Once you hear the name of Bumper Pool, it’s pretty tough to forget. Once you watch film on the 2018 linebacker, he’s pretty much etched in your brain for good.
Pool, out of Lovejoy, has seen his stock shoot through the roof of late with offers coming in from the likes of Alabama, Texas A&M, Arkansas, Baylor and Michigan.
That interest – and the catchy name – has put him on the watch list for football recruiting fans, and more offers are sure to come. One school that is showing a strong interest is the University of Texas.
Key quote: “I’ve been talking with coach (Charlie) Williams. He came down to our spring ball. I think I’m going to camp pretty soon, so we’ve been in contact,” Pool said. “I’m just going from there. They like what they see and I like them, so we’ll just have to see if we connect.”
Thoughts on Texas: With several top programs having already offered, one might think that Texas is playing a bit of catch-up. However, that’s not necessarily the case. Pool said he understands that the Longhorns are a little more deliberate with their offers than some others are, and he’s hopeful an offer from UT could come in the future, possibly after he makes a visit to the Texas campus.
“Texas is a little slower with offering, which I respect them telling me that up front,” Pool said. “But (Williams) told me they like me and they just want to get me down there, meet the coaches, so they can see me eye to eye.”
If Texas offers?: Pool doesn’t have a formal list of leaders at this early stage of his recruiting process. He hasn’t yet had a chance to get an up-close look at the UT program so it’s hard to say where Texas could fit in, but Pool is anxious to learn more about the Longhorn program.
“I’m from Texas. Everybody knows the Longhorns,” Pool said. “That’s huge. I’ve never been to the campus but everyone says it’s pretty, so I’m excited to get down there, hopefully pretty soon.”
Who is Pool?: At 6-2 and 220 pounds, Pool participated in the Rivals250 Underclassmen Challenge last week, showing a good ability to cover in space. On film, he’s a sure tackler who diagnoses plays early and always seems to find himself around the ball. As a sophomore, Pool recorded 148 tackles and 4 sacks.
“Energy is what I try to bring to the table. Excitement, because I love the game and I try to bring other people and get all that excitement together on defense,” Pool said. “I want to work on speed, you can always work on your initial burst.”
