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Texas recruiting notes 2019


bigup2dahorns

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ND and aglets never equate. ND has a true national footprint, while ags have that "I just stepped in cow poop" thing. And if possible, domers are as arrogant as we Longhorns are. Like I said, if that's even possible. But they can never Surl like we do.

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14 hours ago, Elmer_Fudd said:

Seen on the 247 board that Stacy Wilkins and Steven Parker ( DE from Dallas ) are standing out early in the UA competition.  Haven't heard much on Parker, he's a composite 4*, maybe we take a look at him down the line.

Long time til signing day, but Parker has been committed to Tech for a good while now.  Has ties to TTU and family in Lubbock.  We'll see what happens.

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E.J. Holland: 10 observations from Adidas Nationals

1. Best WR in the state — After watching Garrett Wilson’s film and based on my in-person evaluation, I felt comfortable saying he was the best wide receiver in the state this recruiting cycle. This weekend only justified my stance. On a field loaded with elite level prospects, it was Wilson that stood out from the pack. The four-star recruit led KB3 to a deep run in the tournament and made play after play. He runs smooth routes, has strong hands and can go up and get it. The dude is a monster and should compete for playing time as a true freshman wherever he lands.

2. Next in line — Out of all the other Texas targets at the tournament, the recruit that impressed me the most was four-star Florida cornerback Jaden Davis. It’s easy to knock him for his size, but Davis makes up for it with his speed, natural cover skills and attitude. Davis was responsible for covering slot receivers and shut down even the quickest at the position. That transitions to field when the pads are on, so he might very well be the best slot cornerback in the country.

3. Thoughts on Watson — I came away very impressed with four-star Grayson (GA) defensive back Kenyatta Watson II. While he is listed as a safety, I agree with Texas that he is a better fit for cornerback at the next level. In the three games that I watched, Watson gave up just one catch. He frustrated opposing wide receivers with his length and athleticism. Watson is a perfect tall corner, and he has some impressive speed and hips for his size. Yes, he can play safety — he saw some time there during the tournament — but again, his biggest upside is at corner.

4. Man of Steele — It was hard to get a true evaluation of five-star St. John Bosco (Calif.) cornerback Chris Steele. He spent most of his time at safety during the tournament and didn’t let anything get behind him. When he did line up at cornerback, Steele showed off his elite level technique, footwork and hips. He can keep working on his speed, but other than that, it appears he checks all the boxes. Steele also brings a high football IQ to the table, and he isn’t afraid to get physical.

5. True slot take — While Texas already has a commitment from Jordan Whittington, the Longhorns would still like to add a true slot receiver this cycle. The top priority is Notre Dame Prep (AZ) product Jake Smith, who was extremely impressive for a short-handed State 48 team. Smith has blazing speed, is electric with the ball in his hands and brings good height/length at the position. Smith was one of the players I was most excited to see against elite competition, and he passed the eyeball test.

6. Definitely a WR — There have been a lot of talks about Elijah Higgins possibly moving to tight end. However, there is no doubt in my mind that he’s a wide receiver right now. Higgins is super athletic, can jump out of the gym and brings deceptive speed to the table. Higgins proved difficult to cover over the middle and made plays after the catch. He’s a monster in the red zone and came away with a number of eye-popping grabs. He should be just fine if he doesn’t add more weight.

7. Evaluating more Cali recruits — This was my first look at a pair of Texas offers out in California in four-star cornerback Mykael Wright and three-star linebacker Spencer Lytle. I wasn’t as impressed with Wright as I was with any of the defensive backs mentioned above. He is a mid-low four-star prospect in my eyes based on what I saw on the field (of course, I haven’t seen him in-game). He plays well from a technical standpoint, but there wasn’t much that really popped about him. Lytle is a thumper on the field, but he didn’t excel in this setting. He needs to keep working on his speed and coverage ability.

8. Elite 2020 recruit — Texas has already put an offer on the table for four-star 2020 defensive back Dwight McGlothern, and rightfully so. After all, McGlothern still has a ton of upside and is already an elite level player in the secondary. McGlothern notched four interceptions throughout the tournament and showed off his natural cover skills and instincts. He is long and athletic but is still raw from a fundamental standpoint. Depending on how much he grows, McGlothern might transition to safety, but right now, I like him at corner.

9. Should Texas offer Young? — Texas has yet to extend an offer to a quarterback in the 2020 class. But the Longhorns are taking a had look at Mater Dei (Calif.) quarterback Bryce Young, the nation’s top 2020 dual-threat quarterback. Young was one of the more impressive signal-callers at the tournament. He has a strong arm, is extremely accurate and can make all the throws. He is a perfect scheme fit for Tom Herman’s offense. The only drawback is his frame. Young really does need to bulk up.

10. Potential offers — Texas is taking a look at some California recruits in the 2019 class, including four-star wide receiver Braedin Huffman-Dixon. He had a good showing overall and appears deserving of a scholarship. He’s a smooth route runner and has solid speed for his size. Four-star cornerback Max Williams is also on the radar, but his height is a real concern. Ex-UCLA safety commit Jordan Patterson is an intriguing prospect. He could grow into a linebacker or stick at strong safety if he improves his hips and speed.

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32 minutes ago, Thiefery said:

Based on the practice reports, we're fine with the OL, been big improvements..

You’re crazy if you don’t think we need more help on the OL.

i know a lot of people want to chalk all our OL issues up to coaching and believe that Hand will fix all that. It’s just not true. We have some serious talent and depth deficiencies on the OL and will even when everyone is here and healthy. Hand won’t be able to fix all that in one offseason. If we can even get to a league average to slightly above average OL this year, we should all be very happy.

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12 minutes ago, horn_of_the_morning said:

Hey Will whats the news that was going to be good or bad depending on how we looked at it?

That got postponed to May 12th. Think about the significance of that date.



Sent from my Pixel XL using Tapatalk
 

My Cinco de Mayo hangover will have finally worn off?

Edited by texifornia
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22 hours ago, UT Lawnghorn said:

The real question is what other sprorts does Card not excel in? Answer: none.


I understand he would have  finished second in the Masters if he'd remembered to bring his clubs.

Also, per Rivals, Kenyon Jackson is visiting April 27-29.  He is Kenyatta Watson's teammate. 

Edited by Hornius Emeritus
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Guys, get a grip. They are all goofing at this point in time. But for every one that goofs, there are also the real ones. We already have several of those in the fold. Relax, chill, enjoy a burnt orange sunset or two, But remember to panic when necessary . . .

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Updated visitor spreadsheet: https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1i5Kk5NNdAVIc_sGJSDovph0VSmwrJuCcFufuvCDnJ5g/edit#gid=0

 

IT, Rivals, and I think TFB have all said that Watson/Pappoe/Jackson are OV'ing on 4/27. EJ said 5/4 though. My guess is that the EJ is wrong and the others are right, but I don't know for sure right now.

 

Also note that I'm not keeping track of who actually shows up and who doesn't, and I'm not retroactively adding visits that happen but weren't reported ahead of time. If someone wants to tackle that, have at it. This is basically just a running list of definitive reports of "Player X is visiting on date Y".

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Gunnell is just fucking around with Higgins, pretty funny. 

 

Roach recruiting info from UA Dallas ::

— As Horns247 reported, Texas is making a huge surge with Nolan Catholic DE/OLB NaNa Osafo-Mensah. I spoke with two additional sources close to Osafo-Mensah this weekend that confirmed what we heard on Friday. I was told the top two schools are clearly Notre Dame and Texas and that the Longhorns hold the current lead. Osafo-Mensah responded really well to the Longhorns’ recruiting pitch and business school opportunities. He’s also formed a bond with several players on the Texas team.

— Osafo-Mensah will visit Notre Dame and Texas before making his decision. Notre Dame held a long-time lead, and they are still very much a threat in this recruitment. I wouldn’t rule out a Notre Dame surge following his official visit to South Bend, but the Longhorns will get the last chance to make an impression. Osafo-Mensah has also been talking with four-star wide receiver Dylan Wright, who plays on his 7v7 team. I’m told the two would like to play together at the next level, and Texas would be the natural meeting point for that combination.

— Speaking of Wright, I’m told that the visit to Austin this weekend couldn’t have gone any better other than the cold snap that surged through Austin while he was on campus. Wright spent time with Jordan Whittington during the visit, and he also connected with Texas wide receiver Lil’Jordan Humphrey. Wright and Humphrey have similar personalities, and I’m told they clicked. Humphrey told Wright that he wouldn’t sugarcoat everything, and that whatever he saw on campus was really how it was. That honesty resonated with Wright, and he said that was something that stuck with him.

— Wright will not make a quick decision. He plans to take all of his official visits and announce his decision on early signing day. The Longhorns will face stiff competition for him, but after talking to sources I believe they are the outright leader for his services. Arkansas has been the perceived competition, but one source told me that as much as Wright loves the staff there, he’s focused on finding a school that can develop him for the NFL. The Arkansas coaches can certainly sell Courtland Sutton, but he’s still a bit skeptical of their resume.

— I talked to sources near the recruitment of Fort Bend Bush safety Jamal Morris. While Morris is planning to visit Austin in the future, the word is that Oklahoma holds the edge for him. Morris will be in Norman to visit the Sooners next weekend, and it wouldn’t be surprising to see him make a commitment. He is scheduled to make an official visit to UT on May 4. 

— Erick Young seemed interested in Texas following his junior day visit, but it looks like the Longhorns are going to be on the outside looking in. Young plans to release a Top 5 soon, and the Longhorns are one of the teams fighting for the last few spots. Texas A&M, Oklahoma and Alabama are the schools in front. Based on what I’ve heard, Oklahoma seems to be the school in the lead there.

— EJ reported on the impression Texas made on Jalen Catalon following his visit a few weeks ago. After talking to some people at the Under Armour camp in Dallas, it sounds like Texas is emerging as a leader for him. One source told me that the Longhorns are the outright leader. Catalon is intrigued by the opportunity to play baseball at Texas, and he’s formed a strong bond with Texas safety coach Craig Naivar. I put in a crystal ball in favor of Texas and feel strongly about the chances of Texas landing him.

— It looked like Texas might be able to get Texas A&M commit Demani Richardson on campus for a visit during the spring, but it seems that Texas might be losing some ground. After talking to Richardson and some other sources during the Under Armour Dallas camp, it seems that he’s firming up his commitment to the Aggies. There is some push from those around him for Richardson to take all of his visits, but he’s close with fellow Texas A&M commit Brian Williams and is trying to be a leader in the class.

— Stanford is still very much a threat to land Crandall center Branson Bragg. In fact, it could be said that they hold the edge for him right now. That said, Texas definitely has some opportunity. Bragg would like to get some more one-on-one time with Herb Hand, and he’s going to try to return to Austin during the spring to accomplish that. I was also told that he will give Texas A&M every chance in his recruitment. While the Aggies and Cardinal will be tough competition, there’s a feeling that Hand has the goods to solidify Texas in the top spot.

— The recruitment of Camden (Ark.) Fairview offensive tackle Stacey Wilkins should have some interesting twists and turns. Texas initially had some momentum, but it sounds like other schools are catching up. Wilkins said that TCU, Texas, Oklahoma and Arkansas were in his top group of schools, and Oklahoma is making a push once again. USC is another school that could turn out to be a threat for him. Texas needs to get him back on campus in order to re-capture what they had after they offered.

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Guest Horns in CT
3 hours ago, horn_of_the_morning said:

Hey Will whats the news that was going to be good or bad depending on how we looked at it?

That got postponed to May 12th. Think about the significance of that date.



Sent from my Pixel XL using Tapatalk
 

5/12 = 512 = ATX area code. 

Higgins and Wilson commiting together?

but how could that be bad news?

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IT

From: Eric Nahlin

DAVID GBENDA

Cinco Ranch's David Gbenda is a bit of a rarity these days -- the natural inside linebacker who doesn't sacrifice athleticism.

Typically you find the great athlete who runs himself out of plays, or the player who diagnoses the play quickly but can't get to it. But Gbenda reads flow well on a college level, then has the athleticism and shock power to make the play. He navigates the wash quite well. His pursuit speed is good as are his lateral quicks.

Combine all that and you see why he has some very fine schools pursuing him. As of right now, Texas and Texas A&M are out front, though Gbenda is quick to point out other schools could emerge.

The four-star made his third recent trip to Austin over the weekend and said, "It was pretty fun, pretty nice. I got to sit down and talk with players like Gary Johnson and BJ Foster."

He said the physicality of the scrimmage really caught his attention. "The scrimmage was pretty intense. I actually liked it. In that little time I remember Delly smacked the running back. He's huge. Then BJ Foster was coming down laying the boom too."

At one point Texas looked to hold the clear edge, thanks in part to his father signing off on the school. Recently Texas A&M has made a credible push, also earning his father's approval. He may make a return trip to A&M this upcoming weekend.

His decision timeline is fluid, though summer-ish would be the best way to characterize it as of now. He wants to feel like he's at home and isn't yet there with any school.

TWO QUICK NOTES

-- In talking with someone close to the program: Jordan Whittington loves the camera, is a trendy kid, is funny, and is genuinely likable. On top of it all, he takes football extremely seriously. He's the perfect leader. I receive very high remarks when I ask recruits about Whittington.

-- Arkansas offensive tackle Stacey Wilkins: "Recruiting is going good right now. Texas has been on me hard, showing a lot of love. I'm trying to plan to get up to Austin again soon." Wilkins will be in Norman this weekend for the Sooners huge visit weekend. We'll cover that later in the week. It's imperative that the staff gets Wilkins back to campus ASAP and for recruiting assistant/Poly liaison Jake Langi to do his thing.

From: Justin Wells

JALEN CATALON

The state's top defensive back in Texas did nothing to dispel that theory on Sunday. A couple of INTs and a handful of pass-breakups later, and the playmaker was filling his role.

At 5-foot-10, 180, Catalon displays leadership traits in every aspect of life. He was at the front of the line in every drill, he was the example other coaches used when making teaching points to the other DBs. He even showed the quickness and hips to play a little corner, even though he's best served at safety surveying the field. We talked a little recruiting Sunday evening.

"It was good seeing everyone out here competing, seeing all the big-time recruits here working hard and getting better," said Catalon. "Everybody is out here for a reason, they can ball out. But it gives you an idea of how good you are, what you need to work on, who's got the edge on you, and what you do to overcome that."

Along with his father, Catalon recently visited Austin and caught a Texas baseball game with coach Naivar and his son, as well as one of the baseball staffers. I wrote in-depth on the trip and how Texas is really separating themselves. 

"It's still going well," Catalon said about his relationship with UT and Naivar. "He's always keeping up with me, talking baseball, keeping me updated on UT's baseball team, trying to get me back to campus soon. I'll be back in Austin for sure. We have a great relationship. I really like coach Naivar and just the person he is."

Attending the Orange-White scrimmage is a maybe, another visit this summer is likely, and they'll definitely get one of his official visits, which he says he'll take all five this fall. Right now, only Arkansas is set for a visit. Catalon didn't mention any other program. If it stays that way, I love UT's chances even more.

For the moment, Catalon is in baseball mode. He says they're tied for the district lead midway through the district slate, he's batting almost .370, holding it down in centerfield and on the mound, and swiping bases every chance he gets. After yesterday, bases aren't the only thing he's been swiping. Footballs too.

BRANSON BRAGG

The "Big Intellectual" was invited to the Under Armour All-American game on Sunday after a standout performance. Bragg won every single rep. In some cases, it wasn't close. Off the field, he's a shy and quiet soul. On the field, he's a freaking pit bull trying to get off his chain.

"Today was awesome," said Bragg. "I wanted to come out and have a good day because I know I'm one of the best out here, and wanted to get in some solid reps. I ended up not losing any reps. If you want to be good, you need to have that disposition (pit bull). It felt good."

Texas, Stanford, and Texas A&M seems to have most of Bragg's interest right now.

"For Stanford, it's the offensive linemen they produce and the academic standard," Bragg said. "Stanford really has it all. But for me, it's the distance from home. The downside to Stanford is I don't like being so far from home. Only being able to come home maybe three times a year, that's really where Stanford stands with me right now. I love all the coaches and people I met in California. But it's far." (of note, Branson's mother was sporting a Stanford sweater)

What about Texas and coach Herb Hand?

"I have really good talks with coach Hand on the phone," said Bragg. "He told me during our first conversation that I remind him a lot of him. He's the offensive line coach. If you Google 'Herb Hand' and offensive line coach pops up. He's also a chef and all these other things. I'm a football player, but I'm also in the jazz band. I also keep good grades and do track. I just really like coach Hand. He's easy to talk to and an amazing coach."

Bragg is a maybe for A&M's spring game this weekend. For now, coach Hand has a good handle on this recruitment.

DYLAN WRIGHT

The most athletic pass-catcher in-state for 2019, Wright has become the world traveler recently with stops in Columbus (OHO, Ann Arbor (MI), and South Bend (IN). Last weekend, he was back in the ATX for another visit with Texas and the staff. This time, other recruits were involved.

"It was a lot of fun," said Wright. "Me and J-Whitt (Jordan Whittington) had so much fun. I was chilling with LJ (Lil Jordan Humphrey) all day. I hung out with No. 82 (Brennan Eagles) too. I stayed there all day from 8am to 11pm."

Wright got to sit in the WR room during meetings on Saturday.

"The way (coach Mehringer) talked, he was doing a lot of teaching," Wright explained. "He had a great way of breaking it down. That's what I need. Because when you do high-tech talking, sometimes I don't get it. But coach Drew helped me with the terminology. Once I get that down, it's a wrap."

The best part was Wright seeing the coaches in action. "You get to see them being real, not just another person at the school."

Is it safe to say Texas has some momentum in the state for 2019's class? "Yes, it's real. With the elites."

Wright will visit Florida State next weekend.

FINAL THOUGHTS AFTER UNDER ARMOUR

1. Waxahachie DB Demani Richardson looks locked in to A&M right now. He said he doesn't have any other visits planned. I think Jimbo's no-visit-while-committed policy is working with the uber athletic safety. Texas will continue to pursue, and I still think he sees Austin at some point during his recruitment, maybe in the summer or fall.

2. Chandler Morris, Arkansas coach Chad's son, is actually a pretty good QB from Highland Park. At 5-foot-10, and an average arm, he displays good pocket presence and touch/accuracy. He fit the ball into a few windows. Coach Morris was in attendance yesterday so I got the chance to bend his ear. I think he does well in Fayetteville, starting with beating the Aggies in year 1. More quarterbacks I liked were Longview's Haynes King (2020, more on him later), Rockwall's Jacob Clark (2019), John Jay's Jacob Zeno (2019), Weatherford's Ken Seals (2020), and Trinity Christian's Shedeur Sanders (2021).

3. The best wide receiver on Sunday was Allen's Theo Wease. He's gotten bigger, stronger, and more confident, if that was possible. When Deion Sanders told him "you're not Antonio Brown," Wease responded with "I'm not, I'm Theo Wease. Now train your DBs to stop me better." This kid doesn't lack for swagger and if/when he goes to OU, he'll be another nightmare in October for the Longhorns.

4. If Branson Bragg wasn't the best offensive linemen, Stacey Wilkins was. The 6-foot-5 four-star tackle from Camden (AR) has an incredible frame to go with excellent balance and feet. He also packs a punch at the point of attack with his hands/arms. The more I see, the more I like. Texas is in it, but so is Oklahoma and Arkansas. He says a Texas official visit is still likely.

5. One To Watch: Haynes King, Longview - QB (2020): The 6-foot-2, 175-pound pocket passer looked the part on Sunday. The son of Lobos coach John King, Haynes holds early offers from UH, La Tech, and ULM. He's hearing from Texas Tech, TCU, and Arkansas. Haynes throws a great intermediate ball, and great touch on his deep throws, notably the boundary fade. He's also deceptively athletic, helping Longview clinch the district track & field championship as the last leg on the 4x100.

ONE FINAL NOTE

Fort Worth Nolan Catholic's four-star LB/DL and top Texas target NaNa Osafo-Mensah looked good on Sunday, garnering an invite to the UA AA game. As I wrote in Saturday's recruiting notes, this is trending UT quite nicely. He's got an official visit setup for May 4th-6th. I anticipate he might be close to shutting it down. And I think the Longhorns are the team to beat.

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Wells on Garrett Wilson:

Lake Travis' four-star WR Garrett Wilson has had a well-documented recruitment here at Inside Texas for well over a year now. It's been long established that this will likely come down to Texas and Ohio State. Both offer tons of positives. In his eyes, he can't go wrong with either.

Ultimately, I feel like Wilson still isn't sure what's the move. I do know that Texas has advantages that out-of-state writers often aren't aware of. He's told me he'd already be a Longhorn if UT had more of a consistent passing attack. He's mentioned Ohio State has an edge because of offensive consistency.

But understand this; this recruitment won't come down to offenses. It'll be decided by relationships. Wilson has a great rapport with some of the current and future Longhorns. He's a big fan of Tom Herman and the rebuilding project on the 40 Acres. His new OC at LT just left the Horns staff, Will Stein. His family, which is ginormous to him, still resides in the 512.

And most importantly, Texas gets the last official visit. We told you this recruitment would be fun. If the recruits can stay the course, the fans can too.

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10 minutes ago, Machinator said:

Wells on Garrett Wilson:

 

  Hide contents

 

Lake Travis' four-star WR Garrett Wilson has had a well-documented recruitment here at Inside Texas for well over a year now. It's been long established that this will likely come down to Texas and Ohio State. Both offer tons of positives. In his eyes, he can't go wrong with either.

Ultimately, I feel like Wilson still isn't sure what's the move. I do know that Texas has advantages that out-of-state writers often aren't aware of. He's told me he'd already be a Longhorn if UT had more of a consistent passing attack. He's mentioned Ohio State has an edge because of offensive consistency.

But understand this; this recruitment won't come down to offenses. It'll be decided by relationships. Wilson has a great rapport with some of the current and future Longhorns. He's a big fan of Tom Herman and the rebuilding project on the 40 Acres. His new OC at LT just left the Horns staff, Will Stein. His family, which is ginormous to him, still resides in the 512.

And most importantly, Texas gets the last official visit. We told you this recruitment would be fun. If the recruits can stay the course, the fans can too.

 

Finally, someone who has real insight. I get so tired of the cliches.

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