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On Tuesday Orangebloods.com unveiled the Lone Star Recruiting’s 2014 Top 100, and since then everyone has been asking what’s happening on the recruiting front for these guys.
First off it is still extremely early. Communication has pretty much all gone through the high school coaches of these prospects. Some may have taken a trip to see a game in the fall, but for the most part the recruiting process is very, very new.
We’ll start off at the top with No. 1 prospect, Hoza Scott of La Porte.
As he put it, life is good right now. He is ranked No. 1 in Texas for the 2014 class, and has college coaches trying to lure him to their campus. Scott holds an offer from Texas A&M and has had one since Mike Sherman was the head man in College Station. He has received interest from Texas, Alabama, Michigan, LSU, Florida, Baylor, and well just about everywhere with a competitive football program. Still when he heard the news he was ranked No. 1 in 2014 it caught him a little off guard.
“I found out yesterday. My brother came in and told me,” Scott said. “I came in last night and he said ‘Did you know you were ranked one of the top players in Texas?’. I was like ‘Really?!!’ He showed me on the internet and it was true. I was like ‘Wow’”
Of course, Scott is honored to be at the top of the list.
“It means a lot because my whole life I’ve been saying I know there’s someone out there better than me so I have to keep working hard,” Scott said. “That’s what I’ve been taught to do and that’s what I’ve been doing.”
He knows the work has just begun, and while he may have a target on his back now, he has his eyes set on reaching No. 1 in the country.
As for recruiting Scott plans to attend camps at Texas Tech and Texas A&M. He was also invited to the Nike Camp.
It is still early and he is trying to keep his options open, but there were a couple of schools he mentioned that standout a bit early on.
“I wanted to go to A&M because I knew they had a good outside linebacker coach, but since all that stuff changed I haven’t been hearing from them,” Scott said. “I’d probably go to Alabama too because they have a fast defense and everybody is fast paced and I like that kind of stuff.”
Growing up Scott also had a favorite.
“I grew up rooting for A&M because my poppa (grandpa) went there and he had family that went there. I’ve always watched them. He didn’t play for them or anything. He just went to school out there.”
As for Texas, he says the Longhorns have been showing some interest.
“During the football season they wanted me to come to one of their football games, but I couldn’t make it,” he said. “Then coach said they wanted me to come to one of their camps and he said he would take me up there for one of their day camps.”
Hoza Scott is the name at the top of the list but just behind the La Porte standout is Lancaster athlete Nick Harvey. When I visited Lancaster a few weeks ago I caught up with Harvey and this was my report from the War Room.
“At Lancaster, I was able to meet a couple of their younger guys, and look for Texas to be in Lancaster again next year. One of the top targets at the top of the list is Nick Harvey. He is an athlete and has played safety, quarterback, receiver, and return man. He simply does it all and he is already attracting attention from heavy hitters. LSU and Florida are schools to keep an eye on here. They are very high on his list, very high. Texas A&M and Baylor have already offered and Texas along with Oklahoma, and USC. He’s most likely headed for the defensive backfield on the college level.”
Over the past couple of weeks we have also caught up with Denton Guyer QB Samaje Perine. I’ll summarize each quickly.
Heard grew up a Texas Longhorn fan but is keeping his options open. He says he plans to attend many camps including a Texas camp this summer.
Collins already holds offers from Baylor, Kansas St., and SMU. He grew up cheering for Miami and Oklahoma. He has visited Texas a few times in the past and will likely make another visit to Texas in the future. He is not publicly naming favorites right now.
Perine grew up in Alabama before moving to Austin and Alabama and Oregon are two teams he has high on his list. Purdue has already offered and Clemson is showing a lot of interest.
A new name to many is Mount Pleasant, Texas receiver KD Cannon. Not only does he make the list because he is a phenomenal player but his name is just greatness.
He was so excited to make the list he took a picture and posted it on his Facebook page. He was also excited to be joined by former elementary classmate Desmon White of DeSoto.
It is always interesting seeing the connections these guys already have. Anyway, the recruiting process is still very new and he is excited.
He tries to pattern his game after Dez Bryant and Randy Moss and considers his strength his ability to go get the ball.
Growing up he did have a favorite team.
“Oklahoma St., I just like because they have a good receivers coach and they like to throw the ball,” Cannon said.
Other than Oklahoma St. he also likes Miami and West Virginia.
Another top prospect is San Antonio Roosevelt athlete Arrion Springs. He has seen his stock rise since running a 4.48 forty, 4.22 shuttle, and recording a 30.7 vertical jump. It was a banner day.
“I kind of shocked myself,” Springs said. “I didn’t think I was going to do that good.”
He is open to hearing from anyone but does admit he grew up with one school at the top of his list.
“I always wanted to go to USC,” he said. “It’s just the way they carry themselves and they win a lot.”
He plans to attend an LSU camp, an FBU camp in Austin, and a Nike Camp at the University of Tennessee.
Springs has played both offense and defense for Roosevelt, but feels most at home on the defensive side of the ball.
“I like playing safety more than quarterback. I like being in control of the whole defense and being able to see the whole field and make plays.”
Texarkana Texas High linebacker Anthony Rhone is another prospect to keep an eye on. He is the son of former NFL defender and current Texas High assistant Earnest Rhone.
At 6-1, 215 Rhone is the top rising prospect out of the talent rich East Texas program. He loves hitting and is a player that lives in the weight and film room trying to improve his game.
He started 2011 at defensive end before moving to linebacker where he recorded over 100 tackles and was just shy of being the team’s leading tackler.
He says he has not heard from any colleges yet but he would love to play D1 ball. He says Arkansas, Oklahoma, LSU, and Oregon were among his favorite schools growing up and in-state he follows Texas A&M and Baylor the closest.
Staying with linebacker, Dallas Carter standout Cameron Hampton’s coach called me from the weight room where Hampton was busy putting in work over spring break. Hampton said he has always liked Texas and Florida. (Howell)
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Of course it is way, super, ridiculous early to already be discussing 2014 prospects right? Well, maybe, but we have also uncovered a lot of new information on some top 2014 prospects since we released the list.
For instance, you wanted more offensive linemen. Well, Fort Worth All Saints offensive tackle HERE[/B] you can see he can move and he is mean.
Knox is originally from the Dayton, Ohio area. In fact when we caught up with him he was in Ohio visiting family. As an Ohio native with family still in the area the Ohio St. Buckeyes are a team he has high on his list. Growing up they were always among his favorites. He has also grown to love Texas.
He says Texas A&M, Texas Tech, and Oklahoma St. have contacted his coaches. He said the No. 1 school he’s interested in is Texas and being from Ohio he would love to go to Ohio St.
So what is it about Texas that makes them the No. 1 school of interest?
“I've been doing a lot of research on colleges, and I just think Texas would be the best place for me academic wise and career wise,” Knox said. “My main dream is the NFL and Texas is one of the best schools to get me there.”
It also does not hurt that he has a little connection to the Texas recruiting class of 2013.
“I have a friend named A'shawn Robinson who committed to UT recently, and I just hope I can see us there together one day,” he said.
This summer he plans to camp at Texas A&M, Texas Tech, and Oklahoma, and also hopes to take visits to Texas, USC, and Ole Miss.
Here’s a few more you may want to watch
As if we needed more defensive backs, I bring you Arlington Bowie safety Edwin Freeman. At 6-1, 190 pounds Freeman can blitz off the edge or play deep. He loves to get physical and he shows both on tape. (HIGHLIGHTS HERE). He was named district defensive newcomer of the year in 2011.
Now DT is a place we have been searching for some talent and we may have a couple of candidates worthy of a look. There’s Hurst L.D. Bell DL Mohelika Uasike (Go ahead and move to play No. 3 in this Villalobos Highlights. Both were Defensive Newcomer of the year winners in their respective districts.
Now I can’t help myself. I see 6-5, 200-plus pounds and it’s hard not to think about what can be. Both of these guys have big frames and in one case an Outland Trophy winning, NFL playing legacy.
We’ll start with 6-5, 210-pound Nacogdoches d-end Greg Roberts. He is the son of the 1978 Outland Trophy winner and former Oklahoma Sooner by the same name. He has been clocked at 4.54 in the forty by Nacogdoches coaches. He’s still a young pup but he can bite. TAKE A LOOK
Down in San Antonio there is 6-5, 225-pound Reagan defensive lineman Nick Hardy. Here’s a few clips. He has a 4.8 forty and was named second-team all-district as a sophomore.
For my last one I’ll go out West to Abilene. Cooper’s Lorenzo Joe made the list, but I think we need to take a serious look at adding Cordell Dorsey. At 6-2, 180 pounds he was a little undersized but he plays big and considering he made the move from JV cornerback as a freshman to starting varsity, all-district linebacker I’ll cut him some slack. HAVE A LOOK FOR YOURSELF
As you can see the talent is deep and we expect the new names to continue to emerge. (Howell)
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Enough 2014 let’s talk the here and now.
Dallas Kimball defensive tackle Justin Manning does plan to attend the Texas spring game at this time. However he is in no hurry to make a decision and maintains he is going to wait to decide until December. He’s going to name a top five after spring ball. Oklahoma made up some ground by offering on junior day, but they still have some ground to make up. Next up he plans to go to Baton Rouge on Saturday. As for Texas, The Longhorns are still in the running but they are running behind others. That said Texas is still very much in the running, they’re just not considered a leader for now. Manning was recently invited to play in the U.S. Army All-American Bowl.
DeSoto standout Dontre Wilson returned from his unofficial visit to Oregon today. He left for Oregon on Monday and as he was leaving his father said the trip went well and they enjoyed themselves. Dontre picked up an offer from the Ducks and they now plan to take a few more visits. Wilson does not have a visit scheduled to Texas but plans to take a mid-week trip to Austin soon to get a feel for life as a student athlete. We’ll keep you posted on this one, but most signs are pointing to Wilson continuing to take his time and carefully think out the recruiting process.
Dallas Skyline receiver Ra’Shaad Samples took an unofficial visit to Oklahoma St. today. He hung out with players and coaches and watched practice. As we said on Sunday Samples is taking his time right now. He may make it back to Texas for the spring game and is also trying to set up a visit to Ohio St. following Skyline’s spring practice. He is not naming any leaders right now, but Texas has good reason to feel like their chances are still pretty high.
I also caught up with standout defensive backs Kameron Miles (West Mesquite). Things have been relatively quiet with both. They said they haven’t heard much from Texas since junior day and are both working to get ready for spring ball. Neither has plans for any unofficial visits at this time. (Howell)
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Elite speed is tough to find in the high school ranks, and the guys that have it are normally very intriguing prospects. One player that is blessed with the ability to burn up and down the field, as well as on the track, is Alief Taylor corner Chris Hardeman. Recently, the 5-9 junior-to-be ripped off a 10.5 100m in a track session, and was timed officially at 10.8 as a freshman. He’s already hearing from schools.
“Two weeks ago I ran a 10.5 at Cy Springs,” Hardeman said. “This weekend we’re racing DeSoto. I got mail from Utah, Oregon, Texas A&M, SMU, and I was at Kansas’ junior day.”
Obviously, it’s extremely early for all of these members of the 2014 class, but Hardeman has a few schools that stand out already. Plus, he’s hit a high number of camps for someone his age.
“My dream school is Miami,” said the No. 20 player in the 2014 LSR Top 100. “But I also like LSU. I’m a track and football guy so I like Texas A&M. They have a good track program. I went to Miami, Rice, Baylor, Texas A&M, and Texas camps last year. I’m going to LSU June 3rd, A&M June 9th, and then I’m going to Texas June 10th. I’m supposed to go to FSU July 16th.”
The Houston-area prospect said that Texas is a school he’s definitely interested in as well…
“Coach Giles and coach Diaz came to the school, and my head coach told them about me,” stated the 5-9 corner. “At the time they didn’t say anything. I think they were around to see Torrodney Prevot. But I’m very interested in them. I know Texas is like DBU. I really love coach Akina. I love their style of play and his coaching style. I went to their camp going into my sophomore year.”
Hardeman said he’s working towards being the best defensive back in the state, and models his game after Florida State’s Greg Reid and LSU’s Tyrann Mathieu because he likes to play in the face of receivers and plays with enthusiasm.
In practice each day, Hardeman gets tested by another member of the 2014 LSR 100 in Alief Taylor receiver Keenen Brown. Brown, who checks in at 6-3, is a big receiver that moves well and loves to attack the football.
“I like to go get the ball,” said the No. 21 prospect in the 2014 LSR 100. “If they throw it up to me, I’m going to get it. I like beating people off the line.”
Brown does the high jump for his varsity team, and has already received a verbal offer from SMU. Right now, he said he likes LSU and Texas Tech stands out because of the offense. He’s also planning on camping at LSU, and said he might end up going to camp at Texas, Texas Tech, Texas A&M, and possibly Oregon. (McComas)
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Orangebloods.com was introduced to Fort Bend Bush quarterback Ronald Monroe this week, and Monroe took a break from his AAU basketball practice to chat with me briefly. Who does he hoop for? Well, the two-sport standout balls for D Gib Hoops 2014. Yes, “D Gib” stands for former Longhorn, and current NBA guard Daniel Gibson. As for football, Monroe, a 6-4 dual-threat quarterback, hasn’t heard from many schools yet.
“Just a few letters from Texas A&M,” responded Monroe. However, he does have a few camps he’s already planning on attending. Monroe listed off Baylor, Houston, Texas A&M, and Texas as the camps he’s planning on going to in the summer during his busy AAU basketball schedule.
When I asked the No. 5 prospect overall in the 2014 LSR 100 about schools he tunes in to watch and root for on Saturday, he listed off Oregon, Auburn, Texas, and Baylor. Yes, I put two and two together, and he responded that the recent success those schools have had with some dual-threat quarterbacks is a reason why he follows the universities. (McComas)
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On the hoops recruiting front, I caught up with Devonta Pollard’s AAU coach Jeff Andrews who indicated that things haven’t really changed much. According to him, Pollard still would like to get to Texas again at some point, but hasn’t set anything up. Georgetown and Kentucky are two more schools that Pollard is planning to officially visit for sure. Andrews said that Pollard hasn’t really thought about recruiting too much lately, but thinks that he’ll start narrowing things down soon in preparation for a late spring or summer commitment.
Recently, 2013 five-star shooting guard Keith Frazier became a state champion after he helped lead Dallas Kimball to a win over powerhouse Houston Yates.
“It was a lot of fun,” said Frazier. “It was my first time playing in Austin. I’m hoping I can come back next year and win it again. We didn’t feel like we were the underdogs. We felt like we were the team to beat.”
As for recruiting, it doesn’t sound like much has changed recently for the talented scorer.
“Not so far. Not that I know of,” responded Frazier when asked if he’s got any visits planned or if anything has changed on the recruiting scene.
Frazier stated that schools are starting to recruit him heavier, but the ones that are recruiting him the heaviest are, “probably Arizona, Texas A&M, Texas, Houston, and now Memphis is on me harder.” (McComas)
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This week in recruiting… From A-to-R in the 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. DeSoto running back Dontre Wilson (No.10 on the :LSR) was offered by Oregon.
b. West Mesquite safety Kameron Miles (No.11 on the LSR) was offered by Kansas and Kansas State.
c. Ft. Bend Marshall linebacker Deon Hollins Jr. (No.37 on the LSR) was offered by Houston.
d. Fort Bend Marshall offensive lineman Maurice Porter 9No.40 was also offered by Houston.
e. Wylie East wide receiver Vequan Jones (No.57 on the LSR) was offered by Michigan State.
f. Dallas Skyline quarterback Devante Kincade (No.62 on the LSR) was offered by Notre Dame.
g. A&M Consolidated defensive end Christian Lacouture (No.74 on the LSR) picked up offers from Nebraska and Oklahoma State.
h. Waco High defensive tackle Andrew Billings (No.75 on the LSR) was offered by Tulsa.
i. Dallas Jesuit linebacker Jordan Mastrogiovanni (No.85 on the LSR) added offers from Houston, U.Conn and Boise State
j. Katy defensive end Matt Dimon was offered by Oklahoma and then committed to the Sooners.
k. Dallas Kimball linebacker Brandon Hines was offered by Kansas, Texas A&M, Baylor and North Texas.
l. Sharpstown linebacker Reggie Chevis was offered by West Virginia and Baylor.
m. Katy Seven Lakes offensive lineman Caleb Benenoch committed to Michigan State
n. Mansfield safety Edward Paris (No.8 on the 2014 LSR) was offered by Clemson and UCLA. He has visits scheduled for USC/UCLA later this month.
o. Wylie safety T’Kevian Rockwell (No.28 on the 2014 LSR) was offered by Virginia, West Virginia and Baylor.
p. Cibolo Steele defensive back Jordan Sterns committed to Texas Tech.
q. Houston Nimitz running back Dre’vian Young was offered by Kansas State.
This post was edited on 3/16 10:34 AM by TaylorTV
On Tuesday Orangebloods.com unveiled the Lone Star Recruiting’s 2014 Top 100, and since then everyone has been asking what’s happening on the recruiting front for these guys.
First off it is still extremely early. Communication has pretty much all gone through the high school coaches of these prospects. Some may have taken a trip to see a game in the fall, but for the most part the recruiting process is very, very new.
We’ll start off at the top with No. 1 prospect, Hoza Scott of La Porte.
As he put it, life is good right now. He is ranked No. 1 in Texas for the 2014 class, and has college coaches trying to lure him to their campus. Scott holds an offer from Texas A&M and has had one since Mike Sherman was the head man in College Station. He has received interest from Texas, Alabama, Michigan, LSU, Florida, Baylor, and well just about everywhere with a competitive football program. Still when he heard the news he was ranked No. 1 in 2014 it caught him a little off guard.
“I found out yesterday. My brother came in and told me,” Scott said. “I came in last night and he said ‘Did you know you were ranked one of the top players in Texas?’. I was like ‘Really?!!’ He showed me on the internet and it was true. I was like ‘Wow’”
Of course, Scott is honored to be at the top of the list.
“It means a lot because my whole life I’ve been saying I know there’s someone out there better than me so I have to keep working hard,” Scott said. “That’s what I’ve been taught to do and that’s what I’ve been doing.”
He knows the work has just begun, and while he may have a target on his back now, he has his eyes set on reaching No. 1 in the country.
As for recruiting Scott plans to attend camps at Texas Tech and Texas A&M. He was also invited to the Nike Camp.
It is still early and he is trying to keep his options open, but there were a couple of schools he mentioned that standout a bit early on.
“I wanted to go to A&M because I knew they had a good outside linebacker coach, but since all that stuff changed I haven’t been hearing from them,” Scott said. “I’d probably go to Alabama too because they have a fast defense and everybody is fast paced and I like that kind of stuff.”
Growing up Scott also had a favorite.
“I grew up rooting for A&M because my poppa (grandpa) went there and he had family that went there. I’ve always watched them. He didn’t play for them or anything. He just went to school out there.”
As for Texas, he says the Longhorns have been showing some interest.
“During the football season they wanted me to come to one of their football games, but I couldn’t make it,” he said. “Then coach said they wanted me to come to one of their camps and he said he would take me up there for one of their day camps.”
Hoza Scott is the name at the top of the list but just behind the La Porte standout is Lancaster athlete Nick Harvey. When I visited Lancaster a few weeks ago I caught up with Harvey and this was my report from the War Room.
“At Lancaster, I was able to meet a couple of their younger guys, and look for Texas to be in Lancaster again next year. One of the top targets at the top of the list is Nick Harvey. He is an athlete and has played safety, quarterback, receiver, and return man. He simply does it all and he is already attracting attention from heavy hitters. LSU and Florida are schools to keep an eye on here. They are very high on his list, very high. Texas A&M and Baylor have already offered and Texas along with Oklahoma, and USC. He’s most likely headed for the defensive backfield on the college level.”
Over the past couple of weeks we have also caught up with Denton Guyer QB Samaje Perine. I’ll summarize each quickly.
Heard grew up a Texas Longhorn fan but is keeping his options open. He says he plans to attend many camps including a Texas camp this summer.
Collins already holds offers from Baylor, Kansas St., and SMU. He grew up cheering for Miami and Oklahoma. He has visited Texas a few times in the past and will likely make another visit to Texas in the future. He is not publicly naming favorites right now.
Perine grew up in Alabama before moving to Austin and Alabama and Oregon are two teams he has high on his list. Purdue has already offered and Clemson is showing a lot of interest.
A new name to many is Mount Pleasant, Texas receiver KD Cannon. Not only does he make the list because he is a phenomenal player but his name is just greatness.
He was so excited to make the list he took a picture and posted it on his Facebook page. He was also excited to be joined by former elementary classmate Desmon White of DeSoto.
It is always interesting seeing the connections these guys already have. Anyway, the recruiting process is still very new and he is excited.
He tries to pattern his game after Dez Bryant and Randy Moss and considers his strength his ability to go get the ball.
Growing up he did have a favorite team.
“Oklahoma St., I just like because they have a good receivers coach and they like to throw the ball,” Cannon said.
Other than Oklahoma St. he also likes Miami and West Virginia.
Another top prospect is San Antonio Roosevelt athlete Arrion Springs. He has seen his stock rise since running a 4.48 forty, 4.22 shuttle, and recording a 30.7 vertical jump. It was a banner day.
“I kind of shocked myself,” Springs said. “I didn’t think I was going to do that good.”
He is open to hearing from anyone but does admit he grew up with one school at the top of his list.
“I always wanted to go to USC,” he said. “It’s just the way they carry themselves and they win a lot.”
He plans to attend an LSU camp, an FBU camp in Austin, and a Nike Camp at the University of Tennessee.
Springs has played both offense and defense for Roosevelt, but feels most at home on the defensive side of the ball.
“I like playing safety more than quarterback. I like being in control of the whole defense and being able to see the whole field and make plays.”
Texarkana Texas High linebacker Anthony Rhone is another prospect to keep an eye on. He is the son of former NFL defender and current Texas High assistant Earnest Rhone.
At 6-1, 215 Rhone is the top rising prospect out of the talent rich East Texas program. He loves hitting and is a player that lives in the weight and film room trying to improve his game.
He started 2011 at defensive end before moving to linebacker where he recorded over 100 tackles and was just shy of being the team’s leading tackler.
He says he has not heard from any colleges yet but he would love to play D1 ball. He says Arkansas, Oklahoma, LSU, and Oregon were among his favorite schools growing up and in-state he follows Texas A&M and Baylor the closest.
Staying with linebacker, Dallas Carter standout Cameron Hampton’s coach called me from the weight room where Hampton was busy putting in work over spring break. Hampton said he has always liked Texas and Florida. (Howell)
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Of course it is way, super, ridiculous early to already be discussing 2014 prospects right? Well, maybe, but we have also uncovered a lot of new information on some top 2014 prospects since we released the list.
For instance, you wanted more offensive linemen. Well, Fort Worth All Saints offensive tackle HERE[/B] you can see he can move and he is mean.
Knox is originally from the Dayton, Ohio area. In fact when we caught up with him he was in Ohio visiting family. As an Ohio native with family still in the area the Ohio St. Buckeyes are a team he has high on his list. Growing up they were always among his favorites. He has also grown to love Texas.
He says Texas A&M, Texas Tech, and Oklahoma St. have contacted his coaches. He said the No. 1 school he’s interested in is Texas and being from Ohio he would love to go to Ohio St.
So what is it about Texas that makes them the No. 1 school of interest?
“I've been doing a lot of research on colleges, and I just think Texas would be the best place for me academic wise and career wise,” Knox said. “My main dream is the NFL and Texas is one of the best schools to get me there.”
It also does not hurt that he has a little connection to the Texas recruiting class of 2013.
“I have a friend named A'shawn Robinson who committed to UT recently, and I just hope I can see us there together one day,” he said.
This summer he plans to camp at Texas A&M, Texas Tech, and Oklahoma, and also hopes to take visits to Texas, USC, and Ole Miss.
Here’s a few more you may want to watch
As if we needed more defensive backs, I bring you Arlington Bowie safety Edwin Freeman. At 6-1, 190 pounds Freeman can blitz off the edge or play deep. He loves to get physical and he shows both on tape. (HIGHLIGHTS HERE). He was named district defensive newcomer of the year in 2011.
Now DT is a place we have been searching for some talent and we may have a couple of candidates worthy of a look. There’s Hurst L.D. Bell DL Mohelika Uasike (Go ahead and move to play No. 3 in this Villalobos Highlights. Both were Defensive Newcomer of the year winners in their respective districts.
Now I can’t help myself. I see 6-5, 200-plus pounds and it’s hard not to think about what can be. Both of these guys have big frames and in one case an Outland Trophy winning, NFL playing legacy.
We’ll start with 6-5, 210-pound Nacogdoches d-end Greg Roberts. He is the son of the 1978 Outland Trophy winner and former Oklahoma Sooner by the same name. He has been clocked at 4.54 in the forty by Nacogdoches coaches. He’s still a young pup but he can bite. TAKE A LOOK
Down in San Antonio there is 6-5, 225-pound Reagan defensive lineman Nick Hardy. Here’s a few clips. He has a 4.8 forty and was named second-team all-district as a sophomore.
For my last one I’ll go out West to Abilene. Cooper’s Lorenzo Joe made the list, but I think we need to take a serious look at adding Cordell Dorsey. At 6-2, 180 pounds he was a little undersized but he plays big and considering he made the move from JV cornerback as a freshman to starting varsity, all-district linebacker I’ll cut him some slack. HAVE A LOOK FOR YOURSELF
As you can see the talent is deep and we expect the new names to continue to emerge. (Howell)
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Enough 2014 let’s talk the here and now.
Dallas Kimball defensive tackle Justin Manning does plan to attend the Texas spring game at this time. However he is in no hurry to make a decision and maintains he is going to wait to decide until December. He’s going to name a top five after spring ball. Oklahoma made up some ground by offering on junior day, but they still have some ground to make up. Next up he plans to go to Baton Rouge on Saturday. As for Texas, The Longhorns are still in the running but they are running behind others. That said Texas is still very much in the running, they’re just not considered a leader for now. Manning was recently invited to play in the U.S. Army All-American Bowl.
DeSoto standout Dontre Wilson returned from his unofficial visit to Oregon today. He left for Oregon on Monday and as he was leaving his father said the trip went well and they enjoyed themselves. Dontre picked up an offer from the Ducks and they now plan to take a few more visits. Wilson does not have a visit scheduled to Texas but plans to take a mid-week trip to Austin soon to get a feel for life as a student athlete. We’ll keep you posted on this one, but most signs are pointing to Wilson continuing to take his time and carefully think out the recruiting process.
Dallas Skyline receiver Ra’Shaad Samples took an unofficial visit to Oklahoma St. today. He hung out with players and coaches and watched practice. As we said on Sunday Samples is taking his time right now. He may make it back to Texas for the spring game and is also trying to set up a visit to Ohio St. following Skyline’s spring practice. He is not naming any leaders right now, but Texas has good reason to feel like their chances are still pretty high.
I also caught up with standout defensive backs Kameron Miles (West Mesquite). Things have been relatively quiet with both. They said they haven’t heard much from Texas since junior day and are both working to get ready for spring ball. Neither has plans for any unofficial visits at this time. (Howell)
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Elite speed is tough to find in the high school ranks, and the guys that have it are normally very intriguing prospects. One player that is blessed with the ability to burn up and down the field, as well as on the track, is Alief Taylor corner Chris Hardeman. Recently, the 5-9 junior-to-be ripped off a 10.5 100m in a track session, and was timed officially at 10.8 as a freshman. He’s already hearing from schools.
“Two weeks ago I ran a 10.5 at Cy Springs,” Hardeman said. “This weekend we’re racing DeSoto. I got mail from Utah, Oregon, Texas A&M, SMU, and I was at Kansas’ junior day.”
Obviously, it’s extremely early for all of these members of the 2014 class, but Hardeman has a few schools that stand out already. Plus, he’s hit a high number of camps for someone his age.
“My dream school is Miami,” said the No. 20 player in the 2014 LSR Top 100. “But I also like LSU. I’m a track and football guy so I like Texas A&M. They have a good track program. I went to Miami, Rice, Baylor, Texas A&M, and Texas camps last year. I’m going to LSU June 3rd, A&M June 9th, and then I’m going to Texas June 10th. I’m supposed to go to FSU July 16th.”
The Houston-area prospect said that Texas is a school he’s definitely interested in as well…
“Coach Giles and coach Diaz came to the school, and my head coach told them about me,” stated the 5-9 corner. “At the time they didn’t say anything. I think they were around to see Torrodney Prevot. But I’m very interested in them. I know Texas is like DBU. I really love coach Akina. I love their style of play and his coaching style. I went to their camp going into my sophomore year.”
Hardeman said he’s working towards being the best defensive back in the state, and models his game after Florida State’s Greg Reid and LSU’s Tyrann Mathieu because he likes to play in the face of receivers and plays with enthusiasm.
In practice each day, Hardeman gets tested by another member of the 2014 LSR 100 in Alief Taylor receiver Keenen Brown. Brown, who checks in at 6-3, is a big receiver that moves well and loves to attack the football.
“I like to go get the ball,” said the No. 21 prospect in the 2014 LSR 100. “If they throw it up to me, I’m going to get it. I like beating people off the line.”
Brown does the high jump for his varsity team, and has already received a verbal offer from SMU. Right now, he said he likes LSU and Texas Tech stands out because of the offense. He’s also planning on camping at LSU, and said he might end up going to camp at Texas, Texas Tech, Texas A&M, and possibly Oregon. (McComas)
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Orangebloods.com was introduced to Fort Bend Bush quarterback Ronald Monroe this week, and Monroe took a break from his AAU basketball practice to chat with me briefly. Who does he hoop for? Well, the two-sport standout balls for D Gib Hoops 2014. Yes, “D Gib” stands for former Longhorn, and current NBA guard Daniel Gibson. As for football, Monroe, a 6-4 dual-threat quarterback, hasn’t heard from many schools yet.
“Just a few letters from Texas A&M,” responded Monroe. However, he does have a few camps he’s already planning on attending. Monroe listed off Baylor, Houston, Texas A&M, and Texas as the camps he’s planning on going to in the summer during his busy AAU basketball schedule.
When I asked the No. 5 prospect overall in the 2014 LSR 100 about schools he tunes in to watch and root for on Saturday, he listed off Oregon, Auburn, Texas, and Baylor. Yes, I put two and two together, and he responded that the recent success those schools have had with some dual-threat quarterbacks is a reason why he follows the universities. (McComas)
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On the hoops recruiting front, I caught up with Devonta Pollard’s AAU coach Jeff Andrews who indicated that things haven’t really changed much. According to him, Pollard still would like to get to Texas again at some point, but hasn’t set anything up. Georgetown and Kentucky are two more schools that Pollard is planning to officially visit for sure. Andrews said that Pollard hasn’t really thought about recruiting too much lately, but thinks that he’ll start narrowing things down soon in preparation for a late spring or summer commitment.
Recently, 2013 five-star shooting guard Keith Frazier became a state champion after he helped lead Dallas Kimball to a win over powerhouse Houston Yates.
“It was a lot of fun,” said Frazier. “It was my first time playing in Austin. I’m hoping I can come back next year and win it again. We didn’t feel like we were the underdogs. We felt like we were the team to beat.”
As for recruiting, it doesn’t sound like much has changed recently for the talented scorer.
“Not so far. Not that I know of,” responded Frazier when asked if he’s got any visits planned or if anything has changed on the recruiting scene.
Frazier stated that schools are starting to recruit him heavier, but the ones that are recruiting him the heaviest are, “probably Arizona, Texas A&M, Texas, Houston, and now Memphis is on me harder.” (McComas)
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This week in recruiting… From A-to-R in the 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. DeSoto running back Dontre Wilson (No.10 on the :LSR) was offered by Oregon.
b. West Mesquite safety Kameron Miles (No.11 on the LSR) was offered by Kansas and Kansas State.
c. Ft. Bend Marshall linebacker Deon Hollins Jr. (No.37 on the LSR) was offered by Houston.
d. Fort Bend Marshall offensive lineman Maurice Porter 9No.40 was also offered by Houston.
e. Wylie East wide receiver Vequan Jones (No.57 on the LSR) was offered by Michigan State.
f. Dallas Skyline quarterback Devante Kincade (No.62 on the LSR) was offered by Notre Dame.
g. A&M Consolidated defensive end Christian Lacouture (No.74 on the LSR) picked up offers from Nebraska and Oklahoma State.
h. Waco High defensive tackle Andrew Billings (No.75 on the LSR) was offered by Tulsa.
i. Dallas Jesuit linebacker Jordan Mastrogiovanni (No.85 on the LSR) added offers from Houston, U.Conn and Boise State
j. Katy defensive end Matt Dimon was offered by Oklahoma and then committed to the Sooners.
k. Dallas Kimball linebacker Brandon Hines was offered by Kansas, Texas A&M, Baylor and North Texas.
l. Sharpstown linebacker Reggie Chevis was offered by West Virginia and Baylor.
m. Katy Seven Lakes offensive lineman Caleb Benenoch committed to Michigan State
n. Mansfield safety Edward Paris (No.8 on the 2014 LSR) was offered by Clemson and UCLA. He has visits scheduled for USC/UCLA later this month.
o. Wylie safety T’Kevian Rockwell (No.28 on the 2014 LSR) was offered by Virginia, West Virginia and Baylor.
p. Cibolo Steele defensive back Jordan Sterns committed to Texas Tech.
q. Houston Nimitz running back Dre’vian Young was offered by Kansas State.
This post was edited on 3/16 10:34 AM by TaylorTV
