OL Jean Delance's commitment to Texas is a bigger win than RB Devwah Whaley (who committed to Arkansas) would have been. Landing both would have been cause for dancing in the streets for Texas fans, but the desperate need for talented OL depth trumps the need for depth at RB by a mile coming into 2016.
This is no knock on Whaley as I believe he's the best 2016 RB in Texas. Other targets still on the board at the RB position for Texas to possibly turn its interest to would likely be Darius Anderson and Kyle Porter.
Here were my notes on Delance as a prospect:
- I’m not sure how much I love Delance's feet, but I'm 100 percent positive I love his size, frame, apparent core-strength and above-average flexibility and balance. He's a limber player. Delance's recruitment blew up through his junior season, and he would represent a huge get for Texas at a position of dire need as the other two offensive linemen ranked in my top-20 (Greg Little of Allen and Patrick Hudson of Sillisbee) are both currently committed elsewhere. Delance is, without question, the top OL prospect Texas will target in 2016.
Delance's need for refinement in his footwork was shown in the U/A All-America game as he gave up a very easy-looking sack early-on to top national prospect Rashan Gary. Delance will certainly be in the mix to contribute at Texas as early as 2016, but I'm not sure a player like Ronnie Major - who is still raw but has at least had a year in a college program - might have just as big an opportunity to step into a role.
The important news is that there is a very talented player entering the equation and beginning to build what would resemble a somewhat-replenished stable when comparing with recent history.
As for Whaley being off the table, our own Jason Suchomel has reported it may not be over as Whaley has plans to take an official visit to Texas (and presumably let PJ Locke get in his ear the whole time to flip).
Here were snippets from my initial notes from work I'd done on Katy's Kyle Porter and George Ranch's Darius Anderson.
- Porter's not tall, but he has high hips as a runner. He has natural shedding ability and near-elite balance. As a high-cut player physically, Porter's strides are deceptively long, leading to deceptively fast long-speed. Seeing him live and in-person, the notes I scribbled down were that my first reaction was to think of him as a “mighty mouse”-like figure. Very deceptive in size, power and speed with great balance for a high-cut runner.
- Anderson runs with a straight-forward lean and he's flexible on the move. He can stop and restart suddenly.
Anderson finishes his runs well and operates with an urgency.
This is no knock on Whaley as I believe he's the best 2016 RB in Texas. Other targets still on the board at the RB position for Texas to possibly turn its interest to would likely be Darius Anderson and Kyle Porter.
Here were my notes on Delance as a prospect:
- I’m not sure how much I love Delance's feet, but I'm 100 percent positive I love his size, frame, apparent core-strength and above-average flexibility and balance. He's a limber player. Delance's recruitment blew up through his junior season, and he would represent a huge get for Texas at a position of dire need as the other two offensive linemen ranked in my top-20 (Greg Little of Allen and Patrick Hudson of Sillisbee) are both currently committed elsewhere. Delance is, without question, the top OL prospect Texas will target in 2016.
Delance's need for refinement in his footwork was shown in the U/A All-America game as he gave up a very easy-looking sack early-on to top national prospect Rashan Gary. Delance will certainly be in the mix to contribute at Texas as early as 2016, but I'm not sure a player like Ronnie Major - who is still raw but has at least had a year in a college program - might have just as big an opportunity to step into a role.
The important news is that there is a very talented player entering the equation and beginning to build what would resemble a somewhat-replenished stable when comparing with recent history.
As for Whaley being off the table, our own Jason Suchomel has reported it may not be over as Whaley has plans to take an official visit to Texas (and presumably let PJ Locke get in his ear the whole time to flip).
Here were snippets from my initial notes from work I'd done on Katy's Kyle Porter and George Ranch's Darius Anderson.
- Porter's not tall, but he has high hips as a runner. He has natural shedding ability and near-elite balance. As a high-cut player physically, Porter's strides are deceptively long, leading to deceptively fast long-speed. Seeing him live and in-person, the notes I scribbled down were that my first reaction was to think of him as a “mighty mouse”-like figure. Very deceptive in size, power and speed with great balance for a high-cut runner.
- Anderson runs with a straight-forward lean and he's flexible on the move. He can stop and restart suddenly.
Anderson finishes his runs well and operates with an urgency.
