Let's start off this week's War Room with a little more from Teresa Jefferson, the mother of the state's top prospect, linebacker Malik Jefferson.
Jefferson, out Mesquite Poteet, remains wide open with his recruitment but Mrs. Jefferson indicated she has a couple preferences. She definitely wants Malik to stay in the state of Texas, and she mentioned that Texas has a soft spot in her heart after meeting the new UT staff.
"Of course, as a mom I asked him to stay in Texas. I did," Mrs. Jefferson said. "I will honor his decision if he goes out of state, but I would really like for him to stay in Texas. I've asked him that. He's young. It's not that he has to be looked out for and watched. He'll do the right thing no matter where he's located."
Mrs. Jefferson's thoughts on the Longhorns …
"I'm rooting for Texas. I just have to say I'm rooting for Texas. I think Charlie Strong has a lot to offer. I think the program, just being at Texas, just to say I graduated from Texas, is a big thing. And I think he'll have structure and that's what I'm looking at for him."
Despite all the national attention, Jefferson really is a humble kid who tries to keep a low profile. He's not one that's worried about seeing his name in headlines or getting his face on camera, instead choosing to keep his focus on his books and football.
Jefferson has gone to events around his home to help disabled kids and show support. He's drawn praise from key figures in Mesquite, including the chief of police, for the way he handles himself on the field and in the community.
Mrs. Jefferson says it hasn't been tough to keep Malik grounded since he's such a self-driven person.
"Malik is getting a lot of attention but Malik is very humble. I think he enjoys the attention up to a certain level. I think he's so proud of what he's accomplished. He did it with hard work," she said. "When he was a kid, he was not given anything. He was given a back yard, a football and two older brothers. I think he truly loves the game. He doesn't love all the attention, but he enjoys some of it. Like when he got his picture on a magazine, it was more of a proud moment than a boasting moment. "
Mrs. Jefferson described Charlie Strong as "awesome" with the discipline Strong has instilled in the UT players, and it sounds like Strong's way of running things has really elevated Texas in her mind.
"I was a little leery of Mack Brown. I told him, 'In my house, it's God first, education second and then football.' He looked at me like, are you joking? I said 'Trust me, it all comes together and you get a fantastic person out of that. You get an educated person, you get a God-loving person that will help your team get to a higher level,'" Mrs. Jefferson said.
"I think Texas has a tremendous amount of structure and ability and growth. I think they could take him to the next level, and that's getting the degree and then wherever it takes him from there."
Mrs. Jefferson said her husband is taking a hands-off approach and letting Malik make his own decision. She too is going to let Malik choose the school of his liking unless Malik comes to his parents and his two older brothers for advice.
Texas will have to continue to battle this one out with the likes of Texas A&M and Baylor, but the coaches, including Charlie Strong, are off to a great start.
"I have not talked to coach Strong since I've been down there. But I did sit down and talk to him, and I just came away with that warm, fuzzy feeling," Mrs. Jefferson said.
Of note, when I asked Malik if he was planning to attend UT's camp on July 18, he said things were still up in the air. When I talked to Mrs. Jefferson, she said the trip is unlikely since Malik is in summer school and needs to get caught up after being out this week. (Suchomel)
******
More Longhorn notes from my time at The Opening in Beaverton, Ore. …
Baton Rouge University Lab School RB Nicholas Brossette , a Rivals250 member, committed to LSU about a year ago but he continues to keep a close eye on the Longhorns.
Brossette visited Texas in the spring and he said the Longhorns are recruiting him about as hard as any school in the country.
"They're sitting pretty good right now," Brossette said.
Brossette said a few things are keeping in contention for his signature … UT's depth chart, the school's academic reputation and the relationship he's built with running backs coach Tommie Robinson.
"I know (Joe) Bergeron, Malcolm Brown and maybe (Johnathan) Gray will be gone. So they said if I do go there, it will be wide open to play," Brossette said about UT's biggest selling points.
Florida State and Alabama are also in contention.
Brossette said he will for sure take two official visits ? to LSU and Texas. Any beyond that are up in the air. He did say he's not worried about LSU's running back recruiting depth (LSU has two other RB commits, including Derrius Guice), but from talking to a couple sources we think Texas may have a better chance than people realize. People close to the LSU program think Brossette's interest in Texas is legit and it won't surprise anyone if the Longhorn pry him away. (Suchomel)
******
Texas offered Lawrenceville (GA) Central Grinnett LB Adonis Thomas a while back, but that one looks like an extreme longshot barring a dramatic turn of events. Thomas recently listed Alabama, Florida, Georgia, LSU and Notre Dame as his top five.
He said he doesn't talk to Texas as much as some other programs, but he didn't completely shut the door on the Horns.
"I'm not sure where they'd fit in. I'd probably try to go for an official visit just to check it out," Thomas said. Thomas said he'd also like to visit LSU and Stanford. (Suchomel)
******
Fort Bend Marshall DB Kendall Sheffield is a great kid, but I've discovered one thing in my multiple conversations with the Rivals100 DB … it's next to impossible to get any worthwhile information out of him.
Sheffield will visit Alabama on July 13 to tour the campus and look into 'Bama's academics. He was unable to work out at The Opening due to a sprained ligament in his left ankle.
Sheffield said he talks to the UT coaching staff every couple weeks, including Chris Vaughn. "He just talks about their tradition first and tells me it's a good school to be with," Sheffield said.
The 5-11, 183-pound Sheffield wants to narrow his list sometime this summer. He doesn't have any official visits set up at this point and isn't tipping his hand on where UT (or any other school) sits.
"They're high on my list," Sheffield said of Texas, before saying the Longhorns are lumped in with his 37 other offers . Dude's a hell of a poker player. (Suchomel)
******
In case you missed it earlier in the week, 5-star DT Daron Payne says he'll visit UT either this summer or for an official visit.
This one's a longshot with Payne favoring in-state schools Alabama and Auburn, but Chris Rumph has made a strong enough impression that the Longhorns are at least going to get a look.
"Texas is a school I want to look at. Coach Rumph, I love the way he coaches," Payne said. "He just tells me that they're turning it back around and they have more discipline up there." (Suchomel)
******
Tallahassee Lincoln John Burt continues to list Texas as his leader, but the rest of his list has shaken up.
Texas is on top, followed by Auburn. Florida State, a one-time co-leader, is now a distant third.
At this point, I think I'm getting closer to making a decision. I have Texas still at number one and Auburn at number two. Florida State is kind of in there at number three," Burt said. "Really, at this point, I'm thinking I'm pretty much going to decide between Auburn and Texas."
Burt will visit Austin in a couple weeks, which should help the Horns' chances. But don't discount Auburn in this one. Burt speaks very highly of the Auburn program and likes what he's seen from the Tigers' offense and his relationship with assistant coach Dameyune Craig.
"Just really thinking about it, I was thinking about which place is the best place for me to develop as a player. Coach Craig is a really good coach. He played quarterback and receiver, played quarterback in the NFL, so he can kind of coach from both sides," Burt said. "He can coach from a receiver standpoint and a coach's standpoint , which I think is a really good combination. He can coach me as a receiver and tell me what a quarterback would be thinking on a certain route, which would help me as a receiver. That's kind of what moved Auburn up ahead of Florida State."
As for the Longhorns, Burt has a comfort with the UT staff and he'd developed a strong chemistry with lead recruiter Chris Vaughn.
"The facilities are really nice. The coaches, there's something about the coaches that kind of draws me towards them," Burt said. "Coach Vaughn, he's a really cool guy and I talk to him a lot. That's pretty much why they're up there."
If I was putting money on this one right now, it would go on Texas. But if Burt visits Auburn again before deciding, this one could get really interesting. Stay tuned. (Suchomel)
******
Gilmer DB Kris Boyd[/URL] isn't ready to publicly name any leaders, but there are a few key notes worth mentioning in his recruitment.
Boyd was close to committing at The Opening but has decided to wait. He now says he'll take some time, but he's reportedly been close to committing a handful of times only to change his mind … so anything's possible with this one.
Boyd will visit UT for the Horns' camp on July 18. He'll be joined by his brother, 2016 RB/LB/ATH DeMarco Boyd, which could be an important development.
"Most schools don't know it, but wherever I go, my little brother is going to have to go. So when they recruit me, they have to recruit him too," Boyd said. "That's something Texas has been big on. When they recruit me, they talk to him. Hopefully an offer will come soon. Also, the same with Florida State. That's what I want ? for him to go where I go."
We caught up with DeMarco at the Texas State 7-on-7 Tournament, and he echoed Kris's thoughts. He said he and Kris will play at the same school, so it will be important to see which school recruits both of them. As of right now, that would seem to favor UT and FSU, but neither has offered DeMarco at this point.
Of note, there are rumors that Kris could be favoring FSU and when I asked about the Seminoles, he did have a bit of a smile on his face. On the other hand, Damarco showed up at the State 7-on-7 Tournament wearing the following cleats:
We'll keep you all posted on this one, but the visit on July 18 could be key for Texas.
******
Five-star DB Iman Marshall, the nation's top-ranked CB, still has Texas in the mix and Marshall told us at The Opening that he'd like to visit UT this summer.
Marshall wants to take his official visits to schools on the East Coast and in the Midwest (Florida State and Notre Dame are two he'd like to visit).
Most people expect the 6-1, 194-pound Marshall to stay close to home, but if he does decide to leave, Texas is a school that could factor in the decision, according to people who follow Iman closely. For his part, Iman said he has no problems leaving the West Coast and will ultimately pick the school that fits his personality best and gives him a chance to succeed on the field and in the class room. (Suchomel)
******
Top national DE Kesean Lucier-South has visits set up to Notre Dame and Michigan. UCLA is the team to beat, but Texas is in position for a possible visit.
"They're up there pretty good right now," Lucier-South said about UT. "I talk to the coaches a lot, like twice a week, especially coach Rumph. He and I have a great relationship right now. I'm thinking about taking an official to them but I don't really know yet because all these schools are recruiting me, so I'll take my time. I'll pull out my top five in early August."
Lucier-South details what has UT in the mix: "The tradition, the coaching staff. Coach Strong is a defensive coach so that's really big. Coach Rumph is a really great guy. He coached at Alabama, so that's a big thing." (Suchomel)
******
File this name away, … Steve Smith (and we don't mean File 13, this kid's a legit UT target).
We'll have more on the Madison (MS) Central product later in the week, but Smith camped at UT in June and made a very strong impression.
Smith is the son of former NFL all-pro wide receiver Jimmy Smith. He plays quarterback for his high school but a lot of schools are recruiting him as a running back, and Texas has an interest. Chris Warren and Nicholas Brossette are the Horns' top two targets, but the Longhorns have told him they'll be watching him closely during the first few games of his senior season and then decide how he could fit in their plans.
Smith said he grew up a fan of the Texas program and if UT does make an offer, the Longhorns will move to the top of his list. (Suchomel)
******
A quick note on 2016 WR/TE Michael Irvin Jr. from Thursday's State 7-on-7 Tournament …
Irvin has an offer from Miami (which he loves), and Texas and Texas Tech are the two in-state schools that are recruiting him the hardest.
Irvin said he grew up following the Longhorns and while he's nowhere near ready to name any schools that are standing out, Miami is a no-brainer but Texas sounds like a school that will draw serious consideration if the Longhorns continue to show interest. More on Irvin later … (Suchomel)
********
The smaller classification schools filled the fields at the 2014 Texas State 7-on-7 Championships today, and there weren't many Texas targets or potential Texas-type targets in action. However, I did watch Prestonwood Christian Academy and Navasota to check on some 2016 big names. A few thoughts:
a) If you missed Suchomel's note on here. When I first watched Irvin's film, I immediately thought he was a tight end all the way. Listed at 6-2, 200 pounds, Irvin looked like he might be a little over 200 pounds today because of a thick lower half, and while he showed outstanding hands and good balance, he moved like a tight end all the way. That's not to say he can't be a good tight end because he definitely has the potential because of the strength, balance, instincts and hands. But he just looks more like a tight end/defensive lineman from a projection standpoint than he does a receiver.
b) Keep an eye on Prestonwood Academy linebacker Deonte Williams. Williams is a big, strong, well-developed player with offers from Baylor and TCU already, and Williams told me he believes Florida State has offered or will offer soon. He hasn't heard from Texas much at all, but that could change in the future because he's an inside linebacker that shows the versatility to play in a 4-3 or 3-4, although he said he prefers the 3-4.
c) One 2016 prospect that has been mentioned on the Orangebloods.com message boards a lot is Navasota WR Tren'davian Dickson . If you made me pick one word to describe Dickson, it would be this: smooth. Listed at 5-11, 166 pounds, Dickson looked closer to 6-0, 175 this afternoon. Dickson is a low-effort runner and what I mean by that is that he doesn't really look like he's putting a ton of effort or trying to run fast yet he smoothly runs by people at top speed. In the game I watched Dickson, he torched defensive backs with crisp double moves and showed natural pass-catching ability and did a great job of not breaking stride to haul in deep passes.
Dickson mentioned that he hears a lot from Texas receivers coach Les Koenning, but no one has offered the 2016 prospect yet. He's planning on camping at Baylor on July 18th and is a big fan of spread offenses like Baylor's. Dickson mentioned hearing a lot from those two schools and Texas A&M. (McComas)
This post was edited on 7/10 10:35 PM by Ketchum
This post was edited on 7/10 10:48 PM by Suchomel
This post was edited on 7/10 10:50 PM by Suchomel
Jefferson, out Mesquite Poteet, remains wide open with his recruitment but Mrs. Jefferson indicated she has a couple preferences. She definitely wants Malik to stay in the state of Texas, and she mentioned that Texas has a soft spot in her heart after meeting the new UT staff.
"Of course, as a mom I asked him to stay in Texas. I did," Mrs. Jefferson said. "I will honor his decision if he goes out of state, but I would really like for him to stay in Texas. I've asked him that. He's young. It's not that he has to be looked out for and watched. He'll do the right thing no matter where he's located."
Mrs. Jefferson's thoughts on the Longhorns …
"I'm rooting for Texas. I just have to say I'm rooting for Texas. I think Charlie Strong has a lot to offer. I think the program, just being at Texas, just to say I graduated from Texas, is a big thing. And I think he'll have structure and that's what I'm looking at for him."
Despite all the national attention, Jefferson really is a humble kid who tries to keep a low profile. He's not one that's worried about seeing his name in headlines or getting his face on camera, instead choosing to keep his focus on his books and football.
Jefferson has gone to events around his home to help disabled kids and show support. He's drawn praise from key figures in Mesquite, including the chief of police, for the way he handles himself on the field and in the community.
Mrs. Jefferson says it hasn't been tough to keep Malik grounded since he's such a self-driven person.
"Malik is getting a lot of attention but Malik is very humble. I think he enjoys the attention up to a certain level. I think he's so proud of what he's accomplished. He did it with hard work," she said. "When he was a kid, he was not given anything. He was given a back yard, a football and two older brothers. I think he truly loves the game. He doesn't love all the attention, but he enjoys some of it. Like when he got his picture on a magazine, it was more of a proud moment than a boasting moment. "
Mrs. Jefferson described Charlie Strong as "awesome" with the discipline Strong has instilled in the UT players, and it sounds like Strong's way of running things has really elevated Texas in her mind.
"I was a little leery of Mack Brown. I told him, 'In my house, it's God first, education second and then football.' He looked at me like, are you joking? I said 'Trust me, it all comes together and you get a fantastic person out of that. You get an educated person, you get a God-loving person that will help your team get to a higher level,'" Mrs. Jefferson said.
"I think Texas has a tremendous amount of structure and ability and growth. I think they could take him to the next level, and that's getting the degree and then wherever it takes him from there."
Mrs. Jefferson said her husband is taking a hands-off approach and letting Malik make his own decision. She too is going to let Malik choose the school of his liking unless Malik comes to his parents and his two older brothers for advice.
Texas will have to continue to battle this one out with the likes of Texas A&M and Baylor, but the coaches, including Charlie Strong, are off to a great start.
"I have not talked to coach Strong since I've been down there. But I did sit down and talk to him, and I just came away with that warm, fuzzy feeling," Mrs. Jefferson said.
Of note, when I asked Malik if he was planning to attend UT's camp on July 18, he said things were still up in the air. When I talked to Mrs. Jefferson, she said the trip is unlikely since Malik is in summer school and needs to get caught up after being out this week. (Suchomel)
******
More Longhorn notes from my time at The Opening in Beaverton, Ore. …
Baton Rouge University Lab School RB Nicholas Brossette , a Rivals250 member, committed to LSU about a year ago but he continues to keep a close eye on the Longhorns.
Brossette visited Texas in the spring and he said the Longhorns are recruiting him about as hard as any school in the country.
"They're sitting pretty good right now," Brossette said.
Brossette said a few things are keeping in contention for his signature … UT's depth chart, the school's academic reputation and the relationship he's built with running backs coach Tommie Robinson.
"I know (Joe) Bergeron, Malcolm Brown and maybe (Johnathan) Gray will be gone. So they said if I do go there, it will be wide open to play," Brossette said about UT's biggest selling points.
Florida State and Alabama are also in contention.
Brossette said he will for sure take two official visits ? to LSU and Texas. Any beyond that are up in the air. He did say he's not worried about LSU's running back recruiting depth (LSU has two other RB commits, including Derrius Guice), but from talking to a couple sources we think Texas may have a better chance than people realize. People close to the LSU program think Brossette's interest in Texas is legit and it won't surprise anyone if the Longhorn pry him away. (Suchomel)
******
Texas offered Lawrenceville (GA) Central Grinnett LB Adonis Thomas a while back, but that one looks like an extreme longshot barring a dramatic turn of events. Thomas recently listed Alabama, Florida, Georgia, LSU and Notre Dame as his top five.
He said he doesn't talk to Texas as much as some other programs, but he didn't completely shut the door on the Horns.
"I'm not sure where they'd fit in. I'd probably try to go for an official visit just to check it out," Thomas said. Thomas said he'd also like to visit LSU and Stanford. (Suchomel)
******
Fort Bend Marshall DB Kendall Sheffield is a great kid, but I've discovered one thing in my multiple conversations with the Rivals100 DB … it's next to impossible to get any worthwhile information out of him.
Sheffield will visit Alabama on July 13 to tour the campus and look into 'Bama's academics. He was unable to work out at The Opening due to a sprained ligament in his left ankle.
Sheffield said he talks to the UT coaching staff every couple weeks, including Chris Vaughn. "He just talks about their tradition first and tells me it's a good school to be with," Sheffield said.
The 5-11, 183-pound Sheffield wants to narrow his list sometime this summer. He doesn't have any official visits set up at this point and isn't tipping his hand on where UT (or any other school) sits.
"They're high on my list," Sheffield said of Texas, before saying the Longhorns are lumped in with his 37 other offers . Dude's a hell of a poker player. (Suchomel)
******
In case you missed it earlier in the week, 5-star DT Daron Payne says he'll visit UT either this summer or for an official visit.
This one's a longshot with Payne favoring in-state schools Alabama and Auburn, but Chris Rumph has made a strong enough impression that the Longhorns are at least going to get a look.
"Texas is a school I want to look at. Coach Rumph, I love the way he coaches," Payne said. "He just tells me that they're turning it back around and they have more discipline up there." (Suchomel)
******
Tallahassee Lincoln John Burt continues to list Texas as his leader, but the rest of his list has shaken up.
Texas is on top, followed by Auburn. Florida State, a one-time co-leader, is now a distant third.
At this point, I think I'm getting closer to making a decision. I have Texas still at number one and Auburn at number two. Florida State is kind of in there at number three," Burt said. "Really, at this point, I'm thinking I'm pretty much going to decide between Auburn and Texas."
Burt will visit Austin in a couple weeks, which should help the Horns' chances. But don't discount Auburn in this one. Burt speaks very highly of the Auburn program and likes what he's seen from the Tigers' offense and his relationship with assistant coach Dameyune Craig.
"Just really thinking about it, I was thinking about which place is the best place for me to develop as a player. Coach Craig is a really good coach. He played quarterback and receiver, played quarterback in the NFL, so he can kind of coach from both sides," Burt said. "He can coach from a receiver standpoint and a coach's standpoint , which I think is a really good combination. He can coach me as a receiver and tell me what a quarterback would be thinking on a certain route, which would help me as a receiver. That's kind of what moved Auburn up ahead of Florida State."
As for the Longhorns, Burt has a comfort with the UT staff and he'd developed a strong chemistry with lead recruiter Chris Vaughn.
"The facilities are really nice. The coaches, there's something about the coaches that kind of draws me towards them," Burt said. "Coach Vaughn, he's a really cool guy and I talk to him a lot. That's pretty much why they're up there."
If I was putting money on this one right now, it would go on Texas. But if Burt visits Auburn again before deciding, this one could get really interesting. Stay tuned. (Suchomel)
******
Gilmer DB Kris Boyd[/URL] isn't ready to publicly name any leaders, but there are a few key notes worth mentioning in his recruitment.
Boyd was close to committing at The Opening but has decided to wait. He now says he'll take some time, but he's reportedly been close to committing a handful of times only to change his mind … so anything's possible with this one.
Boyd will visit UT for the Horns' camp on July 18. He'll be joined by his brother, 2016 RB/LB/ATH DeMarco Boyd, which could be an important development.
"Most schools don't know it, but wherever I go, my little brother is going to have to go. So when they recruit me, they have to recruit him too," Boyd said. "That's something Texas has been big on. When they recruit me, they talk to him. Hopefully an offer will come soon. Also, the same with Florida State. That's what I want ? for him to go where I go."
We caught up with DeMarco at the Texas State 7-on-7 Tournament, and he echoed Kris's thoughts. He said he and Kris will play at the same school, so it will be important to see which school recruits both of them. As of right now, that would seem to favor UT and FSU, but neither has offered DeMarco at this point.
Of note, there are rumors that Kris could be favoring FSU and when I asked about the Seminoles, he did have a bit of a smile on his face. On the other hand, Damarco showed up at the State 7-on-7 Tournament wearing the following cleats:
We'll keep you all posted on this one, but the visit on July 18 could be key for Texas.
******
Five-star DB Iman Marshall, the nation's top-ranked CB, still has Texas in the mix and Marshall told us at The Opening that he'd like to visit UT this summer.
Marshall wants to take his official visits to schools on the East Coast and in the Midwest (Florida State and Notre Dame are two he'd like to visit).
Most people expect the 6-1, 194-pound Marshall to stay close to home, but if he does decide to leave, Texas is a school that could factor in the decision, according to people who follow Iman closely. For his part, Iman said he has no problems leaving the West Coast and will ultimately pick the school that fits his personality best and gives him a chance to succeed on the field and in the class room. (Suchomel)
******
Top national DE Kesean Lucier-South has visits set up to Notre Dame and Michigan. UCLA is the team to beat, but Texas is in position for a possible visit.
"They're up there pretty good right now," Lucier-South said about UT. "I talk to the coaches a lot, like twice a week, especially coach Rumph. He and I have a great relationship right now. I'm thinking about taking an official to them but I don't really know yet because all these schools are recruiting me, so I'll take my time. I'll pull out my top five in early August."
Lucier-South details what has UT in the mix: "The tradition, the coaching staff. Coach Strong is a defensive coach so that's really big. Coach Rumph is a really great guy. He coached at Alabama, so that's a big thing." (Suchomel)
******
File this name away, … Steve Smith (and we don't mean File 13, this kid's a legit UT target).
We'll have more on the Madison (MS) Central product later in the week, but Smith camped at UT in June and made a very strong impression.
Smith is the son of former NFL all-pro wide receiver Jimmy Smith. He plays quarterback for his high school but a lot of schools are recruiting him as a running back, and Texas has an interest. Chris Warren and Nicholas Brossette are the Horns' top two targets, but the Longhorns have told him they'll be watching him closely during the first few games of his senior season and then decide how he could fit in their plans.
Smith said he grew up a fan of the Texas program and if UT does make an offer, the Longhorns will move to the top of his list. (Suchomel)
******
A quick note on 2016 WR/TE Michael Irvin Jr. from Thursday's State 7-on-7 Tournament …
Irvin has an offer from Miami (which he loves), and Texas and Texas Tech are the two in-state schools that are recruiting him the hardest.
Irvin said he grew up following the Longhorns and while he's nowhere near ready to name any schools that are standing out, Miami is a no-brainer but Texas sounds like a school that will draw serious consideration if the Longhorns continue to show interest. More on Irvin later … (Suchomel)
********
The smaller classification schools filled the fields at the 2014 Texas State 7-on-7 Championships today, and there weren't many Texas targets or potential Texas-type targets in action. However, I did watch Prestonwood Christian Academy and Navasota to check on some 2016 big names. A few thoughts:
a) If you missed Suchomel's note on here. When I first watched Irvin's film, I immediately thought he was a tight end all the way. Listed at 6-2, 200 pounds, Irvin looked like he might be a little over 200 pounds today because of a thick lower half, and while he showed outstanding hands and good balance, he moved like a tight end all the way. That's not to say he can't be a good tight end because he definitely has the potential because of the strength, balance, instincts and hands. But he just looks more like a tight end/defensive lineman from a projection standpoint than he does a receiver.
b) Keep an eye on Prestonwood Academy linebacker Deonte Williams. Williams is a big, strong, well-developed player with offers from Baylor and TCU already, and Williams told me he believes Florida State has offered or will offer soon. He hasn't heard from Texas much at all, but that could change in the future because he's an inside linebacker that shows the versatility to play in a 4-3 or 3-4, although he said he prefers the 3-4.
c) One 2016 prospect that has been mentioned on the Orangebloods.com message boards a lot is Navasota WR Tren'davian Dickson . If you made me pick one word to describe Dickson, it would be this: smooth. Listed at 5-11, 166 pounds, Dickson looked closer to 6-0, 175 this afternoon. Dickson is a low-effort runner and what I mean by that is that he doesn't really look like he's putting a ton of effort or trying to run fast yet he smoothly runs by people at top speed. In the game I watched Dickson, he torched defensive backs with crisp double moves and showed natural pass-catching ability and did a great job of not breaking stride to haul in deep passes.
Dickson mentioned that he hears a lot from Texas receivers coach Les Koenning, but no one has offered the 2016 prospect yet. He's planning on camping at Baylor on July 18th and is a big fan of spread offenses like Baylor's. Dickson mentioned hearing a lot from those two schools and Texas A&M. (McComas)
This post was edited on 7/10 10:35 PM by Ketchum
This post was edited on 7/10 10:48 PM by Suchomel
This post was edited on 7/10 10:50 PM by Suchomel
