It was the most important 2016 commitment from a pure talent standpoint when Manor DE/LB Erick Fowler declared his intentions to play his college career at Texas Wednesday morning.
Fowler, previously committed to LSU, is an absolute menace off the edge as a pass-rusher, averaging over 17 sacks per season over his sophomore and junior campaigns before coming into a bit of a "down year" statistically in his senior season. According to his coaches at Manor, this was somewhat by design. Not necessarily the downtick in production, but the positions he was put in to produce were not as flashy numbers-wise.
The Manor staff, feeling that Fowler had done all he needed in order to show college staffs he had a freak-talent for getting to the passer, used him in a more off-ball position in 2015 to develop his capabilities in coverage and show his versatility as an athlete. Despite the "down-year" statistically as a senior, it's clear the staff at Manor view the campaign as a major win for Fowler.
Fowler told me after his announcement ceremony that he will play the FOX DE position at Texas. This is a position that requires incredible versatility, as the player must be able to hold up on the defensive line as a weak-side defensive end, but also fall back off the line into more of a linebacker position when the defense goes to it's "odd" (3-3-5) stacked front.
Fowler says he plans to make an immediate impact in 2016 and that's likely exactly what will happen. It wasn't always in the bag that Fowler would end up at Texas, though. Talking with some of his family and coaches after the ceremony, I can say with certainty that this is one that could have easily gone either way, which makes the result seem even sweeter for the Longhorns in much of a Chris Warren-manner from 2015.
"I really did at the last minute," Fowler said when asked about when he made the decision to come to Texas. "I prayed about it, I had a long talk with my family. They didn't know I was going to switch (from LSU). Then at the last minute I had a talk with my sister. She didn't say Texas, she just told me to follow my heart ... my family, my friends, here, I've been repping Austin for a minute, so why switch up now?"
Fowler said it was literally a last-second decision. When asked when exactly he decided to flip, Fowler said, "Just now. When I picked up the hat. I did not know (when I walked in to the ceremony)."
On what it was, in the big moment, that made him choose Texas, Fowler offered, "Just keep putting for Austin, putting on for Austin, I will never forget where I came from, which is Austin." Although Fowler said the decision was all his, he did admit that his mother wanted him to select Texas. "She kind of let me go do my own thing, she felt comfortable with LSU, so ... she was OK with either decision."
Fowler now heads to Austin to bring reinforcements to a FOX DE unit that is somehwat in flux following Caleb Bluiett's move to the offensive side of the football. The following players took snaps at the position in 2015:
Naashon Hughes (JR) - 670 snaps in 2015. Good player who's production was down somewhat in 2015 and lacks the size to hold the edge as a run defender in certain situations.
Charles Omenihu (SO) - A surprise contributor at the position in 2015 who managed to log 190 snaps and created plays in doing so. The issue with Omenihu is that he may outgrow the FOX position and get bumped over to SDE as there is currently a bare cupboard on the strong-side. This move will have to do with Omenihu's filling out (he's currently at 256 pounds per a source) and the ability of a player like Fowler to come in and immediately play FOX.
Derick Roberson (SO) - A player who didn't play as much in 2015 as Omenihu (90 total snaps), but looks like a million bucks, Roberson is another candidate to possibly flip positions to SDE as he is also now over 250 pounds with a little bit of room to grow. During the 2015 season, Roberson saw reserve-duty at both the FOX and SDE positions.
The acquisition of Fowler along with a few other 2016 defensive tackles with length to possibly run in at SDE while their bodies continue filling out in Marcell Southall and Chris Daniels, the defensive end positions at Texas will make up revamped unit in 2016, and following how the pieces all fit into place will be nothing short of fascinating.
One thing is certain, though: Fowler was the big one; the key ingredient.
Always listen to Mama. Erick Fowler is now a Longhorn.
Fowler, previously committed to LSU, is an absolute menace off the edge as a pass-rusher, averaging over 17 sacks per season over his sophomore and junior campaigns before coming into a bit of a "down year" statistically in his senior season. According to his coaches at Manor, this was somewhat by design. Not necessarily the downtick in production, but the positions he was put in to produce were not as flashy numbers-wise.
The Manor staff, feeling that Fowler had done all he needed in order to show college staffs he had a freak-talent for getting to the passer, used him in a more off-ball position in 2015 to develop his capabilities in coverage and show his versatility as an athlete. Despite the "down-year" statistically as a senior, it's clear the staff at Manor view the campaign as a major win for Fowler.
Fowler told me after his announcement ceremony that he will play the FOX DE position at Texas. This is a position that requires incredible versatility, as the player must be able to hold up on the defensive line as a weak-side defensive end, but also fall back off the line into more of a linebacker position when the defense goes to it's "odd" (3-3-5) stacked front.
Fowler says he plans to make an immediate impact in 2016 and that's likely exactly what will happen. It wasn't always in the bag that Fowler would end up at Texas, though. Talking with some of his family and coaches after the ceremony, I can say with certainty that this is one that could have easily gone either way, which makes the result seem even sweeter for the Longhorns in much of a Chris Warren-manner from 2015.
"I really did at the last minute," Fowler said when asked about when he made the decision to come to Texas. "I prayed about it, I had a long talk with my family. They didn't know I was going to switch (from LSU). Then at the last minute I had a talk with my sister. She didn't say Texas, she just told me to follow my heart ... my family, my friends, here, I've been repping Austin for a minute, so why switch up now?"
Fowler said it was literally a last-second decision. When asked when exactly he decided to flip, Fowler said, "Just now. When I picked up the hat. I did not know (when I walked in to the ceremony)."
On what it was, in the big moment, that made him choose Texas, Fowler offered, "Just keep putting for Austin, putting on for Austin, I will never forget where I came from, which is Austin." Although Fowler said the decision was all his, he did admit that his mother wanted him to select Texas. "She kind of let me go do my own thing, she felt comfortable with LSU, so ... she was OK with either decision."
Fowler now heads to Austin to bring reinforcements to a FOX DE unit that is somehwat in flux following Caleb Bluiett's move to the offensive side of the football. The following players took snaps at the position in 2015:
Naashon Hughes (JR) - 670 snaps in 2015. Good player who's production was down somewhat in 2015 and lacks the size to hold the edge as a run defender in certain situations.
Charles Omenihu (SO) - A surprise contributor at the position in 2015 who managed to log 190 snaps and created plays in doing so. The issue with Omenihu is that he may outgrow the FOX position and get bumped over to SDE as there is currently a bare cupboard on the strong-side. This move will have to do with Omenihu's filling out (he's currently at 256 pounds per a source) and the ability of a player like Fowler to come in and immediately play FOX.
Derick Roberson (SO) - A player who didn't play as much in 2015 as Omenihu (90 total snaps), but looks like a million bucks, Roberson is another candidate to possibly flip positions to SDE as he is also now over 250 pounds with a little bit of room to grow. During the 2015 season, Roberson saw reserve-duty at both the FOX and SDE positions.
The acquisition of Fowler along with a few other 2016 defensive tackles with length to possibly run in at SDE while their bodies continue filling out in Marcell Southall and Chris Daniels, the defensive end positions at Texas will make up revamped unit in 2016, and following how the pieces all fit into place will be nothing short of fascinating.
One thing is certain, though: Fowler was the big one; the key ingredient.
Always listen to Mama. Erick Fowler is now a Longhorn.
