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Texas recruiting notes 2019


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1 hour ago, Chili dog said:

Yeah, I think the kid had been bouncing around friends’ homes in south Florida and getting in trouble. Deion was trying to get him out of the environment in Miami because he was afraid the kid would end up wasting his talent. Brought the kid into his home. Came home after a couple weeks and Devine had bought a Greyhound ticket home.

well, deion is kind of a pain in the ass

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IT on WR recruiting

With the likely 27-28 signees (18 commits) destined to ink with the Longhorns by the first week in February 2019, the WR spot seems to be the pivotal position in which the number of takes here could wind up in different places on the team roster.

Add the Collin Johnson/Lil' Jordan Humphrey great start/stats dynamic and you have an opportunity to grab more than a few elites to round out the 2019 class.

Like I said, this number is fluid, more so than I envisioned before the start of the summer. But more importantly, I think it's changing within the recruiting meetings on campus each week. The versatility this class brings makes is interesting. We know it'll be at least five kids, and probably not seven. Let's say the number is six today.

IN THE CLASS (3)

Jake Smith (Notre Dame Prep - AZ): The best offensive player in 2019's class. Alabama loves him, thankfully the Smiths aren’t reciprocating.
Jordan Whittington (Cuero - TX): One of the best athletes in Texas for 2019, seeing him back in action last week was such a delight. He really can do it all.
Demaryion Houston (Oklahoma City - OK): The Texas staff likes the upside with this speedster from enemy territory.

IN THE MIX (11) 

Bru McCoy (Mater Dei - CA): Tom Herman calculated the perfect storm. A great start to 2018, heavy WR production, beating USC/and USC being bad, and having a couple Texas commits (Floyd and Adimora) that have a little west coast sway. He's in the tweener category because he probably has the most upside on defense. But he's talented enough to let him play where he wants.

Marcus Washington (Trinity Catholic - MO): The relationship Bryan Carrington and Nu-Nu Washington (Marcus' father) developed last spring was a great example of watering seeds and waiting for the flowers to bloom. It takes time, genuine interest, holding up against negative recruiting (bad weather), and predicting the best path to success (best mulch to use). That little junior teammate of Washington's, Mookie Cooper, would be as pretty as a Tyler Rose. With Marcus announcing his college intentions on Friday, I like where Texas stands here. With him and Mookie.

Elijah Higgins (Arlington Bowie - TX): The local four-star always had interest in the Horns. It swayed in different directions over the last 9+ months, notably towards Palo Alto and Gainesville. Then it began back to the 40 Acres. Higgins was reaching out more. Elijah's father and Drew Mehringer are building a solid relationship. His family would prefer he stay close to home, and with Collin and LJH's success, Higgins' feelings towards Texas are still curious. He's re-applying to Stanford, and if he gets accepted, that might boost David Shaw's batting average in Texas. But he still has an official visit to Texas when West Virginia comes to town in two weeks and wants to decide soon after that.

Kennedy Lewis (Melissa - TX): If you need an example of UT's 2018 first half success resonating with the 2019 class, Lewis is perfect. All TCU until Texas reached out to gauge interest, which Lewis returned positive vibes. He's that 'X' with his length (6'3) and ball skills. I've got Higgins a notch higher, but Lewis is faster. I also like TCU's (Cumbie) WR evaluations. he wants to take a few more trips, but I feel safe saying he's UT's to lose.

Langston Anderson, Heritage (Midlothian, TX): Texas stays in contact with the long-striding receiver outside DFW. They've got others more prioritized today, but still like him and are evaluating.

Jaylen Ellis, Cedar Ridge (Round Rock, TX) (BAYLOR): If Texas would've pushed here last summer, I think they flip him. With the #fUTure19 filled at slot and the Demaryion Houston take, Ellis is the odd man out. I don't think he goes to Baylor.

Kenyon Jackson, Grayson (Loganville, GA) (TEXAS A&M): Teammate of UT pledge Kenyatta Watson II, Texas offered Jackson, who then was quickly offered by and committed to the Aggies. I'm hearing he is open and looking. He already liked the Horns too. Talk about an ideal outside guy in this offense. A visit from Jackson to Austin wouldn't shock me.

Devonta Lee, Amite (Amite - LA): This kid always adds the Longhorns to schools he's still interested in, but I think he's all SEC. LSU or Bama, IMO.

Mycah Pittman, Calabasas (Calabasas, CA) (OREGON): There's still contact, but this ain't happening.

Peyton Powell, Permian (Odessa Permian - TX): His recruitment began to heat up last summer, then cooled. But Texas always stayed in touch, which really got his attention. He's one of the tweeners where cornerback/nickel is where he's probably maximized, but you might have to see what he looks like at catching the ball first.

Garrett Wilson, (Lake Travis - TX) (OHIO STATE): I'm still not giving up hope on Wilson. Even though the Buckeyes are the most likely outcome, the combination of people close to him inquiring about UT's football program, and Dicker/Card in his ear, I just don't think this recruitment is a closed case yet.

FINAL TOTAL (6)

Smith is the best pass-catcher on this list, quite frankly. He'd be Top 3 in TX.

Whittington has so much ability and untapped potential. If he ends up at WR, that's a good thing. We've seen his offensive exploits. If he ends up at safety, that's a good thing as well. That means wide receiver recruiting was so good, and he displays a knack for filling the allies and ball skills for the back secondary.

Houston is a toss-up to me. While I like his speed, I feel like there's a dozen Demaryion types already in-state, like Jaylon Ellis. At the end of the day, Herman likes him and that's all that matters.

That leaves three spots.

First, Bru McCoy. He'll have an offer until NSD II. Despite reports, he's still announcing at the Army All-American game, which I feel like has been the date since last summer. UT's chances here actually increase by the Saturday. His love for the Trojans doesn't waver, but the mess that is USC's football season and the fans increasing disgust for Clay Helton leaves a lot to be desired. Texas winning and De'Gabriel Floyd help here too. The key could be Tom Herman's pitch: play wide receiver and outside linebacker (on 3rd downs mainly). Herman even broke down the snap allocation. That really impressed his family during his official visit when Texas thumped Southern Cal.

With the difficulty of pulling elites into your program, getting him from out-of-state are even worse odds. If UT is going to land McCoy, they've done virtually everything they could up to this point.

Next is Marcus Washington. The St. Louis-to-Austin pipeline continues if the four-star from Missouri picks Texas on Friday. It might continue flowing for at least another couple cycles.

Then Kennedy Lewis. Texas needs his type and he continues to show promise as a senior.

Also, Peyton Powell. The Horns have put themselves in great position here, I'm just wondering how much Ohio State is pushing. I also think he knows he's better suited for the secondary but wants the chance on offense. Not at quarterback either.

Lastly, Elijah Higgins. I love how the staff has fought back into Higgins' plans. With coach Mehringer and Elijah's father chatting at the four-star's UA jersey ceremony, this is progress. Enough? Ask me after West Virginia leaves town.

Not-so-bold-but-it-just-sounds-good predicted finish is Smith, Whittington, Houston, Washington, and Lewis. And I think Powell makes it six despite the chance he winds up as Jalen Catalon insurance at nickel.

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E.J. Holland: How Texas commits performed this week

 

The high school football season is in full swing, and that means Texas commits are putting up big performances for their respective teams.

The Longhorns currently have 18 commits this cycle — four-star safety Tyler Owens, four-star Conroe Oak Ridge offensive lineman Tyler Johnson, four-star Houston North Forest offensive lineman Javonne Shepherd, four-star Millwood (Okla.) wide receiver Demariyon Houston, four-star Cuero athlete Jordan Whittington, four-star Westlake (Calif.) outside linebacker De’Gabriel Floyd, four-star Buford (GA) running back Derrian Brown, four-star Grayson (GA) defensive back Kenyatta Watson II, four-star Katy Cinco Ranch inside linebacker David Gbenda, four-star Notre Dame Prep (AZ) wide receiver Jake Smith, four-star Mayfair (Calif.) defensive back Chris Adimora, four-star Chandler (AZ) tight end Brayden Liebrock, four-star Port Neches-Groves quarterback Roschon Johnson, three-star Orlando Jones (Fla.) outside linebacker Marcus Tillman Jr., three-star Temple tight end Jared Wiley, three-star Alvin cornerback Marques Caldwell and three-star George Ranch defensive end Peter Mpagi and three-star Huntsville defensive end T’Vondre Sweat.

Texas is ranked No. 9 in the country in the 247Sports Composite team recruiting rankings. Texas sits behind Oklahoma in the Big 12 team recruiting rankings. With Texas rebuilding under Tom Herman, it is important to look ahead to the future of the program. Here is a full breakdown of how UT verbal pledges performed this week.

QB Roschon Johnson, Port Neches-Groves
Johnson is back and fully healthy. The four-star prospect passed for 382 yards, rushed for 124 yards and scored six total touchdowns in Port Neches-Groves' 44-37 win over Dayton. At 6-foot-1, 192 pounds, Johnson is ranked as the No. 4 dual-threat quarterback and No. 215 overall prospect in the country, per 247Sports Composite.


QB Hudson Card, Lake Travis (2020)
Card and Austin Lake travis had the week off. They will square off against Del Valle this week. Lake Travis, a state finalist a year ago, is currently 6-1 on the year. At 6-foot-2, 167 pounds, Card is ranked as the No. 3 dual-threat quarterback and No. 96 overall recruit in the country in the 2020 class, per 247Sports Composite.   


RB Derrian Brown, Buford (GA)
Brown and Buford had a bye week. They will return to action against Walnut Grove on Friday night. Buford is currently 6-2. At 5-foot-10, 179 pounds, Brown is ranked as the No. 15 running back and No. 235 overall recruit in the country, per 247Sports Composite. Brown recently committed to Texas over several major offers.


WR Jake Smith, Notre Dame Prep (AZ)
Smith and Notre Dame Prep (AZ) had the week offer. They will return to the field this week against Paradise Valley (AZ) in its regular season finale. Notre Dame Prep (AZ) is currently 9-0. At 6-foot-1, 189 pounds, Smith is ranked as the No. 17 wide receiver and No. 87 overall prospect in the country, per 247Sports Composite.  


WR Demariyon Houston, Millwood (Okla.)
Millwood (Okla.) topped Lexington (Okla.), 65-6, over the weekend. No official stats were available. Millwood (Okla.) is now 8-0 and is ranked as one of the top overall teams in the state of Oklahoma. At 6-foot, 165 pounds, Houston is ranked as the No. 27 wide receiver and No. 174 overall prospect in the country, per 247Sports Composite.


TE Brayden Liebrock, Chandler (AZ)
Liebrock caught two passes for 34 yards and a touchdown as Chandler (AZ) took down Tucson Magnet (AZ), 62-0. Chandler (AZ) is ranked as the No. 20 high school football team in the country. At 6-foot-5, 220 pounds, Liebrock is ranked as the No. 7 tight end and No. 178 overall prospect in the country, per 247Sports Composite. Liebrock committed to Texas over several major offers.


TE Jared Wiley, Temple
Wiley is committed to Texas as a tight end, but the three-star prospect plays quarterback for his high school team. Wiley passed for 154 yards and a touchdown in a 42-18 victory over Killeen Ellison. At 6-foot-6, 225 pounds, Wiley is ranked as the No. 37 tight end and No. 916 overall prospect in the country, per 247Sports Composite.  


OL Tyler Johnson, Conroe Oak Ridge
Johnson and Conroe Oak Ridge lost to Klein Oak, 35-20, and fell to 2-5. At 6-foot-5, 308 pounds, Johnson is ranked as the No. 8 offensive tackle and No. 36 overall prospect in the country, per 247Sports Composite. Johnson is UT’s highest rated commit this cycle and picked the Longhorns over a slew of major offers.  


OL Javonne Shepherd, Houston North Forest
Houston North Forest and Shepherd had the week off. They will face Houston Worthing on Friday. At 6-foot-6, 346 pounds, Shepherd is ranked as the No. 22 offensive tackle and No. 210 overall prospect in the country, per 247Sports Composite. Shepherd committed to Texas over the summer over a number of other major offers.   


DL Peter Mpagi, George Ranch
Mpagi and George Ranch fell to Pearland Dawson, 33-14, and dropped to 3-4 on the year. At 6-foot-4, 224 pounds, Mpagi is ranked as the No. 56 weak-side defensive end and No. 705 overall prospect in the country, per 247Sports Composite. Mpagi committed to Texas, which he called his dream school, shortly after picking up an offer from the Longhorns this summer.


DL T'Vondre Sweat, Huntsville
Sweat recorded three tackles and a sack in Huntsville's 14-7 win over Lamar Consolidated. At 6-foot-3, 249 pounds, Sweat is ranked as the No. 48 strong-side defensive end and No. 742 overall prospect in the country, per 247Sports Composite. Sweat committed to Texas back in February and was the second member of the Longhorns’ 2019 recruiting class.


LB De'Gabriel Floyd, Westlake (Calif.)
Floyd rushed for a touchdown and made several plays on defense in Westlake's (Calif.) 42-7 win over Newbury Park (Calif.). Floyd transferred to Westlake (Calif.) this offseason and is making a huge impact for his new team. At 6-foot-2, 240 pounds, Floyd is ranked as the No. 4 outside linebacker and No. 59 overall prospect in the country, per 247Sports Composite. Floyd committed to Texas in March over several major offers.  


LB David Gbenda, Katy Cinco Ranch
Gbenda and Katy Cinco Ranch had the week off. They will square off against state powerhouse Katy on Friday night. Katy Cinco Ranch is currently 2-5 this season. At 6-foot, 218 pounds, Gbenda is ranked as the No. 14 inside linebacker in the country and No. 34 overall prospect in the state, per 247Sports Composite.


LB Marcus Tillman Jr., Orlando Jones (Fla.)
Tillman and Orlando Jones (Fla.) raced past Eustis (Fla.), 51-0, to move to 7-1 on the year. No stats were available from the contest. At 6-foot-1, 220 pounds, Tillman is ranked as the No. 23 outside linebacker and No. 411 overall prospect in the country, per 247Sports Composite. Tillman committed to Texas this summer, just a day after earning an offer.


CB Kenyatta Watson II, Grayson (GA)
Watson and his Grayson (GA) team pummeled Newton (GA), 57-14. Watson notched four tackles in the win. Grayson (GA) is currently 6-2 but recently dropped out of the national high school rankings. At 6-foot-2, 187 pounds, Watson is ranked as the No. 16 cornerback and No. 167 overall prospect in the country, per 247Sports Composite.


CB Marques Caldwell, Alvin
Alvin fell to Clear Falls, 48-7. However, Caldwell missed the game with a labrum injury. He is expected to return before the end of the season. At 6-foot-1, 171 pounds, Caldwell is ranked as the No. 63 cornerback and No. 721 overall prospect in the country, per 247Sports Composite.


S Chris Adimora, Mayfair (Calif.)
Adimora returned an interception for a touchdown in Mayfair's (Calif.) 56-21 victory over La Mirada (Calif.). Mayfair (Calif.) is currently 7-2. At 6-foot-1, 192 pounds, Adimora is ranked as the No. 14 safety and No. 187 overall prospect in the country, per 247Sports Composite. Adimora committed to Texas this summer over a number of major offers.  


S Tyler Owens, Plano East
Owens and Plano East suffered a 41-19 loss at the hands of crosstown rival Plano. No defensive stats were available. At 6-foot-3, 202 pounds, Owens is ranked as the No. 26 safety and No. 295 overall prospect in the country, per 247Sports Composite. Owens recently committed to Texas over a handful of major offers.


ATH Jordan Whittington, Cuero
Cuero and Whittington, who is back from injury and healthy, topped Llano, 55-16. Whittington logged two receptions for 48 yards and a touchdown and also rushed 90 yards and another score. Defensively, Whittington returned an interception for a touchdown. At 6-foot-1, 198 pounds, Whittington is ranked as the No. 45 overall prospect in the nation, per 247Sports Composite.

Edited by satyanash
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