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*****
(Suchomel)
It’s a big junior day weekend for Texas, but arguably the biggest visit will come from graduate transfer offensive lineman R.J. Proctor.
The Virginia product will make his way to Austin on Friday for his first of five official visits. He’ll follow that trip up with visits to Ohio State on March 1, Oklahoma on March 8, Florida State on March 22 and Houston on March 29.
In talking to Proctor, the UT visit has been set up for a little while, after Herb Hand visited him a second time.
“The first time he came and had dinner with me and my mother. The next time he came, we met at Tropical Smoothie and he had a calendar with him. We planned it there, set it up for this weekend,” Proctor said.
Coming into this weekend, Proctor said he’s simply trying to get a good feel for the Texas program and the overall culture.
“The biggest thing is just the culture. I know about coach Hand. He’s a great guy, knows his stuff,” Proctor said.
A bit of an interesting back story that could help UT’s chances in this one … Hand has been in touch with Virginia offensive line coach Garett Tujague. The two met when Tujague attend a clinic Hand was involved with, and Tujague has been using a lot of the lessons Hand taught in the last couple years at UVA. Proctor feels the similarities in techniques, schemes and teaching styles could help him make an easy transition at Texas.
“Coach Tujague went to a clinic of his, so they’re friends. A lot of the stuff coach Hand coaches, coach Tujague started coaching here,” Proctor said. “Supposedly they’re pretty close. That’s why I feel like it would be an easy transition. That means a lot when it comes to my decision. I want to find place I feel comfortable, what we do here, they do there.”
How much does Proctor like Hand’s coaching style? He said when they met the second time, they spoke two hours talking technique, peppering each other with questions.
“He was fired up,” Proctor said.
Proctor has never been to Austin but said he’s heard great things. He’s anxious to get on campus this weekend to get a feel of how he meshes with the people in the program.
“The biggest thing is culture, the fit, the players. I now Austin is beautiful, the campus is beautiful. I know the work culture, they love to go to work,” Proctor said. “It’s kind of like here. It shouldn’t be too hard fitting in. It’s just getting down there, meeting the head coach, seeing the culture.”
Proctor hopes to make a final decision as soon as he gets back from his Houston visit, like maybe even that night. Going into his visits, he said there’s not one school that has an advantage.
“Really it’s been Texas, FSU, Oklahoma and Ohio State that have been the main ones contacting me. I feel like the biggest thing that’s going to set them apart is these visits. I know this weekend they’re going to be having a junior day, so it’s going to be hectic. For me it’s not really about all the big recruiting things, it’s more about getting there and talking to the academic coordinator, talking to the coaches, just getting there and seeing it for myself,” Proctor said.
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The second official visitor for the weekend will be junior college offensive lineman Willie Tyler. The Iowa Western Community College product, who will have four years to play three seasons of Division I ball when he graduates in May, said he’s excited to get to Austin.
“It feels good to finally get it set up. I feel like we’ve built an even better relationship than we had before so I’m excited to take this visit,” Tyler said.
The 6-7, 315-pound Taylor took a Louisiana Tech official visit a couple weekends ago. He said it was a good visit, but he didn’t want to rush into a decision. Schools like Kentucky and Baylor have reached out of late. With Texas, if an offer comes, there’s a possibility that Tyler could end the process quickly.
“That’s definitely a chance. I’m talking to more schools than I was before, but I feel like they might have come too late in the race,” Tyler said. “I’m not going to set up any visits until after this one. Just see how this one goes first.”
Tyler said he hasn’t been given indication of whether or not a UT offer will come his way, but he’s hopeful things will progress after he meets the team this weekend.
“They just said, of course, they want to see me in person. They want to see how the players feel about me, how the coaching staff feels about me, what kind of vibe they get from me,” Tyler said. “I feel like for them to take me on a visit, and for them to have scholarships left, I feel like that increases my chances of getting a scholarship. It’s been a long run to get to this visit, background checks, building relationships with the coaches.”
Tyler’s parents will be coming with him on the visit. Along with Herb Hand, he said he’s developed a tremendous relationship with Texas recruiting assistant Jake Langi. He has a strong interest in the Longhorns before ever seeing the campus.
“It’s my favorite team growing up. I played for that team in my peewee league. Ever since then, I liked them,” Tyler said. “Definitely it’s the relationship I have with Jake Langi, that plays a big part in it. We talk pretty often. He gives me that family feeling. I don’t feel like it’s a fake relationship either. Even if I don’t go there, I feel like it will be a great relationship and someone I can always talk to.”
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Recent UT offer Ryan Watts will be one of the big names to visit Texas on Saturday. (Of note, Watts was originally going to visit UT on Saturday, then considered visiting LSU on Saturday and Texas on Sunday. He’s now back to his original plan to visit UT on Saturday.)
Watts, a cornerback out of Little Elm, has seen his stock blow up of late, with schools like Texas, OU, A&M, Notre Dame, Washington, K-State and Arkansas among the schools who have now offered. The Longhorns offered last week.
“Coach (Jason) Washington passed by the school about two weeks ago. He just came to say hi to me, talked to my high school coach,” Watts said. “He told me he wanted to get me on campus. I’ve been texting with him since then. Then about a week after that, that’s when they offered me.
“I didn’t know it was coming so soon. I thought probably later down the road it might happen. It’s definitely a blessing, I’m definitely happy to get offered by Texas. It’s one of the powerhouse schools in Texas, my home state.
“I used to pray for something like this to happen. I used to tell my mom hopefully something like this can happen, pray for it to happen. It’s been a blessing, surreal, a little stressful. But I’m happy to be able to stress over something like this. I’m blessed.”
Watts has taken recent visits to Baylor, Oklahoma and Texas A&M. Along with Texas, he does have a few schools that have caught his early attention.
Oklahoma of course, since that was one of the first schools to reach out to me. Oklahoma, Oklahoma State, Arkansas were among the first schools to reach out to me, and that means a lot to me. Also Baylor. Cal Berkley, I talk to coach (Gerald) Alexander every day almost,” Watts said. “Notre Dame, that’s a prestigious school and they have a good football program. My family likes that a lot, so I’m taking that into consideration.”
Watts plans to drop a top 10 after his schools spring game and he wants to commit this summer. Where does Texas currently fit in?
“They’re in my top five really. I don’t have an official one, but I know they’re in my top five schools,” Watts said. “It’s just as a powerhouse school in Texas if I want to stay home, stay home and play for one of the best schools in Texas. It’s a great public university, would be a nice experience for me, just to have my time spent well, enjoy myself, stay not too far from my mom and she could come to my games.”
Academics are a big factor for Watts, which could help UT’s chances since he wants to major in business.
“My parents have been preaching to me about school, school, school since I was young. Academics do mean a lot to me,” Watts said. “A lot of schools that have offered me do have good academics.”
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Recent Texas offer Jahari Rogers was invited to come into this weekend’s junior day but at last check, said he might not be able to attend due to a track meet. Regardless, Rogers said he was happy to get the UT offer.
“I’ve been talking to them. I’ve been to a game. I’m really cool with coach (Rashaad) Samples. We’ve been chopping it up for a minute now,” Rogers said. “This past week I had been talking to coach Washington hard and heavy. He said he had good news for me. The next day, he gave me the offer. I was truly excited about it.
“It was crazy. I’m not originally from Texas. But a whole bunch of my friends and their family were super excited. They were really waiting for Texas to offer. Popularity wise, it’s the most known team in Texas. Their legacy is super good. It was exciting and a blessing to get that offer.”
Rogers is up to 20+ offers. He does have a few schools that have caught his attention, including Texas.
“OU and Florida have (caught his attention). Florida was a dream school of mine growing up. They’re DBU. Oklahoma, my grandpa went there (Sidney Brown, starter for two national title teams). OU DNA is inside me, my family loves OU too. Those two really stand out. Then with Texas offering, that’s a major deal. A lot of people I know love the Longhorns. Those are exciting offers, some of the top schools in the nation,” Rogers said.
Rogers is considering making an early decision and wants to get his official visits in this spring.
“Anything can happen. I want to commit before the season starts. I’m not saying it couldn’t be in spring, but it could be in the summer, late summer probably after I get all my visits in,” Rogers said. “If I get super comfortable on my official visits – I’ll try to take them this spring - if I feel super comfortable, I may just shut it down.”
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Texas extended an offer to John Tyler athlete Kitan Crawford this week. The 5-11, 190-pounder will be on campus on Saturday for a visit.
“It was a surprise. I really appreciate the offer though,” Crawford said.
Texas is recruiting Crawford as a cornerback. He’s a dynamic athlete on either side of the ball and said he’ll line up wherever his coaches feel is best, but most schools are recruiting him on defense (only Arkansas has stressed running back).
As for what he brings to the table … “speed, basically,” Crawford said (he’s been clocked at a 4.32 at his school).
Crawford said he hasn’t really thought of any favorites and is “going to stay pretty open” even if he’s blown away by his UT visit on Saturday. Texas is one of a handful of schools he watched closely growing up.
“It’s just the name of the school, and they put people in the league,” Crawford said. “Their record is good, it’s just a dream school. I grew up liking Texas, Baylor, LSU, Alabama.”
Crawford said he’d like to make a decision this spring if he feels comfortable enough with a school. If not, he may wait until early in his senior season. He has plans to visit Texas Tech on February 23 and Arkansas on March 9.
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After hosting many of its top targets for an unofficial visit in late January, Texas will host a junior day on Saturday with a large number of prospects expected to make their way to Austin.
2020 Prospects
ATH Mookie Cooper – St. Louis Trinity Catholic (UT offer)
RB Kitan Crawford – John Tyler
RB Sevion Morrison - Tulsa Edison
RB D’Aunte Prevost - Arlington Bowie
RB Tahj Brooks – Manor
WR Keith Miller - The Colony
WR Javian Hester – Tulsa Booker T Washington
TE Shamar Thomas – Kountze
TE/WR Bayne Tryon – Cy-Fair
OL Smart Chibuzo – Missouri City Hightower
OL/DL Braedon Nutter – Tomball Memorial
OL Leke Asenuga – Richmond Foster
OL Cedric Melton – Klein Cain
DE Jason Harris – Gilbert (AZ) Higley (UT offer)
DE Princely Umanmielen – Manor (UT offer)
DE Robert Wooten – Stafford
DE Martez Poynter – St. Louis Trinity Catholic
DT Sawyer Goram-Welch – Longview
DT Kendall Johnson – South Oak Cliff
DT Caleb Fox – The Woodlands
LB Brennon Scott – Dallas Bishop Dunne (UT offer … a maybe to visit)
LB Corey Flagg Jr. – North Shore
LB Jeremiah Harris – Pearland Shadow Creek
LB Jordon Williams - Metairie (LA) Rummel
CB Ryan Watts – Little Elm (UT offer)
CB Dwight McGlothern – Cedar Hill Trinity Christian (UT offer)
CB Myles Slusher - Broken Arrow (OK) (UT offer)
S Bryson Washington – Houston C.E. King (UT offer)
S Xavion Alford – Pearland Shadow Creek (UT offer)
DB/WR Joshua Eaton – Aldine McArthur
ATH Jahari Rogers – Arlington (UT offer … a maybe to visit)
ATH Abner Dubar – Anna
2021 Prospects
AB Preston Stone - Dallas Parish Episcopal School
QB Charles Wright – Austin High
QB Samari Collier – DeSoto
QB J.J. McCarthy – La Grange Park (IL) Nazareth Academy
WR Cody Jackson – Richmond Foster
WR Shadrach Banks – North Shore (UT offer)
WR Latrell Neville – Houston Willowridge (UT offer)
WR/DE Devin Grant – Antonian Prep
OL Tommy Brockermeyer – FW All Saints Episcopal (UT offer)
OL Hayden Conner – Katy Taylor (UT offer)
DE Tunmise Adeleye – Katy Tompkins (UT offer)
DE Landon Jackson - Texarkana Pleasant Grove (UT offer)
DE Marcus Burris – Texarkana Pleasant Grove
DE Shemar Turner - DeSoto
2022 Prospects
DT Jaydon Wannstedt – St. Louis Lutheran
*****
(Ketchum)
With the release of the 2020 LSR Top 100 this week, I thought it would be a good time to take a snapshot look at where things stand with many of the top 2020 kids in the Lone Star State. Here's a quick breakdown of the top 20 prospects in the current rankings from this week.
1. Zachary Evans (RB - North Shore)
Has Texas offered: Of course.
Where UT Stands: Nothing has changed in the last few months in the sense that the Longhorns are involved in hand to hand combat with the big national boys for the most important running back recruit in this state since Adrian Peterson in 2005. The good news is that he's been to Austin numerous times, will visit Austin again numerous times (it would appear) and the Longhorns are the betting favorite. It's going to be a battle, but Texas has a lot going for it.
Quotable (From Zachary's brother CJ Robinson on 1/7/19 to OB): "Yes. When they beat Georgia it put UT at #1 and moved Georgia."
(7/16/18 to Rivals): “The progression from the first day has been better because then, it was just about this is what you could be or we could win this, or do that. Then as we started talking and progressing, started getting into formations, learning who free-hitters are, how to read a defense, then we started talking about my outside life.
“That’s when (Texas) jumped up big on my list – most colleges talk about oh, we can talk about this… but they don’t stay on it. So getting that vibe with the coach, getting to know them, that was big.”
“I’m hoping they can get a little more help on the O-line,” he said. “I don’t know how I feel about not running behind some of the people that aren’t going to be there by the time that I would get there - I feel like that about every school – but I’m keeping an eye on how good the offensive line gets stacking up this year.”
(February 2018): “Texas has definitely separated itself.
“My opinion of them is that they’re a great program,” Evans said last November. “They’re definitely on my mind and closer to home too - I don’t mind going far out, but that’s another thing. I’m building a bond with the running backs coach [Stan Drayton], I started talking with him at TSU [Texas Southern's summer satellite camp].”
2. Demond Demas (WR- Houston North Forest)
Has Texas offered: Yes (Committed to Texas A&M)
Where UT Stands: Demas's recruitment has seemingly taken on a life of its own, especially when you consider that he's committed to A&M, but doesn't always act like it. Still, his recent visit to Austin might have revealed enough about where things stand to strongly suggest Texas has a lot of work to do to pull him away from the Aggies.
3. Hudson Card (QB - Lake Travis)
Has Texas offered: Yes (Committed to Texas)
Where UT Stands: The state's top quarterback prospect is a firm Longhorn commitment and the early crowned jewel of this class.
4. Jase McClellan (RB - Aledo)
Has Texas offered: Yes (Committed to Oklahoma)
Where UT Stands: McClellan committed to Oklahoma back in the summer of 2017. While he remains locked in, he has continued talking to to Texas and visited for the 2018 spring game. Realistically, he seems locked into his commitment to the Sooners.
5. Bryson Washington (DB - C.E. King)
Has Texas offered: Yes
Where UT Stands: Texas is the betting favorite, while Texas A&M is viewed as its biggest threat. Like Evans, one of the things you have to love about Washington is that he's racked up some frequent driving mileage in visiting the 40 Acres.
Quotable (Via OB on 1/21/19): “Texas is still big on my list. I still have to look at other schools as well, so it’s still the same,” Washington said. “Texas is a great school in my opinion.”
(Via Rivals on 10/17/18): "(Texas is) great school. I love the staff and the players and they have a great fan base. I love what they’re going to do in the 2020 class. I think it’s going to be a good year overall for the program."
"(Texas is) serious about playing great athletes. They want the best of the best to play and they mean business. If you can show out and do well in practice then you’ll get a chance to play and that's what every player wants in a program."
"I think Coach Fisher has done a great job turning things around, they’re spreading the defensive backs around. The offense is doing well, the running backs especially. I think it’s a better offense and I like what I've seen from the defense, too."
6. Lorando Johnson (S - Lancaster)
Has Texas offered: No
Where UT Stands: The Longhorns aren't really heavily involved in his recruitment at this point, but perhaps that will change because his stock is soaring. LSU is the betting favorite, but Arkansas and Texas A&M are also seriously involved.
7. RJ Mickens (CB - Southlake Carroll)
Has Texas offered: No.
Where UT Stands: This might be the weirdest recruitment in the entire state. Texas isn't involved and isn't expected to be involved.
Quotable (Via Rivals on 11/5/18): “Clemson is really high for me. It’s just the people there. The coaches and the way things are done there is really elite. It’s just a nice place.”
8. Dwight McGlothern (DB - Cedar Hill Trinity Christian)
Has Texas offered: Yes
Where UT Stands: Texas and Texas A&M (probably the lead favorite) are probably the two early betting favorites because of the number of times that he's visited both. However, the Aggies seemingly have the current pole position, but he's scheduled to visit Texas this weekend. It's likely we'll have a better idea of where things stand in a few days. A few months ago, he was expected to make a decision in January and the Longhorns were probably on the outside looking in. We'll see what happens.
9. Vernon Broughton (DE - Houston Cy Ridge)
Has Texas offered: Yes
Where UT Stands: Visited the Longhorns back in January and admitted that the Longhorns were right at the top of his list, along with Oklahoma. Wants to stay closer to home and the Longhorns would appear to be the betting favorite as things currently stand. He's viewed as a critical piece of the 2020 recruiting puzzle by the Texas staff.
10. Drew Sanders (Ath - Denton Ryan)
Has Texas offered: Yes (Oklahoma commit)
Where UT Stands: Sanders committed to the Sooners 15 months ago and appears locked in with his commitment.
11. Chad Lindberg (OL - League City Clear Creek)
Has Texas offered: Yes
Where UT Stands: Lindberg is another kid you'd probably say the Longhorns are the betting favorite with. With a brother enrolled at Texas, the Longhorns have been in a position to receive multiple visits and will likely receive a few more in the coming months. LSU and Stanford are just two schools Texas is battling with for his signature, but they could represent the primary competition.
Quotable (Via Orangebloods on 1/23/19): “The coaches say that I can be a leader for this class similar to how Caden Sterns got his class to be so good,” Lindberg said. .
12. Chris Thompson Jr. (DB - Duncanville)
Has Texas offered: Yes
Where UT Stands: Although the Longhorns are often listed as a leader for Thompson, there's a feeling that there's a lot of road yet left to travel in his recruitment based on the fact that he hasn't completely put recruiting on the front-burner. I don't think anyone is in a rush here. Expect the Longhorns to be involved right until the end and Texas probably ranks as a betting favorite.
13. Davon Graham II (WR - Keller Central)
Has Texas offered: No
Where UT Stands: Graham committed to Oklahoma earlier this month and the Longhorns aren't involved.
14. Troy Omeire (WR - Houston Austin)
Has Texas offered: Yes
Where UT Stands: This has expected to become a Texas/Texas A&M battle for quite a while, with the Aggies holding the pole position at the moment.
Quotable (Via Rivals on 4/13/18) “It’s probably going to come down to the in-state teams,” he said. “I want to stay close to my mom, so I am going to want and stay closer to home.”
15. Jake Majors (OL - Prosper)
Has Texas offered: Yes (Texas Commitment)
Where UT Stands: Majors recently committed to the Longhorns and became the second piece of a 2020 offensive line class that should rank among the nation's top 2-3 units.
16. Darius Snow (DB - Lewisville Hebron)
Has Texas offered: Yes
Where UT Stands: The son of former Michigan State and NBA point guard Eric Snow, and nephew of Michigan State linebacker Percy Snow, the younger Snow has visited Texas numerous times in 2018 and the Longhorns are the clear regional leader because he raves about Texas every time he's given the chance. That being said, there's some vibes recently suggesting that he's a more important target for Michigan State than Texas at this point, which would make the Sparatsns my choice for betting favorite.
17. Logan Parr (OL - Helotes O'Connor)
Has Texas offered: Yes (Texas Commitment)
Where UT Stands: The first piece of a 2020 offensive line class that should rank among the nation's top 2-3 units.
18. Jaxon Smith-Njigba (Rockwall, Texas)
Has Texas offered: No (Ohio State commitment)
Where UT Stands: Committed to the Buckeyes in November and the Longhorns haven't seemingly made major efforts to shake him from that pledge. You can only take so many receivers.
19. E.J. Smith (APB - Dallas Jesuit)
Has Texas offered: No
Where UT Stands: The Longhorns have other running back targets that they are more focused on at this point. Don't be surprised if Smith ends up at A&M.
20. Ja'Quinden Jackson (Ath - Duncanville)
Has Texas offered: Yes.
Where UT Stands: Visited Texas numerous times in 2018 and the Longhorns should be considered the betting favorite at this stage of his recruitment, especially when you consider the importance the Texas staff has placed on landing Jackson as a pure athlete in this class. It might not happen for a while, but there's every reason to feel optimistic about this recruitment
Quotable (Via Rivals on 1/1/19) - "I am a big family guy, so staying close would be nice, but my family is all about me doing what I want to do and going where I feel most comfortable. The schools I am in contact with the most are Texas and Oklahoma State."
21. Jaylon Jones (CB - Cibilo Steele)
Has Texas offered: Yes (Texas A&M Commitment)
Where UT Stands: The Longhorns really like Jones, but they took one on the chin in terms of head to head recruitments with the Aggies when Jones committed to A&M two weeks after visiting Austin.
22. Damieon George (OL - North Shore)
Has Texas offered: Yes
Where UT Stands: The Longhorns would love to land George and a lot of people view him as a future Longhorns, even if his recruitment could take some time to unfold. The Zachary Evans connection is impossible to ignore and potentially a nice feather in UT's cap when decision days loom.
Quotable (Via Rivals in September): “We’re real close; that’s like my brother,” George said of Zachary Evans. “I could see a future where I’m blocking for him.”
23. Andrew Collins (DE - Bastrop)
Has Texas offered: Yes
Where UT Stands: Collins has made repeated trips to Austin. The Longhorns are a heavy betting favorite.
24. Seth McGowan (RB - Mesquite Poteet)
Has Texas offered: Yes
Where UT Stands: The Longhorns are involved, but he's probably not at the forefront of their current running back plans. His recruitment is probably just starting to take shape. Watch A&M and LSU.
Quotable (Via OB on 11/1/18) “I would say what stands out (about Texas) is just the culture they’ve built around there. Just the passion and intensity that goes into every detail of the program,” McGowan said. “Malik (Jefferson) has helped me a lot, trying to get familiar with me. He’s aiding me with that process, the things he tells me, how they’re building the program.
"(Academics) are a prominent factor in my decision, I think so far as setting me up for success after my football career is said and done. I don’t want to just be famous as a football player,” McGowan said. “I want to be able to expand my resources, expand my wisdom to the youth of the community, provide wisdom. Be more of a public figure than just a sports guy. I’m just making sure what I want to major in, the things I want to pursue, making sure it correlates with my schedule at the school I would be attending.”
(Via Rivals on 7/2/18): "I was up here mostly with the guys that were committed, have offers and things like that,” he said. “Coach (Jimbo) Fisher coming in, getting familiar with him and everything, he really impressed me. I didn’t know much about Coach Fisher or any of the coaches that came in from Florida State, but they really blew me away with the facility and the culture that they’re building there at Texas A&M.”
“The (LSU) camp was outstanding. It was really phenomenal,” he said. “The atmosphere was really exuberant – everything was live – we had on helmets, were going through the drills fast, everything was competition-oriented. I’ve seen plenty of videos of Coach (Tommie) Robinsonon YouTube and things like that, but to really receive his guidance and be coached under him is really a blessing.”
25. Prince Dorbah (DE - Highland Park)
Has Texas offered: Yes.
Where UT Stands: This could shape up as a Texas/OU battle. Dorbah really, really likes the Longhorns and made multiple visits to Austin in 2018, as well as another trip last month. As much as he's visited Austin, it might be a toss up at this point with the Sooners.
Quotable (Via Rivals on 6/27/18): “I think (Texas is) a good place to be,” he said. “Coaches are awesome; the staff, the players – I got to talk to a couple of them – I was out for a camp and had fun with that and took a little unofficial visit. That was a fun time.”
“I have been getting along well with coach (Oscar) Giles, the defensive line coach,” he said. “He was going to offer me, and as soon as he did, there was just an instant connection and he’s just a great person to talk to. I try and talk to him every week, too.”
