Earlier this week, I was able to catch up with DeMarquis Brooks, co-founder and director of players personnel for TrueBuzz Athletics, to talk about some of his top clients who are on UT’s recruiting radar.
Coach Brooks’ thoughts …
Dallas Skyline 2018 DE Jarell Cherry – “I think he's really going to be good in the future. The upside is his biggest attribute. Right now, he doesn't play with other great players, so it’s hard for him to dominate at the level that you will and you see some of the flaws in his game. Once he plays with better players, he’ll be able to focus on his job, you’ll see the pure speed, the athleticism he has. It will really come out in his game. He’s still learning the position. He’s still raw. When I took him in, he didn't know much about playing D-end, we had to teach him to do things like drop into coverage, recognize parts of the field like flats, deep third. But his speed and work ethic are going to make him survive. He’s lighting fast and he works. He doesn't want to leave until he gets it right. He’s a good kid too. There are going to be zero discipline issues with him. It’s a joy to work with a kid like him. He's strong too, very strong. People forget, he just turned 16 right before the season started, so he's very young. In two or three years, I predict him to be 6-4, 250, 260, all muscle.”
“He's open. Me personally, I think it will be a Big 12 team that will win him over. He does love Texas, loves coach (Brick) Haley. But you have to understand, Joe Wallace and Clarence Henderson at Texas Tech are like his brothers.”
West Mesquite 2018 DB Dayven Coleman – “He has really, really good ball skills, is a good athlete. And he’s super competitive, he likes to put the work in, has the ball skills of a receiver, which is why he played some wide receiver at West Mesquite. His size makes him great for the position. He can play corner or safety depending on scheme or what you have on the depth chart. He's a full 6-2, about 190. He's just now starting to fall in love with weight lifting. He has pure size and talent. Once he gets a couple good years in training in West Mesquite, he's going to be really dynamic. I could see him being a four-star in your rankings easily.”
“No one had any true film on him, they just had a spring game at Skyline. He was transferring back and forth. Once the first offer comes in, they'll flood in. Some other top DBs that people are talking about like (Chevin) Calloway, he has as much talent as those guys, they just had freshman and sophomore years to get their name out. (Coleman) went to USC, and the Sound Body and Sound Mind camp, and he was a top performer at both, got MVP. That's where the Iowa, USC, UCLA, Nebraska interest is from. It all came from those camps. U of H is on him heavy, sending him the most stuff right now. He's pretty open right now. I think a selling point for Texas, his grandmother is very influential in his life. Him staying in state would be beneficial for his grandmother, to come check on him, come see him.”
Trinity Valley Community College DE Marvin Terry – “Missouri still has eyes on him but I don’t think that's going to happen. TCU talks to him heavy, wants him to come in as a linebacker. TCU and Oklahoma State, he talks to them almost every day. I’m trying to get Texas in on him. He's just as good as (Anthony) Wheeler, can be just as good. He’s a phenomenal tackler, has a nose for the ball, has quickness the offensive linemen just aren't prepared for. I call him baby Von Miller. Go watch his tape. He's a true 6-2, 225-230 at Trinity Valley. The coaches at Trinity Valley have done a good job of putting a good supporting cast around him, keeps him on the straight and narrow. I told the guys at Texas, he needs to be around those types of coaches, who can be like a mentor. That would be a great opportunity as a teaching moment, teach him an early mistake he made and learn from it. The kind of figure coach Strong is, the guys on his staff, they have a big influences in the community not just the field. It’s the hours when you're not at the facility. I think he would be a good fit for Texas, honestly. I hope they reach out to him more, think it would be a perfect home from him. The good thing about Marvin, he's qualified, will have four years to play three.”
Lancaster 2017 WR Omar Manning – “I think he'll lean towards the Big 12. Be out of TCU, Texas or I could maybe see one other school. He wants to be in a pass offense, so with him seeing the way Texas has opened it up, that may make him reconsider some things. Even if he doesn't select UT, coach Strong won't give up. He doesn't talk much. TCU and Texas are in the driver's seat with him.”
Dallas Kimball 2017 LB/DB Devodrick Johnson – “He’s going to be at the A&M game this weekend. He’s not having the type of season he wanted to. He wants to play more defense, but his coach is saving him more for offense. Schools still say the same thing, they’re watching him. He will take visits to Mississippi State, to A&M. He wants to take one to Texas but if he doesn't have an offer, it won’t be an official. He will take one to Oklahoma State too. With us taking that visit (to UT in the summer), he thought Texas might offer, but his coach isn’t helping his case with him not playing much defense. When it comes to defense, his upside is gigantic. He has a lot of value on defense. He can play safety, but is a more of a three-down linebacker.”
Coach Brooks’ thoughts …
Dallas Skyline 2018 DE Jarell Cherry – “I think he's really going to be good in the future. The upside is his biggest attribute. Right now, he doesn't play with other great players, so it’s hard for him to dominate at the level that you will and you see some of the flaws in his game. Once he plays with better players, he’ll be able to focus on his job, you’ll see the pure speed, the athleticism he has. It will really come out in his game. He’s still learning the position. He’s still raw. When I took him in, he didn't know much about playing D-end, we had to teach him to do things like drop into coverage, recognize parts of the field like flats, deep third. But his speed and work ethic are going to make him survive. He’s lighting fast and he works. He doesn't want to leave until he gets it right. He’s a good kid too. There are going to be zero discipline issues with him. It’s a joy to work with a kid like him. He's strong too, very strong. People forget, he just turned 16 right before the season started, so he's very young. In two or three years, I predict him to be 6-4, 250, 260, all muscle.”
“He's open. Me personally, I think it will be a Big 12 team that will win him over. He does love Texas, loves coach (Brick) Haley. But you have to understand, Joe Wallace and Clarence Henderson at Texas Tech are like his brothers.”
West Mesquite 2018 DB Dayven Coleman – “He has really, really good ball skills, is a good athlete. And he’s super competitive, he likes to put the work in, has the ball skills of a receiver, which is why he played some wide receiver at West Mesquite. His size makes him great for the position. He can play corner or safety depending on scheme or what you have on the depth chart. He's a full 6-2, about 190. He's just now starting to fall in love with weight lifting. He has pure size and talent. Once he gets a couple good years in training in West Mesquite, he's going to be really dynamic. I could see him being a four-star in your rankings easily.”
“No one had any true film on him, they just had a spring game at Skyline. He was transferring back and forth. Once the first offer comes in, they'll flood in. Some other top DBs that people are talking about like (Chevin) Calloway, he has as much talent as those guys, they just had freshman and sophomore years to get their name out. (Coleman) went to USC, and the Sound Body and Sound Mind camp, and he was a top performer at both, got MVP. That's where the Iowa, USC, UCLA, Nebraska interest is from. It all came from those camps. U of H is on him heavy, sending him the most stuff right now. He's pretty open right now. I think a selling point for Texas, his grandmother is very influential in his life. Him staying in state would be beneficial for his grandmother, to come check on him, come see him.”
Trinity Valley Community College DE Marvin Terry – “Missouri still has eyes on him but I don’t think that's going to happen. TCU talks to him heavy, wants him to come in as a linebacker. TCU and Oklahoma State, he talks to them almost every day. I’m trying to get Texas in on him. He's just as good as (Anthony) Wheeler, can be just as good. He’s a phenomenal tackler, has a nose for the ball, has quickness the offensive linemen just aren't prepared for. I call him baby Von Miller. Go watch his tape. He's a true 6-2, 225-230 at Trinity Valley. The coaches at Trinity Valley have done a good job of putting a good supporting cast around him, keeps him on the straight and narrow. I told the guys at Texas, he needs to be around those types of coaches, who can be like a mentor. That would be a great opportunity as a teaching moment, teach him an early mistake he made and learn from it. The kind of figure coach Strong is, the guys on his staff, they have a big influences in the community not just the field. It’s the hours when you're not at the facility. I think he would be a good fit for Texas, honestly. I hope they reach out to him more, think it would be a perfect home from him. The good thing about Marvin, he's qualified, will have four years to play three.”
Lancaster 2017 WR Omar Manning – “I think he'll lean towards the Big 12. Be out of TCU, Texas or I could maybe see one other school. He wants to be in a pass offense, so with him seeing the way Texas has opened it up, that may make him reconsider some things. Even if he doesn't select UT, coach Strong won't give up. He doesn't talk much. TCU and Texas are in the driver's seat with him.”
Dallas Kimball 2017 LB/DB Devodrick Johnson – “He’s going to be at the A&M game this weekend. He’s not having the type of season he wanted to. He wants to play more defense, but his coach is saving him more for offense. Schools still say the same thing, they’re watching him. He will take visits to Mississippi State, to A&M. He wants to take one to Texas but if he doesn't have an offer, it won’t be an official. He will take one to Oklahoma State too. With us taking that visit (to UT in the summer), he thought Texas might offer, but his coach isn’t helping his case with him not playing much defense. When it comes to defense, his upside is gigantic. He has a lot of value on defense. He can play safety, but is a more of a three-down linebacker.”
