Jalin Conyers | Update | The Latest

– Super K

I spoke with 2020 TE, Jalin Conyers (Gruver, TX) about where things currently stand in his recruitment.

You’ll recall that Conyers visited Texas for an unofficial visit not too long ago. Conyers is an athletic tight end who saw his recruitment explode fairly recently picking up offers from Texas, OU, Ohio State, Georgia and a host of others.

A few notes from conversation with him…

***Thus far, he tells me that he has taken unofficial visits to Texas, Baylor, Texas Tech, OU and Oklahoma State.

***While Conyers has offers from schools farther away and says that his parents are supportive of him going to school farther away, as Darius mentioned shortly after Conyers visit to Texas, my read after talking to him is that he is unlikely go very far away.

“For my family and my friends being able to watch, especially being from a small town and not being able to go as many places, it’s honestly in the back of my head that I kind of want to go somewhere close but at the end of the day I’m going to to a place where I believe that I fit in and a place where my mom and dad, whether it’s far or close that they will be glad to go to anytime and watch games and be apart of it”.

***In terms of distance, OU and OSU he says they’re about three or four hours. Texas Tech, he says, is about a three hour drive. And he said Texas is nine hours.

That would seem to put Texas at a pretty significant disadvantage, however, I noticed he added he was looking for a place that his parents would be, “glad to go to go to anytime”. Austin typically fits the mold of that kind of place.

***Conyers says that he plans on releasing a top five later this month. Those five schools will be his list of official visits. He said he already knows two of those schools but said he wasn’t ready to release those. Just based on the fact that he’s only visited five schools unofficially, my best guess would be those five will be his OVs but I guess it is possible he throws an out of a region school in the mix.

Either way, despite the driving distance, I’d be a bit surprised to not see the flagship in-state program.

***Conyers said that it is possible he take his official visits in the summer and make a decision before the season starts but added that it is entirely possible that he wait until the fall to complete his process and announce a decision.

***And, it would seem Texas feels Conyers’ interests is bona fide as he tells me coach Waraheim has remained in touch and recently visited him up in Gruver, TX…which, again, is a bit out of the way.

***Again, look for his top five later this month (around May 24th, he says).

TFB Commitment Analysis | 2019 JUCO LB Juwan Mitchell

– Darius Terrell

Commitment Analysis: Juwan Mitchell

Yesterday evening, Texas picked up yet another late addition to their 2019 recruiting class when they added a commitment from Butler C.C. LB Juwan Mitchell. Mitchell is the fourth post-signing day addition to the 2019 class for the Longhorns, joining USC Transfer WR Bru McCoy, Georgia Tech Grad Transfer OL Parker Braun, and Iowa Western C.C. OL Willie Tyler. Mitchell becomes the 26th member in the class.

What is Texas getting in Mitchell?

Ranking: 3-Star (247), 3-Star (Rivals), Unranked (ESPN)

Top Offers: Since November 2018, Mitchell has committed and de-committed from both Rutgers and Minnesota before ultimately ending the process as a member of the Longhorns’ 2019 class after also visiting Arkansas late in the process.

Size: 6’2 225lbs

Projected College Position: Inside Linebacker

Comparison: Anthony Wheeler (Texas 2015-2018)

Analysis: The first thing that I notice about Mitchell in his clips is the result of the impact that his collisions have on his targets. When Mitchell finds the correct gap, he fills it violently. Much like recently departed Longhorn LB Anthony Wheeler, Mitchell is a guy that is clearly at his best and most comfortable moving forward and attacking the LOS. It is difficult to tell how well he reads from highlight clips, but he does a nice job of sniffing out several counters on tape. I think that he moves pretty well, he’s just not nearly the twitched-up athlete that fans may have gotten used to recently after seeing elite athletes like Malik Jefferson and Gary Johnson fly around the past few seasons. Mitchell provides Texas with some immediate insurance for the loss of De’Gabriel Floyd and adds some much-needed depth in the LB room. At the absolute worst, Mitchell is candidate to be an immediate contributor on Special Teams and will have four years to play three seasons at Texas. He will be a true Sophomore next season.

Highlights:

Running Back | Recruiting Updates

– Super K

***Not a pleasant update but I am told that Texas will not make the cut for 2020 5-star running back, Kendall Milton.

Milton visited earlier this year.

He then toured a number of other schools in the SEC, along with Ohio State. It sounds like the list will consist of those schools.

***Texas also missed the cut for 2020 RB target, Kobe Pryor (GA) who released his top six earlier this month.

He is set to announce his decision this weekend.

***The two “big” targets that remain on the board and in play are Zach Evans and Bijan Robinson.

As I mentioned last week, I believe Evans may be closer to a decision that had previously expected.

Robinson’s mother has consistently told me that she wants Bijan to make his decision before the season begins.

I’ll work to confirm whether Robinson plans on making a return visit out to Texas this summer for an official visit.

***I’d like to see Texas have at least one running back commitment going into the season. There are a few really talented running backs in the state who though they may not be as highly rated, would give Texas a weapon and not deter bigger name backs from committing.

Texas vs LSU | Primetime

– Charlie S

The spotlight will be on the Longhorns early this upcoming season as the September 7th home game versus LSU will be featured on ABC’s Saturday Night Football national broadcast.

Big chance for Texas to make an early-season statement in a game which will be watched by a lot of eyes!

Recruiting Notes | Recent Texas Offers

– CJ Vogel

With what’s been a relatively quiet last couple of months on the recruiting trial, it gives us an opportunity to catch up on some of the recent offers that Texas has extended. Unsurprisingly, a number of out of state guys have received offers from the Longhorns over the last week.

Troy Franklin (2021 WR) – Menlo Park, CA

Texas went out to the west coast once again and extended an offer to one of the top WRs in the 2021 class. Franklin will be in consideration for top WR in the nation for the ’21 class and is the No. 1 player in CA for the time being.

God is great! Blessed to earn an offer from The university of Texas !🤘🏼 #hookem pic.twitter.com/w4fKXG6AaZ — Troy Franklin (@TroooyyyyyyTroy) May 15, 2019

Len’Neth Whitehead (2020 LB) – Athens, GA

It’s tough to snag top talent out of Georgia, but the Longhorns are throwing their hat in the ring for 4-star LB Len’Neth Whitehead. It appears Georgia is the team to beat while the Tennessee Volunteers are in the mix as well.

Texas has been in need for linebacking depth so any linebacker offer moving forward should have a close eye kept on it.

Beaux Collins (2021 WR) – Bellflower, CA

Another 2021 WR from California received a Texas offer earlier this week. Beaux Collins is a 6-foot, 3-inch WR from St. John Bosco.

It’s worth noting the Collins lives a mere three miles from where Texas CB Chris Adimora attended HS. Tom Herman and his staff are really beginning to get a foot in the door in the area.

Excited to announce that I have received an offer from THEE University of Texas!! #HookEm thank you @CoachTOrlando 🤘🏾 pic.twitter.com/9J4AKYrAsz — Beaux ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ (@beaux_collins) May 13, 2019

Gabe Ervin (2021 RB) – Buford, GA

Texas tossed an offer to the proceeding RB to Derrian Brown at Buford HS in Georgia. Ervin is 5-11, 180 pounds and has very impressive film. He looks to have a frame that will allow him to add some good weight before he carries the ball at the college level.

Ervin has received a number of ACC offers including Florida State, Maryland, Syracuse and Louisville.

Mo (Malik) Williams (2021 CB) – Buford, GA

Staying at Buford, Texas offered 2021 cornerback Mo Williams.

Williams is a very fluid corner and at 6-foot, and 175 pounds, he will certainly be a hot commodity once his senior season rolls around. Williams has racked up offers from Florida, Florida State, Nebraska and Georgia Tech.

Update | Vernon Broughton

– Super K

Stopped by Cy Ridge yesterday to see 2020 DL, Vernon Broughton…

New Cy Ridge HC, Andrew Shanle has weapons.



Vernon Broughton coming off #HookEm visit. #tOSU OV up next. Decision possible late summer.



2020 DB, Je’Vaun Dabon hits like a safety, moves like a CB & high football IQ.



2020 WR, LJ Patterson visiting Baylor this weekend. pic.twitter.com/4kVYAakmqM — Super K (@SuperK_TFB) May 16, 2019

Here are my notes for our conversation…

***First, I think after that conversation it became more and more apparent that where Vernon ends up is going to have as much to do with how well people recruit his family, as it will with how they recruit him.

“If you love my family, I’m going to love you back”. Vernon said that his mom really had a nice time on the visit. I have yet to speak with her about their recent Texas visit but per my sources, mother was pleased with the visit.

Again, I think that is going to be a crucial factor.

***As I’ve previously noted, Broughton’s mother did coach at LSU and Vernon says he did live in Baton Rouge at one time and he did say that he has an affinity for LSU.

However, interestingly, he said he has yet to set up an official visit to LSU.

Still, of all the head coaches at the various schools, his face lit up when he talked about coach Orgeron, “The thing I like about them is coach O, he’s goofy and all”, Broughton said with a smile.

***Broughton said his next official visit is set for Ohio State. Vernon said he didn’t have the rest of his visits set up but truth be told it sounded like his mother is doing a lot of the scheduling.

***He did say that there is a possibility that he will save his official visits for schools outside the region. This is significant because, as of now, he didn’t seem certain that he was even going to set a Texas A&M official visit. If that persists and TAMU’s visit ends up being an unofficial, that certainly gives Texas an advantage.

I got the sense that TAMU has a lot of work to do in this race.

***Vernon said he will probably take an official visit to Alabama.

***In terms of a decision timeline, Vernon said, “I’m looking at making a decision towards the end of the summer. Yeah, commitment towards the end of the summer”.

***On his official visit to Texas he said, “it was amazing. The trip was amazing to be honest. Hanging out with Chad (Lindberg) and all of them and Jalen (Garth) acting crazy and having a good time and my mom and them chilling at the hotel. It was cool”.

***To be candid, I left the conversation with quite a few question marks. So in trying to piece it all together my sense is that by the time the final summer OVs are over, the schools who will have received offers will be Texas, Ohio State, LSU and Alabama. I’m not totally sure who that fifth school will be. It may still be Texas A&M.

***But I still get the sense that Texas’ biggest competition remains LSU.

***I also came away thinking that to win this battle Texas really needs to recruit both Vernon and his family. Vernon talked about some schools not communicating with him as much as he’d like. He even mentioned schools that send him a lot of edits but when it comes to having actual conversations with him, he’d like to see more of that.

***Again, it doesn’t seem this one is going to drag out too long. A late summer decision appears to be the plan.

Thirsty Thursday | Top 25 for 21 | Recruiting Notes | Hoops Update

– Darius Terrell

Welcome back to another edition of Thirsty Thursdays! As usual, I’m here to try to help quench your thirst for Longhorn Football in the drought of the offseason, along with other topics of interest in Longhorn sports this week.

Some Quick Thoughts

*This is my personal list and these are strictly my opinions*

*** I had a more difficult time piecing together this group and deciding a proper order than I did with the 2020 class. 2021 is so DEEP at such an early stage. As I’ve stated before, this is one of the more talented classes in years.

*** 25 is not a big enough number to do this group justice. Understand that every player that you see listed below has a chance to be a standout in college and beyond.

*** I have three players in the 2020 in-state class rated as 5-Star prospects and the same holds true for the 2021 class. The difference is I think the number in the 2021 class has a chance to grow to a whopping SEVEN 5-Star players by the time the final rankings for the class are done two years from now.

*** Here are the different regions broken down by the numbers:

Dallas Area – 13 players in Top 25

Houston Area – 9 players in Top 25

East Texas – 2 players in Top 25

Central Texas – 1 player in Top 25

*** Overall, there were a total of 41 players that I debated with myself for numerous hours about. There will be some big names missing from the list that you need to know included in these bullet points.

*** Dallas (Parish Episcopal) QB Preston Stone has been the name at QB for 2021 since this same time last year. I’m a big fan of Houston (North Shore) QB Dametrius Davis and his accuracy, despite him not being tall. Denton (Guyer) QB Eli Stowers is a guy that will be highly rated on a lot of lists due to his exceptional size (6’4 205) and athleticism (state-qualifier in the High Jump). I’m going to be a bit more cautious with his ranking than others at this point, but all of the tools are there.

*** Garland (Lakeview Centennial) RB Camar Wheaton is the class of the position in my opinion. Pearland’s Brandon Campbell is a solid #2 for me right now. Other players that received serious consideration are Rockdale’s Cam’Ron Valdez, Mansfield (Timberview) APB Montaye Dawson, and Houston (Cy Fair) RB LJ Johnson.

*** 2021 will be an exceptionally deep year as far as qualities bodies in the trenches go. On the offensive side alone these are some highly touted guys that received serious consideration: Mansfield (Summit) OT Jacoby Jackson, Houston (Episcopal) OL Donovan Jackson, Richmond (Foster) OT Reuben Fatheree, and Denton (Braswell) OL Erick Cade.

*** Defensively, Hutto DL/LB Landyn Watson and Texarkana (Pleasant Grove) DL Marcus Burris would have likely been Top 25 guys if they were in the class of 2020. Grandview ATH Demetrious Crownover, Wichita Falls (Rider) DL E’Maurion Banks, Mansfield (Lake Ridge) DL Braylen Jackson, and Frisco (Liberty) DL/LB Prince Ugoh are a few other Defensive Linemen that are extremely high upside players who didn’t make the initial cutoff due to the depth of this class.

*** The linebacker position looks to make a nice return in 2021. On top of the three guys that made the Top 25, there are a handful of other talented linebackers that have already flashed on tape. Duncanville (Duncanville) LB Kendrick Blackshire will be the most notable name at the position missing. I have concerns about where his body will take him and if he sticks at LB. Plano (West) LB Jacob Stephens, Dallas (SOC) LB Jai Jones, and Prosper (Prosper) LB Aidan Siano are all high-quality prospects.

*** I had a difficult time with the Defensive Backs. I’m a big fan of Kennedale’s JD Coffey, but I felt horrible for having to leave off a guy like Waco (Connally) Safety Kavian Gaither, who is small, but a turnover machine. Katy CB Hunter Washington and Dallas (Kimball) CB Ishmael Ibraheem also received serious consideration and are guys to keep an eye on moving forward. Austin (LBJ) CB Latrell McCutchin is my top corner in the class at this point in time.

*** Coppell ATH KJ Liggins and La Porte ATH Albert Regis are guys that I am aware of, but are not on this list because I want to see more of them. Liggins is a guy that I can’t find more than freshman clips on and I think that Regis is going to wind up on the defensive side of the ball, but he doesn’t have any footage available of him playing defense.

*** There are a pair of lottery tickets in this class that I do not have ranked currently because they are enormous young men that appear to move exceptionally well, but for one reason or another they don’t have much footage available at this time. Those guys are Frisco (Lone Star) DL/OL Jaiden Jones (6’8, 307) and Cedar Hill (Trinity Christian) OL/DL Elijah Bowser (6’6 320). I intend to see both at some point before or during next season.

*** This list is fluid and will be updated prior to the beginning of next season (Week 0-1), at the conclusion of next season after the State Championships, and next Spring.

Feel free to drop any questions or opinions of your own at the conclusion of the piece and we can start a dialogue!

DT’s Texas 2021 Top 25 (2021)

1. Tommy Brockermeyer OT 6’6 275 Fort Worth (All Saints)

Analysis: Stanford Offensive Tackle Walker Little was the best Tackle prospect that I had ever seen in person prior to getting my eyes on Brockermeyer at The Opening in Dallas. Size? Check. Feet? Check. Technique? Check. Mean Streak? Check. Bloodlines? Check. Brockermeyer may be my #1 prospect in Texas regardless of class.

Recruitment Status: Brockermeyer has offers from every major program in the country. For obvious reasons, Texas sits in very good position for both Tommy and his twin brother, James, who is a nice Center prospect in his own right. The Brockermeyers has also visited Michigan, Iowa, Oklahoma, Oklahoma St., and TCU this spring.

Highlights:

2. Jatavion Sanders ATH 6’4 220 Denton (Ryan)

Analysis: Sanders has special potential on both sides of the ball. I saw him live at a playoff game this past season where he had over 100 yards receiving and 2 touchdowns on offense, while also adding 2 sacks from his Defensive End position. That is extremely impressive at the 5A level, and he is a very fluid athlete for his size. I view Sanders as a 5-Star talent.

Recruitment Status: I can’t find anything on Sanders publicly. I have heard behind the scenes that Oklahoma and Texas are going to be major players in his recruitment, with the Sooners being the favorite.

Highlights:

3. Preston Stone 6’1 180 Dallas (Parish Episcopal)

Analysis: While I am slightly skeptical about his listed size and he doesn’t face the stiffest competition, it is impossible to deny the arm talent that Stone displays on tape. He shows impressive pocket awareness for a teenager and the athleticism to escape the pocket while keeping his eyes downfield to deliver strikes to his receivers.

Recruitment Status: Stone received an offer from Texas over a year ago and the Longhorns are considered the favorite by everyone to land the talented signal-caller.

Highlights:

4. Savion Byrd OT 6’5 265 Duncanville (Duncanville)

Analysis: Savion Byrd is the best athlete and has the best feet among all of the OL prospects in the class. He does a tremendous job of staying under control as a puller and finding work. He’s currently light at a listed 265lbs but the length is there and the frame should easily hold added weight in the future. Byrd plays with a nasty disposition and is not satisfied until a few counts after he hears a whistle. Pure Tackle prospect.

Recruitment Status: Byrd has received offers from the likes of Alabama, LSU, Oklahoma, Texas, Georgia, Nebraska, Florida St., and Arkansas. Byrd is originally from Georgia, so the Bulldogs could be a team to watch. I believe that Texas is in a good spot with Byrd.

Highlights:

5. Landon Jackson DE/LB 6’5 235 Texarkana (Pleasant Grove)

Analysis: Jackson, more than anyone else, has the potential to move up this list. He is every bit of 6’5 with a condor-like wingspan. He is a very good athlete with impressive closing speed to the football and a relentless motor. Reports are that Jackson is up to over 240lbs, which is scary considered he played most of his Sophomore season in the 210-215 range.

Recruitment Status: While Jackson has offers from all of the big boys, I’m fairly certain that his recruitment center around six schools: Arkansas, Alabama, Texas, Texas A&M, Oklahoma, and LSU. Jackson and teammate Marcus Burris have recently visited Texas during the weekend of the Track & Field State Championships.

Highlights:

6. Camar Wheaton RB 6’0 190 Garland (Lakeview Centennial)

Analysis: Wheaton is head and shoulders above everyone else for the top back in the 2021 class. Wheaton can do it all, and he has breakaway track speed to compliment his overall package of skills. Wheaton reminds me of former Texas great Jamaal Charles.

Recruitment Status: Wheaton has offers from everyone and has visited both Alabama and Texas unofficially this spring. He figures to take his time with his recruitment and this thing is going to take a while before everything really comes into focus. It’s a great sign for Texas that they’ve already been able to get him on campus.

Highlights:

7. Devon Martin TE 6’5 245 Mesquite (Poteet)

Analysis: I think that Martin is a better prospect than 2018 TE Mustapha Muhammad and 2019 TE Baylor Cupp both were coming out of high school. Martin is a monster, both on the football field and on the hardwood. He has the talent and potential to be the best Tight End that the state has produced since Martellus Bennett.

Recruitment Status: Martin has offers from everyone. He hasn’t popped up on any campuses and doesn’t seem to be overly concerned with the recruiting process right now.

Highlights:

8. Shemar Turner DE/LB 6’4 255 DeSoto (DeSoto)

Analysis: Desoto played Turner last season in a role that is similar to the B-Backer position that Joseph Ossai currently occupies for Texas. He can be seen on tape making plays rushing off of the edge, dropping back in coverage, or breaking down on ball-carriers in space. He moves exceptionally well for a 250+ teenager. His future may be with his hand in the ground full-time.

Recruitment Status: Turner told me earlier this spring that he grew up cheering for Texas, North Carolina, and Baylor. He has made visits this spring to Texas, Oklahoma, Oklahoma St., and Texas Tech.

Highlights:

9. Shadrach Banks WR 6’0 190 Houston (North Shore)

Analysis: Out of all of the Receivers in the class, Banks isn’t the biggest, fastest, strongest, or prettiest route runner. So how is he the top receiver in the class one might ask? All Banks does is produce. He becomes a running back after the catch, which can’t be taught. He has tremendous football instincts and he always seems to be just fast enough compared to whoever is chasing him. This guy is big-time and has the ability to play both inside and outside, further enhancing his value.

Recruitment Status: Banks can go wherever he wants. This spring he has made unofficial visits to Texas A&M, Texas, and Oklahoma. Banks has been on the UT campus multiple times already and I don’t think that is something that should be ignored.

Highlights:

10. Caleb Leonard OG 6’3 300 Pearland (Shadow Creek)

Analysis: I LOVE Leonard’s highlight clips. He shows terrific footwork with feet that don’t slow down or stop moving on contact, a violent strike with inside hands, and a mean streak with a desire to bury his opponent into the turf on every snap. He does an excellent job on tape of keeping his eyes up on double-teams, which can be extremely difficult to teach young players to do.

Recruitment Status: Leonard is in the infancy stages of his recruitment. When we spoke a month ago, he had yet to receive his first offer. That is going to change once spring ball concludes in a few weeks.

Highlights:

11. Tunmise Adeleye DL 6’3 260 Katy (Thompkins)

Analysis: A Maxpreps All-American, Adeleye already has offers from most of the P5 big boys. His functional play strength really stands out on tape as he repeatedly jolts opposing blockers on initial contact. Adeleye does a good job with his hands and plays the run like a grown man. He will likely be able to play multiple spots along the defensive line.

Recruitment Status: Adeleye is high on LSU, Alabama, Texas A&M, and Texas. I’m confident that his choice will come from one of these four.

Highlights:

12. Derrick Harris LB 6’2 210 New Caney (New Caney)

Analysis: Harris is a stud that displays some impressive ability to bend the edge as a pass rusher. He has the athletic versatility to play Inside or Outside linebacker in college, but he’s a guy you’ll likely want on the outside due to his ability to get after the QB. Harris is long and has a frame that should be able to easily hold 235+ without losing much, if any, quickness. One of the elite LB prospects not just in Texas, but nationally.

Recruitment Status: Harris is another guy who is just getting started with the recruiting process. He picked up an offer from SMU a few days ago and more are sure to follow in the coming weeks.

Highlights:

13. JoJo Earle WR 5’9 170 Aledo (Aledo)

Analysis: Earle plays everywhere for his Aledo squad but projects as a Slot WR at the next level. He is electric with the ball in his hands and has a keen ability to set guys up for juke moves without losing any acceleration or speed. Earle had nearly 1100 yards receiving this past season for the 5A state champs.

Recruitment Status: Earle holds early offers from Texas, Michigan, USC, Texas Tech, TCU, Arkansas, Ole Miss, Oklahoma St., and Nebraska. The Longhorns were his second offer (Tech was his first) and have been on him from the very beginning.

Highlights:

14. J.D. Coffey S 6’0 180 Kennedale (Kennedale)

Analysis: I think that Coffey was the best all-around DB that I’ve studied in the class so far. He’s got good size, production, and intangibles. Coffey has terrific ball skills and is one of the most reliable tacklers I have seen so far.

Recruitment Status: Coffey visited Texas for the spring game last month and also visited Texas A&M and Utah this spring. Utah was his first offer. The visits to A&M and Texas without offers shows his interest in staying in-state, in my opinion. He reports offers from Colorado, Oklahoma St., Florida, Georgia Tech, and Texas Tech.

Highlights:

15. Bryce Foster OL 6’4 315 Katy (Taylor)

Analysis: Foster is a powerful interior prospect that pairs his functional play strength with a terrific mean streak. He’s a knee-bender, that does a very good job of keeping his shoulders square while he zone-steps and repeatedly puts his hat and hands in good position to execute his assignment. Foster is a standout in the Discus and Shot Put and will be an asset for the Track and Field program at whatever college he attends as well.

Recruitment Status: Foster has visited Texas A&M, Texas, and Oklahoma on numerous occasions. He has also visited Arkansas and has plans to visit his childhood favorite, Oregon, this summer. I believe that Foster will wind up at one of the UT/OU/A&M trio with all three schools having equal odds.

Highlights: (Single-game clips)

16. Cody Jackson WR 6’0 175 Richmond (Foster)

Analysis: Jackson is a Ferrari with hands on the football field. He has the ability to play inside as well as outside and excel at either spot. He reminds me a lot of current Oklahoma WR Cee Dee Lamb and he just so happens to attend the same high school and be committed to the Sooners as well.

Recruitment Status: Committed to Oklahoma (Solid)

Highlights:

17. Dematrius Davis QB 5’11 190 Houston (North Shore)

Analysis: The QB of the defending 6A state champs, Davis threw for nearly 3400 yards and 45 TDs as a Sophomore. Despite his lack of prototypical size, Davis is most comfortable delivering accurate passes from the pocket. He is a good athlete that is capable of making plays with his feet, but making plays with his arm is his calling card.

Recruitment Status: Some of Davis’ top offers to date are from LSU, Florida St., Nebraska, Arkansas, Texas A&M, Ole Miss, Baylor, and Houston. He has already visited Arkansas and Florida St., unofficially which shows some strong mutual interest. He has also referred to LSU as a “dream offer” on social media.

Highlights:

18. Jadarius Thursby LB/S 6’0 195 Duncanville (Duncanville)

Analysis: I’ve had the privilege of getting watch this guy play since he was in the 7th grade. Thursby is a Tasmanian Devil on the football field that is looking to hit anything wearing a different color uniform. His closing speed is tremendous and he’s got leadership abilities as well. I don’t care what his measurables are or how well he tests, his film says that he was born to play the game and is take every day of the week. He would thrive in a spread-out conference like the Big XII.

Recruitment Status: Thursby has one offer as of today and that is from Arkansas. That offer paid off for Arkansas as they received an unofficial visit from him earlier this spring. I have an extremely hard time not seeing his recruitment get turned up several notches in the coming months.

Highlights:

19. Hayden Conner OL 6’6 315 Katy (Taylor)

Analysis: A Maxpreps All-American, Conner has been a name that recruiting fans have been hearing about since he and Bryce Foster were Freshmen. Watching Conner on tape, it is evident that he has been coached or trained well technique-wise. He is massive and follows the trend of big guys in this class that aren’t just satisfied with just covering guys up. I think his feet are average, which causes me to view him as more of a mauling Right Tackle or interior prospect, where it won’t matter as much.

Recruitment Status: Conner recently announced a Top 4 of Texas, Texas A&M, Stanford, and Michigan. He visited UT for the spring game and appears to be trending towards making an early decision.

Highlights:

20. Quaydarius Davis WR 6’1 190 Dallas (Skyline)

Analysis: Davis is a talented playmaker that is one of the best route runners in the class. He’s got strong hands and is capable of making tough catches look routine. He checks the Height/Weight/Speed boxes, although he may not have a true standout physical trait.

Recruitment Status: Davis has a ton of major offers and received an offer from Texas a few months ago. Schools like Alabama, Texas A&M, LSU, and Oregon are expected to factor heavily into his recruitment.

Highlights:

21. Latrell McCutchin DB 6’1 165 Austin (LBJ)

Analysis: Long, rangy, and sticky. McCutchin is a local product that has a host of offers and likely will be able to choose any program that he wants when the time comes.

Recruitment Status: McCutchin will have a long list of suitors, but he plays about 15 minutes from the UT campus and grew up watching the Longhorns. He was a visitor for the spring game and it would be a mild surprise if he wasn’t a part of the Texas 2021 recruiting class.

Highlights:

22. Billy Bowman, Jr. ATH Denton (Ryan)

Analysis: Bowman was a 5A All-State selection as a Sophomore after recording 5 interceptions (3 of which he returned for TD), while also adding touchdowns rushing, returning kicks, and returning punts. He has worked at Receiver at both camps that I saw him at this spring, but I see his future and highest upside being on the defensive side of the ball.

Recruitment Status: Bowman has offers from everywhere and has already unofficially visited TCU and Texas Tech this spring. Bowman’s recruitment is one that is just getting started, in my opinion.

Highlights:

23. Roderick Brown DL 6’1 265 Forney (North Forney)

Analysis: Brown lacks prototypical height that he is able to compensate for with elite quickness and excellent hands. Brown appears to be an explosive athlete on tape that displays some very good functional strength along with consistently being one of the first guys off the ball. Brown recently transferred schools (Dallas Kimball to North Forney) so his recruiting process may begin a little later than some his peers. Nevertheless, he is big-time 3-tech and the offers should start rolling in soon enough.

Recruitment Status: Brown’s only offer currently has come from FCS power Illinois St. That is going to change soon. Brown has visited Oklahoma St. this spring.

Highlights:

24. Brandon Campbell RB 5’10 190 Pearland (Pearland)

Analysis: Campbell fancies himself as an “All-Purpose Back” and after watching his highlights I’d have to agree with him. Campbell has an extra gear when he sees daylight and is a very natural catcher of the football. Campbell is one of the top backs in the class for 2021.

Recruitment Status: Campbell holds early offers from Virginia Tech and Houston. His recruitment is in the early stages and he is wide open, but he did let me know that Georgia and Texas were two of his favorite schools growing up.

Highlights:

25. Clayton Smith LB/ATH 6’4 205 Texarkana (Texas High)

Analysis: Smith is an East Texas special. Long, fast, tenacious, and under the radar publically. He appears to have a frame that will add and hold weight easily. Due to his athleticism, Smith is being recruited by some as a Tight End, but I believe that his greatest potential lies on the defensive side of the ball.

Recruitment Status: Arkansas is all over Smith and has been longer than anyone else. He has visited campus already and told me that he intends to return soon. The good news for Texas is that Smith made the trip down for the spring game with his family, which indicates a legitimate interest on his end.

Highlights:

What’s the Deal with Caleb Medford?

Last week, I debuted my Top 25 for 2020, which included a playmaker at #15 from East Texas that has been receiving little fanfare. I was able to connect with Caleb Medford on a phone call following an evening workout. Medford is an Athlete from Henderson, Texas, that is rated as a 3-star prospect or unranked altogether by the major recruiting services.

When I say that Medford is an athlete, I don’t mean it only in the sense of football terms. Medford is the FIVE-SPORT athlete at Henderson High School, which competes at the 4A level in Texas, making the feat all the more impressive. For the Hawks, Medford stars in Football, Basketball, Track, Baseball, and Golf.

The last one caught me completely by surprise so I just had to ask.

Golf?

“Yes sir, I’ve been playing golf since I was three years old,” Medford said. “My Granddad and Dad got me started at a really early age and I just fell in love with the game.”

Shifting the focus back to the gridiron, Medford made a verbal commitment to TCU last weekend after spending the weekend on campus.

I asked him what went into his decision.

“TCU was my first official. It felt like home when I was there. It’s only two hours away from home and I’d get a great chance to play early there. I also grew up attending church with their new Wide Receivers Coach, Malcolm Kelly.”

That sounds like this thing is pretty much all wrapped up, right? Wrong.

Medford, who is being recruited as both an Inside and Outside Receiver, told me that he is “still listening to other programs.” When I asked about some of the programs that he was still hearing from and interested in, Medford named Baylor, Arkansas, and Texas as three that stood out in his mind. Here were his thoughts on each:

Baylor: “Baylor is a 3-hour drive and I loved the campus. I didn’t get a ton of time with the Wide Receivers Coach (Frisman Jackson) when I visited. But I like Baylor a lot, they were one of my favorites”.

Arkansas: “I loved it when I went to visit out there. They treated me really well and I was basically guaranteed to play as a Freshman. I loved the academic side of things as well, the only bad part is that it is a 6-hour drive.”

Texas: “Texas sends a lot of mail. I talked to Coach Warehime often earlier on in the process. My uncle, Duane Whetstone, played Offensive Guard for Texas in the early 90s.”

Here is where things get interesting for Texas fans. Medford is very familiar with the UT program. In addition to having a relative that played at Texas, he also camped at Texas last summer, so there is clearly some legitimate interest there on his part. Medford told me that he was scheduled to visit campus in February for the big recruiting weekend that Texas was hosting. The issue is, he was told the date, but he wasn’t given an arrival time. When he reached out to a Texas assistant for confirmation on his arrival time he never received a response. Fast forward three months and Medford is committed to a conference foe, where he will likely be a thorn in the side of the guys in the burnt orange.

My Take: Obviously, I think the world of Medford’s abilities after rating him as highly as I did in comparison to where he is rated everywhere else. I got the impression from Caleb that if Texas were to pick back up the lines of communication, he would still be very receptive to the Longhorns pitch. If some things don’t work out for Texas at the Receiver position this summer (i.e., Troy Omeire or Quentin Johnston) I think that the Longhorns would be wise to take a chance to re-establish their relationship with one of the top playmakers in the state while they still have the opportunity.

Junior Highlights:

Texas plays host to 2021 4-Star RB

Pearland RB Brandon Campbell debuted as the #2 Running Back and #24 player overall on my initial Top 25 for 2021 in Texas. He’s already rated as a 4-star recruit by at least one major recruiting service. Campbell recently played his Sophomore season at Katy Taylor High School, with fellow highly rated 2021 recruits Bryce Foster and Hayden Conner before transferring to Pearland during the second semester.

Campbell visited Texas for the spring game a few weeks ago and I was able to catch up with him for a text exchange about his thoughts about the visit and on the process as a whole.

What did you think of your visit to UT over the weekend? Did anything stand out about it?

My visit to UT was great. Stan Drayton (RB Coach) and Oscar Giles (DL Coach) invited me out. What stood out the most was how (differently) they used their running backs in an attempt to show their diversity. That impressed me. I got to experience one of the best college atmospheres in the country and had the chance to listen to former Longhorns (most notably Colt McCoy) explain why they chose the University of Texas.

Who’s your favorite player? Is there anyone that you try to model your game after?

I like to look at some of the older greats, like Earl Campbell, Bo Jackson, Barry Sanders. For my generation, I like Saquon Barkley because he is what people look for in a complete back and that’s what I am. An all-purpose back.

Did you have any favorite schools or teams that you watched often growing up?

I am a big fan of the University of Georgia and the University of Texas. I was born in Atlanta and Georgia always puts out great Running Backs. The same can be said of UT with their history of producing quality backs.

What are some of the main factors that will go into your decision?

The main things that will go into my choice is how early I can play and showcase my ability. I’m looking for the right fit for myself as a football player, but more importantly who can set me up for life after football and build a good relationship with me and my family.

Any other visits or trips planned this summer?

I plan to visit various schools this summer like Florida, LSU, Georgia, Florida State, Miami, and Clemson. I’m looking forward to it and I’m anxious to see what the future holds!

My Take: Campbell is a very intelligent young man that is going to do his research before he makes a decision. He gave his visit to Texas high marks. It’s early in the process, but I think that the Longhorns are going to be a big player in this recruitment if they decide to seriously pursue Campbell. Georgia is going to be a threat with him having ties to the area and the usual regional competitors (OU, Arkansas, A&M, LSU) are likely going to factor into the equation at some point as well.

Quick Basketball Update

Texas Head Coach Shaka Smart continues his evaluation of candidates in an attempt to find a replacement for the recently departed Associate Head Coach Darrin Horn, who took a Head Coaching position at Northern Kentucky University.

Here’s a quick update on what I am told that there are two names to keep an eye on, although they seemingly couldn’t be opposite of trajectories.

The first name is Michigan Assistant Coach Luke Yaklich, who is under current consideration to be the next Head Coach at Michigan following Jim Beilein’s departure for the NBA. If Yaklich doesn’t get the job, he could be a major target for Coach Smart and Texas. Yaklich has a budding reputation in the coaching industry as a defensive mind and is credited for much of Michigan’s improvement on that end of the floor the past two seasons.

The other is former UMass Associate Head Coach Rasheen Davis, who was recently relieved of his duties along with the rest of the staff at UMass, save for Head Coach Matt McCall. This one doesn’t make a ton of sense to me on the hoof, although Davis does have ties to VCU and the Atlantic Coast area. He was a member of current LSU Head Coach Will Wade’s staff that came together after Smart left (Wade was an assistant under Smart at VCU). He also doesn’t have nearly the same excitement around his name.

I’ll continue to pass along any information that I get on that front.