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Hmm, where should we start this week's War Room? We'll pull a name out of the hat ... and it's none other than Dorial Green-Beckham.
As everyone knows, Mack Brown and Darrell Wyatt made a day trip to Springfield on Thursday to spend some time with the nation's top overall prospect. As expected, Green-Beckham and his family have remained silent about the visit.
Everyone is starving for morsels of information on this one, but the truth is that there's just not a lot of concrete information to report. Third-hand information from a person in Missouri has UT's Thursday visit going very well, but that's not exactly a surprise. Brown and Wyatt are both terrific recruiters, so it's not a huge shock that Texas made a strong impression, yet again.
There has been some chatter that the UT coaches not only spent time working their magic at the school, but also spent time with DGB off campus during the lunch hour, presumably to get away from the watchful eye of those at Springfield. But that report, like most others in this one, has been tough to confirm.
In talking to a number of sources this week, all of whom have solid connections to this one through different avenues, here are a few nuggets we feel confident are valid ...
- At one point in the process, there was some concern by Green-Beckham about whether or not Mack Brown would be around throughout the course of DGB's college career. Most likely, those seeds were planted in his mind by people connected to other schools that are also recruiting the standout receiver. Texas, of course, has done a good job of crushing those rumors, and Thursday's announcement that Mack's contract has been extended to 2020 doesn't hurt UT's stance in that argument.
- Depending on who you ask, Arkansas could be fading in the race in the final stretch. As we've mentioned, it's worth noting that neither of DGB's parents accompanied him on his official visit to Arkansas last weekend.
There have been numerous reports and discussions that Green-Beckham's parents may not be completely enamored with certain elements (or personalities) of the Arkansas program. We're not going to get into specifics and normally try to avoid that type of hearsay, but since it's such a widely discussed topic we'll just say this ... we've heard from numerous sources that we trust that there is some validity to those claims.
- Most people assume Green-Beckham will be a star wherever he lands. For Texas, one of the arguments presented, we've heard, is that there's no bigger place for DGB to shine than in Austin. If Missouri is UT's biggest threat, as some very close to this have speculated, DGB will have to decide if he wants to be a big fish in a Missouri program that has been very good but is not as nationally recognized as UT ... and a Missouri program that may have its difficulties in the SEC. Or, is it better to be further away from home, but play on a stage that's as big as any in the country, a program that has shown it can compete for conference and national championships?
- It's been mentioned repeatedly that distance is UT's biggest hurdle. Proximity favors Missouri and Arkansas, and Green-Beckham's close relationship with his family is key (including his younger brother, who was diagnosed with leukemia last year but is on the road to recovery). Without going to deep into this, the theory of staying close to home to be near his family is as true now as it ever was. This is undoubtedly UT's biggest hurdle.
- Arkansas was scheduled to do an in-home visit on Thursday night. For those who missed it, head coach Bobby Petrino was not able to attend due to a "chance" encounter with DGB in San Antonio in January during Green-Beckham's time at the U.S. Army All-American Bowl. Several Arkansas assistants were supposed to headline Thursday night's visit.
For those curious, we've heard it was not UT that spotted the "bump" between Petrino and DGB in San Antonio. Rumor (unconfirmed) has it that it's another school in the race, but presumably not really in the race any more.
- Despite the recent speculation that Missouri and Texas have both made a very strong push in this one, there is still some talk from at least one source we talked to on Thursday night that thinks DGB himself is favoring Arkansas. Is that where he'll wind up when all factors are considered, after he talks to family and people he trusts? No clue. But it's way too premature to write off the Razorbacks despite some published reports that have come out this week.
- Here's the bottom line in this one. Anything you read or hear is nothing more than people reading the tea leaves. DGB and his family have not tipped their hand to anyone. And I mean anyone. In talking to several media sources who have very good connections to different programs, nobody truly knows how this one will play out. Not the people at Hillcrest High School. Not the coaches recruiting him. And most feel, not even DGB himself. The final decision may not be made until after his official visit to Missouri this weekend.
There are going to be a lot of rumor and a lot of sources that come out of the woodwork over the next five days, but it would be wise to take them all with a grain of salt. One person we talked to who is dialed in to this one (not from the UT side) said the plan is for DGB to return home from his Missouri visit and completely shut down contact. He and his parents will know the final verdict the day before signing day and nobody else, including the coaches who are recruiting him. This one is expected to be a true mystery until DGB announces on Wednesday morning.
- However it winds up, one comment worth noting. And this comes from someone who has been pretty dialed in to this one but not from a UT perspective.
"If you would have told me a year ago that Texas would have been in the final group, I would have thought you were crazy. The fact that they're even in the final four is pretty amazing when you think about where they started from. (Darrell) Wyatt and Mack Brown have done a great job on this one and if Texas was closer I think (DGB) would be in the bag for them." (Suchomel)
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It has been an interesting couple of weeks for Pflugerville Hendrickson’s Daje Johnson with some big decisions on his plate. This weekend, Johnson, who is committed to TCU, plans to take an official visit to Texas and tonight the Longhorns made an in-home visit.
“It was real smooth, very smooth,” Johnson said. “Basically my dad had questions for them and he asked them and they answered them. It was good.”
When Texas asked him to come in on an official visit on January 18, they let him know an offer was probable, and as the weekend approaches Johnson feels very good about the direction things are progressing with Texas.
“I’m pretty sure it will come this weekend. They wouldn’t come to my house and do all this stuff and not offer,” he said. “They told me it was coming.”
Texas has been pursuing Johnson as an offensive weapon who can line up at multiple positions on the field, as well as a threat as a return man on special teams. Tonight Texas also let him know defense was also an option.
“They told me that today actually because coach (Duane) Akina just approved me. Saying he would take me at DB,” Johnson said.
Johnson was also visited in-home by TCU.
“They came right before Texas,” Johnson said. “There was a little bit of tension in the room, but they came for about 10 or 15 minutes. Coach (Patterson) had to catch a flight. They weren’t here that long. Basically coach P and my dad were talking the whole time and me and coach Haverty were just listening.”
On Wednesday, Daje told OB he was 90 percent sure he would change his commitment to Texas. Tonight he didn’t want to go further than his 90 percent, but did stick with that figure. (Howell)
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A look at the weekend
This weekend could potentially be one of the biggest of the 2011-2012 football recruiting cycle and is certainly one of the biggest final recruiting weekends for Texas in recent memory.
Texas will host three uncommitted prospects in Van (Texas) linebacker Bryce Cottrell. Assuming all three make it in, I would say the odds are good that Texas gets a clean sweep. Now, Orangebloods.com goes a little deeper to rate each visitor on the coffee scale of closing with one cup being the easiest deal to close and five cups being the hardest.
Bryce Cottrell, DE, Plano West
Cottrell is the newest prospect to emerge on the recruiting radar. There was some talk way back in the spring that he could be a target, but it was not until interest was made in the last week that things really got serious.
Texas has made a quick impact and has let him know he is wanted in Austin. The problem is he has been committed to Oregon since October, and Cottrell is not one to just flip-flop on a commitment.
On Thursday morning, people that had first-hand accounts with Cottrell indicated that he was still unsure on whether or not he'd take the visit to Texas after Oregon gave him a hard sell during an in-home on Wednesday night. Cottrell confirmed to OB on Thursday night that he would be visiting Texas this weekend.
I don’t think this is a slam dunk, but I think the chances are strong Texas closes the deal. On the coffee scale of closing I think Brown and staff are going to need more than one cup to seal this deal, but I think they do it. I’ll say three cups and he’s a Longhorn.
Daje Johnson, ATH, Pflugerville Hendrickson
Of the guys coming in this weekend, Johnson has been on the radar the longest. As an Austin-area prospect he has made no secret that he grew up a fan of the Longhorns. Texas really began going after him during the season and he even made a few unofficial visits. However, he was turned off when communication abruptly stopped for a couple of months.
It looked like Johnson and Texas were done there for a minute. Then, on January 18, Texas reached out to Johnson and let him know UT wanted him to come in for an official visit with a strong probability of an offer. Johnson scheduled the visit, but he still had questions about why communication went cold the way it did.
On Monday he cancelled the visit, but later that night it was back on. On Wednesday he told OB he was leaning towards the Longhorns and felt there was a 90 percent chance he would commit.
There is no doubt Texas has some questions to answer, but there is also no doubt Johnson is very interested. Honestly I think Texas gets him on campus and he makes the Longhorns his choice. Mack and Co. only need one cup for this one.
Dalton Santos, LB, Van
On Sunday word leaked out that Texas was in on the big hitting linebacker. The Longhorns really have not reached out much until recently and Santos has already been told he has an offer and he will be on campus for his final weekend.
Santos has been committed to Tennessee, but he has made no secret that he has always been a Longhorn fan. Word behind the scenes is he is a commitment waiting to happen. We will see this weekend and some are saying we could hear word Santos has pulled the trigger as early as Friday.
Texas made a big impression on its Wednesday visit to the school and I think this one is only a matter of time. On the coffee scale of closing I’ll say Texas just needs to have the smell of coffee in the air. (Howell)
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There have been more than a few prospects on the Texas radar over the last few weeks, and not all of them have gone the way of the Longhorns. It looks like Texas could close with three commitments this weekend but here’s a look at a few of the other names that have been on the radar as signing day approaches in less than a week.
Oklahoma commitment Daniel Brooks was a summer offer for the Longhorns, and Texas has been lingering every since. The Texas coaches made a trip to Rockdale to meet with Daniel last week. Texas did talk about a visit and made a tempting pitch but in the end Brooks decided not to take the trip. This week, his father, Tony Brooks, said Daniel has decided he is done with the recruiting process and ready to sign with the Sooners on Wednesday. TCU did try to get him to visit this weekend and Oklahoma St. also tried to make a last minute push.
Mesquite Horn tight end Vincent Hobbs did take an official visit to Texas last weekend. It was thought there was a good possibility he would receive an offer once he arrived in Austin and Texas would receive his commitment. Hobbs left without an offer but the Longhorns let him know they would give him an update by Wednesday. On Wednesday Texas told the Horn coaches they were going in another direction and now Hobbs is headed to Colorado for an official visit. Colorado has offered and he is taking a long look but I’m also being told not to count out coach Justin Fuente and Memphis, who delivered a very convincing and persuasive recruiting pitch.
There has also been some talk about Dallas Skyline receiver Thomas Johnson being a possibility late. Following his de-commitment a few weeks ago it certainly seemed less than likely, but recruiting is often crazy. After checking around I’ve been told not to hold my breath on that one. Texas coaches did stop by Skyline this week but it sounds like it’s not going to happen. In my opinion, I think he ends up an Aggie.
Richardson Pearce athlete/wide receiver Corey Coleman has also been a prospect hanging around the edges of the radar. Before the end of the season it appeared very possible he could be offered. Since then, things have cooled and at last check I would call the chances that Coleman and Texas get together a longshot. He does have a visit scheduled to Cal but I think he sticks with Baylor.
Last but not least there’s LSU commitment and Shreveport (La.) Woodlawn defensive end Torshiro Davis. At the beginning of the week there was talk of Texas making a last push and making an in-home visit. Those plans changed quickly Tuesday morning with Texas cancelling the visit. Davis said it was pretty much down to LSU and Texas but as the process continued it began to feel like less and less of a possibility. It’s hard to steal a Louisiana guy from the Bayou Bengals and LSU has held the top spot from the very beginning. (Howell)
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An update on UT's upcoming junior days ...
Feb. 12 Confirmed
Isaiah Golden, DT, Elysian Fields
**Marcell Harris, S, Groveland (Fla.) South Lake
Deon Hollins, DE/LB, Fort Bend Marshall
Naashon Hughes, ATH, Harker Heights
Darius James, OL, Harker Heights
Justin Manning, DT, Dallas Kimball
Kameron Miles, S, West Mesquite
Jake Oliver, WR, Dallas Jesuit
Kent Perkins, OL, Dallas Lake Highlands
Jake Raulerson, OL/DL, Celina
A’Shawn Robinson, OL/DL, Fort Worth Arlington
Ra’Shaad Samples, WR, Dallas Skyline
Ricky Seals-Jones, ATH, Sealy
Tyrone Swoopes, QB, Whitewright
Vincent Taylor, DT, San Antonio Madison
Josh Thomas, OL, Shreveport (La.) Evangel Christian
*D.J. Ward, DE, Lawton, Okla.
*James White, RB, Pearland Dawson
Dontre Wilson, RB, DeSoto
Ishmael Wilson, OL, Dallas Bishop Dunne
Feb. 25 Confirmed Possibilities
J.T. Barrett, QB, Wichita Falls Rider
Jeremiah Gaines, TE, Red Oak
Kenny Hill, QB, Southlake Carroll
Eldridge Massington, WR, West Mesquite
Brett Wade, LB, Kennedale
*invited but undecided on attending
**invited and not attending (Howell)
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Every year there are a few guys who slip under the radar a bit and there have been a few guys I’ve been working to get more information on.
Linebacker Ty Montgomery, who is now at Stanford.
As a junior in 2011, Mitchell played linebacker and defensive end at Plano West, earning first-team 8-5A honors after recording over 120 tackles and double-digit tackles for loss. He has the size and athleticism to play a number of positions but there is one he feels a little better at than others.
“Definitely linebacker,” Mitchell said. “Usually I’m in the middle so just being able to go anywhere I want. I’m not contained to one side of the field so it’s just moving around and making tackles wherever the ball goes.”
Now he is back at Prestonwood Christian Academy and college coaches are showing interest. Baylor has invited him to a junior day, and UNLV, Oregon, Florida, and Boston College are schools he says have shown the most attention lately. TCU has also expressed a lot of interest.
Growing up in Florida, Mitchell was a Florida Gators fan and while he is keeping his options open at this point, he does admit the Gators have caught his attention.
Mitchell does not have any offers yet, but he says Florida has talked about it.
Mitchell is nicknamed “the Abusement Park” and is the son of former Atlanta Falcon linebacker Ken Mitchell, who played his college ball at UNLV. While a member of the Falcons the Mr. Mitchell played with former Longhorn Tommy Nobis.
When it comes to recruiting, Mitchell says he has yet to hear from Texas. In addition to the schools above Vanderbilt, Iowa, Texas Tech, Tulsa, and Texas A&M have expressed an interest. (Howell)
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Texas has been after Shreveport Woodlawn DE Torshiro Davis for a long time, but that one is all but dead and buried at this point.
Davis told us on Sunday night that Mack Brown and Bo Davis would be doing an in-home on Wednesday night. On Monday, word came out that the in-home had been cancelled.
"I think they pretty much just figured I was going to LSU," Davis told us late this week. And is that the case? "Yeah, I'm locked in for LSU now." (Suchomel)
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Talked to three different NFL scouts today about the Longhorns at the Senior Bowl - Kheeston Randall, Keenan Robinson and Emmanuel Acho.
The scouts seemed to agree that all three will be taken in the middle rounds (third-fifth rounds).
Let's start with KHEESTON RANDALL:
One scout said Randall will be the first Longhorn drafted because he's a "big-time effort guy, and at 6-4 and 300 pounds he can play outside on the line in a 3-4 or the 3 technique tackle next to the nose in a 4-3."
One scout said this draft is so strong at DT that Randall simply loses ground because of who he's in the draft with.
This scout has the following DTs ahead of Randall:
Devon Sill, North Carolina
Josh Chapman, Alabama
Alameda Ta'amu, Washington
Brandon Thompson, Clemson
Jerel Worthy, Michigan State
Dontari Poe, Memphis
Jared Crick, Nebraska
Mike Martin, Michigan
Sylvester Williams, UNC
Kendall Reyes, UConn
Fletcher Cox, Miss St
Kawann Short, Purdue
Kaleb Ramsey, Boston College
Marcus Fortson, Miami
The third scout said Randall is too tall at 6-4 to play nose in the NFL. "You get over 6-3 and guys get bounced around in there like a pinball. So that limits a guy like Randall a bit. But he's an effort guy with good size, and teams value that."
We talked to Senior Bowl observers who noted that Randall ran from drill to drill in practice while other DTs walked.
"He was trying to make an impression and stand out, which is smart in a crowded field," one scout said.
Scout consensus was that Randall, who measured 6-4 and 297 pounds, would probably go in the third or fourth round.
KEENAN ROBINSON and EMMANUEL ACHO
I'll talk about these together because all three scouts said if you could combine these two you'd have a first-round draft pick.
As it is, the scouts at the Senior Bowl said Robinson (6-3, 240) is probably a third or fourth rounder and Acho (6-1, 235) is probably a fourth or fifth rounder.
To a man, the scouts love Acho's instincts and Robinson's size and speed.
"Acho knows where the play is going, he just can't always get there," one scout told me. "Robinson has the size to shed a block - although he needs a lot of work on how to use his hands - and he showed some recovery speed. But he's just not as instinctive as Acho."
Another scout said Robinson struggled when on the line as a rush end/outside linebacker in a 3-4 and is probably better suited to a weak side backer in a 4-3 "because he's going to be a run-hit guy in the league."
The scouts said Acho will have to play middle linebacker in a 4-3 or WLB in a 3-4 because "he's not big enough to be a take-on guy."
One scout said the highest Longhorn drafted this year would have been Kenny Vaccaro, who is returning for his senior season.
"Vaccaro would have been the second safety taken in this draft behind Mark Barron (of Alabama)," the scout said. "Texas doesn't always produce the most violent of players, but Vaccaro is a violent player who can cover. He showed up this season against some quality receivers. He might have backdoored himself into the first round."
(BROWN)
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This week in recruiting… Lone Star State
Sometimes there can be so much information flying by your eyes in any given week that you miss some of the small stuff. Knowing that, here’s a look at some notes to know from the Class of 2013 from this week, as compiled by the entire Rivals network.
a. Denton Guyer wide receiver Ellis Jefferson (No.30 on the LSR) received his first offer from Colorado.
b. Arlington martin defensive back Kyle Hicks (No.57 on the LSR) reports that has junior days scheduled at Baylor (Jan. 29), LSU (Feb. 4), and Texas Tech (date not confirmed).)
c. Texas High defensive tackle Johnathan Hunt (No.41 on the LSR) reports that he's probably going to a Junior day at Texas Tech and may go to one at LSU. He has also heard from Notre Dame, Oklahoma St., and UCLA about their junior days.
d. Mansfield safety George Baltimore has plans to visit Baylor's junior day on Sunday, Oklahoma (2/7), West Virginia (2/14) and Texas Tech (2/21).
e. Klein Forest defensive lineman Tyree Gray (No.88 on the LSR) has been invited to LSU Junior day on February 4th.
f. Rockwall-Heath linebacker Raquan Davis (No.20) will attend Junior Days at Baylor on January 29th and has invites from Olahoma State, Texas Tech, LSU, Tulsa and Oklahoma.
g. Whitehouse wide receiver Dylan Cantrell (No.66 on the LSR) received an offer and invite to a Junior Day from Arkansas.
h. Purdue offered 2014 running back Samaje Perine from Pflugerville Hendrickson.
i. Dallas Jesuit wide receiver Jake Oliver (No.9 on the LSR) received offers from Oklahoma and Clemson.
j. Speaking of Clemson, they also offered Kennedale linebacker Brett Wade (No.19 on the LSR), DeSoto running back Dontre Wilson (No.8 on the LSR), Dallas Jesuit offensive lineman J.J. Gustafson (No.15 on the LSR) and Dallas Jesuit linebacker Jordan Mastrogiovanni (No.72 on the LSR).
k. Houston Kinkaid wide receiver Macan Wilson received an offer from Northwestern.
l. Wylie East wide receiver Quan Jones (No.42 on the LSR) was offered by Iowa State ad Virginia, while adding Junior Day visit from Oklahoma State, Washington State, Purdue and Arizona. He will attend Junior Days at Baylor and Purdue.
m. West Mesquite has four prospects receiving interest from Big 12 schools. Here’s a complete look at their Junior Day schedules:
Kameron Miles - Texas A&M (1/28), Baylor (1/29), OU (2/4), Texas (2/12)
Eldridge Massington - Baylor (1/29), OU (2/4), Texas (2/25)
Will Earley - Baylor (1/29), Texas Tech (2/11)
Dimarya Mixon - Texas Tech (2/11)
n. Colleyville Heritage quarterback Cody Thomas picked up offers from Oklahoma State, Florida and Vandy. He also has Junior Day invites from Oklahoma State, Arkansas, Baylor, Florida State and Colorado. Yes, his stock is soaring.
o. John Tyler wide receiver Fred Ross (No.17 on the LSR) added an offer from Memphis and also has offers from West Virginia, Missouri and Texas Tech. Memphis also offered Greg Ward (No.35) and Tyus Bowser (No.51).
p. Round Rock athlete Samuel Lewis has a Junior Day invite from Tulsa and is also hearing from Missouri and Oklahoma State.
q. Rockwall-Heath defensive lineman Jay Arnold will be at Texas Tech’s Junior Day on February 18th.
r. Southlake Carroll QB Kenny Hill will be at Texas A&M on Jan. 28, Baylor on Jan. 29, Texas on Feb. 25, Tech on Feb. 11 and Stanford on March 2.
s. Hebron DB Desmond Wortham is planning to attend a junior day at LSU (no date given). (GK)
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From talking to one source well familiar with the recruitment, it sounds like Texas really made a good impression on 2012 Portersville, Mississippi small forward Devonta Pollard. Even though Pollard, who is rated as the No. 9 player overall in the country, kept to himself on the visit, the source I spoke with said he was very impressed with the UT staff, Texas’ academics, and the facilities.
The good news for Texas fans is that more than one person I spoke two felt like Pollard left Texas with the Horns in the lead. The bad news is that it sounds like the visit process for Pollard is really about to begin, and that he will use all his official visits. UT’s biggest hurdle in this recruitment right now probably feels like Mississippi State, although you can never count Kentucky despite the fact that Pollard is down its list a little bit behind higher rated prospects.
I wouldn’t expect any sort of decision until after all of Pollard’s official visits. Texas will need to keep up the intensity with this recruitment, obviously, because it was the first to get him on campus for an official. I’m not sure if Texas is in the lead right now, but I don’t think there is a school in a better position than the Horns are at this moment. Remember, that Pollard’s AAU coach indicated to me in a recent War Room update that UT assistant Rob Lanier has put in more work on Pollard than any other coach. (McComas)
This post was edited on 1/26 11:06 PM by Suchomel
Hmm, where should we start this week's War Room? We'll pull a name out of the hat ... and it's none other than Dorial Green-Beckham.
As everyone knows, Mack Brown and Darrell Wyatt made a day trip to Springfield on Thursday to spend some time with the nation's top overall prospect. As expected, Green-Beckham and his family have remained silent about the visit.
Everyone is starving for morsels of information on this one, but the truth is that there's just not a lot of concrete information to report. Third-hand information from a person in Missouri has UT's Thursday visit going very well, but that's not exactly a surprise. Brown and Wyatt are both terrific recruiters, so it's not a huge shock that Texas made a strong impression, yet again.
There has been some chatter that the UT coaches not only spent time working their magic at the school, but also spent time with DGB off campus during the lunch hour, presumably to get away from the watchful eye of those at Springfield. But that report, like most others in this one, has been tough to confirm.
In talking to a number of sources this week, all of whom have solid connections to this one through different avenues, here are a few nuggets we feel confident are valid ...
- At one point in the process, there was some concern by Green-Beckham about whether or not Mack Brown would be around throughout the course of DGB's college career. Most likely, those seeds were planted in his mind by people connected to other schools that are also recruiting the standout receiver. Texas, of course, has done a good job of crushing those rumors, and Thursday's announcement that Mack's contract has been extended to 2020 doesn't hurt UT's stance in that argument.
- Depending on who you ask, Arkansas could be fading in the race in the final stretch. As we've mentioned, it's worth noting that neither of DGB's parents accompanied him on his official visit to Arkansas last weekend.
There have been numerous reports and discussions that Green-Beckham's parents may not be completely enamored with certain elements (or personalities) of the Arkansas program. We're not going to get into specifics and normally try to avoid that type of hearsay, but since it's such a widely discussed topic we'll just say this ... we've heard from numerous sources that we trust that there is some validity to those claims.
- Most people assume Green-Beckham will be a star wherever he lands. For Texas, one of the arguments presented, we've heard, is that there's no bigger place for DGB to shine than in Austin. If Missouri is UT's biggest threat, as some very close to this have speculated, DGB will have to decide if he wants to be a big fish in a Missouri program that has been very good but is not as nationally recognized as UT ... and a Missouri program that may have its difficulties in the SEC. Or, is it better to be further away from home, but play on a stage that's as big as any in the country, a program that has shown it can compete for conference and national championships?
- It's been mentioned repeatedly that distance is UT's biggest hurdle. Proximity favors Missouri and Arkansas, and Green-Beckham's close relationship with his family is key (including his younger brother, who was diagnosed with leukemia last year but is on the road to recovery). Without going to deep into this, the theory of staying close to home to be near his family is as true now as it ever was. This is undoubtedly UT's biggest hurdle.
- Arkansas was scheduled to do an in-home visit on Thursday night. For those who missed it, head coach Bobby Petrino was not able to attend due to a "chance" encounter with DGB in San Antonio in January during Green-Beckham's time at the U.S. Army All-American Bowl. Several Arkansas assistants were supposed to headline Thursday night's visit.
For those curious, we've heard it was not UT that spotted the "bump" between Petrino and DGB in San Antonio. Rumor (unconfirmed) has it that it's another school in the race, but presumably not really in the race any more.
- Despite the recent speculation that Missouri and Texas have both made a very strong push in this one, there is still some talk from at least one source we talked to on Thursday night that thinks DGB himself is favoring Arkansas. Is that where he'll wind up when all factors are considered, after he talks to family and people he trusts? No clue. But it's way too premature to write off the Razorbacks despite some published reports that have come out this week.
- Here's the bottom line in this one. Anything you read or hear is nothing more than people reading the tea leaves. DGB and his family have not tipped their hand to anyone. And I mean anyone. In talking to several media sources who have very good connections to different programs, nobody truly knows how this one will play out. Not the people at Hillcrest High School. Not the coaches recruiting him. And most feel, not even DGB himself. The final decision may not be made until after his official visit to Missouri this weekend.
There are going to be a lot of rumor and a lot of sources that come out of the woodwork over the next five days, but it would be wise to take them all with a grain of salt. One person we talked to who is dialed in to this one (not from the UT side) said the plan is for DGB to return home from his Missouri visit and completely shut down contact. He and his parents will know the final verdict the day before signing day and nobody else, including the coaches who are recruiting him. This one is expected to be a true mystery until DGB announces on Wednesday morning.
- However it winds up, one comment worth noting. And this comes from someone who has been pretty dialed in to this one but not from a UT perspective.
"If you would have told me a year ago that Texas would have been in the final group, I would have thought you were crazy. The fact that they're even in the final four is pretty amazing when you think about where they started from. (Darrell) Wyatt and Mack Brown have done a great job on this one and if Texas was closer I think (DGB) would be in the bag for them." (Suchomel)
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It has been an interesting couple of weeks for Pflugerville Hendrickson’s Daje Johnson with some big decisions on his plate. This weekend, Johnson, who is committed to TCU, plans to take an official visit to Texas and tonight the Longhorns made an in-home visit.
“It was real smooth, very smooth,” Johnson said. “Basically my dad had questions for them and he asked them and they answered them. It was good.”
When Texas asked him to come in on an official visit on January 18, they let him know an offer was probable, and as the weekend approaches Johnson feels very good about the direction things are progressing with Texas.
“I’m pretty sure it will come this weekend. They wouldn’t come to my house and do all this stuff and not offer,” he said. “They told me it was coming.”
Texas has been pursuing Johnson as an offensive weapon who can line up at multiple positions on the field, as well as a threat as a return man on special teams. Tonight Texas also let him know defense was also an option.
“They told me that today actually because coach (Duane) Akina just approved me. Saying he would take me at DB,” Johnson said.
Johnson was also visited in-home by TCU.
“They came right before Texas,” Johnson said. “There was a little bit of tension in the room, but they came for about 10 or 15 minutes. Coach (Patterson) had to catch a flight. They weren’t here that long. Basically coach P and my dad were talking the whole time and me and coach Haverty were just listening.”
On Wednesday, Daje told OB he was 90 percent sure he would change his commitment to Texas. Tonight he didn’t want to go further than his 90 percent, but did stick with that figure. (Howell)
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A look at the weekend
This weekend could potentially be one of the biggest of the 2011-2012 football recruiting cycle and is certainly one of the biggest final recruiting weekends for Texas in recent memory.
Texas will host three uncommitted prospects in Van (Texas) linebacker Bryce Cottrell. Assuming all three make it in, I would say the odds are good that Texas gets a clean sweep. Now, Orangebloods.com goes a little deeper to rate each visitor on the coffee scale of closing with one cup being the easiest deal to close and five cups being the hardest.
Bryce Cottrell, DE, Plano West
Cottrell is the newest prospect to emerge on the recruiting radar. There was some talk way back in the spring that he could be a target, but it was not until interest was made in the last week that things really got serious.
Texas has made a quick impact and has let him know he is wanted in Austin. The problem is he has been committed to Oregon since October, and Cottrell is not one to just flip-flop on a commitment.
On Thursday morning, people that had first-hand accounts with Cottrell indicated that he was still unsure on whether or not he'd take the visit to Texas after Oregon gave him a hard sell during an in-home on Wednesday night. Cottrell confirmed to OB on Thursday night that he would be visiting Texas this weekend.
I don’t think this is a slam dunk, but I think the chances are strong Texas closes the deal. On the coffee scale of closing I think Brown and staff are going to need more than one cup to seal this deal, but I think they do it. I’ll say three cups and he’s a Longhorn.
Daje Johnson, ATH, Pflugerville Hendrickson
Of the guys coming in this weekend, Johnson has been on the radar the longest. As an Austin-area prospect he has made no secret that he grew up a fan of the Longhorns. Texas really began going after him during the season and he even made a few unofficial visits. However, he was turned off when communication abruptly stopped for a couple of months.
It looked like Johnson and Texas were done there for a minute. Then, on January 18, Texas reached out to Johnson and let him know UT wanted him to come in for an official visit with a strong probability of an offer. Johnson scheduled the visit, but he still had questions about why communication went cold the way it did.
On Monday he cancelled the visit, but later that night it was back on. On Wednesday he told OB he was leaning towards the Longhorns and felt there was a 90 percent chance he would commit.
There is no doubt Texas has some questions to answer, but there is also no doubt Johnson is very interested. Honestly I think Texas gets him on campus and he makes the Longhorns his choice. Mack and Co. only need one cup for this one.
Dalton Santos, LB, Van
On Sunday word leaked out that Texas was in on the big hitting linebacker. The Longhorns really have not reached out much until recently and Santos has already been told he has an offer and he will be on campus for his final weekend.
Santos has been committed to Tennessee, but he has made no secret that he has always been a Longhorn fan. Word behind the scenes is he is a commitment waiting to happen. We will see this weekend and some are saying we could hear word Santos has pulled the trigger as early as Friday.
Texas made a big impression on its Wednesday visit to the school and I think this one is only a matter of time. On the coffee scale of closing I’ll say Texas just needs to have the smell of coffee in the air. (Howell)
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There have been more than a few prospects on the Texas radar over the last few weeks, and not all of them have gone the way of the Longhorns. It looks like Texas could close with three commitments this weekend but here’s a look at a few of the other names that have been on the radar as signing day approaches in less than a week.
Oklahoma commitment Daniel Brooks was a summer offer for the Longhorns, and Texas has been lingering every since. The Texas coaches made a trip to Rockdale to meet with Daniel last week. Texas did talk about a visit and made a tempting pitch but in the end Brooks decided not to take the trip. This week, his father, Tony Brooks, said Daniel has decided he is done with the recruiting process and ready to sign with the Sooners on Wednesday. TCU did try to get him to visit this weekend and Oklahoma St. also tried to make a last minute push.
Mesquite Horn tight end Vincent Hobbs did take an official visit to Texas last weekend. It was thought there was a good possibility he would receive an offer once he arrived in Austin and Texas would receive his commitment. Hobbs left without an offer but the Longhorns let him know they would give him an update by Wednesday. On Wednesday Texas told the Horn coaches they were going in another direction and now Hobbs is headed to Colorado for an official visit. Colorado has offered and he is taking a long look but I’m also being told not to count out coach Justin Fuente and Memphis, who delivered a very convincing and persuasive recruiting pitch.
There has also been some talk about Dallas Skyline receiver Thomas Johnson being a possibility late. Following his de-commitment a few weeks ago it certainly seemed less than likely, but recruiting is often crazy. After checking around I’ve been told not to hold my breath on that one. Texas coaches did stop by Skyline this week but it sounds like it’s not going to happen. In my opinion, I think he ends up an Aggie.
Richardson Pearce athlete/wide receiver Corey Coleman has also been a prospect hanging around the edges of the radar. Before the end of the season it appeared very possible he could be offered. Since then, things have cooled and at last check I would call the chances that Coleman and Texas get together a longshot. He does have a visit scheduled to Cal but I think he sticks with Baylor.
Last but not least there’s LSU commitment and Shreveport (La.) Woodlawn defensive end Torshiro Davis. At the beginning of the week there was talk of Texas making a last push and making an in-home visit. Those plans changed quickly Tuesday morning with Texas cancelling the visit. Davis said it was pretty much down to LSU and Texas but as the process continued it began to feel like less and less of a possibility. It’s hard to steal a Louisiana guy from the Bayou Bengals and LSU has held the top spot from the very beginning. (Howell)
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An update on UT's upcoming junior days ...
Feb. 12 Confirmed
Isaiah Golden, DT, Elysian Fields
**Marcell Harris, S, Groveland (Fla.) South Lake
Deon Hollins, DE/LB, Fort Bend Marshall
Naashon Hughes, ATH, Harker Heights
Darius James, OL, Harker Heights
Justin Manning, DT, Dallas Kimball
Kameron Miles, S, West Mesquite
Jake Oliver, WR, Dallas Jesuit
Kent Perkins, OL, Dallas Lake Highlands
Jake Raulerson, OL/DL, Celina
A’Shawn Robinson, OL/DL, Fort Worth Arlington
Ra’Shaad Samples, WR, Dallas Skyline
Ricky Seals-Jones, ATH, Sealy
Tyrone Swoopes, QB, Whitewright
Vincent Taylor, DT, San Antonio Madison
Josh Thomas, OL, Shreveport (La.) Evangel Christian
*D.J. Ward, DE, Lawton, Okla.
*James White, RB, Pearland Dawson
Dontre Wilson, RB, DeSoto
Ishmael Wilson, OL, Dallas Bishop Dunne
Feb. 25 Confirmed Possibilities
J.T. Barrett, QB, Wichita Falls Rider
Jeremiah Gaines, TE, Red Oak
Kenny Hill, QB, Southlake Carroll
Eldridge Massington, WR, West Mesquite
Brett Wade, LB, Kennedale
*invited but undecided on attending
**invited and not attending (Howell)
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Every year there are a few guys who slip under the radar a bit and there have been a few guys I’ve been working to get more information on.
Linebacker Ty Montgomery, who is now at Stanford.
As a junior in 2011, Mitchell played linebacker and defensive end at Plano West, earning first-team 8-5A honors after recording over 120 tackles and double-digit tackles for loss. He has the size and athleticism to play a number of positions but there is one he feels a little better at than others.
“Definitely linebacker,” Mitchell said. “Usually I’m in the middle so just being able to go anywhere I want. I’m not contained to one side of the field so it’s just moving around and making tackles wherever the ball goes.”
Now he is back at Prestonwood Christian Academy and college coaches are showing interest. Baylor has invited him to a junior day, and UNLV, Oregon, Florida, and Boston College are schools he says have shown the most attention lately. TCU has also expressed a lot of interest.
Growing up in Florida, Mitchell was a Florida Gators fan and while he is keeping his options open at this point, he does admit the Gators have caught his attention.
Mitchell does not have any offers yet, but he says Florida has talked about it.
Mitchell is nicknamed “the Abusement Park” and is the son of former Atlanta Falcon linebacker Ken Mitchell, who played his college ball at UNLV. While a member of the Falcons the Mr. Mitchell played with former Longhorn Tommy Nobis.
When it comes to recruiting, Mitchell says he has yet to hear from Texas. In addition to the schools above Vanderbilt, Iowa, Texas Tech, Tulsa, and Texas A&M have expressed an interest. (Howell)
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Texas has been after Shreveport Woodlawn DE Torshiro Davis for a long time, but that one is all but dead and buried at this point.
Davis told us on Sunday night that Mack Brown and Bo Davis would be doing an in-home on Wednesday night. On Monday, word came out that the in-home had been cancelled.
"I think they pretty much just figured I was going to LSU," Davis told us late this week. And is that the case? "Yeah, I'm locked in for LSU now." (Suchomel)
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Talked to three different NFL scouts today about the Longhorns at the Senior Bowl - Kheeston Randall, Keenan Robinson and Emmanuel Acho.
The scouts seemed to agree that all three will be taken in the middle rounds (third-fifth rounds).
Let's start with KHEESTON RANDALL:
One scout said Randall will be the first Longhorn drafted because he's a "big-time effort guy, and at 6-4 and 300 pounds he can play outside on the line in a 3-4 or the 3 technique tackle next to the nose in a 4-3."
One scout said this draft is so strong at DT that Randall simply loses ground because of who he's in the draft with.
This scout has the following DTs ahead of Randall:
Devon Sill, North Carolina
Josh Chapman, Alabama
Alameda Ta'amu, Washington
Brandon Thompson, Clemson
Jerel Worthy, Michigan State
Dontari Poe, Memphis
Jared Crick, Nebraska
Mike Martin, Michigan
Sylvester Williams, UNC
Kendall Reyes, UConn
Fletcher Cox, Miss St
Kawann Short, Purdue
Kaleb Ramsey, Boston College
Marcus Fortson, Miami
The third scout said Randall is too tall at 6-4 to play nose in the NFL. "You get over 6-3 and guys get bounced around in there like a pinball. So that limits a guy like Randall a bit. But he's an effort guy with good size, and teams value that."
We talked to Senior Bowl observers who noted that Randall ran from drill to drill in practice while other DTs walked.
"He was trying to make an impression and stand out, which is smart in a crowded field," one scout said.
Scout consensus was that Randall, who measured 6-4 and 297 pounds, would probably go in the third or fourth round.
KEENAN ROBINSON and EMMANUEL ACHO
I'll talk about these together because all three scouts said if you could combine these two you'd have a first-round draft pick.
As it is, the scouts at the Senior Bowl said Robinson (6-3, 240) is probably a third or fourth rounder and Acho (6-1, 235) is probably a fourth or fifth rounder.
To a man, the scouts love Acho's instincts and Robinson's size and speed.
"Acho knows where the play is going, he just can't always get there," one scout told me. "Robinson has the size to shed a block - although he needs a lot of work on how to use his hands - and he showed some recovery speed. But he's just not as instinctive as Acho."
Another scout said Robinson struggled when on the line as a rush end/outside linebacker in a 3-4 and is probably better suited to a weak side backer in a 4-3 "because he's going to be a run-hit guy in the league."
The scouts said Acho will have to play middle linebacker in a 4-3 or WLB in a 3-4 because "he's not big enough to be a take-on guy."
One scout said the highest Longhorn drafted this year would have been Kenny Vaccaro, who is returning for his senior season.
"Vaccaro would have been the second safety taken in this draft behind Mark Barron (of Alabama)," the scout said. "Texas doesn't always produce the most violent of players, but Vaccaro is a violent player who can cover. He showed up this season against some quality receivers. He might have backdoored himself into the first round."
(BROWN)
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This week in recruiting… Lone Star State
Sometimes there can be so much information flying by your eyes in any given week that you miss some of the small stuff. Knowing that, here’s a look at some notes to know from the Class of 2013 from this week, as compiled by the entire Rivals network.
a. Denton Guyer wide receiver Ellis Jefferson (No.30 on the LSR) received his first offer from Colorado.
b. Arlington martin defensive back Kyle Hicks (No.57 on the LSR) reports that has junior days scheduled at Baylor (Jan. 29), LSU (Feb. 4), and Texas Tech (date not confirmed).)
c. Texas High defensive tackle Johnathan Hunt (No.41 on the LSR) reports that he's probably going to a Junior day at Texas Tech and may go to one at LSU. He has also heard from Notre Dame, Oklahoma St., and UCLA about their junior days.
d. Mansfield safety George Baltimore has plans to visit Baylor's junior day on Sunday, Oklahoma (2/7), West Virginia (2/14) and Texas Tech (2/21).
e. Klein Forest defensive lineman Tyree Gray (No.88 on the LSR) has been invited to LSU Junior day on February 4th.
f. Rockwall-Heath linebacker Raquan Davis (No.20) will attend Junior Days at Baylor on January 29th and has invites from Olahoma State, Texas Tech, LSU, Tulsa and Oklahoma.
g. Whitehouse wide receiver Dylan Cantrell (No.66 on the LSR) received an offer and invite to a Junior Day from Arkansas.
h. Purdue offered 2014 running back Samaje Perine from Pflugerville Hendrickson.
i. Dallas Jesuit wide receiver Jake Oliver (No.9 on the LSR) received offers from Oklahoma and Clemson.
j. Speaking of Clemson, they also offered Kennedale linebacker Brett Wade (No.19 on the LSR), DeSoto running back Dontre Wilson (No.8 on the LSR), Dallas Jesuit offensive lineman J.J. Gustafson (No.15 on the LSR) and Dallas Jesuit linebacker Jordan Mastrogiovanni (No.72 on the LSR).
k. Houston Kinkaid wide receiver Macan Wilson received an offer from Northwestern.
l. Wylie East wide receiver Quan Jones (No.42 on the LSR) was offered by Iowa State ad Virginia, while adding Junior Day visit from Oklahoma State, Washington State, Purdue and Arizona. He will attend Junior Days at Baylor and Purdue.
m. West Mesquite has four prospects receiving interest from Big 12 schools. Here’s a complete look at their Junior Day schedules:
Kameron Miles - Texas A&M (1/28), Baylor (1/29), OU (2/4), Texas (2/12)
Eldridge Massington - Baylor (1/29), OU (2/4), Texas (2/25)
Will Earley - Baylor (1/29), Texas Tech (2/11)
Dimarya Mixon - Texas Tech (2/11)
n. Colleyville Heritage quarterback Cody Thomas picked up offers from Oklahoma State, Florida and Vandy. He also has Junior Day invites from Oklahoma State, Arkansas, Baylor, Florida State and Colorado. Yes, his stock is soaring.
o. John Tyler wide receiver Fred Ross (No.17 on the LSR) added an offer from Memphis and also has offers from West Virginia, Missouri and Texas Tech. Memphis also offered Greg Ward (No.35) and Tyus Bowser (No.51).
p. Round Rock athlete Samuel Lewis has a Junior Day invite from Tulsa and is also hearing from Missouri and Oklahoma State.
q. Rockwall-Heath defensive lineman Jay Arnold will be at Texas Tech’s Junior Day on February 18th.
r. Southlake Carroll QB Kenny Hill will be at Texas A&M on Jan. 28, Baylor on Jan. 29, Texas on Feb. 25, Tech on Feb. 11 and Stanford on March 2.
s. Hebron DB Desmond Wortham is planning to attend a junior day at LSU (no date given). (GK)
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From talking to one source well familiar with the recruitment, it sounds like Texas really made a good impression on 2012 Portersville, Mississippi small forward Devonta Pollard. Even though Pollard, who is rated as the No. 9 player overall in the country, kept to himself on the visit, the source I spoke with said he was very impressed with the UT staff, Texas’ academics, and the facilities.
The good news for Texas fans is that more than one person I spoke two felt like Pollard left Texas with the Horns in the lead. The bad news is that it sounds like the visit process for Pollard is really about to begin, and that he will use all his official visits. UT’s biggest hurdle in this recruitment right now probably feels like Mississippi State, although you can never count Kentucky despite the fact that Pollard is down its list a little bit behind higher rated prospects.
I wouldn’t expect any sort of decision until after all of Pollard’s official visits. Texas will need to keep up the intensity with this recruitment, obviously, because it was the first to get him on campus for an official. I’m not sure if Texas is in the lead right now, but I don’t think there is a school in a better position than the Horns are at this moment. Remember, that Pollard’s AAU coach indicated to me in a recent War Room update that UT assistant Rob Lanier has put in more work on Pollard than any other coach. (McComas)
This post was edited on 1/26 11:06 PM by Suchomel
