercise:

- DGF gets the call over Bru. If you want to make Bru a five-star I won't stop you. He certainly has great traits for receiver but part of his rating stems from being a fantastic linebacker prospect as well, though not as good as Floyd. I sort of used the NFL as a tiebreaker; I feel Floyd will be drafted higher. Both could make a significant impact as freshmen, though Floyd will have a greater adjustment period due to playing a more mentally taxing position.

- Smith at #3 was a pretty easy call. Normally whether a player succeeds or not is up to the player, but with him it's more up to the staff to create space and opportunity. I only have McCoy ahead of Smith because I think the offense is more likely to run through him. That could change over the course of their careers.

- Watson, Liebrock, Adimora, and Washington are nearly interchangeable. I went with the freakiest athlete first. As a pillar of the offense Liebrock will be set up to succeed. Adimora is a certified stud but may have to wait his turn to see the field. I LOVE Marcus Washington and have him #7. I think he's going to be productive, but the focus won't be on XWR after Collin Johnson.

- I like Warren quite a bit, especially as a late-cycle find, however he has just a hint of tightness to him and he doesn't have the greatest length.

- I respect Derrian Brown's all around game; he's a slasher who finds daylight, runs hard relative to his body type, and has fantastic hands. He and Whittington could have similar roles, and who knows, perhaps Whittington becomes a full-time receiver later in his career. Obviously first and foremost for Derrian is his long-term health.

- I just don't know as much about Tillman as I'd like to, and that's scary because the position is hard enough for a rube like myself to evaluate. I can clearly see he's fluid, can generate pop in a hurry, and has some twitch, but he's just too much of an unknown. I do know I'm glad they have him.

Where do they land in-state?

1. De'Marvin Leal
De'Gabriel Floyd
Bru McCoy
2. Theo Wease
3. Jordan Whittington*
Jake Smith
4. Kenyon Green
5. Garrett Wilson
6. Tyler Johnson*
7. Baylor Cupp
8. Jeffery Carter
9. Roschon Johnson*
10 Tyler Owens*
Kenyatta Watson
11. Erick Young
Brayden Liebrock
12. Demani Richardson
13. Jamal Morris
Chris Adimora
14. Jalen Catalon
Marcus Washington
15. Branson Bragg
16. Dylan Wright
17. T'Vondre Sweat*
18. Trejan Bridges
19. Brian Williams
20. David Gbenda*
21. Elijah Higgins
22. Isaiah Spiller
Myron Warren
23. Lewis Cine
24. Marcus Banks
25. Steven Parker

Derrian Brown would be about 30-35. Marcus Tillman would be about 35-40. That's how I see it. It will be interesting to see if the staff can match similar out-of-state success while landing more of the in-state top-10. There's a good chance they do in the 2020 class.

People should probably read Nahlin's ranking of the top 100 in Texas to make sense of this.

Inside Texas' Eric Nahlin ranks the top 100 players in the state of Texas in the 2019 class accounting for variables such as position projection, fit for a program, and future athletic development along with a prospect's measurables and film.

1. DE DeMarvin Leal, Judson (Converse) - TEXAS A&M: He's the most uncommon player in the state, a rare find with his blend of size, mobility, and twitch. He's a great fit for the Aggie defense as he profiles similarly to Justin Madubuike. Getting a pass rush from an interior position isn't easy to do, but Leal can beat blockers with quickness, power, and sometimes motor.

2. WR Theo Wease, Allen (Allen) - OKLAHOMA: Theo Wease is as natural a receiver as you'll find with the short area quickness to get open and good enough speed to be a deep threat. He can beat you in just about any way imaginable, including with his head. Has possession receiver hands. Makes the acrobatic catch. He reminds me of a combination of OU receivers Charleston Rambo (savvy, great hands) and CeeDee Lamb (ability to dominate). Wease can align at any receiver position, but they'll like him on the outside.

3. ATH Jordan Whittington, Cuero (Cuero) - TEXAS: In my years doing this I can't recall a player like Whittington. He could credibly be considered a four-star at running back, wide receiver, safety, and even linebacker if he had any interest in that position. He doesn't, but that tells you what direction his body is headed (220 pounds). He combines exceptional quickness with fluidity not typically found in such a densely muscled prospect. Like Wease, he's a savvy receiver with great, attacking ball skills. He's a bit of an unknown as a running back, but in a varied role it's easy to see him racking up yardage.

4. OL Kenyon Green, Atascocita (Humble) - TEXAS A&M: I've always called him a guard because when you evaluate you first consider ceiling (and body type). That doesn't mean he can't play tackle, especially given A&M's needs. He does bend well, has nice feet, and competes. I saw his team down by 30 his junior year and he was going as hard late in the game as in the beginning. Good sign. I bet he's a good tackle at A&M and good guard in the NFL.

5. WR Garrett Wilson, Lake Travis (Lake Travis) - OHIO STATE: Wilson is typified by short area explosiveness, whether moving directionally or elevating, and ball skills. Those ball skills and leaping ability allow him to play much bigger than his 6-foot height. The main question with him is can he be more dynamic after the catch?

6. OL Tyler Johnson, Oak Ridge (Conroe) - TEXAS: I struggle with who has more upside between Johnson and Green. To me, Johnson is a little more athletic making it easier to see him at tackle in college and beyond, but guard might be his home too. He showed a nastier streak this season. He's good in space or on the pull and should be a good drive blocker. He should have the ability to create creases with quickness and power.

7. TE Baylor Cupp, Brock (Brock) - TEXAS A&M: This is probably the best fit in the class. Everything Jace Sternberger did in his fine junior season can be duplicated and then some by Cupp in the coming years. On top of it, A&M was his dream school. He has a very big frame and good hands, but it's his quickness at 6-foot-6 that makes him special.

8. CB Jeffrey Carter, Legacy (Mansfield) - ALABAMA: With his raw athleticism and 40" vertical, Carter reminds me of former Longhorn Curtis Brown. He has as loose of hips as you'll find and exceptional make-up speed and ball skills. If he hammers down technique he could be a first rounder.

9. QB Roschon Johnson, Groves (Port-Neches) - TEXAS: His only question is arm strength and if that's your only question you should have plenty to compensate for it. He's a perfect fit for Tom Herman's offense and program.

10. DB Tyler Owens, Plano East (Plano) - TEXAS: Freak athlete with freak length. Owens' junior tape was average but his senior year displayed a much more confident and assertive player putting his extremely rare traits together. A 6-foot-2, 195 pound safety running a 10.34 100? This year he played like it.

11. DB Erick Young, Fort Bend Bush (Richmond) - TEXAS A&M: I have him as a safety because of his size. At already 208 pounds and genetics that are going to take kindly to S&C it's hard for me to see him sticking at corner. Aggies not even considering the possibility of safety are delusional. Assuming he makes that switch, the coverage traits that would go with him could make him exceptional in coverage. He's a naturally physical player.

12. DB Demani Richardson, Waxahachie (Waxahachie) - TEXAS A&M: Much of Richardson's senior year was lost due to injury otherwise he'd probably be higher. Richardson is an even bigger version of Young meaning linebacker may be on the table. He would be a sensational athlete for the position but that would bring even more projection. Richardson has tons of positive traits on display on offense that will transfer to defense.

13. DB Jamal Morris, Fort Bend Bush (Richmond) - OKLAHOMA: Morris is just what the doctor ordered for Oklahoma. He can run, turn a team over, comes downhill aggressively, and is a good striker. He's a really good all-around safety.

14. DB Jalen Catalon, Legacy (Mansfield) - ARKANSAS: Catalon missed nearly the entire season as well. Where guys like Richardson and Owens are freaks with their size and athleticism, Catalon looks more unassuming, but don't be fooled. He sees the game as well you can in the back end, and has good quickness to turn what he sees into a turnover or big hit.

15. OL Branson Bragg, Crandall (Crandall) - STANFORD: Excellent get for Stanford as Bragg nearly has tackle athleticism, great size for the interior, and the brains for the mentally taxing position of center.

16. WR Dylan Wright, West Mesquite (Mesquite) - TEXAS A&M: Perhaps the most upside of any receiver in the class, his floor is just considerably lower than Wease's. Can stretch the field vertically with speed or dominate with size. Needs to more consistent but all the ability is there.

17. DL T'Vondre Sweat, Huntsville (Huntsville) - TEXAS: Played defensive end in high school where we are able to gauge a lot of "smaller man" traits, but at minimum he'll be a player moved up and down the line like Leal. He most likely plays around 300 pounds. Great motor, play-strength, and good mobility. Just a little tightness and twitch separates him and Leal.

18. WR Trejan Bridges, Hebron (Carrolton) - OKLAHOMA: He's a good athlete, especially in the air, but what makes him special are his hands and ball skills. He's the best in the state in that regard.

19. DB Brian Williams, Bishop Dunne (Dallas) - TEXAS A&M: Dunne guys always use their eyes well in coverage, and it also helps they're given lollipops thanks to the poor level of competition, but that written, Williams is good at seeing routes develop and reading the quarterback. I have him lower than some just because I don't think he has quite the athletic upside.

20. LB David Gbenda, Cinco Ranch (Katy) - TEXAS: The rare inside linebacker who can run sideline to sideline, Gbenda of course is good downhill too. He seems to diagnose quickly and must be accounted for as a blitzer. My buddy who coaches in that district said he was the best defensive player they faced. There's quite a bit of talent in that district.

21. WR Elijah Higgins, Bowie (Austin) - STANFORD: Higgins has fantastic quickness and fluidity at his size but needs to stay healthy. His value will be moving around, inside and out, to take advantage of match-ups. His big frame is going to fill out nicely but he won't want to get too much bigger.

22. RB Isaiah Spiller, Klein Collins (Spring) - TEXAS A&M: Similar to Keaontay Ingram in running style, he's just not quite as quick. Spiller also has nice hands and should be used out of the backfield. Young for his grade so we could see a big jump in physical maturity in the next year.

23. DB Lewis Cine, Trinity Christian School (Cedar Hill) - GEORGIA: He and Williams are similar in that both played against poor competition. They differ greatly in that Cine is much more raw while Williams will be ready to play as a freshman. I think Cine has the athletic attributes to be a good one, including fluidity in coverage, but he'll have a ways to go from a technical standpoint.

24. DB Marcus Banks, Dekaney (Spring) - ALABAMA: Banks has great hips and man coverage skills. He needs to become more physical but that will come with strength and culture.

25. LB Steven Parker, South Oak Cliff (Dallas) - KANSAS: Parker is a tough, coachable kid with a frame nowhere near its landing spot. He's naturally strong with great length and bend. He'll be put in a position to succeed early in his career and we'll see substantial differences from his freshman to junior year, developmentally speaking. The weight room will be kind to him.

26. RB Deondrick Glass, Katy (Katy) – OKLAHOMA STATE: Has the 'born to play the position' traits of vision, feet, and balance. Runs hard and is always churning for extra yards. Impressed when I saw him versus a fast and physical North Shore defense.

27. DB Marquez Beason, Duncanville (Duncanville) - ILLINOIS: Tougher projection simply because he'll transition from receiver to corner but has all the athleticism to do it.

28. LB Will Williams, Chapin (El Paso) – BAYLOR: You probably haven't heard of him and there's probably still a good chance I don't have him high enough. He's an electric athlete with no concerns regarding fluidity. You need guys like Williams in the Big 12. Straight up steal.

29. WR Langston Anderson, Heritage (Midlothian) – OKLAHOMA STATE: Oh look, another Cowboys receiver that can beat you with power or speed. On top of it, he's a 50/50 ball winner, too.

30. TE Jalen Wydermyer, Dickinson (Dickinson) – TEXAS A&M: Not super explosive for the position like some basketball players who excel on grass, but he's a very fluid and an easy mover. I think he has above average upside as a blocker, too.

31. WR Arjei Henderson, Fort Bend Travis (Richmond) – FLORIDA: I like him as a target boundary receiver. Does well to use his body and attack the ball in the air. Solid but not dynamic on the ground after the catch. Chain mover and red zone threat.

32. OL EJ Ndoma-Ogar, Allen (Allen) - OKLAHOMA: Very smart kid who is going to a great scheme. Plenty athletic to pull where he can bring his power to bear. Good pop out of his stance. Should anchor well versus d-tackles. A bit limited when it comes to length.

33. TE Jared Wiley, Temple (Temple) - TEXAS: Multi-sport athlete who excels on the diamond as well. Giant frame, a bit of a project but very big upside. I hear he's competitive which will help him maximize.

34. DL NaNa Osafo-Mensah, Nolan Catholic (Fort Worth) – NOTRE DAME: Has played different positions in high school but will likely settle into defensive line after his body matures. Assuming he keeps most of his movement skills he'll have too much quickness for many offensive linemen. He could probably play a stand-up, edge role earlier in his career.

35. OL Javonne Shepherd, North Forest (Houston) - TEXAS: Giant size with surprising athleticism and good baseline traits. It's time for him to put in work on the demanding technical aspects of the job. I foresee right tackle or guard. He'll be a millionaire if he wants to be.

36. DT Enoch Jackson, Legacy (Mansfield) - ARKANSAS: You'd be hard pressed to find a better first step. The big question with him is lack of length but look around, shorter defensive tackles are dominating in college and the NFL alike.

37. TE Austin Stogner, Prestonwood Christian (Plano) - OKLAHOMA: One of the knocks on Stogner I've heard is that he's maxed out as a player. Even if that was true, and I'm not saying it is, he's a good player who understands how to get open and make contested catches. He's also going to an offense that's kind to flexed-out tight ends. He might not maximize that position, but that position will maximize him.

38. QB Grant Gunnell, St. Pius X (Houston) - ARIZONA: I think the networks probably over-steered in dropping him to a three-star, though level of competition is a valid concern and he's been supported by a talented cast which makes things even easier. The windows just aren't the same in the higher classifications. Still, he has great size, a good arm, and underrated athleticism.

39. DL Kori Roberson, Manvel (Manvel) - OKLAHOMA: OU made a good evaluation here. I wasn't all that impressed with his junior year but he looks great as a senior. For a bigger lineman that profiles to the interior, he gets off the ball and into the o-lineman well. He has some shock power when he gets there and a nifty push-pull move. Shows good motor within plays and surprising closing speed.

40. OL Isaiah Hookfin, Dulles (Sugar Land) - TEXAS: Has the athleticism, bend, and quick feet to mitigate any concerns one might have over lack of length. With proper buy-in of the UT S&C program Hookfin should compete to start at tackle down the line.

41. OL Brant Banks, Westbury Christian (Houston) - NEBRASKA: Consider me a fan and I love that he went to Nebraska where I think he'll be maximized by Scott Frost and company. He's grown into playing on offensive line after starting on defense, and already has a head start on his physical and technical development as an early enrollee. This guy is going to look like one of those Tom Osborne sleepers of yesteryear.

42. OL Landon Peterson, Permian (Odessa) – TEXAS TECH: Athletic off the ball, plays pissed off and with a flat back. Has the quickness to develop into a very good pass blocker. I'm bewildered by his lower rating. If you've read my stuff or listened to the Eyes of Texas are Upodcast you know I advocate growing your left tackles. Peterson is similar to Banks, just not quite as big. Great piece for Matt Wells.

43. OL Andrew Coker, Taylor (Katy) - TCU: He's come a long way in the last couple of years and is on a good developmental curve. He'll be a tackle for TCU but would be a guard at some other places.

44. WR Kam Brown, Colleyville Heritage (Colleyville) – TEXAS A&M: I don't foresee stardom for Brown, but I think he can be good in the Camron Buckley role. Maybe not great in any single regard, but the good in the composite.

45. QB Jacob Zeno, John Jay (San Antonio) - BAYLOR: Has a rifle for an arm but needs to sight it in. Athletic for a pocket passer, but not a dangerous runner. Good building block for whoever is the coach after Matt Rhule.

46. WR Jalen Curry, St. Pius X (Houston) - ARIZONA: Excellent, strong build. Runs decently well but may have trouble separating against better corners. Have heard hands can be inconsistent.

47. DE Braedon Mowry, Taylor (Katy) - TEXAS A&M: I wasn't sold on him as a junior but really liked his senior year. He could be a bit of a tweener, but he's cat quick for his size.

48. RB Darwin Barlow, Newton (Newton) - TCU: No glaring weaknesses in his game and really he's only lacking a little more burst from being a truly national prospect.

49. DL Gilbert Ibeneme, Pearland (Pearland) – TEXAS TECH: He had a good bounce-back year after being injured his junior season. There's a hint of bounce to his game. He moves well laterally. I think he'll bring pretty penetration to the offensive line. Very good play-strength.

50. DE Peter Mpagi, George Ranch (Richmond) - TEXAS: The early enrollee reminds a bit of Charles Omenihu as an upside player in need of development. He doesn't quite possess the length of Omenihu, but he's a bit quicker and also plays with good leverage.

51. RB King Doerue, Tascosa (Amarillo) - PURDUE: He'll be transitioning from what looks like the wing back in the Wing T to the Jeff Brohm offense. It's a down year in-state but Doerue looks to have the best burst of any feature back. Great build that should hold up in the Big 10.

52. DL Marcus Stripling, Mayde Creek (Houston) - OKLAHOMA: There's a disconnect between his ability and production but his quickness makes him a good fit for new OU defensive coordinator Alex Grinch's defense.

53. QB Maverick McIvor, Central (San Angelo) – TEXAS TECH: Did you know Charlie Brewer's dad played at Texas? I'm serious, he did. Get ready to hear the same regarding Rick's son. Big arm, solid athlete, and studious. Missed most of his senior year but he'll have plenty of time to heal and learn behind Alan Bowman.

54. OL Layden Robinson, Manvel (Manvel) - TEXAS A&M: Has the potential to be very good as a run blocker. Shows the ability to play with good pad level and leverage. Lots of work to do as a pass blocker but shortcomings in that department won't hurt as bad at center.

55. LB David Ugwoegbu, Seven Lakes (Katy) - OKLAHOMA: Very good athlete that could play offense or defense in college. I like him as a stand-up Jack linebacker rather than defensive end. Not sure he'd hold up with his hand in the ground.

56. RB Daimarqua Foster, Hirschi (Wichita Falls) - TCU: Solid all-around back, runs it up inside, has enough to speed to bounce it. Runs a bit bigger than he looks.

57. QB Jacob Clark, Rockwall (Rockwall) - MINNESOTA: Quick actions, a quick set up and quick throwing motion for a tall signal-caller. Can throw with power or take something off when needed. Plenty of arm strength with more on the way. Really solid prospect.

58. RB Qualan Jones, Trinity Christian School (Cedar Hill) - BAYLOR: Surprising speed to the edge for a bigger back. Runs with the power you'd expect. Your best bet is to get to him before he accumulates downhill speed. Good plant-and-go runner.

59. WR TQ Jackson, Jefferson (Jefferson) – ARKANSAS: Good composite of size, strength, and speed. Won't be an easy guy to jam and if you miss it he can punish deep.

60. DL Taurean Carter, Legacy (Mansfield) - ARKANSAS: Carter is yet another lineman in the 6-foot-3, 250-270 pound range who will play an interior role.

61. WR Kennedy Lewis, Melissa (Melissa) – TEXAS: Good size and speed on the field and on the track. A bit raw as a route runner but he profiles to the simpler vertical routes.

62. LB Tyrone Brown, United (Beaumont) - BAYLOR: Rhule clearly understands this evaluation thing. Brown's a high upside developmental player thanks to his length and frame, as well as his initial quickness. He missed most of his senior season but it's clear the foundation is there to be a big time player.

63. DE Colt Ellison, Aledo (Aledo) - TCU: I liked his junior year as he really pushed the pocket from the edge. He was doing more of the same this year before tearing his ACL and MCL. Hopefully he regains all of his athleticism. He's not really an arc bender, but he can run through the offensive lineman's shoulder. He should be effective stunting. Can't rule out him growing into a defensive tackle.

64. WR DK Blaylock, New Deal (New Deal) – BOISE STATE: Great length. Long strider in the open field but can shorten it in close quarters. Not sure why he wasn't discussed more.

65. DB Bobby Wolfe, Madison (Houston) - ARIZONA: He'll start out at corner but I like him at nickel or safety more. Not sure he has the feet to play outside but he does have a good build that will easily get north of 200 pounds.

66. QB Grant Tisdale, Allen (Allen) – OLE MISS: Dual-threat with underrated athleticism and great leadership qualities. Whatever is in the playbook he can make it go, whether it's RPO's, vertical routes, or running it himself with the numbers advantage.

67. DL Jason Gold, Clear Springs (League City) - NORTHWESTERN: This is me trying to grow the defensive end into a tackle. I think he can do it, and if so he'll be a plus athlete with pass rushing upside. Good mobility and body mechanics. NU really knows how to evaluate and develop its players.

68. DL Hunter Spears, Sachse (Sachse) – NOTRE DAME: Physical and strong, Spears uses his hands well to keep offensive lineman off him while he locates the ball carrier. He moves well but isn't overly explosive. Could play end or nose in a three-man front. Will be better stopping the run than getting after the quarterback.

69. DB Jonathan McGill, Coppell (Coppell) - STANFORD: Excellent instincts allows him to always be in the thick of things. Sticky coverage skills for a nickel/safety. Lack of height hurt him in recruiting, well, at least until Stanford came calling. Great fit for that program and conference.

70. WR Jaylen Ellis, Cedar Ridge (Round Rock) - BAYLOR: Highly productive vertical threat with track speed. At a minimum he should be someone who demands safety attention deep but could evolve into something much more.

71. ATH Tamauzia Brown, Newton (Newton) - TCU: Could play wide receiver, corner, or safety. I have his ceiling as a safety with range, ball skills, and man coverage ability.

72. WR La'Vontae Shenault, DeSoto (DeSoto): I liked his brother Laviska but not enough. Looks similar to his brother as an all-around playmaker. Might not have the same ball skills, but looks a tick faster.

73. ATH Peyton Powell, Permian (Odessa) - BAYLOR: Could play wide receiver or corner. Corner is probably where his traits best project if he wants to mix it up. Rhule will start him on the right track.

74. DB Keeyon Stewart, North Shore (Galena Park): Played safety in high school but projects to corner or possibly nickel in college. Runs extremely well and will hit.

75. OL Beaux Limmer, Lee (Tyler) - ARKANSAS: An offensive tackle who will play center in Fayetteville. He has the quickness and the ability to play low against shorter players. Aggressive and quick off the ball.

76. LB Curley Young, Hendrickson (Pflugerville) - CALIFORNIA: Sort of a unique prospect in that he's played as a stand-up linebacker and with his hand in the ground. He probably best projects to a traditional role. Shows some legitimate suddenness and striking and is already used to grappling with bigger offensive linemen. A little slight right now, but dense and will fill out nicely. My lone complaint is he doesn't raise hell with a red sash around his waist like Curley Bill. Justin Wilcox with the potential steal.

77. OL Cole Birmingham, Katy (Katy) – OKLAHOMA STATE: Looks much more comfortable run blocking, which isn't uncommon for a high school player. Plays with good pad level in the run game, suggesting a high floor at guard when you factor for his size. Solid feet.

78. DB Anfernee Orji, Rockwall (Rockwall) – VANDERBILT: Good size and physicality to play downhill or in the box as an extra linebacker. Not a guy you'll want in man, but he can range for pass break ups.

79. DL Nelson Ceaser, Ridge Point (Missouri City) - HOUSTON: Whether he plays linebacker or defensive end doesn't matter as long as you get him screaming off the edge in one-on-one pass rush situations. Shows good bend and fluidity. Plays under control versus the run. He's going to have a big career in the American Athletic Conference.

80. DB Marques Caldwell, Alvin (Alvin) - TEXAS: Missed much of his senior year with a shoulder injury. Great build with ideal length. Could be a corner or nickel depending on need and where his body goes.

81. LB Zach Zimos, Fort Bend Travis (Richmond) - ARKANSAS: S&C is going to be very kind to Zimos as his nearly 6-foot-4 frame fills out with ease. He'll have to learn the nuances of linebacker play, but he moves well for the position as evidenced by him playing safety earlier in his career.

82. OL Marcus Alexander, Sunnyvale (Sunnyvale) - OKLAHOMA: He's either a guard or center depending on the mental side of the game.

83. TE Nolan Matthews, Reedy (Frisco) – ARIZONA STATE: Good all-around tight end who blocks and receives well whether in line or flexed out. Not explosive but athletic enough. Could turn into an exceptional blocker.

84. DB Deshawn McCuin, Jacksonville (Jacksonville) - TCU: Could play either side of the ball in college but best projects to Patterson's three-safety defense. He's sort of the of safety version of Jeff Gladney.

85. OL Preston Wilson, Argyle (Argyle) – OKLAHOMA STATE: Likely destined for center or guard where his athleticism better translates. Feisty player who is going to try and finish the play by landing on top of his opponent.

86. DL Jayden Jernigan, Allen (Allen) – OKLAHOMA STATE: Good combination of quickness and strength. Can stack and shed or simply beat the man in front of him. More fluid than most d-tackles you'll find. Plays well down the line.

87. OL Brannon Brown, O'Connor (Helotes) - TCU: He'll give TCU some much needed length and size at guard. Could struggle some with the quicker defensive linemen in the league.

88. CB Alex Hogan, Lamar (Houston) – TEXAS TECH: Light on his feet and can run. Has been well coached. It will be interesting to see what he looks like at 190 pounds; if he still moves the same, watch out.

89. WR Genson Hooper-Price, St. John's (Houston) - NORTHWESTERN: He looks and runs like a future NFL receiver but the production hasn't been there even against poor competition.

90. RB Sincere McCormick, Judson (Converse) - UTSA: Great job by Frank Wilson keeping the local product home. Quick and fast with the compact build to handle a large workload.

91. OL Gabriel Hall, Waller (Waller) - BAYLOR: He could play defensive line but I think his upside is on offense. If he does play on that side of the ball he could make this ranking look silly in a few years’ time.

92. CB Miles Williams, Mansfield (Mansfield) - CALIFORNIA: His combination of length and quickness is right in line with what schools are looking for. Has played corner, receiver, and safety. Looks to be a solid open field tackler.

93. DE Matt Jones, Permian (Odessa) - BAYLOR: Played a stand-up OLB role but they'll want to grow him into a defensive end and have him keep most of his athleticism while adding strength.

94. ATH Ty DeArman, Bowie (Arlington) - OKLAHOMA: Just what Lincoln Riley's offense needs, a Patriots-style slot who is always open. DeArman is an explosive player whether at receiver or safety. He'll carve out a role.

95. DB Dee Winters, Burton (Burton) - TCU: Dominated on both sides of the ball in the lower ranks but will nail down one of the Horned Frogs' three safety spots. Patterson likes to tinker with guys' positions and Winters looks to be a pretty high floor defensive back once he adjusts to the competition.

96. QB Terrance Gipson, Westfield (Houston) - SMU: I think he was in line to pick up some bigger offers had he not been hurt early in the season. He's a good athlete but prefers to make plays from the pocket. Pretty lively arm and accurate on the deep ball.

97. DB Brandon Crossley, Little Elm (Little Elm) – COLORADO STATE: Plays both ways but was part of a secondary for Little Elm that had a handful of D1 prospects. His explosiveness and ability to stick with WRs in different coverages are impressive. That explosiveness is evident in a long jump PR near some of the marks posted in the most recent 6A finals.

98. DE T.J. Franklin, Temple (Temple) - BAYLOR: I think he'd be a tremendous offensive tackle if he wanted to be but he doesn't necessarily have to switch to offense to be a good college player.

99. OL Cam'Ron Johnson, Shadow Creek (Pearland) - HOUSTON: Inconsistent tape but his good clips provide optimism for the future. He can move his feet and generate power in a hurry.

100. TE Garrett Miller, Round Rock (Round Rock) - PURDUE: Guys who are 6-foot-5, 230 pounds are becoming increasingly easier to find. I'm not sure there's a big difference between Miller and a handful of others who just missed the cut.

futureman · February 8, 2019

51 minutes ago, UDontKnow said:

PM Derka

PM Derka

Hagbard Celine · February 8, 2019

4 hours ago, Machinator said:

(Scipio Tex) Walk Hard: Tom Herman's Preferred Walk On Program

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One of the most impressive changes instituted by Tom Herman at the University of Texas has been the reinvigoration and advancement of the Texas preferred walk-on program. Perhaps in no small part because he was tasked with working with the walk-ons as a Texas GA under Mack Brown and he sees the opportunity for found money.

Here's the 2019 class:

https://247sports.com/player/parker-alford-46053526/

https://247sports.com/Player/Sam-Saxton-46052270/

https://247sports.com/player/jake-ehlinger-46055366/

http://www.hudl.com/profile/7349382/Nate-Hatter

https://247sports.com/Player/Austin-Hill-46056989/

https://247sports.com/Player/Jett-Bush-46055186/

https://247sports.com/Player/Austin-Hill-46056989/

https://www.hudl.com/profile/8745858/Doak-Wilson

https://247sports.com/Player/Chad-Wolf-46050829/

https://www.hudl.com/profile/8028105/Christian-Tschauner

https://247sports.com/Player/Patrick-Bayouth-46037309/

https://247sports.com/Player/Myles-Mass-46039975/

This is 2018:

#96 Tristan Bennett, DL-Soph., 6-3 240, Irving (TX) Ranchview
#46 Luke Brockermeyer, LB-FR, 6-3 215, Fort Worth (TX) All Saints Episcopal
#79 Matt Frost, OL-FR, 6-3 265, Folsom (CA)
#52 Jackson Hanna, LB-FR, 6-2 215, Houston (TX) St. Thomas
#54 Justin Mader, DS-FR, 6-4 225, Magnolia (TX)
#18 Tremayne Prudehomme, QB-FR, 6-1 185, Houston (TX) Aldine Davis
#23 Jarrett Smith, RB-FR, 5-7 195, Webster (TX) Clear Brook
#23 Turner Symonds, DB-FR, 6-0 175, Fort Worth (TX) Country Day
#62 Jeremy Thompson-Sevon, DL/OL-FR, 6-2 240, Lewisville (TX) Hebron
#63 Troy Torres, DL-FR, 5-11 290, El Paso (TX) Bowie
#15 Travis West, WR-FR, 6-0 175, Dallas (TX) Wilson
#36 Kamari Williams, RB-FR, 5-9 175, Conroe (TX) Oak Ridge

You should be pleasantly surprised after watching film of some of these guys.

**

What is a Preferred Walk On? It's a non-scholarship player with a guaranteed spot on the roster. They don't have to audition in the Spring and be subjected to an open try out. Once on the roster, walk-ons get the same medical, training, dining (a recent positive change), and equipment benefits as scholarship athletes.

At Texas under Herman, they're being afforded a degree of respect, benefits and inclusiveness that few programs can match.

Texas is only two years in to a plan that by its very nature takes time and the right conditions (or rather, strength and conditioning) for its seeds to grow, but it's useful to point to the revamped preferred walk on program at Texas - particularly as a subset of overall recruiting and development for all athletes - as a good illustration of what Herman is doing best here in Austin.

We tend to conceive of coaching as Xs and Os, game planning, and assistant hires but the superstructure of a program is just as, if not more, important. That's the real lesson of programs like Alabama, Clemson and, yes, the New England Patriots. The Xs and Os are on point, but the culture and institution building is nonpareil.

Why do we even care? Aren't these players just glorified tackling dummies, occasionally helping the "real players" get a look? Every now and again, you give one of them an extra scholarship for their sacrifice and film a viral video that makes everyone tear up a little.

Well, I think Herman has more ambitious ideas. And it's written all over the quality of players coming into this PWO program. Watch the film. Look at their other offers. There's a clear talent identification and engagement protocol being run by our personnel staff and I'm pretty impressed by it. Here's why it matters:

They can be guarantors of program culture. While you want your best players to be your leaders, walk-ons can set a hell of an example and be a positive infrastructure. With a college system increasingly geared towards playing elite freshman and good players leaving after three years to the NFL, cultural transfer and the way a program does things has to be constantly re-established. You don't want the coaches constantly establishing it. You want it to be player enforced. Walk-ons will be here for four or five years. All of them got into Texas, so academics are on point. Same with overall organization and maturity. In short, they set a good example and they have institutional memory. A good walk-on can inculcate culture even more directly. When a 23 year old walk-on with five years of S&C and maturity under his belt gives a physically immature 18 year old 4 star recruit an ass whipping in a matt drill or scrimmage, it's an eye opening imperative to take their own development seriously. They also know our offense, defense and our Big 12 opponents backwards and forwards. You want players hearing more constructive voices than just the coaches. Coaches, like parents, get tuned out fast.

They enforce a standard and create competition. The difference between a PWO who passed up legitimate P-5 scholarship offers, a West Point football appointment, or a full ride to Sam Houston State or an Ivy is a difference in kind from a marginal high school starter who really loves Texas and has always wanted to be a part of the program. Herman's best PWO profiles are former high school stars, often from winning programs, who, because of one or two physical traits, weren't considered Texas material. Or are at least very interesting late bloomers specifically identified at positions where late bloomers with certain physical traits (see Tight End) will often grow into studs.

If your scholarship guys have to actually try during practice in order not to be shown up, they get better at football. They grow their skills. They actually have to apply teaching and can't just try to turn it on when game day rolls around. The starters and coaches actually get a realistic sense of what the opponents Xs are trying to do to your Os, because schemes without real play speed are useless.

They create depth and possibly free money starters. Beyond raising the bar at practice, if you stack enough of these guys with legit lower tier D1 offers, legacies with a love of Texas and favorable genetics who opted for Austin rather than a full ride elsewhere, or odd traits that throw off standard evaluation (see Jarrett Smith, the dynamic 5'6" RB), we'll end up with an eventual starter or depth chart asset. In a good way, not desperation. And even if desperation, you'd rather have an option than not.

I look specifically at interior OL, LB, TE, any kicker, blocking fullback and slot receiver as the most likely positional candidates to provide a possible major contributor. Those positions are all hard to project, with late blooming potential and athletic traits that can change radically with S&C. We're probably less likely to see an outside WR, DL or CB be a major contributor, but anything can happen at any position.

Good walk-ons just create program floor. A mature 4th or 5th year walk-on who could have started for an Academy is a pretty damn respectable football player. Under the right circumstances, a team comprised of them can win 11 games and beat Houston by 56 points in a bowl game.

Striking gold. This is the dream. Every now and then you strike on a Clay Matthews, Aeneas Williams, Baker Mayfield, JJ Watt, Carl Nassib, Jordy Nelson or Antonio Brown. The odds of that increase substantially the higher the baseline quality of PWO. Less ambitiously, simply developing a few guys who can legitimately earn spots on special teams, round out a depth chart or can turn into a starting kicker, blocking fullback or deep snapper is incredibly valuable to a roster.

Herman has a plan here and his player personnel staff are executing pretty damn well against it. I'm optimistic about what it will yield.

I missed where walk-ons got "real program" treatment (food, medical). Fantastic move and a much better spend of the largess instead of on Belmont Bloat.

Hagbard Celine · February 8, 2019

4 hours ago, ClubWhatever said:

He said he was traveling. Nagging factor way down, unlimited sports, Marriott burger and home cut fries, realistic alcohol expense policy.

Both Marriott and Westin kitchens have gone down since the merger.

Hagbard Celine · February 8, 2019

3 hours ago, Pato del Muerto said:

The way scipio and ctj write, I picture them having spent their formative years as rivals at some high dollar elocution school in the countryside.

That would require significant changes to space-time. (advantage aggy).

satyanash · February 8, 2019

Horns247 Staff: Where was Texas successful, fall short in 2019 recruiting cycle?

Each week the Horns247 staff tackles the Question of the Week, where we provide answers to Longhorn specific topics. This week’s question comes as we take a look back at the 2019 recruiting cycle, and where Texas was successful and fell short in the signing class. With that said, the Question of the Week is … What was the biggest win for Texas in the 2019 recruiting cycle? Where did the Longhorns fall short?

Bobby Burton, Publisher

Jordan Whittington and Bru McCoy were huge wins but really the guy who kick-started the out-of-state class was De’Gabriel Floyd. He wasn’t necessarily a ringleader but he definitely got things rolling. On the downside, Texas didn’t get what they needed at running back. The Horns needed two but signed just one and now he’s got a serious medical issue. They’ll have to tap the grad transfer market.

Chip Brown, Columnist

I'm willing to bet my colleagues are going to say 5-star athlete/receiver Bru McCoy, and if he gets eligible for the 2019 season, they're going to be right, because the guy just isn't like any receiver I've seen at Texas in 27 years of covering Texas football. But the biggest win in the 2019 recruiting cycle was landing this linebacker class - De'Gabriel Floyd, Caleb Johnson, Marcus Tillman, Jr. and David Gbenda. All but Gbenda are already on campus as early enrollees, ready to go through spring football. I'd be surprised if they all don't end up being impact guys with two or three of them possibly being impact guys this season. Where the Longhorns fell short is defensive tackle, specifically nose tackle, the anchor of a 3-4 defense. On offense, you have to land at least one quarterback in every class. When running a 3-4 on D, you have to hit on at least one of those immovable, double-team-commanding nose tackles every year.

Jeff Howe, Senior Writer

The state of Texas produced six five-star and four-star offensive linemen and Texas wound up with three of them. Rebuilding the offensive line was always going to be a multi-year process and the staff has done a good job of filling gaps in the pipeline with graduate transfers and getting the most out of the leftover parts from the Charlie Strong era. After redshirting all of their offensive line takes from the 2018 class, Texas landed a lineman in 2019 who could be a plug-and-play guy on the interior (Tyler Johnson), a developmental tackle (Isaiah Hookfin) and a prospect who might have the most upside of any prospect in the state (Javonne Shepherd). You couldn’t ask for a better effort and close by Herb Hand and everyone in the organization who put the offensive line haul together. As for where things came up short, it’s clearly running back. Not factoring the Derrian Brown situation into the conversation, swinging for the fences on Noah Cain and Trey Sanders nearly paid off. However, failing to do so now forces the Longhorns to essentially put all of their eggs in the basket of Keaontay Ingram in 2019.

Taylor Estes, Managing Editor

I’m going to go against the grain on this and say the biggest win for Texas this cycle was securing Roschon Johnson early on. Obviously, people are going to celebrate anytime their team lands a solid quarterback recruit. But after the Longhorns added two QBs in the 2018 cycle, there was very little discussion about depth being an issue at the position as Texas looked as if it would feature a quarterback room with four or five scholarship options in 2019. Fast-forward to present day, and the once stacked position has dwindled down to three guys, with Johnson among the trio. With his solid commitment all throughout the recruiting process, the position avoided entering a complete state of disarray. Where Texas came up short was running back. The Longhorns lost a solid option in Tre Watson last season and may need to scour the grad transfer market to add more experienced depth at the position and help take some of the load off Keaontay Ingram’s plate when necessary.

EJ Holland, Recruiting Analyst

The biggest win was De'Gabriel Floyd. He was a national prospect and a leader of the class. He's also a monster player that can play right away.

Mike Roach, Recruiting Analyst

It has to be Bru McCoy. Landing a five-star from a USC feeder school should cause a national earthquake on the recruiting scene. If Texas plays things right, his commitment should pay future dividends on the west coast. They fell short recruiting running backs. Even before Derrian Brown had health concerns, Texas probably needed a two-back class. Depth on campus is razor-thin right now.

texifornia · February 8, 2019

Quote

When running a 3-4 on D, you have to hit on at least one of those immovable, double-team-commanding nose tackles every year.

Just like former the gilt-edged bluechips that are borderline 4-star Poona Ford and mid 3-star Chris Nelson. Solid move picking that over RB, Chip.

Hagbard Celine · February 8, 2019

grammar school:

inculcate is correct in lieu of instill.

inculcate is repetitive. instill is singular.

texifornia · February 8, 2019

This is pretty flattering to Charlie - that's the most polished graphics under him ever looked, and they only really came out on NSD.

cochamps · February 8, 2019

1 hour ago, satyanash said:

Eric Nahlin: Where OOS signees would fit within the IT Texas Top 25

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The 2019 cycle came to an end on Wednesday with the signing of offensive lineman Javonne Shepherd. I'm not sure you could have drawn up a more taxing cycle in which a team still finishes inside the top-five. A lot was initially going wrong for the staff within the borders, not all of it their own fault, so Tom Herman made the calculating decision to be ultra-aggressive out West.

While Herman and staff, including support staff, made their own luck, but they also benefited greatly from Clay Helton's rather public trials and defibrillations. Expect Texas to try and take advantage of the USC death rattle once again. But, before we focus too much on the next cycle, we still have some tidying up to do with the current haul. This article discusses how Tom Herman found similar fits for in-state priorities the staff didn't sign. Successfully addressing these issues was the #1 story-line for the entire cycle. Without the successes of out-of-state poaching the class would have finished outside of the top-ten.

When asked where the OOS players would rank within Texas, the hardest part was simply ranking those prospects from first to last. These are some flat-out ballers who represent A) what Herman is looking for, B) he won't settle for less, and, C) the Texas brand is more national than you might have thought. Excluding the two JUCO signees, Texas signed a whopping 10 players from outside the state. Here's how I rank them, though there's tons of room for disagreement.

1. LB De'Gabriel Floyd, Westlake (Westlake Village, CA)
2. WR Bru McCoy, Mater Dei (Santa Ana, CA)
3. WR Jake Smith, Notre Dame Prep (Scottsdale, AZ)
4. CB Kenyatta Watson, Grayson (Loganville, GA)
5. TE Brayden Liebrock, Chandler (Chandler, AZ)
6. DB Chris Adimora, Mayfair (Lakewood, CA)
7. WR Marcus Washington, Trinity Catholic (St. Louis, MO)
8. DL Myron Warren, Many (Many, LA)
9. RB Derrian Brown, Buford (Buford, GA)
10. LB Marcus Tillman, Jones (Orlando, FL)

That was difficult. Many of those guys are bunched closely as far as quality goes, as you'll soon see. No. 3 could be No.1 and No. 7 could be No. 4. Quick takeaways with the added caveat that this is a silly exercise:

- DGF gets the call over Bru. If you want to make Bru a five-star I won't stop you. He certainly has great traits for receiver but part of his rating stems from being a fantastic linebacker prospect as well, though not as good as Floyd. I sort of used the NFL as a tiebreaker; I feel Floyd will be drafted higher. Both could make a significant impact as freshmen, though Floyd will have a greater adjustment period due to playing a more mentally taxing position.

- Smith at #3 was a pretty easy call. Normally whether a player succeeds or not is up to the player, but with him it's more up to the staff to create space and opportunity. I only have McCoy ahead of Smith because I think the offense is more likely to run through him. That could change over the course of their careers.

- Watson, Liebrock, Adimora, and Washington are nearly interchangeable. I went with the freakiest athlete first. As a pillar of the offense Liebrock will be set up to succeed. Adimora is a certified stud but may have to wait his turn to see the field. I LOVE Marcus Washington and have him #7. I think he's going to be productive, but the focus won't be on XWR after Collin Johnson.

- I like Warren quite a bit, especially as a late-cycle find, however he has just a hint of tightness to him and he doesn't have the greatest length.

- I respect Derrian Brown's all around game; he's a slasher who finds daylight, runs hard relative to his body type, and has fantastic hands. He and Whittington could have similar roles, and who knows, perhaps Whittington becomes a full-time receiver later in his career. Obviously first and foremost for Derrian is his long-term health.

- I just don't know as much about Tillman as I'd like to, and that's scary because the position is hard enough for a rube like myself to evaluate. I can clearly see he's fluid, can generate pop in a hurry, and has some twitch, but he's just too much of an unknown. I do know I'm glad they have him.

Where do they land in-state?

1. De'Marvin Leal
De'Gabriel Floyd
Bru McCoy
2. Theo Wease
3. Jordan Whittington*
Jake Smith
4. Kenyon Green
5. Garrett Wilson
6. Tyler Johnson*
7. Baylor Cupp
8. Jeffery Carter
9. Roschon Johnson*
10 Tyler Owens*
Kenyatta Watson
11. Erick Young
Brayden Liebrock
12. Demani Richardson
13. Jamal Morris
Chris Adimora
14. Jalen Catalon
Marcus Washington
15. Branson Bragg
16. Dylan Wright
17. T'Vondre Sweat*
18. Trejan Bridges
19. Brian Williams
20. David Gbenda*
21. Elijah Higgins
22. Isaiah Spiller
Myron Warren
23. Lewis Cine
24. Marcus Banks
25. Steven Parker

Derrian Brown would be about 30-35. Marcus Tillman would be about 35-40. That's how I see it. It will be interesting to see if the staff can match similar out-of-state success while landing more of the in-state top-10. There's a good chance they do in the 2020 class.

Theo Wease dripped two passes vs Duncanville. Small sample size to be sure. But we was getting drilled. Think we can handle this guy down the road.

texifornia · February 8, 2019

Just now, cochamps said:

Theo Wease dripped two passes vs Duncanville. Small sample size to be sure. But we was getting drilled. Think we can handle this guy down the road.

Famous last words

cochamps · February 8, 2019

Just now, texifornia said:

Famous last words

Knock the shit out of him. Worked for Duncanville. Or maybe he had a bad game, but the semis is a bad time for that. Jmo.

Spawn of Cthulhu · February 8, 2019

28 minutes ago, Hagbard Celine said:

I missed where walk-ons got "real program" treatment (food, medical).

That's where Sydney comes in. Scholarship players get a woman.

Fondren & Main · February 8, 2019

Poona Ford highest rated rookie defender this year right? He and Nelson were back to back Big 12 defensive POY right? Casey Hampton made a future HOF career by being that anchor DT. Tom, hire my ass. I would love nothing more to sell this program and trash aggy at the same time!

Machinator · February 8, 2019

3 minutes ago, Fondren & Main said:

He and Nelson

Omenihu

sushihorn · February 8, 2019

4 minutes ago, Fondren & Main said:

Poona Ford highest rated rookie defender this year right? He and Nelson were back to back Big 12 defensive POY right? Casey Hampton made a future HOF career by being that anchor DT. Tom, hire my ass. I would love nothing more to sell this program and trash aggy at the same time!

I thought POY was Poona then Omenihu?

Edited February 8, 2019 by sushihorn
I should know better with Machinator online

DeweyCox · February 8, 2019

3 minutes ago, Fondren & Main said:

Poona Ford highest rated rookie defender this year right? He and Nelson were back to back Big 12 defensive POY right? Casey Hampton made a future HOF career by being that anchor DT. Tom, hire my ass. I would love nothing more to sell this program and trash aggy at the same time!

Should we go ahead and start the Fire Fondren and Main thread?

Fondren & Main · February 8, 2019

Fuck it I’m drunk and rolling! Don’t interrupt me with facts! I was head of the Owens 5 star conspiracy bump to fuck with Billy Douchie and his brigade of fucktards.

Bodacious Bevo · February 8, 2019

Omenihu was DL of the Year this year.

Last year Poona was DL of the Year. Malik was co-DPOY.

Fondren & Main · February 8, 2019

Are we gonna get this motherfucker to 1000 or are we all gonna be CUNTS!?

sushihorn · February 8, 2019

2 minutes ago, Fondren & Main said:

Are we gonna get this motherfucker to 1000 or are we all gonna be CUNTS!?

Those are not mutually exclusive goals. Just look at how much page count help EJ gave us...

Michael Knight · February 8, 2019

6 hours ago, Longhorn94 said:

kinda but not really. this is like who wouldnt rather live in Austin, Texas with a degree from Texas than fucking silicon valley after four years at Stanford? seriously, its a no brainer. UT, Austin, and the Hill Country are way better than Stanford, SF and Napa.

Cedar and 100 degree weather say hello

Rhinotx · February 8, 2019

18 minutes ago, Michael Knight said:

Cedar and 100 degree weather say hello

High taxes and ridiculous housing prices say hi back

Michael Knight · February 8, 2019

2 minutes ago, Rhinotx said:

High taxes and ridiculous housing prices say hi back

yeah cause a stanford grad really needs to worry about taxes, and have you seen austin housing prices?

GotThatFire · February 8, 2019

On 1/5/2019 at 2:48 PM, texasstrong12 said:

Obviously he meant *before* Bru McCoy. I'm curious about the answer, now. Anybody know?

@TrojanPrincess ?

GotThatFire · February 8, 2019

29 minutes ago, Michael Knight said:

Cedar and 100 degree weather say hello

5 minutes ago, Michael Knight said:

yeah cause a stanford grad really needs to worry about taxes, and have you seen austin housing prices?

Wipe the sap off your chin.

Wiler77 · February 8, 2019

11 minutes ago, Michael Knight said:

yeah cause a stanford grad really needs to worry about taxes, and have you seen austin housing prices?

All things relative. And relative to the Bay Area, Austin housing prices are dirt cheap.

Stanford is a fantastic school obviously, but unless you live in SF, the rest of the Bay Area is pretty uneventful. It's a concrete jungle, traffic is 10x worse than austin, and it's pretty boring.

Magus Ossis · February 8, 2019

More poop and needles on the ground in SF. Mrs. M.O. would rather skip our next trip than take another to the city by the bay.

texasstrong12 · February 8, 2019

25 minutes ago, GotThatFire said:

Obviously he meant *before* Bru McCoy. I'm curious about the answer, now. Anybody know?

@TrojanPrincess ?

Based on the composite these are the 5 stars that have been at Mater Dei

'20-Young (Likely to USC) and Ricks (committed to LSU but I bet USC has a chance if they make a good hire after Helton is fired). Murao could also end up a 5 star and he's likely USC bound.

'19-Bru (Texas)

'18-JT Daniels and Amon-RA St Brown (both USC)

'09-Barkley (USC)

There haven't been a lot of 5 stars out of Mater Dei because 5 stars are a fairly select group. There are going to be 5 to 6 five stars in the last 3 cycles and USC will land 4 or 5 of them. Must be nice to suck but still have access to that.

Edited February 8, 2019 by texasstrong12

ConfettiRain · February 8, 2019

2 hours ago, Machinator said:

People should probably read Nahlin's ranking of the top 100 in Texas to make sense of this.

Reveal hidden contents

Inside Texas' Eric Nahlin ranks the top 100 players in the state of Texas in the 2019 class accounting for variables such as position projection, fit for a program, and future athletic development along with a prospect's measurables and film.

1. DE DeMarvin Leal, Judson (Converse) - TEXAS A&M: He's the most uncommon player in the state, a rare find with his blend of size, mobility, and twitch. He's a great fit for the Aggie defense as he profiles similarly to Justin Madubuike. Getting a pass rush from an interior position isn't easy to do, but Leal can beat blockers with quickness, power, and sometimes motor.

2. WR Theo Wease, Allen (Allen) - OKLAHOMA: Theo Wease is as natural a receiver as you'll find with the short area quickness to get open and good enough speed to be a deep threat. He can beat you in just about any way imaginable, including with his head. Has possession receiver hands. Makes the acrobatic catch. He reminds me of a combination of OU receivers Charleston Rambo (savvy, great hands) and CeeDee Lamb (ability to dominate). Wease can align at any receiver position, but they'll like him on the outside.

3. ATH Jordan Whittington, Cuero (Cuero) - TEXAS: In my years doing this I can't recall a player like Whittington. He could credibly be considered a four-star at running back, wide receiver, safety, and even linebacker if he had any interest in that position. He doesn't, but that tells you what direction his body is headed (220 pounds). He combines exceptional quickness with fluidity not typically found in such a densely muscled prospect. Like Wease, he's a savvy receiver with great, attacking ball skills. He's a bit of an unknown as a running back, but in a varied role it's easy to see him racking up yardage.

4. OL Kenyon Green, Atascocita (Humble) - TEXAS A&M: I've always called him a guard because when you evaluate you first consider ceiling (and body type). That doesn't mean he can't play tackle, especially given A&M's needs. He does bend well, has nice feet, and competes. I saw his team down by 30 his junior year and he was going as hard late in the game as in the beginning. Good sign. I bet he's a good tackle at A&M and good guard in the NFL.

5. WR Garrett Wilson, Lake Travis (Lake Travis) - OHIO STATE: Wilson is typified by short area explosiveness, whether moving directionally or elevating, and ball skills. Those ball skills and leaping ability allow him to play much bigger than his 6-foot height. The main question with him is can he be more dynamic after the catch?

6. OL Tyler Johnson, Oak Ridge (Conroe) - TEXAS: I struggle with who has more upside between Johnson and Green. To me, Johnson is a little more athletic making it easier to see him at tackle in college and beyond, but guard might be his home too. He showed a nastier streak this season. He's good in space or on the pull and should be a good drive blocker. He should have the ability to create creases with quickness and power.

7. TE Baylor Cupp, Brock (Brock) - TEXAS A&M: This is probably the best fit in the class. Everything Jace Sternberger did in his fine junior season can be duplicated and then some by Cupp in the coming years. On top of it, A&M was his dream school. He has a very big frame and good hands, but it's his quickness at 6-foot-6 that makes him special.

8. CB Jeffrey Carter, Legacy (Mansfield) - ALABAMA: With his raw athleticism and 40" vertical, Carter reminds me of former Longhorn Curtis Brown. He has as loose of hips as you'll find and exceptional make-up speed and ball skills. If he hammers down technique he could be a first rounder.

9. QB Roschon Johnson, Groves (Port-Neches) - TEXAS: His only question is arm strength and if that's your only question you should have plenty to compensate for it. He's a perfect fit for Tom Herman's offense and program.

10. DB Tyler Owens, Plano East (Plano) - TEXAS: Freak athlete with freak length. Owens' junior tape was average but his senior year displayed a much more confident and assertive player putting his extremely rare traits together. A 6-foot-2, 195 pound safety running a 10.34 100? This year he played like it.

11. DB Erick Young, Fort Bend Bush (Richmond) - TEXAS A&M: I have him as a safety because of his size. At already 208 pounds and genetics that are going to take kindly to S&C it's hard for me to see him sticking at corner. Aggies not even considering the possibility of safety are delusional. Assuming he makes that switch, the coverage traits that would go with him could make him exceptional in coverage. He's a naturally physical player.

12. DB Demani Richardson, Waxahachie (Waxahachie) - TEXAS A&M: Much of Richardson's senior year was lost due to injury otherwise he'd probably be higher. Richardson is an even bigger version of Young meaning linebacker may be on the table. He would be a sensational athlete for the position but that would bring even more projection. Richardson has tons of positive traits on display on offense that will transfer to defense.

13. DB Jamal Morris, Fort Bend Bush (Richmond) - OKLAHOMA: Morris is just what the doctor ordered for Oklahoma. He can run, turn a team over, comes downhill aggressively, and is a good striker. He's a really good all-around safety.

14. DB Jalen Catalon, Legacy (Mansfield) - ARKANSAS: Catalon missed nearly the entire season as well. Where guys like Richardson and Owens are freaks with their size and athleticism, Catalon looks more unassuming, but don't be fooled. He sees the game as well you can in the back end, and has good quickness to turn what he sees into a turnover or big hit.

15. OL Branson Bragg, Crandall (Crandall) - STANFORD: Excellent get for Stanford as Bragg nearly has tackle athleticism, great size for the interior, and the brains for the mentally taxing position of center.

16. WR Dylan Wright, West Mesquite (Mesquite) - TEXAS A&M: Perhaps the most upside of any receiver in the class, his floor is just considerably lower than Wease's. Can stretch the field vertically with speed or dominate with size. Needs to more consistent but all the ability is there.

17. DL T'Vondre Sweat, Huntsville (Huntsville) - TEXAS: Played defensive end in high school where we are able to gauge a lot of "smaller man" traits, but at minimum he'll be a player moved up and down the line like Leal. He most likely plays around 300 pounds. Great motor, play-strength, and good mobility. Just a little tightness and twitch separates him and Leal.

18. WR Trejan Bridges, Hebron (Carrolton) - OKLAHOMA: He's a good athlete, especially in the air, but what makes him special are his hands and ball skills. He's the best in the state in that regard.

19. DB Brian Williams, Bishop Dunne (Dallas) - TEXAS A&M: Dunne guys always use their eyes well in coverage, and it also helps they're given lollipops thanks to the poor level of competition, but that written, Williams is good at seeing routes develop and reading the quarterback. I have him lower than some just because I don't think he has quite the athletic upside.

20. LB David Gbenda, Cinco Ranch (Katy) - TEXAS: The rare inside linebacker who can run sideline to sideline, Gbenda of course is good downhill too. He seems to diagnose quickly and must be accounted for as a blitzer. My buddy who coaches in that district said he was the best defensive player they faced. There's quite a bit of talent in that district.

21. WR Elijah Higgins, Bowie (Austin) - STANFORD: Higgins has fantastic quickness and fluidity at his size but needs to stay healthy. His value will be moving around, inside and out, to take advantage of match-ups. His big frame is going to fill out nicely but he won't want to get too much bigger.

22. RB Isaiah Spiller, Klein Collins (Spring) - TEXAS A&M: Similar to Keaontay Ingram in running style, he's just not quite as quick. Spiller also has nice hands and should be used out of the backfield. Young for his grade so we could see a big jump in physical maturity in the next year.

23. DB Lewis Cine, Trinity Christian School (Cedar Hill) - GEORGIA: He and Williams are similar in that both played against poor competition. They differ greatly in that Cine is much more raw while Williams will be ready to play as a freshman. I think Cine has the athletic attributes to be a good one, including fluidity in coverage, but he'll have a ways to go from a technical standpoint.

24. DB Marcus Banks, Dekaney (Spring) - ALABAMA: Banks has great hips and man coverage skills. He needs to become more physical but that will come with strength and culture.

25. LB Steven Parker, South Oak Cliff (Dallas) - KANSAS: Parker is a tough, coachable kid with a frame nowhere near its landing spot. He's naturally strong with great length and bend. He'll be put in a position to succeed early in his career and we'll see substantial differences from his freshman to junior year, developmentally speaking. The weight room will be kind to him.

26. RB Deondrick Glass, Katy (Katy) – OKLAHOMA STATE: Has the 'born to play the position' traits of vision, feet, and balance. Runs hard and is always churning for extra yards. Impressed when I saw him versus a fast and physical North Shore defense.

27. DB Marquez Beason, Duncanville (Duncanville) - ILLINOIS: Tougher projection simply because he'll transition from receiver to corner but has all the athleticism to do it.

28. LB Will Williams, Chapin (El Paso) – BAYLOR: You probably haven't heard of him and there's probably still a good chance I don't have him high enough. He's an electric athlete with no concerns regarding fluidity. You need guys like Williams in the Big 12. Straight up steal.

29. WR Langston Anderson, Heritage (Midlothian) – OKLAHOMA STATE: Oh look, another Cowboys receiver that can beat you with power or speed. On top of it, he's a 50/50 ball winner, too.

30. TE Jalen Wydermyer, Dickinson (Dickinson) – TEXAS A&M: Not super explosive for the position like some basketball players who excel on grass, but he's a very fluid and an easy mover. I think he has above average upside as a blocker, too.

31. WR Arjei Henderson, Fort Bend Travis (Richmond) – FLORIDA: I like him as a target boundary receiver. Does well to use his body and attack the ball in the air. Solid but not dynamic on the ground after the catch. Chain mover and red zone threat.

32. OL EJ Ndoma-Ogar, Allen (Allen) - OKLAHOMA: Very smart kid who is going to a great scheme. Plenty athletic to pull where he can bring his power to bear. Good pop out of his stance. Should anchor well versus d-tackles. A bit limited when it comes to length.

33. TE Jared Wiley, Temple (Temple) - TEXAS: Multi-sport athlete who excels on the diamond as well. Giant frame, a bit of a project but very big upside. I hear he's competitive which will help him maximize.

34. DL NaNa Osafo-Mensah, Nolan Catholic (Fort Worth) – NOTRE DAME: Has played different positions in high school but will likely settle into defensive line after his body matures. Assuming he keeps most of his movement skills he'll have too much quickness for many offensive linemen. He could probably play a stand-up, edge role earlier in his career.

35. OL Javonne Shepherd, North Forest (Houston) - TEXAS: Giant size with surprising athleticism and good baseline traits. It's time for him to put in work on the demanding technical aspects of the job. I foresee right tackle or guard. He'll be a millionaire if he wants to be.

36. DT Enoch Jackson, Legacy (Mansfield) - ARKANSAS: You'd be hard pressed to find a better first step. The big question with him is lack of length but look around, shorter defensive tackles are dominating in college and the NFL alike.

37. TE Austin Stogner, Prestonwood Christian (Plano) - OKLAHOMA: One of the knocks on Stogner I've heard is that he's maxed out as a player. Even if that was true, and I'm not saying it is, he's a good player who understands how to get open and make contested catches. He's also going to an offense that's kind to flexed-out tight ends. He might not maximize that position, but that position will maximize him.

38. QB Grant Gunnell, St. Pius X (Houston) - ARIZONA: I think the networks probably over-steered in dropping him to a three-star, though level of competition is a valid concern and he's been supported by a talented cast which makes things even easier. The windows just aren't the same in the higher classifications. Still, he has great size, a good arm, and underrated athleticism.

39. DL Kori Roberson, Manvel (Manvel) - OKLAHOMA: OU made a good evaluation here. I wasn't all that impressed with his junior year but he looks great as a senior. For a bigger lineman that profiles to the interior, he gets off the ball and into the o-lineman well. He has some shock power when he gets there and a nifty push-pull move. Shows good motor within plays and surprising closing speed.

40. OL Isaiah Hookfin, Dulles (Sugar Land) - TEXAS: Has the athleticism, bend, and quick feet to mitigate any concerns one might have over lack of length. With proper buy-in of the UT S&C program Hookfin should compete to start at tackle down the line.

41. OL Brant Banks, Westbury Christian (Houston) - NEBRASKA: Consider me a fan and I love that he went to Nebraska where I think he'll be maximized by Scott Frost and company. He's grown into playing on offensive line after starting on defense, and already has a head start on his physical and technical development as an early enrollee. This guy is going to look like one of those Tom Osborne sleepers of yesteryear.

42. OL Landon Peterson, Permian (Odessa) – TEXAS TECH: Athletic off the ball, plays pissed off and with a flat back. Has the quickness to develop into a very good pass blocker. I'm bewildered by his lower rating. If you've read my stuff or listened to the Eyes of Texas are Upodcast you know I advocate growing your left tackles. Peterson is similar to Banks, just not quite as big. Great piece for Matt Wells.

43. OL Andrew Coker, Taylor (Katy) - TCU: He's come a long way in the last couple of years and is on a good developmental curve. He'll be a tackle for TCU but would be a guard at some other places.

44. WR Kam Brown, Colleyville Heritage (Colleyville) – TEXAS A&M: I don't foresee stardom for Brown, but I think he can be good in the Camron Buckley role. Maybe not great in any single regard, but the good in the composite.

45. QB Jacob Zeno, John Jay (San Antonio) - BAYLOR: Has a rifle for an arm but needs to sight it in. Athletic for a pocket passer, but not a dangerous runner. Good building block for whoever is the coach after Matt Rhule.

46. WR Jalen Curry, St. Pius X (Houston) - ARIZONA: Excellent, strong build. Runs decently well but may have trouble separating against better corners. Have heard hands can be inconsistent.

47. DE Braedon Mowry, Taylor (Katy) - TEXAS A&M: I wasn't sold on him as a junior but really liked his senior year. He could be a bit of a tweener, but he's cat quick for his size.

48. RB Darwin Barlow, Newton (Newton) - TCU: No glaring weaknesses in his game and really he's only lacking a little more burst from being a truly national prospect.

49. DL Gilbert Ibeneme, Pearland (Pearland) – TEXAS TECH: He had a good bounce-back year after being injured his junior season. There's a hint of bounce to his game. He moves well laterally. I think he'll bring pretty penetration to the offensive line. Very good play-strength.

50. DE Peter Mpagi, George Ranch (Richmond) - TEXAS: The early enrollee reminds a bit of Charles Omenihu as an upside player in need of development. He doesn't quite possess the length of Omenihu, but he's a bit quicker and also plays with good leverage.

51. RB King Doerue, Tascosa (Amarillo) - PURDUE: He'll be transitioning from what looks like the wing back in the Wing T to the Jeff Brohm offense. It's a down year in-state but Doerue looks to have the best burst of any feature back. Great build that should hold up in the Big 10.

52. DL Marcus Stripling, Mayde Creek (Houston) - OKLAHOMA: There's a disconnect between his ability and production but his quickness makes him a good fit for new OU defensive coordinator Alex Grinch's defense.

53. QB Maverick McIvor, Central (San Angelo) – TEXAS TECH: Did you know Charlie Brewer's dad played at Texas? I'm serious, he did. Get ready to hear the same regarding Rick's son. Big arm, solid athlete, and studious. Missed most of his senior year but he'll have plenty of time to heal and learn behind Alan Bowman.

54. OL Layden Robinson, Manvel (Manvel) - TEXAS A&M: Has the potential to be very good as a run blocker. Shows the ability to play with good pad level and leverage. Lots of work to do as a pass blocker but shortcomings in that department won't hurt as bad at center.

55. LB David Ugwoegbu, Seven Lakes (Katy) - OKLAHOMA: Very good athlete that could play offense or defense in college. I like him as a stand-up Jack linebacker rather than defensive end. Not sure he'd hold up with his hand in the ground.

56. RB Daimarqua Foster, Hirschi (Wichita Falls) - TCU: Solid all-around back, runs it up inside, has enough to speed to bounce it. Runs a bit bigger than he looks.

57. QB Jacob Clark, Rockwall (Rockwall) - MINNESOTA: Quick actions, a quick set up and quick throwing motion for a tall signal-caller. Can throw with power or take something off when needed. Plenty of arm strength with more on the way. Really solid prospect.

58. RB Qualan Jones, Trinity Christian School (Cedar Hill) - BAYLOR: Surprising speed to the edge for a bigger back. Runs with the power you'd expect. Your best bet is to get to him before he accumulates downhill speed. Good plant-and-go runner.

59. WR TQ Jackson, Jefferson (Jefferson) – ARKANSAS: Good composite of size, strength, and speed. Won't be an easy guy to jam and if you miss it he can punish deep.

60. DL Taurean Carter, Legacy (Mansfield) - ARKANSAS: Carter is yet another lineman in the 6-foot-3, 250-270 pound range who will play an interior role.

61. WR Kennedy Lewis, Melissa (Melissa) – TEXAS: Good size and speed on the field and on the track. A bit raw as a route runner but he profiles to the simpler vertical routes.

62. LB Tyrone Brown, United (Beaumont) - BAYLOR: Rhule clearly understands this evaluation thing. Brown's a high upside developmental player thanks to his length and frame, as well as his initial quickness. He missed most of his senior season but it's clear the foundation is there to be a big time player.

63. DE Colt Ellison, Aledo (Aledo) - TCU: I liked his junior year as he really pushed the pocket from the edge. He was doing more of the same this year before tearing his ACL and MCL. Hopefully he regains all of his athleticism. He's not really an arc bender, but he can run through the offensive lineman's shoulder. He should be effective stunting. Can't rule out him growing into a defensive tackle.

64. WR DK Blaylock, New Deal (New Deal) – BOISE STATE: Great length. Long strider in the open field but can shorten it in close quarters. Not sure why he wasn't discussed more.

65. DB Bobby Wolfe, Madison (Houston) - ARIZONA: He'll start out at corner but I like him at nickel or safety more. Not sure he has the feet to play outside but he does have a good build that will easily get north of 200 pounds.

66. QB Grant Tisdale, Allen (Allen) – OLE MISS: Dual-threat with underrated athleticism and great leadership qualities. Whatever is in the playbook he can make it go, whether it's RPO's, vertical routes, or running it himself with the numbers advantage.

67. DL Jason Gold, Clear Springs (League City) - NORTHWESTERN: This is me trying to grow the defensive end into a tackle. I think he can do it, and if so he'll be a plus athlete with pass rushing upside. Good mobility and body mechanics. NU really knows how to evaluate and develop its players.

68. DL Hunter Spears, Sachse (Sachse) – NOTRE DAME: Physical and strong, Spears uses his hands well to keep offensive lineman off him while he locates the ball carrier. He moves well but isn't overly explosive. Could play end or nose in a three-man front. Will be better stopping the run than getting after the quarterback.

69. DB Jonathan McGill, Coppell (Coppell) - STANFORD: Excellent instincts allows him to always be in the thick of things. Sticky coverage skills for a nickel/safety. Lack of height hurt him in recruiting, well, at least until Stanford came calling. Great fit for that program and conference.

70. WR Jaylen Ellis, Cedar Ridge (Round Rock) - BAYLOR: Highly productive vertical threat with track speed. At a minimum he should be someone who demands safety attention deep but could evolve into something much more.

71. ATH Tamauzia Brown, Newton (Newton) - TCU: Could play wide receiver, corner, or safety. I have his ceiling as a safety with range, ball skills, and man coverage ability.

72. WR La'Vontae Shenault, DeSoto (DeSoto): I liked his brother Laviska but not enough. Looks similar to his brother as an all-around playmaker. Might not have the same ball skills, but looks a tick faster.

73. ATH Peyton Powell, Permian (Odessa) - BAYLOR: Could play wide receiver or corner. Corner is probably where his traits best project if he wants to mix it up. Rhule will start him on the right track.

74. DB Keeyon Stewart, North Shore (Galena Park): Played safety in high school but projects to corner or possibly nickel in college. Runs extremely well and will hit.

75. OL Beaux Limmer, Lee (Tyler) - ARKANSAS: An offensive tackle who will play center in Fayetteville. He has the quickness and the ability to play low against shorter players. Aggressive and quick off the ball.

76. LB Curley Young, Hendrickson (Pflugerville) - CALIFORNIA: Sort of a unique prospect in that he's played as a stand-up linebacker and with his hand in the ground. He probably best projects to a traditional role. Shows some legitimate suddenness and striking and is already used to grappling with bigger offensive linemen. A little slight right now, but dense and will fill out nicely. My lone complaint is he doesn't raise hell with a red sash around his waist like Curley Bill. Justin Wilcox with the potential steal.

77. OL Cole Birmingham, Katy (Katy) – OKLAHOMA STATE: Looks much more comfortable run blocking, which isn't uncommon for a high school player. Plays with good pad level in the run game, suggesting a high floor at guard when you factor for his size. Solid feet.

78. DB Anfernee Orji, Rockwall (Rockwall) – VANDERBILT: Good size and physicality to play downhill or in the box as an extra linebacker. Not a guy you'll want in man, but he can range for pass break ups.

79. DL Nelson Ceaser, Ridge Point (Missouri City) - HOUSTON: Whether he plays linebacker or defensive end doesn't matter as long as you get him screaming off the edge in one-on-one pass rush situations. Shows good bend and fluidity. Plays under control versus the run. He's going to have a big career in the American Athletic Conference.

80. DB Marques Caldwell, Alvin (Alvin) - TEXAS: Missed much of his senior year with a shoulder injury. Great build with ideal length. Could be a corner or nickel depending on need and where his body goes.

81. LB Zach Zimos, Fort Bend Travis (Richmond) - ARKANSAS: S&C is going to be very kind to Zimos as his nearly 6-foot-4 frame fills out with ease. He'll have to learn the nuances of linebacker play, but he moves well for the position as evidenced by him playing safety earlier in his career.

82. OL Marcus Alexander, Sunnyvale (Sunnyvale) - OKLAHOMA: He's either a guard or center depending on the mental side of the game.

83. TE Nolan Matthews, Reedy (Frisco) – ARIZONA STATE: Good all-around tight end who blocks and receives well whether in line or flexed out. Not explosive but athletic enough. Could turn into an exceptional blocker.

84. DB Deshawn McCuin, Jacksonville (Jacksonville) - TCU: Could play either side of the ball in college but best projects to Patterson's three-safety defense. He's sort of the of safety version of Jeff Gladney.

85. OL Preston Wilson, Argyle (Argyle) – OKLAHOMA STATE: Likely destined for center or guard where his athleticism better translates. Feisty player who is going to try and finish the play by landing on top of his opponent.

86. DL Jayden Jernigan, Allen (Allen) – OKLAHOMA STATE: Good combination of quickness and strength. Can stack and shed or simply beat the man in front of him. More fluid than most d-tackles you'll find. Plays well down the line.

87. OL Brannon Brown, O'Connor (Helotes) - TCU: He'll give TCU some much needed length and size at guard. Could struggle some with the quicker defensive linemen in the league.

88. CB Alex Hogan, Lamar (Houston) – TEXAS TECH: Light on his feet and can run. Has been well coached. It will be interesting to see what he looks like at 190 pounds; if he still moves the same, watch out.

89. WR Genson Hooper-Price, St. John's (Houston) - NORTHWESTERN: He looks and runs like a future NFL receiver but the production hasn't been there even against poor competition.

90. RB Sincere McCormick, Judson (Converse) - UTSA: Great job by Frank Wilson keeping the local product home. Quick and fast with the compact build to handle a large workload.

91. OL Gabriel Hall, Waller (Waller) - BAYLOR: He could play defensive line but I think his upside is on offense. If he does play on that side of the ball he could make this ranking look silly in a few years’ time.

92. CB Miles Williams, Mansfield (Mansfield) - CALIFORNIA: His combination of length and quickness is right in line with what schools are looking for. Has played corner, receiver, and safety. Looks to be a solid open field tackler.

93. DE Matt Jones, Permian (Odessa) - BAYLOR: Played a stand-up OLB role but they'll want to grow him into a defensive end and have him keep most of his athleticism while adding strength.

94. ATH Ty DeArman, Bowie (Arlington) - OKLAHOMA: Just what Lincoln Riley's offense needs, a Patriots-style slot who is always open. DeArman is an explosive player whether at receiver or safety. He'll carve out a role.

95. DB Dee Winters, Burton (Burton) - TCU: Dominated on both sides of the ball in the lower ranks but will nail down one of the Horned Frogs' three safety spots. Patterson likes to tinker with guys' positions and Winters looks to be a pretty high floor defensive back once he adjusts to the competition.

96. QB Terrance Gipson, Westfield (Houston) - SMU: I think he was in line to pick up some bigger offers had he not been hurt early in the season. He's a good athlete but prefers to make plays from the pocket. Pretty lively arm and accurate on the deep ball.

97. DB Brandon Crossley, Little Elm (Little Elm) – COLORADO STATE: Plays both ways but was part of a secondary for Little Elm that had a handful of D1 prospects. His explosiveness and ability to stick with WRs in different coverages are impressive. That explosiveness is evident in a long jump PR near some of the marks posted in the most recent 6A finals.

98. DE T.J. Franklin, Temple (Temple) - BAYLOR: I think he'd be a tremendous offensive tackle if he wanted to be but he doesn't necessarily have to switch to offense to be a good college player.

99. OL Cam'Ron Johnson, Shadow Creek (Pearland) - HOUSTON: Inconsistent tape but his good clips provide optimism for the future. He can move his feet and generate power in a hurry.

100. TE Garrett Miller, Round Rock (Round Rock) - PURDUE: Guys who are 6-foot-5, 230 pounds are becoming increasingly easier to find. I'm not sure there's a big difference between Miller and a handful of others who just missed the cut.

I like reading Eric Nahlin’s evaluations and fits. He seems perceptive of small traits, and he seems to put a high value on the mental evaluation part . . . which seems appropriate given that we’re trying to project the ceilings of young men who still have a lot of work to do to reach their ceilings.

He also just comes off as relatively fair, reasonable, and as unbiased as one can be when covering a particular team.

Quick question. Are ANY of the Ag writers in Eric’s league? I’d really like to read an evaluation of their class (and ours, for that matter) from an intelligent Ag perspective.

I know, I know. But thought I’d ask anyway.

VaHorn · February 8, 2019

1 hour ago, Wiler77 said:

All things relative. And relative to the Bay Area, Austin housing prices are dirt cheap.

Stanford is a fantastic school obviously, but unless you live in SF, the rest of the Bay Area is pretty uneventful. It's a concrete jungle, traffic is 10x worse than austin, and it's pretty boring.

Graduates from both schools have opportunities nationwide to be sure, but between the two, Texas is more of a regional school. So you miss the point if you make this an Austin vs SF debate.

WBT · February 8, 2019

1 hour ago, GotThatFire said:

Obviously he meant *before* Bru McCoy. I'm curious about the answer, now. Anybody know?

@TrojanPrincess ?

Bru also went to USC

CHEF RIBS W/ THE HAMM YALL · February 8, 2019

4 minutes ago, WBT said:

Bru also went to USC

He loved his time there.

TheFlyingBoat · February 8, 2019

3 hours ago, texifornia said:

This is pretty flattering to Charlie - that's the most polished graphics under him ever looked, and they only really came out on NSD.

Even with that being a flattering choice, the first pic looks like they took a Tony Hawk game from the early 2000s and just copied the aesthetic and made it HD. Granted my issue wasn't so much the quality but the quantity and timing, which to be fair was more a Plonsky blocking it and him giving up an issue than just a him issue. Great coaches don't take no for an answer (except when a no should be taken very seriously) and get what they need to succeed, though. That's the difference. Tom refused to let the AD be the enemy of the football team and did what he needed to get his vision made reality.

Edited February 8, 2019 by TheFlyingBoat

GotThatFire · February 8, 2019

3 hours ago, texasstrong12 said:

Based on the composite these are the 5 stars that have been at Mater Dei

'20-Young (Likely to USC) and Ricks (committed to LSU but I bet USC has a chance if they make a good hire after Helton is fired). Murao could also end up a 5 star and he's likely USC bound.

'19-Bru (Texas)

'18-JT Daniels and Amon-RA St Brown (both USC)

'09-Barkley (USC)

There haven't been a lot of 5 stars out of Mater Dei because 5 stars are a fairly select group. There are going to be 5 to 6 five stars in the last 3 cycles and USC will land 4 or 5 of them. Must be nice to suck but still have access to that.

2 hours ago, WBT said:

Bru also went to USC

Yeah. But I'd still like to hear about it from @TrojanPrincess

Napoleon · February 8, 2019

7 hours ago, CastHorn said:

Our roster is starting to look like a Longhorn roster again. The 2020 team will most likely be our most complete team since ‘08. I have a feeling the 20’s is going to be a great time to be a Longhorn.

"The Roaring '20s" *

That kind of has a ring to it. I wonder if that might catch on.

*I used Size 20 font for emphasis.

Gut Wagon · February 8, 2019

4 hours ago, Napoleon said:

"The Roaring '20s" *

That kind of has a ring to it. I wonder if that might catch on.

*I used Size 20 font for emphasis.

Given Bevo’s trend toward rambunctiousness, The Goring ‘20s might work as well.

Beau Vine · February 8, 2019

8 hours ago, ConfettiRain said:

from an intelligent Ag perspective.

Fud · February 8, 2019

11 hours ago, Machinator said:

People should probably read Nahlin's ranking of the top 100 in Texas to make sense of this.

Reveal hidden contents

Inside Texas' Eric Nahlin ranks the top 100 players in the state of Texas in the 2019 class accounting for variables such as position projection, fit for a program, and future athletic development along with a prospect's measurables and film.

1. DE DeMarvin Leal, Judson (Converse) - TEXAS A&M: He's the most uncommon player in the state, a rare find with his blend of size, mobility, and twitch. He's a great fit for the Aggie defense as he profiles similarly to Justin Madubuike. Getting a pass rush from an interior position isn't easy to do, but Leal can beat blockers with quickness, power, and sometimes motor.

2. WR Theo Wease, Allen (Allen) - OKLAHOMA: Theo Wease is as natural a receiver as you'll find with the short area quickness to get open and good enough speed to be a deep threat. He can beat you in just about any way imaginable, including with his head. Has possession receiver hands. Makes the acrobatic catch. He reminds me of a combination of OU receivers Charleston Rambo (savvy, great hands) and CeeDee Lamb (ability to dominate). Wease can align at any receiver position, but they'll like him on the outside.

3. ATH Jordan Whittington, Cuero (Cuero) - TEXAS: In my years doing this I can't recall a player like Whittington. He could credibly be considered a four-star at running back, wide receiver, safety, and even linebacker if he had any interest in that position. He doesn't, but that tells you what direction his body is headed (220 pounds). He combines exceptional quickness with fluidity not typically found in such a densely muscled prospect. Like Wease, he's a savvy receiver with great, attacking ball skills. He's a bit of an unknown as a running back, but in a varied role it's easy to see him racking up yardage.

4. OL Kenyon Green, Atascocita (Humble) - TEXAS A&M: I've always called him a guard because when you evaluate you first consider ceiling (and body type). That doesn't mean he can't play tackle, especially given A&M's needs. He does bend well, has nice feet, and competes. I saw his team down by 30 his junior year and he was going as hard late in the game as in the beginning. Good sign. I bet he's a good tackle at A&M and good guard in the NFL.

5. WR Garrett Wilson, Lake Travis (Lake Travis) - OHIO STATE: Wilson is typified by short area explosiveness, whether moving directionally or elevating, and ball skills. Those ball skills and leaping ability allow him to play much bigger than his 6-foot height. The main question with him is can he be more dynamic after the catch?

6. OL Tyler Johnson, Oak Ridge (Conroe) - TEXAS: I struggle with who has more upside between Johnson and Green. To me, Johnson is a little more athletic making it easier to see him at tackle in college and beyond, but guard might be his home too. He showed a nastier streak this season. He's good in space or on the pull and should be a good drive blocker. He should have the ability to create creases with quickness and power.

7. TE Baylor Cupp, Brock (Brock) - TEXAS A&M: This is probably the best fit in the class. Everything Jace Sternberger did in his fine junior season can be duplicated and then some by Cupp in the coming years. On top of it, A&M was his dream school. He has a very big frame and good hands, but it's his quickness at 6-foot-6 that makes him special.

8. CB Jeffrey Carter, Legacy (Mansfield) - ALABAMA: With his raw athleticism and 40" vertical, Carter reminds me of former Longhorn Curtis Brown. He has as loose of hips as you'll find and exceptional make-up speed and ball skills. If he hammers down technique he could be a first rounder.

9. QB Roschon Johnson, Groves (Port-Neches) - TEXAS: His only question is arm strength and if that's your only question you should have plenty to compensate for it. He's a perfect fit for Tom Herman's offense and program.

10. DB Tyler Owens, Plano East (Plano) - TEXAS: Freak athlete with freak length. Owens' junior tape was average but his senior year displayed a much more confident and assertive player putting his extremely rare traits together. A 6-foot-2, 195 pound safety running a 10.34 100? This year he played like it.

11. DB Erick Young, Fort Bend Bush (Richmond) - TEXAS A&M: I have him as a safety because of his size. At already 208 pounds and genetics that are going to take kindly to S&C it's hard for me to see him sticking at corner. Aggies not even considering the possibility of safety are delusional. Assuming he makes that switch, the coverage traits that would go with him could make him exceptional in coverage. He's a naturally physical player.

12. DB Demani Richardson, Waxahachie (Waxahachie) - TEXAS A&M: Much of Richardson's senior year was lost due to injury otherwise he'd probably be higher. Richardson is an even bigger version of Young meaning linebacker may be on the table. He would be a sensational athlete for the position but that would bring even more projection. Richardson has tons of positive traits on display on offense that will transfer to defense.

13. DB Jamal Morris, Fort Bend Bush (Richmond) - OKLAHOMA: Morris is just what the doctor ordered for Oklahoma. He can run, turn a team over, comes downhill aggressively, and is a good striker. He's a really good all-around safety.

14. DB Jalen Catalon, Legacy (Mansfield) - ARKANSAS: Catalon missed nearly the entire season as well. Where guys like Richardson and Owens are freaks with their size and athleticism, Catalon looks more unassuming, but don't be fooled. He sees the game as well you can in the back end, and has good quickness to turn what he sees into a turnover or big hit.

15. OL Branson Bragg, Crandall (Crandall) - STANFORD: Excellent get for Stanford as Bragg nearly has tackle athleticism, great size for the interior, and the brains for the mentally taxing position of center.

16. WR Dylan Wright, West Mesquite (Mesquite) - TEXAS A&M: Perhaps the most upside of any receiver in the class, his floor is just considerably lower than Wease's. Can stretch the field vertically with speed or dominate with size. Needs to more consistent but all the ability is there.

17. DL T'Vondre Sweat, Huntsville (Huntsville) - TEXAS: Played defensive end in high school where we are able to gauge a lot of "smaller man" traits, but at minimum he'll be a player moved up and down the line like Leal. He most likely plays around 300 pounds. Great motor, play-strength, and good mobility. Just a little tightness and twitch separates him and Leal.

18. WR Trejan Bridges, Hebron (Carrolton) - OKLAHOMA: He's a good athlete, especially in the air, but what makes him special are his hands and ball skills. He's the best in the state in that regard.

19. DB Brian Williams, Bishop Dunne (Dallas) - TEXAS A&M: Dunne guys always use their eyes well in coverage, and it also helps they're given lollipops thanks to the poor level of competition, but that written, Williams is good at seeing routes develop and reading the quarterback. I have him lower than some just because I don't think he has quite the athletic upside.

20. LB David Gbenda, Cinco Ranch (Katy) - TEXAS: The rare inside linebacker who can run sideline to sideline, Gbenda of course is good downhill too. He seems to diagnose quickly and must be accounted for as a blitzer. My buddy who coaches in that district said he was the best defensive player they faced. There's quite a bit of talent in that district.

21. WR Elijah Higgins, Bowie (Austin) - STANFORD: Higgins has fantastic quickness and fluidity at his size but needs to stay healthy. His value will be moving around, inside and out, to take advantage of match-ups. His big frame is going to fill out nicely but he won't want to get too much bigger.

22. RB Isaiah Spiller, Klein Collins (Spring) - TEXAS A&M: Similar to Keaontay Ingram in running style, he's just not quite as quick. Spiller also has nice hands and should be used out of the backfield. Young for his grade so we could see a big jump in physical maturity in the next year.

23. DB Lewis Cine, Trinity Christian School (Cedar Hill) - GEORGIA: He and Williams are similar in that both played against poor competition. They differ greatly in that Cine is much more raw while Williams will be ready to play as a freshman. I think Cine has the athletic attributes to be a good one, including fluidity in coverage, but he'll have a ways to go from a technical standpoint.

24. DB Marcus Banks, Dekaney (Spring) - ALABAMA: Banks has great hips and man coverage skills. He needs to become more physical but that will come with strength and culture.

25. LB Steven Parker, South Oak Cliff (Dallas) - KANSAS: Parker is a tough, coachable kid with a frame nowhere near its landing spot. He's naturally strong with great length and bend. He'll be put in a position to succeed early in his career and we'll see substantial differences from his freshman to junior year, developmentally speaking. The weight room will be kind to him.

26. RB Deondrick Glass, Katy (Katy) – OKLAHOMA STATE: Has the 'born to play the position' traits of vision, feet, and balance. Runs hard and is always churning for extra yards. Impressed when I saw him versus a fast and physical North Shore defense.

27. DB Marquez Beason, Duncanville (Duncanville) - ILLINOIS: Tougher projection simply because he'll transition from receiver to corner but has all the athleticism to do it.

28. LB Will Williams, Chapin (El Paso) – BAYLOR: You probably haven't heard of him and there's probably still a good chance I don't have him high enough. He's an electric athlete with no concerns regarding fluidity. You need guys like Williams in the Big 12. Straight up steal.

29. WR Langston Anderson, Heritage (Midlothian) – OKLAHOMA STATE: Oh look, another Cowboys receiver that can beat you with power or speed. On top of it, he's a 50/50 ball winner, too.

30. TE Jalen Wydermyer, Dickinson (Dickinson) – TEXAS A&M: Not super explosive for the position like some basketball players who excel on grass, but he's a very fluid and an easy mover. I think he has above average upside as a blocker, too.

31. WR Arjei Henderson, Fort Bend Travis (Richmond) – FLORIDA: I like him as a target boundary receiver. Does well to use his body and attack the ball in the air. Solid but not dynamic on the ground after the catch. Chain mover and red zone threat.

32. OL EJ Ndoma-Ogar, Allen (Allen) - OKLAHOMA: Very smart kid who is going to a great scheme. Plenty athletic to pull where he can bring his power to bear. Good pop out of his stance. Should anchor well versus d-tackles. A bit limited when it comes to length.

33. TE Jared Wiley, Temple (Temple) - TEXAS: Multi-sport athlete who excels on the diamond as well. Giant frame, a bit of a project but very big upside. I hear he's competitive which will help him maximize.

34. DL NaNa Osafo-Mensah, Nolan Catholic (Fort Worth) – NOTRE DAME: Has played different positions in high school but will likely settle into defensive line after his body matures. Assuming he keeps most of his movement skills he'll have too much quickness for many offensive linemen. He could probably play a stand-up, edge role earlier in his career.

35. OL Javonne Shepherd, North Forest (Houston) - TEXAS: Giant size with surprising athleticism and good baseline traits. It's time for him to put in work on the demanding technical aspects of the job. I foresee right tackle or guard. He'll be a millionaire if he wants to be.

36. DT Enoch Jackson, Legacy (Mansfield) - ARKANSAS: You'd be hard pressed to find a better first step. The big question with him is lack of length but look around, shorter defensive tackles are dominating in college and the NFL alike.

37. TE Austin Stogner, Prestonwood Christian (Plano) - OKLAHOMA: One of the knocks on Stogner I've heard is that he's maxed out as a player. Even if that was true, and I'm not saying it is, he's a good player who understands how to get open and make contested catches. He's also going to an offense that's kind to flexed-out tight ends. He might not maximize that position, but that position will maximize him.

38. QB Grant Gunnell, St. Pius X (Houston) - ARIZONA: I think the networks probably over-steered in dropping him to a three-star, though level of competition is a valid concern and he's been supported by a talented cast which makes things even easier. The windows just aren't the same in the higher classifications. Still, he has great size, a good arm, and underrated athleticism.

39. DL Kori Roberson, Manvel (Manvel) - OKLAHOMA: OU made a good evaluation here. I wasn't all that impressed with his junior year but he looks great as a senior. For a bigger lineman that profiles to the interior, he gets off the ball and into the o-lineman well. He has some shock power when he gets there and a nifty push-pull move. Shows good motor within plays and surprising closing speed.

40. OL Isaiah Hookfin, Dulles (Sugar Land) - TEXAS: Has the athleticism, bend, and quick feet to mitigate any concerns one might have over lack of length. With proper buy-in of the UT S&C program Hookfin should compete to start at tackle down the line.

41. OL Brant Banks, Westbury Christian (Houston) - NEBRASKA: Consider me a fan and I love that he went to Nebraska where I think he'll be maximized by Scott Frost and company. He's grown into playing on offensive line after starting on defense, and already has a head start on his physical and technical development as an early enrollee. This guy is going to look like one of those Tom Osborne sleepers of yesteryear.

42. OL Landon Peterson, Permian (Odessa) – TEXAS TECH: Athletic off the ball, plays pissed off and with a flat back. Has the quickness to develop into a very good pass blocker. I'm bewildered by his lower rating. If you've read my stuff or listened to the Eyes of Texas are Upodcast you know I advocate growing your left tackles. Peterson is similar to Banks, just not quite as big. Great piece for Matt Wells.

43. OL Andrew Coker, Taylor (Katy) - TCU: He's come a long way in the last couple of years and is on a good developmental curve. He'll be a tackle for TCU but would be a guard at some other places.

44. WR Kam Brown, Colleyville Heritage (Colleyville) – TEXAS A&M: I don't foresee stardom for Brown, but I think he can be good in the Camron Buckley role. Maybe not great in any single regard, but the good in the composite.

45. QB Jacob Zeno, John Jay (San Antonio) - BAYLOR: Has a rifle for an arm but needs to sight it in. Athletic for a pocket passer, but not a dangerous runner. Good building block for whoever is the coach after Matt Rhule.

46. WR Jalen Curry, St. Pius X (Houston) - ARIZONA: Excellent, strong build. Runs decently well but may have trouble separating against better corners. Have heard hands can be inconsistent.

47. DE Braedon Mowry, Taylor (Katy) - TEXAS A&M: I wasn't sold on him as a junior but really liked his senior year. He could be a bit of a tweener, but he's cat quick for his size.

48. RB Darwin Barlow, Newton (Newton) - TCU: No glaring weaknesses in his game and really he's only lacking a little more burst from being a truly national prospect.

49. DL Gilbert Ibeneme, Pearland (Pearland) – TEXAS TECH: He had a good bounce-back year after being injured his junior season. There's a hint of bounce to his game. He moves well laterally. I think he'll bring pretty penetration to the offensive line. Very good play-strength.

50. DE Peter Mpagi, George Ranch (Richmond) - TEXAS: The early enrollee reminds a bit of Charles Omenihu as an upside player in need of development. He doesn't quite possess the length of Omenihu, but he's a bit quicker and also plays with good leverage.

51. RB King Doerue, Tascosa (Amarillo) - PURDUE: He'll be transitioning from what looks like the wing back in the Wing T to the Jeff Brohm offense. It's a down year in-state but Doerue looks to have the best burst of any feature back. Great build that should hold up in the Big 10.

52. DL Marcus Stripling, Mayde Creek (Houston) - OKLAHOMA: There's a disconnect between his ability and production but his quickness makes him a good fit for new OU defensive coordinator Alex Grinch's defense.

53. QB Maverick McIvor, Central (San Angelo) – TEXAS TECH: Did you know Charlie Brewer's dad played at Texas? I'm serious, he did. Get ready to hear the same regarding Rick's son. Big arm, solid athlete, and studious. Missed most of his senior year but he'll have plenty of time to heal and learn behind Alan Bowman.

54. OL Layden Robinson, Manvel (Manvel) - TEXAS A&M: Has the potential to be very good as a run blocker. Shows the ability to play with good pad level and leverage. Lots of work to do as a pass blocker but shortcomings in that department won't hurt as bad at center.

55. LB David Ugwoegbu, Seven Lakes (Katy) - OKLAHOMA: Very good athlete that could play offense or defense in college. I like him as a stand-up Jack linebacker rather than defensive end. Not sure he'd hold up with his hand in the ground.

56. RB Daimarqua Foster, Hirschi (Wichita Falls) - TCU: Solid all-around back, runs it up inside, has enough to speed to bounce it. Runs a bit bigger than he looks.

57. QB Jacob Clark, Rockwall (Rockwall) - MINNESOTA: Quick actions, a quick set up and quick throwing motion for a tall signal-caller. Can throw with power or take something off when needed. Plenty of arm strength with more on the way. Really solid prospect.

58. RB Qualan Jones, Trinity Christian School (Cedar Hill) - BAYLOR: Surprising speed to the edge for a bigger back. Runs with the power you'd expect. Your best bet is to get to him before he accumulates downhill speed. Good plant-and-go runner.

59. WR TQ Jackson, Jefferson (Jefferson) – ARKANSAS: Good composite of size, strength, and speed. Won't be an easy guy to jam and if you miss it he can punish deep.

60. DL Taurean Carter, Legacy (Mansfield) - ARKANSAS: Carter is yet another lineman in the 6-foot-3, 250-270 pound range who will play an interior role.

61. WR Kennedy Lewis, Melissa (Melissa) – TEXAS: Good size and speed on the field and on the track. A bit raw as a route runner but he profiles to the simpler vertical routes.

62. LB Tyrone Brown, United (Beaumont) - BAYLOR: Rhule clearly understands this evaluation thing. Brown's a high upside developmental player thanks to his length and frame, as well as his initial quickness. He missed most of his senior season but it's clear the foundation is there to be a big time player.

63. DE Colt Ellison, Aledo (Aledo) - TCU: I liked his junior year as he really pushed the pocket from the edge. He was doing more of the same this year before tearing his ACL and MCL. Hopefully he regains all of his athleticism. He's not really an arc bender, but he can run through the offensive lineman's shoulder. He should be effective stunting. Can't rule out him growing into a defensive tackle.

64. WR DK Blaylock, New Deal (New Deal) – BOISE STATE: Great length. Long strider in the open field but can shorten it in close quarters. Not sure why he wasn't discussed more.

65. DB Bobby Wolfe, Madison (Houston) - ARIZONA: He'll start out at corner but I like him at nickel or safety more. Not sure he has the feet to play outside but he does have a good build that will easily get north of 200 pounds.

66. QB Grant Tisdale, Allen (Allen) – OLE MISS: Dual-threat with underrated athleticism and great leadership qualities. Whatever is in the playbook he can make it go, whether it's RPO's, vertical routes, or running it himself with the numbers advantage.

67. DL Jason Gold, Clear Springs (League City) - NORTHWESTERN: This is me trying to grow the defensive end into a tackle. I think he can do it, and if so he'll be a plus athlete with pass rushing upside. Good mobility and body mechanics. NU really knows how to evaluate and develop its players.

68. DL Hunter Spears, Sachse (Sachse) – NOTRE DAME: Physical and strong, Spears uses his hands well to keep offensive lineman off him while he locates the ball carrier. He moves well but isn't overly explosive. Could play end or nose in a three-man front. Will be better stopping the run than getting after the quarterback.

69. DB Jonathan McGill, Coppell (Coppell) - STANFORD: Excellent instincts allows him to always be in the thick of things. Sticky coverage skills for a nickel/safety. Lack of height hurt him in recruiting, well, at least until Stanford came calling. Great fit for that program and conference.

70. WR Jaylen Ellis, Cedar Ridge (Round Rock) - BAYLOR: Highly productive vertical threat with track speed. At a minimum he should be someone who demands safety attention deep but could evolve into something much more.

71. ATH Tamauzia Brown, Newton (Newton) - TCU: Could play wide receiver, corner, or safety. I have his ceiling as a safety with range, ball skills, and man coverage ability.

72. WR La'Vontae Shenault, DeSoto (DeSoto): I liked his brother Laviska but not enough. Looks similar to his brother as an all-around playmaker. Might not have the same ball skills, but looks a tick faster.

73. ATH Peyton Powell, Permian (Odessa) - BAYLOR: Could play wide receiver or corner. Corner is probably where his traits best project if he wants to mix it up. Rhule will start him on the right track.

74. DB Keeyon Stewart, North Shore (Galena Park): Played safety in high school but projects to corner or possibly nickel in college. Runs extremely well and will hit.

75. OL Beaux Limmer, Lee (Tyler) - ARKANSAS: An offensive tackle who will play center in Fayetteville. He has the quickness and the ability to play low against shorter players. Aggressive and quick off the ball.

76. LB Curley Young, Hendrickson (Pflugerville) - CALIFORNIA: Sort of a unique prospect in that he's played as a stand-up linebacker and with his hand in the ground. He probably best projects to a traditional role. Shows some legitimate suddenness and striking and is already used to grappling with bigger offensive linemen. A little slight right now, but dense and will fill out nicely. My lone complaint is he doesn't raise hell with a red sash around his waist like Curley Bill. Justin Wilcox with the potential steal.

77. OL Cole Birmingham, Katy (Katy) – OKLAHOMA STATE: Looks much more comfortable run blocking, which isn't uncommon for a high school player. Plays with good pad level in the run game, suggesting a high floor at guard when you factor for his size. Solid feet.

78. DB Anfernee Orji, Rockwall (Rockwall) – VANDERBILT: Good size and physicality to play downhill or in the box as an extra linebacker. Not a guy you'll want in man, but he can range for pass break ups.

79. DL Nelson Ceaser, Ridge Point (Missouri City) - HOUSTON: Whether he plays linebacker or defensive end doesn't matter as long as you get him screaming off the edge in one-on-one pass rush situations. Shows good bend and fluidity. Plays under control versus the run. He's going to have a big career in the American Athletic Conference.

80. DB Marques Caldwell, Alvin (Alvin) - TEXAS: Missed much of his senior year with a shoulder injury. Great build with ideal length. Could be a corner or nickel depending on need and where his body goes.

81. LB Zach Zimos, Fort Bend Travis (Richmond) - ARKANSAS: S&C is going to be very kind to Zimos as his nearly 6-foot-4 frame fills out with ease. He'll have to learn the nuances of linebacker play, but he moves well for the position as evidenced by him playing safety earlier in his career.

82. OL Marcus Alexander, Sunnyvale (Sunnyvale) - OKLAHOMA: He's either a guard or center depending on the mental side of the game.

83. TE Nolan Matthews, Reedy (Frisco) – ARIZONA STATE: Good all-around tight end who blocks and receives well whether in line or flexed out. Not explosive but athletic enough. Could turn into an exceptional blocker.

84. DB Deshawn McCuin, Jacksonville (Jacksonville) - TCU: Could play either side of the ball in college but best projects to Patterson's three-safety defense. He's sort of the of safety version of Jeff Gladney.

85. OL Preston Wilson, Argyle (Argyle) – OKLAHOMA STATE: Likely destined for center or guard where his athleticism better translates. Feisty player who is going to try and finish the play by landing on top of his opponent.

86. DL Jayden Jernigan, Allen (Allen) – OKLAHOMA STATE: Good combination of quickness and strength. Can stack and shed or simply beat the man in front of him. More fluid than most d-tackles you'll find. Plays well down the line.

87. OL Brannon Brown, O'Connor (Helotes) - TCU: He'll give TCU some much needed length and size at guard. Could struggle some with the quicker defensive linemen in the league.

88. CB Alex Hogan, Lamar (Houston) – TEXAS TECH: Light on his feet and can run. Has been well coached. It will be interesting to see what he looks like at 190 pounds; if he still moves the same, watch out.

89. WR Genson Hooper-Price, St. John's (Houston) - NORTHWESTERN: He looks and runs like a future NFL receiver but the production hasn't been there even against poor competition.

90. RB Sincere McCormick, Judson (Converse) - UTSA: Great job by Frank Wilson keeping the local product home. Quick and fast with the compact build to handle a large workload.

91. OL Gabriel Hall, Waller (Waller) - BAYLOR: He could play defensive line but I think his upside is on offense. If he does play on that side of the ball he could make this ranking look silly in a few years’ time.

92. CB Miles Williams, Mansfield (Mansfield) - CALIFORNIA: His combination of length and quickness is right in line with what schools are looking for. Has played corner, receiver, and safety. Looks to be a solid open field tackler.

93. DE Matt Jones, Permian (Odessa) - BAYLOR: Played a stand-up OLB role but they'll want to grow him into a defensive end and have him keep most of his athleticism while adding strength.

94. ATH Ty DeArman, Bowie (Arlington) - OKLAHOMA: Just what Lincoln Riley's offense needs, a Patriots-style slot who is always open. DeArman is an explosive player whether at receiver or safety. He'll carve out a role.

95. DB Dee Winters, Burton (Burton) - TCU: Dominated on both sides of the ball in the lower ranks but will nail down one of the Horned Frogs' three safety spots. Patterson likes to tinker with guys' positions and Winters looks to be a pretty high floor defensive back once he adjusts to the competition.

96. QB Terrance Gipson, Westfield (Houston) - SMU: I think he was in line to pick up some bigger offers had he not been hurt early in the season. He's a good athlete but prefers to make plays from the pocket. Pretty lively arm and accurate on the deep ball.

97. DB Brandon Crossley, Little Elm (Little Elm) – COLORADO STATE: Plays both ways but was part of a secondary for Little Elm that had a handful of D1 prospects. His explosiveness and ability to stick with WRs in different coverages are impressive. That explosiveness is evident in a long jump PR near some of the marks posted in the most recent 6A finals.

98. DE T.J. Franklin, Temple (Temple) - BAYLOR: I think he'd be a tremendous offensive tackle if he wanted to be but he doesn't necessarily have to switch to offense to be a good college player.

99. OL Cam'Ron Johnson, Shadow Creek (Pearland) - HOUSTON: Inconsistent tape but his good clips provide optimism for the future. He can move his feet and generate power in a hurry.

100. TE Garrett Miller, Round Rock (Round Rock) - PURDUE: Guys who are 6-foot-5, 230 pounds are becoming increasingly easier to find. I'm not sure there's a big difference between Miller and a handful of others who just missed the cut.

No Marcel Brooks

Leanderman · February 8, 2019

This is why I really love recruiting. You want the best always. However you offer too soon and fill up your class. Then a late bloomer comes along and you cannot take him. It is based upon mostly knowledge and experience with a sprinkling of luck. For every five star we want there will be a two star who will pop up and we ask ourselves "Where did he come from"?

Sock Drawer · February 8, 2019

13 hours ago, nunna yo bizness said:

Yeah, but does he swallow?

They don't give a fuck what he does with it. At that point, they're through with it.

sushihorn · February 8, 2019

5 hours ago, Napoleon said:

"The Roaring '20s" *

That kind of has a ring to it. I wonder if that might catch on.

*I used Size 20 font for emphasis.

As long as it doesn't set us up for GDGD 2.0

Chopper · February 8, 2019

We haven't heard from her for awhile but sources have told me that @TrojanPrincesshas been busy working at her other job. You can catch up with her by searching the interwebs for "Debra from Facebook".

Pato del Muerto · February 8, 2019

Facebok

billfromlaketravis · February 8, 2019

2 hours ago, Fud said:

No Marcel Brooks

Kind of bizarre for Oeaux to try and sneak in Brooks given that LSU dismissed Ed Ingram in August 2018 for sexual assault charges. But, Tigers gotta beat Bama right?

Fud · February 8, 2019

1 minute ago, billfromlaketravis said:

Kind of bizarre for Oeaux to try and sneak in Brooks given that LSU dismissed Ed Ingram in August 2018 for sexual assault charges. But, Tigers gotta beat Bama right?

That doesn't even cover all of Brooks' issues

Hopefully he is reformed and becomes a model citizen, and helps beat A&M routinely while losing to Texas two years in a row

Newy25 · February 8, 2019

Texas landing 4 of the top 10 players in state does not fit the narrative we got destroyed in state. Therefore, these rankings are bullshit and part of the vast fake news conspiracy.

Hank Chinaski · February 8, 2019

1 hour ago, Leanderman said:

This is why I really love recruiting. You want the best always. However you offer too soon and fill up your class. Then a late bloomer comes along and you cannot take him. It is based upon mostly knowledge and experience with a sprinkling of luck. For every five star we want there will be a two star who will pop up and we ask ourselves "Where did he come from"?

Nonsense. These kids are finished products as juniors. "Late bloomer" is just a code word for corrupt pro-Texas ratings manipulation.

Scholz · February 8, 2019

1 hour ago, Leanderman said:

This is why I really love recruiting. You want the best always. However you offer too soon and fill up your class. Then a late bloomer comes along and you cannot take him. It is based upon mostly knowledge and experience with a sprinkling of luck. For every five star we want there will be a two star who will pop up and we ask ourselves "Where did he come from"?

Herman mentioned at his press conference that we've been in the bottom 6 * in offers the past couple of years which means we're being more selective. We don't fill up on bread early like some. It also means an offer from UT means something and we don't just shotgun offers to everyone. A function of Herman's staff taking a close look at athletic ability as well as a big emphasis on character (and taking a pass on some kids with playing ability but that won't cut it ultimately).

* among D-1 FBS schools

Edited February 8, 2019 by Scholz

Gut Wagon · February 8, 2019

12 minutes ago, billfromlaketravis said:

Kind of bizarre for Oeaux to try and sneak in Brooks given that LSU dismissed Ed Ingram in August 2018 for sexual assault charges. But, Tigers gotta beat Bama right?

The Ogre might have heard "Marcel" and assumed it was Ledbetter.

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