Quick Hitters | Heat Wave Notes

– CJ Vogel

The annual Texas Heat Wave has concluded and the talented group of youngsters on campus have dried off and headed home for the most part.

I’ll drop some of the biggest takeaways from the Heat Wave below. There wasn’t a ton of notes.

Disappointingly, Johnny Wilson and Bijan Robinson were unavailable to talk with the media.

Alfred Collins

I last saw Collins during the fall of 2018 for one of his games. He looked like a completely different person Saturday afternoon at the Heat Wave.

Collins is up to 280 pounds (!!) and has absolutely filled out. One of the biggest concerns I had about Collins after watching him was how long it would take him to get up to playable weight at a large Division 1 school, and it is safe to say he’s done that in about six months.

Collins will be taking all five official visits and will likely make a decision towards the end of senior season, if not after.

BIJAN ROBINSON

We were unable to talk with Bijan, but it sure looked like he and his mother were enjoying their time on campus when they road by on a golf cart.

Quaydarius Davis

The first commit in the 2021 class was back on campus. Quaydarius Davis said he had a great time with the staff and several recruits on campus.

Davis is firmly solid and said he was very happy to establish further relationships with the coaches and some 2020 commits.

Quentin Johnston

Johnston made it in for the Heat Wave like expected. Unfortunately, I was unable to speak with him having just gotten there when he was being dropped off from the pool. Regardless, Johnston is still high on Texas.

Octavious Oxendine

Coming in from Radcliffe, Kentucky, Oxendine didn’t speak with us this afternoon, but instead got a private ride to his car with DL Coach Oscar Giles.

A golf cart of Giles and Oxendine alone would struggle going up any hill as Oxendine is an absolute unit.

It truly appears the interest is high on both sides for a the pure defensive tackle. We’ll keep close tags on him moving forward.

Reuben Fatheree

The massive 2021 OT from Richmond Foster HS made it in for the Heat Wave.

Fatheree talked most about potentially playing both basketball and football at the next level, a talk that stemmed from him dominating the pool basketball game during the Heat Wave. At the moment, it doesn’t sound like not being able to play basketball is a deal breaker for whichever school he picks.

Fatheree did hint at potentially taking 10 official visits, five for football and five for basketball, when the time comes, but that now is still a long ways away. Regardless it should be interesting to follow throughout the next 12 months.

Fatheree said he had not heard from Shaka Smart for those wondering.

Jalen Milroe

After being offered at the last Texas camp of the spring, Jalen Milroe was back on campus for the second time in a month.

This time with the backing of an offer, Milroe was able to create and expand currently relationships with the Texas staff, one of them being Tom Herman, who he was unable to talk to during the last camp.

JD COFFEY

Like Milroe, Coffey returned to campus for the first time since being offered by the Texas staff.

Coffey is looking to make a decision following his junior season per 247Sports.

Jalen Logan-Redding

Logan-Redding made his third trip to Austin which certainly speaks for his interest in the Longhorns.

Coming in from Missouri, he’s been pegged early to the Tigers, but is still visiting schools heading into his senior season.

Juan Davis

Add Everman ATH Juan Davis to the list of visitors making their first visit since obtaining a Texas offer.

Davis is intriguing no doubt. At 6-foot, 4-inches, Davis is currently listed as a tightend but has the body to make the move outside to wide receiver.

Commitment Analysis | 2020 DB Kitan Crawford

– Darius Terrell

The Longhorns added their seventh member of the #cloUT2020 class when Tyler (John Tyler) ATH Kitan Crawford committed late Friday night on the first day of his official visit. The hope is that Crawford’s commitment sparks some big momentum for Texas on a crucial recruiting weekend.

What is Texas getting in Crawford?

Ranking: 4-star #86 overall (ESPN), 4-star #175 overall (247), #16 overall/#3 Athlete (TX Top 25), 3-star (Rivals)

Top Offers: Oklahoma, TCU, Texas A&M, Tennessee, Baylor, and Arkansas

Size: 5’11 190lbs

Projected College Position: Cornerback

Player Comparison: D’Shawn Jamison (Texas 2018-)

Analysis: The first time that laid eyes on Crawford was at the Under Armour All-American camp in Dallas back in early March.

Halfway through the camp, Super K and I agreed that Crawford was one of, if not the most impressive Defensive Back that was in attendance and he continued to lock down his side of the field for the rest of the event. His performance made us go find his tape.

We found out that Crawford had been playing Running Back primarily for his high school team because he is so dynamic with the ball in his hands. Everything that he was doing at Corner was based on his athleticism and instincts, which made him all the more exciting of a prospect when you also factor in his elite speed.

Crawford has posted a personal best of 10.60 in the 100-meter dash and was a member of a state runner-up team in the 4×100 in May. He is nowhere near what he is going to be and he is still arguably the best Cornerback in this in-state crop. Crawford is physical, confident, and has the natural hips that are required to excel in an elite offensive conference like the Big XII. He is versatile enough to cover the slot as a Nickelback as well.

This is a big-time pickup and the first member of what should be yet another terrific Defensive Back class for Texas.

Bijan Robinson | Quick-Preview

– Super K

I was able to speak with the mother of 2020 RB, Bijan Robinson. We spoke for a good while and I was able to cover a lot of ground with respect to their thoughts on the USC, Ohio State and Texas visits and their plans moving forward.

I’ll have a full write up later but I want to give you a few highlights.

***My read here is that each school has a lot that they like but there is a particular strength of each school.

***For USC I think it’s proximity and the fact that Bijan’s aunt (his mother’s sister) lives in LA. Also, the fact that USC is Bijan’s childhood dream school. He grew up looking up to Reggie Bush as a player.

***With Ohio State it seems to be a bit of that glitz and glamour – the facilities and the championships.

***With Texas, it’s a number of things but perhaps the thing that really seems to be resonating with Bijan’s family is the culture that Herman has built. Specifically, they are looking for a group of men that will really continue to build on what Bijan’s family has done in developing him as a good, God-fearing young man. I think they see there are great men at each of the top three schools. But, it seems very clear that at Texas they felt that was most pronounced throughout the staff, supportive staff and really the program.

Again, more on this later.

Updates | Big Recruiting Weekend

– Super K

***On the Bryson Washington front, going into this I believe he was leaning OU.

Now?

I get the sense he is leaning Texas.

Again, should know more definitively in the next few days as we speak to the visitors but based on my text interactions with him and word from sources, I think Texas pulled ahead.

We’ll see how this one settles because there is little doubt OU will be reaching out to him soon after the visit.

***Have not received word yet on whether Jahari Rogers is going to make a decision this weekend but I’ll be mildly surprised if he ends up somewhere other than Texas.