Inside Texas 2016 Recruiting Review

INSIDETEXAS.COM

2016 RECRUITING REVIEW

ALSO INSIDE: Eric Nahlin’s

ITTOP100

BUILDING FOR THE FUTURE Charlie Strong has assembled another group of impressive athletes in his quest to rebuild the Longhorns to the top level of college football.

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February/March 2016

in this issue

Inside The Gameplan |

by Ian

Boyd

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Ian covers each position group and where the new players will fit.

Class of 2016 - Offense |

IT Staff Shane Buechele heads an impressive group on offense.

Class of 2016 - Defense |

by

by

IT Staff

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Charlie re-stocks the cupboard with quality at every position.

Inside Texas Top 100 |

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Strong Influence |

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By Eric Nahlin A comprehensive breakdown of the 2016 class.

by

Pat Culpepper

Pat Culpepper likes the way things are headed on the 40 Acres.

Recruiting and Twitter Some of our favorite tweets from this cyle.

2017 Junior Day |

by

Justin Wells

Junior Day kicks off 2017 recruiting.

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Publishers -- Michael Pearle, Clendon Ross | Managing Editor--Clendon Ross | Editor-- Mike Blackwell InsideTexas.com Editor -- Justin Wells | Lead Writer -- Bill Frisbie | Contributor -- Ian Boyd Designer/Photographer -- Will Gallagher | Recruiting Analyst -- Eric Nahlin To Subscribe/Customer Service -- Phone: 512-249-8916 | Email: help@insidetexas.com February/March - 2016

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by Ian

Boyd

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he 2016 class is now signed, sealed, and delivered for Charlie Strong, finishing in or near the top 10 in most national rankings. Post Signing Day rankings often fail to account for negative aspects of a class, like Strong losing much of 2015’s Florida Five for various reasons, or positive aspects like his ability to find 3-star gems that will respond to his culture and prove to be better than expected.

I’ll break down the class from the perspective of how Strong did at finding recruits who can be projected to develop into players that will fill needs and fit Charlie’s strategy for subduing the Big 12.

OFFENSE

RUNNING BACK

phasize. On the run game side you have the five OL and then often an additional blocker,

Texas’ new system has been proven to be

who’s ideally an H-back in skill set (able to

equally adept at generating consistent gains

execute different blocks from the backfield)

with a sturdy, hard-running back or with a

but if he can serve as a TE and catch some

Texas had two needs at the QB position,

burner that can be loosed into space. Any

passes all the better.

the first for a player that can make the quick

back who’s effective at running gap schemes

reads and throws that allow a spread offense

should feel free to apply for a job that’s likely

Peyton Aucoin comes ready made for this

to come to life and unleash the University’s

to get a lot of glory.

role as he excelled in high school as a mo-

QUARTERBACK

bile, 6th OL that could block as an attached

typically considerable athletic advantages at the skill positions. The other is for a QB that

Kyle Porter is the sole take here and he’s

TE or move around in the backfield and maul

can do this right now since the last three QB

a good one who has experience running a

opponents as a lead blocker. Of course I

recruits were all raw and possibly even poor

variety of power schemes at Katy and very

think there’s a good chance he grows into a

fits for the modern spread passing game.

little interest in the normal drama or attention

true OL but in this system he can get started

that comes from playing football (doesn’t

here and move inside if his body and talent

Shane Buechele was the sole take here,

even have a Twitter account). His tape

takes him to tackle. He’ll be immensely valu-

and while his lack of size (180 pounds)

reveals an exciting ability to make reads and

able either way.

combined with the fact that he’ll be a true

threaten multiple creases before making LBs

freshman make him an inadequate haul for

wrong for their choices with jump cuts and

Demarco Boyd is limited by size, as he’s

the purpose of filling both of UT’s needs, he’s

hard running through the hole. Porter isn’t

6-foot-0 flat, but if he grows into the kind of

the exactly the kind of prospect that Texas

the sexiest RB recruit Texas has ever had

lead blocker I expect he will, then Texas can

desperately needs in order to get this posi-

but he’s exactly the kind that could end the

always just emphasize H-back and fullback

tion right in the future.

drought of 1K yard runners, especially in this

sets rather than using an attached TE, it

new system.

really doesn’t matter much. He also has the

His skill set includes vision to see the field, a quick release and the ability to throw the

potential to be a utility back who serves in

Grade: B

and some quickness to boot. Buechele has the Colt McCoy or Baker Mayfield start-up kit

situations that call for a blocker or shortyardage runner next to the QB.

ball accurately from in or out of the pocket,

Grade: A-

ANCILLARIES

and if he has the right mindset he should be a great one in time.

You can basically divide Gilbert’s veer and shoot offense into the passing game person-

Grade: B+

WIDE RECEIVERS

nel and the run game personnel as each will often stick largely to their own area of

Gilbert’s variety of the veer and shoot is

expertise while the QB chooses which to em-

actually a tad more Air Raidish than what you see from Briles in Waco as he likes to mix

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Shane Buechele in a lot of traditional passing concepts from

Gerald Wilbon join the party.

the ultra-spread alignments. For that reason,

Lil’ Jordan Humphrey is a guy that will cause

traditional possession receivers have more

Gilbert to get creative with his schemes be-

Jean Delance is the crown jewel of the class,

value for Gilbert than they would in the Briles

cause he is a rare breed of athlete. The most

an ultra-athletic tackle that could become

O where it’s almost entirely about speed.

special skill Humphrey possesses is being

the feature of the pass protection schemes,

That said, speed and stretching the field ver-

agile and fluid enough to have played RB in

the slip/tunnel screens, or any runs that get

tically or horizontally with the ability to house

high school at 6-foot-5, a trait that will likely

the left tackle out in space to flatten LBs and

a bubble screen are the most important traits

help him become a favorite target as a slot

DBs at the second level. He’ll need time to

for a Gilbert wideout.

receiver in the middle of the field for Gilbert.

grow into the role but he’ll get it with Connor Williams playing ahead of him.

Collin Johnson has been the big piece of

Reggie Hemphill-Mapps is great at breaking

the offensive class for quite a long time after

out of his route stem and getting separation

Denzel Okafor is Trey Hopkins redux. He has

committing as a sophomore along with his

but whether he sees the field often at Texas

the athleticism and feet to play tackle but is

older brother in April of 2014. His excellent

will depend on whether he take the top off of

maybe 6-foot-4 in cleats, so he doesn’t have

hands and 6-foot-6 frame make him a pretty

defenses going vertical better than the rest

the ideal length to play outside and swat

easy fit in any system as an outside receiver

of the skill talent being stockpiled in Austin.

away pass-rushers. No worries, he might

but in this particular offense that will regularly

His tape shows a player with good situational

still be able to play right tackle or else be a

see him draw single coverage he’s going to

awareness and willingness to block, which

well above average guard. If he can learn to

be very difficult to stop.

are essential in a bubble screen-heavy of-

translate his athleticism to pulling in Mattox’s

fense, so you can’t bet against him.

power schemes, he could be a special part

Davion Curtis is exactly the kind of player that you normally see explode into promi-

of future Texas OLs.

Grade: A-

nence after getting inserted into this offense.

Tope Imade was more of a Joe Wickline kind

Curtis is all raw speed and what route running he has done in high school, finding

of take, a massive guard prospect (6-foot-4,

OFFENSIVE LINE

soft spots over the middle on dig routes,

320) with good feet and length that had a lot of upside in a zone-blocking scheme. In

projects well to running vertical option routes

Matt Mattox’s scheme is at its best when fea-

Mattox’s system the big question will be the

in Gilbert’s offense. This is a guy Texas could

turing guys that can move and find targets in

same as it is for Okafor, whether he can be-

put outside opposite another deep threat and

space but big, nasty maulers are also useful

come an effective pulling guard that can beat

wreak havoc on teams that don’t have two

in the inside zone, trap, and power schemes.

DEs and LBs in space. Whether he clicks

corners they can trust to play deep routes

Texas has a nice class of four coming in but

in those assignments or not, Imade could

without help.

this could become five or six if Aucoin or

very well find a role as a massive guy in the

February/March - 2016

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middle creating space for other lead blockers

players that separate the dominant programs

off the ball both low and hard, which helps

by driving opposing DL off the line on double

from the rest. Finally, Texas has lacked

him to split double teams and to beat control

teams or with down blocks.

strongside ends that can set the edge from a

interior gaps since he’s generally playing

4-technique in the 3-3 fronts.

with great leverage. Because his technique

Zach Shackelford is one of the more college-

is good and he’s faster off the ball than as a

ready guys in this OL class since he’s

Jordan Elliott is the crown jewel of the DL

junior, Wilbon may prove to surprise and be

already close to 300 pounds, which is good

class, and his SPARQ numbers do a great

one of the first 2016 DL to see the field.

news since he’s an early enrollee who will

job of explaining why. He threw the power

be in the mix early competing for the starting

ball 41’ and ran a 4.35 shuttle at 6-foot-4,

D’Andre Christmas-Giles is a fantastic

center. Shackelford is good at turning shoul-

300, giving you an indicator of how this kid is

3-technique prospect who is lightning quick

ders, blocking down, and executing combo

both absurdly strong and impossibly quick.

off the ball and uses his hands very well,

blocks before climbing up to a linebacker, all

He may end up inside at the nose because

two of the best indicators of future success.

skills that will come into play at center.

of his power and the fact that he could still

Texas may struggle to get all of these guys

develop as a pass-rusher from inside but his

on the field together if they all adapt well to

ideal spot would be as a 3-technique or 3-3

college life but they’re going to have to find

DE like Malcom Brown.

a way if DCG becomes as effective as he

Grade: A-

could.

Marcel Southall has a reputation for not making the most of his athletic ability but instead regularly taking lots of plays off, but now he’s entering a culture that Charlie has worked hard to transform into a feisty, dog-eat-dog environment where you either make the most of your opportunity or get left behind. With all of the other DTs in this class, Southall becomes a fantastic insurance policy. Either he fails to work hard enough to separate from the pack or Charlie has landed one of the more athletic DL in the state.

Malcolm Roach could end up in a lot of different spots. As a senior he played something like Texas’ Fox position but he might end up closer to 300 than his current weight of about 250. Roach is explosive off the ball but has the length and could develop the strength to become a strongside end or even yet another DT.

Chris Daniels

Andrew Fitzgerald is Charlie’s darkhorse to

DEFENSE DEFENSIVE LINE Texas desperately needed some kids that

Chris Daniels might be a DL that allows

become the most dominant recruit and has

Elliott to play outside as his wide base and

been a personal favorite since long before

improving punch at the point of attack make

he committed. He’s at least 6-foot-4, has

him a good nose tackle project that could

fantastic fluidity and functional strength,

learn to eat space inside much like the

and will probably end up being a 6-foot-5,

similarly long and raw Kheeston Randall

280-pounder who can play on the edge and

years ago.

be the kind of strongside end that will make

could eat a double team and ideally also

the 3-3 fronts exceptionally hard to run on.

have the quickness to stunt and get some

Gerald Wilbon is the official nose tackle sign-

pressure. Additionally, there’s always a need

ee of this group and his senior film suggests

for dominant 3-techniques that can blow up

he may stick there and not be moved to OL.

opposing blocking schemes as those are the

Wilbon’s greatest attribute is that he fires

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Grade: A+

LINEBACKER The goal here is to accumulate as many versatile and explosive athletes as possible as the nature of Charlie’s defense is to attack the offense with the LBs and dictate what they can do by regularly bringing at least one backer on the blitz. The more linebackers on the field that can get into the backfield and cause problems the fewer options opposing offenses have for attacking the defense.

Erick Fowler might be the best take here simply because he projects as a highly disruptive blitzer from a number of positions.

Sam, Will, Mike, or Fox backer are all in play for this kid as he’s a brilliant pass-rusher but also a versatile athlete who can beat blocks and play coverage from the interior.

Shark McCulloch projects more cleanly to the Fox position as a 6-foot-3, 230-pounder who will probably only get bigger. His 4.2 shuttle time speaks to his quickness on the edge and the next time an OT gets a clean block on him during an edge rush might be the first.

Grade: A-

Eric Cuffee

kill shots when he’d come to support the run

field is loaded up with hard-hitting and hard-

from a corner or safety position. This is a

blitzing linebackers and safeties. Because

physical player who loves the game. Brown

Texas landed perhaps as many as four solid

could conceivably fit in any of the three inte-

coverage players in the 2015 class, there

rior DB positions (FS, SS, N) but his heady

wasn’t a great need to load up with numbers

play in zone and knack for separating receiv-

here in 2016 but the position is undeniably

ers from the ball might make him a good FS.

essential to the defense. Without athletes that can play man on Big 12 receivers this

Brandon Jones is the best player in this

defense doesn’t work.

class. His role at Texas will hopefully depend

SAFETY The nature of Charlie’s defense is such that either safety position can become a playmaker that dominates football games. Locking up opposing receivers with the corners and nickel allow the strong safety to hang out near the line where a strong box player is set up to blitz or make tackles around the line of scrimmage that can snuff out an opposing run game. Meanwhile a deep safety with range and open field abilities can play over the top of everything and erase an opponent’s ability to land any knockout blows.

Chris Brown fits in with Boyd and Fitzgerald as guys that may exceed expectations because they simply have the ideal mindsets for football players. Back in high school, Brown’s teammate Dontavious Jackson would frequently force runners to bounce outside where they’d be lined up for Brown

on where he’s most effective rather than

Eric Cuffee is arguably the sole take at this

where he’s most needed and thanks to his

place of need in the class and his projection

ability to fight through the wash and deliver

is still uncertain. He’s a 4.65 40 guy but with

jarring blows in the box, he might be most

a 4.1 shuttle, so while he’s more than quick

effective as a strong safety.

enough to keep up with people in and out of breaks, his ability to recover if he’s beat is

However, his effective range is so great that

slightly suspect. Because there’s so much

he may also be able to grow into a dominant

talent ahead of him at corner there’s plenty

eraser at free safety that completely stifles

of time for Cuffee to develop the skills to

opposing teams’ ability to have a successful

make the most of his physicality and quicks

play go for more than 10 yards. It’ll be fun to

at corner or find a home inside at nickel

see where his talent takes him.

where the coverage assignments leave a defender less exposed.

Grade: A+ Grade: A+ CORNER/NICKEL UT’s scheme tends to put the outside corners and even the nickel on an island at times, asked to play man coverage and prevent deep passes while the middle of the

February/March - 2016

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OFFENSE

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CLASS OF 2016 SHANE BUECHELE Quarterback | 6-0, 180 | Arlington, TX Notable offers: Baylor, OU, Ole Miss, TCU, Texas Tech Evaluation: Buechele has a high floor because of his mental make-up. He can beat you with his head, arm, or legs, sometimes all on the same play. An underrated athlete, he’ll frustrate his share of defenses with his improvisational skill when the offense is off schedule, though keeping the offense on schedule will be a strength. As one college coach told me, everything Buechele does is quick; processes information, releases the ball, etc. Shane also anticipates well, which is important because his arm is only average. He can force a ball he shouldn’t on occasion. Mentally he’ll be able to play early if he’s needed, but he still needs significant physical development of his 6-foot-0, 180 pound frame.

Texas coaches identified Buechele very early in the process and made it clear he was at the top of their wish list, even going so far as to leverage his decision by carpet bombing offers across the country. At least that was my read at the time. Regardless, with numerous new offers out at the position, Shane made sure his spot was secure and picked Texas over Oklahoma and others last February.

At the time I agreed with Shane as the take because I thought his mental make-up would

#17 | IT 100

allow him to see the field early. This was important coming off a cycle where Texas took two quarterbacks in Kai Locksley and Matthew Merrick who were seen as projects.

Buechele is already on campus and I still feel confident in my assessment that he’ll be able to compete early, even with the new offense. That’s the beauty of Buechele’s game, it’s adaptable to pretty much any offense, though you’ll want to pick his spots in the run game because of his slight build.

Whether or not he’s needed will be determined by a number of factors; his own ability to pick up the playbook and speed of play, the development of others, and his ability to handle the pounding at his weight.

Buechele was very loyal to Texas throughout the process, otherwise we would have heard about more overtures for his signature, but it was solid reassurance when Notre Dame’s Brian Kelley made a brief push for him.

Texas returned that loyalty by not pursuing a second quarterback. Buechele now begins his collegiate career in a five-way battle to become the day-one starter. A tall order for most, but Shane just might be cerebral and instinctive enough to pull it off.

February/March - 2016

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2016 LONGHORNS - OFFENSE

JEAN DELANCE Offensive Tackle | 6-4, 320 | North Mesquite (Mesquite, TX)

#14 | IT 100

Notable offers: Michigan, LSU, Alabama, Arkansas Delance commit-

have the best feet of any tackle in-state this year.

ted to Texas at the

Highlight after highlight on his senior film features him beating DL

Under Armour All

off the ball and then those DL typically giving up and either getting

American game in

taken for a ride or driven to the ground. Delance’s feet also allow

Orlando, Florida.

him to find targets in space.

He fills a must-need

He’s an ideal left tackle prospect in any offense and will fit like a

position: talented

glove in Mattox’s run schemes, particularly on gap schemes that

offensive linemen.

release him to the 2nd level to find a LB off a double team or as a

Pairing with fresh-

puller. He’ll probably need a year or two to find his college playing

men ’15 All-Ameri-

weight and then Texas could have something special.

cans, Patrick Vahe and Connor Wil-

What stands out about Delance is how well he moves around for a

liams, Delance will

guy his size, and definitely think he has the athleticism and the feet

help build a formable

to stick at tackle. He will have to get better at playing with a lower

line under new OL

pad level and instead of catching defenders, he needs to take the

coach Matt Mattox.

fight to them. He has a decent punch, but he doesn’t seem to always utilize it and his functional strength doesn’t consistently show up on

Delance joins fellow Longhorn linemen commits, Denzel Okafor and

tape.

Tope Imade, to form the best OL class in the Big 12. Delance might

KYLE PORTER Running Back | 5-11, 208 | Katy, TX

#53 | IT 100

Notable offers: Arkansas, Oregon, Wisconsin, TCU The latest running back to come out

and he also doesn’t shy away from

of the Katy Tiger factory. The program

contact, which I am always a fan of.

churns out running backs year in and out, but they don’t really become world

His tape reveals a downhill runner

beaters once they move on to the col-

who makes good reads and explo-

legiate level.

sive cuts in a wide variety of different schemes. You want a guy who

On top of that these backs tend to run

can hit the cutback? His jump step

behind very good offensive lines, and

and acceleration are outstanding.

they tend to log a lot of carries. I will say that watching Porter’s tape from

Want the guy who can bounce a run

earlier on in the season makes me feel

outside and win the edge? He can

a little better, as he looks a heck of a lot fresher than when I saw him play against Lake Travis in the state

do that as well. Porter is as close to a sure thing to be a 1k yard back as you can find in the HS ranks.

title game.

What’s more, he’s also a good route runner who can play on 3rd He was clearly banged up and worn down by that point in the year

down, which can be devastating in the veer and shoot offense where

and the offense heavily relied on his leg. He gets north and south in

picking up the RB out of the backfield is often the last thing on the

a hurry, hits the hole decisively, and while he isn’t the shiftiest back,

minds of defenders.

he shows he can make guys miss at close range. He finishes runs

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2016 LONGHORNS - OFFENSE

COLLIN JOHNSON Wide Receiver | 6-4, 210 | Valley Christian - San Jose, CA

#59 | IT 100

Notable offers: Alabama, California, Michigan, Tennessee, UCLA, USC Absurdly large

blocker who has defenders with their head on a swivel.

receiver with innate ball skills

This is the type of Californian Austin needs more of. Along with his

and body con-

brother, Texas freshman running back Kirk Johnson, Collin is the son

trol. Not fast or

of Longhorn great, Johnnie Johnson. The brothers playing in burnt

overly sudden,

orange was conceived before they were.

but runs well when up to full

With the new offense looking to go more vertical, it’s easy to envi-

speed.

sion him on the field very early in his career. He may not be a guy you stretch the field with horizontally because of lack of quickness,

Aggressively

but he’ll be able to catch and bull his way to some first downs when

attacks ball in

called upon. In the screen game he projects to be a devastating

the air. Separa-

blocker for whatever quicker, more explosive receiver catches the

tion comes

ball.

from size, he’s hard to beat to the catch point, and has a giant catch radius.

With Johnson already being on campus, he could emerge in the spring as a player the quarterbacks can rely on thanks to his strong hands. He adds an element the roster was lacking (most rosters lack

Should be a guy who moves the sticks and dominates in the red

6-5 guys who catch everything) and looks to complement the rest of

zone. Will win the trust of QB’s to throw 50/50 balls. If he’s not open

the wide receiver corps nicely.

on the field, his height and timing allows him to be open above it.

Has the chance to become physically dominant, but it’ll be from win-

Johnson will also be a very positive influence in the locker room,

ning contested balls, not running by defensive backfields. Will be a

both in attitude and work ethic.

DENZEL OKAFOR Guard | 6-4, 295 | Lewisville, TX

#26 | IT 100

Notable offers: Arkansas, Baylor, OU, LSU, A&M, TCU, Washington, UCLA Okafor represents

wanted him.

something of a shift for

Okafor played tackle exclusively for Lewisville, but he is a guard all

Texas from grabbing

day long at the collegiate level. That’s not a knock on his athleticism

massive guards that

at all, because as you watch them film he doesn’t lack that for a guy

can cover up DL to

his size.

getting shorter and more athletic guys that

He is very effective as a drive blocker, and will get after you to and

can get low and drive

through the whistle. Most importantly, his feet never stop on contact

people or get out and

and he has good functional field strength. As a puller he is able to

block in space.

locate his target at the second level, and able to latch and finish. In pass protection, he is solid. He doesn’t get off balance, he remains

He’s a good fit for the

patient, and doesn’t overextend with his punch. It will be a bit differ-

gap schemes that have

ent on the interior rather than protecting the edge, but the potential

taken a place of greater

is definitely there.

prominence in the Texas scheme that pull the guards more often. Denzel is a big body with good feet, good balance, and most importantly? TCU really

February/March - 2016

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2016 LONGHORNS - OFFENSE

PEYTON AUCOIN Tight End | 6-4, 255 | Brother Martin - New Orleans, LA

Notable offers: Arizona State, Florida, Michigan, NC State, Ole Miss Does Aucoin

screen game. He’s Bigfoot as a receiver, but as stated, being a

become a 270

receiver isn’t what the offense calls for.

pound mauling tight end, or

Texas pushed hard for Aucoin after missing on Colorado’s Jack

does the staff

Stoll (Nebraska commit, very nice senior year, btw) who is more of

try and hit the

a receiving threat. Despite becoming the overwhelming favorite,

lotto and turn

Texas did have to hold off the Florida Gators for Aucoin’s commit-

him into an ath-

ment.

letic offensive tackle? The

It’s not out of the realm of possibility he plays early because of

crossover ap-

what the offense calls for and the dearth of ideal skill-sets currently

peal of his skill-

within the program. Caleb Bluiett is a game blocker and looks to be

set coupled

UT’s best option next year, as he was this year. Blake Whiteley will

with his current

return but he’s a total unknown and was always more of a flex guy.

size makes it a

I wouldn’t be surprised to see Andrew Beck replace Alex De La

valid question.

Torre as fullback, along with continued h-back duties.

I lean towards him remaining at tight end because he’s just what

Overall, there’s playing time available, but seeing the field will be

the scheme calls for, namely a smaller, more athletic offensive

contingent on two factors: whether or not he’s ready physically/

lineman, and he’d be able to play much sooner (post Caleb

mentally and how they envision his body after a couple of years

Bluiett). He’ll help in the numbers game, especially since he’s

of strength and conditioning. He may just be worth locking in the

athletic enough to combo and move on to the second level, as well

dungeon and stacking weight on for a couple of years.

as base and reach block. I also like him getting out in front in the

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2016 LONGHORNS - OFFENSE

TOPE IMADE Offensive Line | 6-4, 320 | Bowie (Arlington, TX)

#71 | IT 100

Notable offers: Houston, Miami, Texas Tech, Washington Imade is a guard who moves well at nearly 6-foot-5, 320 pounds. He shows the ability

The new offense will require more

to set a good base in pass pro and locate

drive blocking from the guards than

defenders while run blocking on the move.

we saw under Joe Wickline, so any

Like most young offensive lineman, he’ll

mild quickness deficiencies Imade may

need time to further develop but there’s a

have should be mitigated. That written,

lot to like here.

Wickline felt Imade had the required athleticism for his scheme, so Imade

There shouldn’t be a rush for Imade to see

should be plenty athletic for the Sterlin

the field and that’s the way it’s supposed

Gilbert offense.

to be for players who take the longest to develop, which typifies most o-lineman.

The intelligence factor is also something you can’t rule out when considering

After missing on a handful of in-state targets - or not getting much

projection. There’s an outside chance Imade could find his way to

traction - Texas offered Imade, a player with as high a ceiling as

center.

most others, but more raw and requiring more time.

Because of last year’s class, Imade has greater potential as someFour things excite me about Imade: size, baseline athleticism, intel-

one who can work and wait his turn rather than be thrust into action

ligence, and work ethic. When a player has that going for him you

before he’s ready.

have to feel happy he’ll at least maximize his potential.

LIL’ JORDAN HUMPHREY Athlete | 6-5, 200 | Southlake Carroll (Southlake, TX)

#51 | IT 100

Notable offers: Wisconsin, Cal, Ole Miss, Texas Tech Humphrey is a 6-foot-5, 200-pound super

However, Humphrey’s change of direc-

athlete and played all over the field for

tion and acceleration that allows him to

Southlake Carroll. His stats show a ridicu-

be an effective back would make him

lous amount of versatility.

devastating in space as a massive receiver that opposing DBs would struggle

In 2015, he rushed for 1,292 yards on 184

to cover up.

carries, 14 TDs, while notching 876 yards on 57 grabs, for eight more scores for the

There’s little question that his athleticism

Dragons.

could make him a weapon both as a route runner and after the catch, the only

His high school career numbers and totals

major question is whether his hands are

are eye-opening: Over 3,700 yards and

good.

46 TDs on the ground, in addition to 1,231 yards and 11 TDs in the air. He’s one of the most versatile athletes

Limited tape of him catching passes out of the backfield suggests a

in Texas and at the talent-rich tradition of Southlake Carroll.

high level of coordination that should translate to receiver. Humphrey is a project who’d have to adjust his skill set but his athleticism

Humphrey was very effective at running back at the high school level

could translate into him becoming a dominant all-around receiver

but a 6-foot-5 frame has a lot of surface area for defenders to target

that could move around the field.

and it’s hard to survive 20 carries a game with this kind of build.

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2016 LONGHORNS - OFFENSE

DAVION CURTIS Wide Receiver | 6-0, 180 | Temple, TX

#48 | IT 100

Notable offers: Georgia, Kansas State, Houston, SMU, Texas Tech The speedster WR from central Texas

out, but the slot will be his first

always wanted to be a Longhorn. It was

stop in Austin.

only fitting that new Texas’ offensive coordinator, Sterlin Gilbert, knew Curtis

He will be hell to cover be-

from his days as coach in Temple.

cause of his ability to stretch a defense and you can never

The 5-foot-11 field stretcher was commit-

have enough guys like this at

ted to Georgia for most of his recruit-

your disposal, because speed

ment, but a late visit and push from the

kills. This is a great pickup for

Horns staff netted the multi-talented

Texas, as it fills an element of

4-star.

need at the position.

Curtis uses precise route running, soft hands, and the ability to play inside or

ZACH SHACKELFORD Offensive Line | 6-3, 290 | Belton, TX

#59 | IT 100

Notable offers: Arizona State, Kansas State, Oklahoma State, Purdue Per one Texas

or, anatomically speaking, his giant ass.

source, Shack-

Shack’s a fire hydrant of an interior lineman with a great base. He’s

elford is very

nowhere near the athlete Raulerson is, but this offense isn’t going

likely the starter

to demand that from the center. Shackelford isn’t without athleticism

next year, with

and it bodes well for him that he was athletic enough to play tackle

Jake Rauler-

in high school. I believe he’ll hold up well with the bulls in the Big 12

son electing to

conference, but the quicker tackles could give him some trouble.

transfer.

If you didn’t pay attention to recruiting over the last couple weeks, Take everything

Texas stole Zach from Kansas State at the 11th hour -- or 12th hour

you know about

depending on if you ask Charlie Strong about PJ Locke last year.

Raulerson as a

Strong is known for his evaluations, so when he takes the recruit of

high school re-

another man known for his evaluations, you have to be at least a

cruit, and know

little excited, 3-stars be damned.

the opposite of Shackelford.

Talking stars with Shackelford provides some conflict. Wouldn’t you

Jake came in

think a player capable of starting as a true freshman (if it comes to

very athletic,

bear) is really a 4-star? We shall see, there is a bit of a concern that

though needing to add a bunch of weight. He could have played

Shackelford is already bumping his head on the ceiling, but at this

defensive end, to give you an idea of his build. That’s not the type

juncture and under these circumstances, he’s a huge need and has

of body meant to anchor right away. Shackelford is far less heralded

an ideal fit.

but much more ready to play early, precisely because of his anchor,

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2016 LONGHORNS - OFFENSE

REGGIE HEMPHILL Wide Receiver | 6-1, 170 | Manvel, TX

#73 | IT 100

Notable offers: Clemson, LSU, Michigan State, Ole MIss, UCLA Hemphill has the look of a slot who can exploit soft zones and sneak through smaller creases. He’ll have technical ability, though the new scheme won’t necessarily ask for it.

I expect him to move the chains via quick routes but question how much of a big-play threat he’ll be. He’s a slot receiver with enough speed to become a factor on switches.

Currently known as one of the more vocal leaders of the 2016 class, “Recruiter Reggie” also has the distinction of being the last player to ever commit to Mack Brown who actually made it to campus. His original offer and commit came about after a tremendous camp performance where he gave Longhorn commit (at the time) Jermaine Roberts trouble in 1 on 1s.

Hemphill has been a known commodity since he was a freshman at Manvel high school. That year he housed six of his ten recep-

YOU HYDR AT E

tions thanks to his explosiveness.

Unfortunately for Hemphill, his body hasn’t matured physically to the degree you would like to see.

Upon Charlie Strong’s arrival he rescinded Hemphill’s commitment only to re-offer and re-gain Hemphill’s pledge not too long after.

Reggie will arrive to a program with some talent and some depth at the position, but still plenty of opportunity, especially if Texas runs as much 4-wide as we think.

On a fully functioning offense, Hemphill can be a solid piece that helps extend drives and also accumulate some YAC. I don’t foresee him becoming a difference maker or a guy teams game-plan around, but he can make plays with defenses focusing on others.

WE DON ATE

February/March - 2016

19

DEFENSE

20 inside texas Photo courtesy of Mesquite Poteet High School

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CLASS OF 2016 BRANDON JONES Safety | 6-0, 193 | Nacogdoches, TX Notable offers: Baylor, Arkansas, Alabama, Texas A&M Evaluation: Jones is the Kris Boyd of the 2016 class; a purely dominant athlete who projects all over the secondary and is the type of player that can shrink a field back down even when the offense is spreading the defense out wide.

Perhaps his most exceptional skill is dropping down in run support, fighting through the wash, and running through ball carriers.

It’s not clear if he’s ever faced a running back in high school who isn’t going to go backwards when he strikes them. Because he’s so big, powerful, and fantastic at tackling, he’d be best utilized as a strong safety who spends most of his time hovering just outside the box and running free to the football. Reminds me a lot of Jamal Adams.

He is a playmaker when he gets the ball in his hands, and he shows that he has good ball skills on the defensive side. He can really run and shows great range on defense,

#3 | IT 100

and is capable of laying the wood and also knows how to put his chest on a ball carrier and wrap him up, which is a bit of a lost art these days.

The 6-foot-0, 190-pound ball hawk held over 30 offers, including Alabama, Ohio State, Florida State, and Oregon. And even with the allure to play college football anywhere in the country, in the end it came down to three – Texas, Baylor, and A&M. Jones, the oldest of five siblings, was always going to stay close to home. Austin offers the best a prospect could ask for and only three hours from home.

Jones overcame a devastating knee injury early in his junior year, and came back for his senior campaign stronger than ever, regaining almost all of his electronic 4.3 40yard dash speed.

February/March - 2016

21

2016 LONGHORNS - DEFENSE

JEFFREY MCCULLOCH Linebacker | 6-0, 221 | Aldine Davis (Houston, TX)

#7 | IT 100

Notable offers: Notre Dame, Michigan, Stanford, Texas A&M They call him the Shark

linebacker at playing blocks against screens on the edge, running

because he never goes

plays down from behind, and exploding off the edge in the pass rush.

backwards. Watch his

His film does not reveal what kind of player he’ll be when teams are

tape. The guy was born

trapping him with big H-backs or impeding his path to the QB with a

to play Fox in Strong’s

left tackle. However, the lateral agility and his natural feel for playing

3-3-5. McCulloch is

the edge in space combined with a frame that will likely end up at

the type of talent that

250+ portends a great edge prospect that might be a special weapon

flourishes in a Strong-

at Fox in a few years

called defense. And with the Horns 2015 LB haul,

He plays the game fast and relentless and that didn’t dip off from his

UT just needs a few

junior to senior year. Love how he is always flying to the football and

more horses to make

is capable of making a lot of plays out in space, as he will be playing

the linebacker position a

on the outside at the next level. If you can find a way to get a guy like

strength moving forward.

this and Malik Jefferson on the edges, you can get real creative and raise some hell in pass rushing situations

McCulloch’s specialty in high school has been playing the edge in what translates as the Fox position at Texas. He’s a strong outside

JORDAN ELLIOTT Defensive Tackle | 6-3, 305 | Westside (Houston, TX)

#9 | IT 100

Notable offers: Baylor, Michigan, Nebraska, Alabama Jordan Elliott has the

he could work in space against running backs and tight ends that aren’t

potential to be the sort

accustomed to facing opponents with similar quickness but consider-

of dominant interior

ably more strength and power.

tackle that gives Big 12 offenses fits when they try

He is the type of defensive lineman that you can keep on the field in

to spread out opponents

various packages because he has the ability and athleticism to play

because their OL can’t

up in the down the LOS in even and odd fronts. He possesses very

handle him. Elliott has ab-

strong hands and he does a good job at getting extension and shed-

surd lateral quickness for

ding blockers so that he can go make the play. If he can get better at

his size (4.35 shuttle time)

getting off the ball on the snap, you could have a real nightmare on

along with sheer power

your hands.

in his upper body (41′ power ball) that will make

Elliott’s big and powerful enough to anchor versus combo blocks as a

him murder on stunts and

nose tackle, but agile enough to be a disruptor as a 3-tech to 5-tech. I

twists.

like his ability to stack and shed in a two-gap scheme, or his quickness to beat blockers and get up field when tasked to beat his man. Elliott

Texas has gotten a lot of mileage deploying the similarly athletic

will be ready to play immediately regardless of where he ends up.

Ridgeway at nose tackle, Elliott might fit better at 3-tech or DE where

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2016 LONGHORNS - DEFENSE

ERICK FOWLER Defensive End | 6-1, 225 | Manor, TX

#12 | IT 100

Notable offers: Alabama, LSU, Baylor, OU Fowler’s skill set is really

and then he can probably play fox, sam, mike, or will based on need.

that of a well balanced linebacker, even though

Will he be an edge guy? Will he lineup in the middle? Are they just go-

he spends most of his

ing to use him as a versatile chess piece and line him up in a variety of

time screaming around the

spots and blitz the hell out of him? Wherever they decide to utilize him

edge.

at, they need to make sure they unleash this young man and let him wreck plays on the other side of the LOS.

One thing that really stands out about him is

Even though Baton Rouge was where most expected Fowler to land,

how he’ll keep his eyes

sources say his family was very Pro-Texas and wanted their budding

on the ball while casually

superstar to stay close to home and play for Texas coach Charlie

demolishing the blockers

Strong.

trying to get in the way, a trait that suggests he could become proficient at reading keys and playing downhill as an inside linebacker. He’s got excellent lateral quickness, tackles in space well, and is one of the better pass-rushers in the class so Texas should make it a point to land him

ANDREW FITZGERALD Defensive End | 6-5, 250 | Marcus (Flower Mound, TX)

#28 | IT 100

Notable offers: Oregon, Kansas State, Baylor, Texas Tech, UCLA Fitzgerald always

of direction for a lineman. He’ll probably grow into a true-sized DE at

made sense as

280 or so that can collapse the pocket, stunt into gaps, and 2-gap the

a fit for the Texas

edge.

defense. A very large defensive end at

Andrew is what you want from a physical stand point. He has good

6-foot-5, 250 pounds,

functional strength that shows up on tape and he tends to use it to

he’ll be strong against

his advantage. Young pass rushers love to fall in love with the bull

the run and occupy

rush and we saw him do it a lot on tape. He will need to develop more

blockers to help the

moves as he matures. His strength and length makes him a problem in

efficacy of Strong’s

the run game as he can’t be solo blocked.

preferred linebacker blitzes. You also can’t

He plays his keys, uses his hands well, plays hard and just when you

rule out the possibil-

think you have him figured out he does something athletically that most

ity he grows to 290

can’t.

pounds.

Fitzgerald is the perfect type of player to help Texas transition into a 2-gap defense. He’s very quick in small spaces with fantastic change

February/March - 2016

23

2016 LONGHORNS - DEFENSE

ERIC CUFFEE Defensive Back | 6-0, 190 | Waco, TX

#33 | IT 100

Notable offers: Baylor, Alabama, Notre Dame, Texas A&M The 6-foot-0, 190-pound

Longhorn great, Derrick Johnson, was someone he always looked up

ball hawk is one of the

to. Johnson’s name brings great clout at Cuffee’s alma mater and that

more unique prospects in

was something that always stuck with Eric.

the Class of 2016.

Cuffee is an ideal cover 2 corner that could play right cornerback or The Under Armour All-

nickel at Texas. He’s great at getting a jam on receivers, sometimes

American is versatile and

even keeping opposing WRs from getting off the line of scrimmage at

brings interchangeable

all, and his physicality is his best trait as a DB.

abilities. He could play corner (man or zone),

That said, his quickness (4.1 shuttle) is elite and makes him very effec-

the nickel slot to lineup

tive playing a trailing man coverage technique (again, ideal for cover

against the smaller receiv-

2) or sticking to receivers after they break their routes. There’s a great

ers or help in run support,

chance he could stick outside at corner but if not he’d likely make a

or in the back at safety –

fantastic nickel.

free or strong. Cuffee was a highly coveted player for just those reasons. It should help him adapt

Cuffee breaks well on the ball, doesn’t shy away from being physical

in the pass-happy Big 12.

when he is coming downhill and seems to be a pretty solid tackler for the most part.

After last year’s Junior Day. Cuffee mentioned former Waco alum and

D’ANDRE CHRISTMAS-GILES Defensive Line | 6-4, 290 | St. Augustine (New Orleans, LA)

Notable offers: LSU, TCU, Arkansas, Tennessee, Texas A&M D’Andre is one of the best “interior

isn’t the best it makes him incredibly

disruptor” prospects on the board for

hard to block.

Texas as he combines great hands and a budding mastery of “push-pull”

DCG has the potential to become a

and “club” moves that will be helpful to

pocket pusher in the middle and has

him at Texas with excellent speed and

the ability to be a problem against the

power off the ball.

run and the pass. All in all, this was a hell of an eval by Charlie Strong and

It’s possible he could grow into a

his staff and they should be excited as

nose tackle and be capable of fighting

hell to have him on campus next fall.

doubles or adding extra pass-rush like Ridgeway did there in 2014 but he’s a better prospect as a future three-tech-

When UT can land a versatile, quick,

photo courtesy of nola.com

nique that causes opponents problems in run and pass situations.

and play-making defensive lineman like DCG, it affects the entire program. He adds depth to a position solely in need of bodies and should make an immediate impact along

When it comes to getting off the rock and putting pressure on an of-

the defensive front.

fensive lineman he has it in spades and even though his technique

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2016 LONGHORNS - DEFENSE

CHRIS DANIELS Defensive End | 6-3, 305 | Euless Trinity , TX

#44 | IT 100

Notable offers: OU, Texas A&M, Michigan, Alabama, Tennessee, TCU As a junior, Daniels was a long and

Long-term, Daniels could be a Kheeston Randall-type nose tackle with

explosive DL who

the lateral quickness and length to control the interior gaps and per-

relied entirely on his

haps be effective on stunts, but he’s going to need more work learning

quickness to beat op-

to use his hands and probably won’t be an elite pass-rusher.

posing OL to spots but then had little idea of

Daniels works well in close quarters -- you better not let him get his

how to use his hands

hands into your body, because he delivers one hell of a punch. He also

and strength to create

holds up pretty well in the run game and isn’t getting moved off the

separation.

LOS a lot.

As a senior he bal-

After looking at his junior tape again, we want to see his motor burn a

looned by 20-30

little hotter like it did then. Kid was constantly hustling to the ball and

pounds, learned to

flying around, so we would like to see that on a more consistent basis.

punch and keep OL

Also, he will need to work on his pad level and quit showing his num-

off him a little better,

bers so much going forward. He could get away with it against high

and kept much of his

school competition because he is strong enough to recover, but that

quickness.

will be an issue at the next level.

MARCEL SOUTHALL Defensive End | 6-3, 270 | Duncanville, TX

#68 | IT 100

Notable offers: Ole Miss, Miami, OU, Alabama, Baylor, Arkansas

a 3-tech defensive tackle but Texas’ 3-3 Under would put move him between that spot and an outside-end position that would create opportunities for him to use his speed to approach the QB from different angles.

His main weakness is consistency -- he moves well but struggles to unlock from offensive linemen.

photo courtesy of Duncanville ISD

At 6-foot-3, 270, Southhall looks to play the 3-tech in Strong’s 3-3-5 front, strongside likely. He fits the Bryce Cotrell mold of defensive ends in Austin.

When he is on, Marcel combines good pad level, effort, fast-twitch movements, and hip flexibility to disrupt offenses. His ideal fit is as

February/March - 2016

25

2016 LONGHORNS - DEFENSE

CHRIS BROWN Defensive Back | 5-11, 185 | Alief Elsik (Houston, TX)

#52 | IT 100

Notable offers: Florida, Michigan, UCLA, OU, Michigan State The young man from Houston is

football. Again, whoever gets this kid is get-

talented on and off the field. What he

ting a steal.

offers Texas is an athletic head-hunter who never goes backward and plays

Brown is one of the better DBs we’ve seen

with an intensity you see in Charlie

on tape in the last few years. With his tack-

Strong-type players.

ling, range, and quickness, you basically just want to put him wherever he can be around

We think Brown was a underrated in

the ball the most.

this recruiting cycle.

Perhaps the best fit is at free safety where he He’s a Swiss army knife in the second-

could erase big plays as a centerfielder and

ary, but his strength is coming downhil

offer lightning run support even from a deep

from centerfield and absolutely destroying everything that moves.

alignment. Nickel is another possibility but you ideally want him roaming free and running to the football.

This is a guy receivers will be looking over their shoulder for when they go across the middle because of his ability to separate them from the

GERALD WILBON Defensive Tackle | 6-3, 310 | Destrehan (Destrehan, LA)

Notable offers: Arizona, Arizona State, Southern Miss, Texas Tech Easily the prospect I saw who improved the most yearover-year and a great reminder to question Strong’s evaluation acumen at your own peril.

Wilbon always had absurd strength and photo courtesy of UT Athletics punch, this season he showed much better lateral agility and quickness which further accentuates his natural power. Built squatty and compact with tons of strength in his lower body, he’ll make for a very hard to move nose tackle or 1-tech.

He shows strong hands when stacking and shedding as well as when using a nifty push-pull move. Though his quickness has improved, I’m not sure he’ll be a guy who’s splitting gaps so much as occupying

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linemen and serving to thwart the inside run game, though it was nice to see his quickness make plays in the back field in high school. I also don’t see him making plays up and down the line, but that won’t really be his job. As he reshapes his body through strength and conditioning look for his athleticism to continue to improve.

Out of respect for the improvement he made in his senior season I didn’t include the possibility of him playing offensive line in his evaluation, but I’d be remiss to not mention it because he could be a flat out mauler, especially with the quicker feet I saw this year.

Taking Wilbon also helps advance UT’s footprint into the most talented corners of Louisiana as we’ll soon see. Louisiana could and should become Strong’s own private Florida, especially in cycles like the current one when LSU can’t take them all.

Wilbon was always a fringe player for LSU, but I have heard from one coach in the area who prefers his overall ability to that of the much more highly touted Glen Logan, and LSU commit who is also Wilbon’s high school teammate. That information coupled with Wilbon’s steep improvement is cause for more excitement than I ever thought I’d have towards him.

insidetexas.com

2016 LONGHORNS - DEFENSE

MALCOLM ROACH Defensive End | 6-3, 255 | Madison Prep Academy (Baton Roughe, LA)

Notable offers: South Carolina, Arkansas, Cal, Tennessee, Texas Tech Roach looks to have

250 pound kid is likely to end up a swing DL that moves between play-

a long term future at

ing defensive end or tackle at 270 or even 300.

SDE with a chance of 3-technique depend-

Roach is capable of great violence and explosiveness over short dis-

ing on where his

tances and even has some attention as a linebacker and TE prospect

frame takes him.

but he’ll do his best work as a stunting DL in a defense like Charlie’s.

When you have a player like that you

The bigger he gets the better athlete he’ll be when compared to others

know he’s a fit for

at his position. A coordinated and quick athlete, Roach should generate

multiple fronts.

pressure up-field and add value when in chase mode. He plays a little high – needs lower pad level, but has good feet, balance, and shows a

Roach is the proto-

good first step off the snap.

typical Charlie Strong

photo courtesy of theadvocate.com

recruit, a 3-star from a

Some other points to consider. This is a Brick Haley ‘get’ and a good

region known for pro-

one. With New Orleans’ Peyton Aucoin, Destrehan’s Gerald Wilbon,

ducing football players

and now Roach, perhaps UT can start lacing up some more players

who will probably

from Da Boot, and landing one continues to help beget others. Roach

grow into something fearsome on campus. In this case, the 6-foot-3,

chose Texas over Tennessee, Arkansas, Missouri, and others.

DEMARCO BOYD Linebacker/Athlete | 6-0, 221 | Gilmer, TX

#81 | IT 100

Notable offers: Florida State, Baylor, A&M Boyd is one of the more

He made his impact his freshman year when the team’s starting NT

versatile athletes to join

went down with an injury. Boyd moved to the varsity d-line and became

UT’s Class of 2016. The

the terror ETX coaches feared. He played more DE and OLB in the 50

6-foot-0, 235-pounder

front his junior and senior year, and in the backfield (RB/FB) too. He

from East Texas played

tallied 87 carries, 578 yards, 16 TDs; 32 catches, 382 yards, 4 TDs; 71

a ton of positions in HS,

tackles, 5 sacks, 20 QB pressures, 1 forced fumble, 1 recovery, 1 INT,

most notably DL and RB.

and 2 PBUs his senior campaign. Boyd was everywhere.

While he signed as a

Boyd also won the 4A D II State Defensive Player of the Game for his

linebacker, Boyd will likely

efforts in Gilmer’s come-from-behind win over West Orange Stark his

project to fullback during

junior year, including two sacks and a forced fumble, during the Buck-

his Texas tenure for his

eyes’ state championship run in 2014.

hands, aggressive nature, and the logjam of good

Boyd was the leader for Gilmer, helping them with a 30-game winning

backers coming to the 40

streak. His former head coach, Jeff Traylor, is now the Texas TE coach.

Acres. The intensity in which is plays is at a professional level. Every

As a member of the Buckeyes from 2013-15, Gilmer lost three games.

snap means something. Every play is an opportunity to inflict pain. His

Demarco was a key part of that. Boyd is an early enrollee and currently

disposition is the epitome of a football player.

on campus.

February/March - 2016

27

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February/March - 2016

29

2016 INSIDE T AFTER LONG HOURS OF WATCHING FILM, TALKING TO DOZENS OF HIGH SCHOOL AND COLLEGE COACHES, AND WATCHING MORE FILM, WE DELIVER THE INSIDE TEXAS TOP 100 FOR 2016.

1

OT Greg Little Allen (Allen, TX)

This is the ‘most likely to succeed’ member of the class. The player with the fewest questions.

The previous two winners were Jamal Adams and Malik Jefferson. Both made significant impacts their freshman year of college and I ex-

quickness, strength, and a non-stop motor. If you watch one set of highlights this cycle, this is your guy.

3

S Brandon Jones Nacogdoches (Nacogdoches, TX)

The highest floor of the talented safety triumvi-

may have the best man-cover skills. That creates a nearly can’t miss prospect somewhere in the Jamal Adams neighborhood. After missing much of his junior year to a torn knee, I wanted to see Jones return to the field with his

is he requires very little projection. We’re not wondering if he’ll keep his athleticism as he’s already at target weight (310 pounds). In fact it’s safe to assume he’ll become more athletic with strength and conditioning. He’s as athletic, flexible, and well-balanced as they come at the position. The truly great o-line prospects jump off the screen as athletes first. That’s Little.

2

DT Ed Oliver Spring Westfield (Houston, TX)

One of the most entertaining high school players I’ve had the privilege to watch. Oliver plays with the energy of a Jack Russell but packs the bite of another well known Terrier. What makes Oliver special is easy; he’s essentially a 285-pound running back. This makes him quite unstoppable, especially combined with his tenacity and stamina. His quickness and change of direction are both 10’s. He’s a bit on the

explosiveness, and that’s exactly what he did.

Another thing that separates Jones is his natural leadership skills. This is a guy you want calling out assignments in the back end.

4

find out. Duvernay has possession receiver hands with track speed, gymnast balance, and a politician’s ability to alter course. The lone “flaw” is lack of height but really being his height helps him be the player he is. He’ll run through soft contact with ease if he’s not eluding it. I expect him to wreck shop in the screen and return game as a freshman.

6

OT Patrick Hudson Silsbee (Silsbee, TX)

I love his pad level for the most part, which is rare praise for a high school player. He fires out low and his drive blocking will translate early in his career, where ultimately he’ll be elite in that

DL Justin Madubuike McKinney North (McKinney, TX)

As president of the J-Mad fan club for over two years now I can’t wait to see what he does on the next level. A bit of a tweener if you’re trying to project cleanly, he could play SDE or DT depending on the scheme. At A&M he’ll likely play DT where he’ll need to put on significant weight while staying functional. He’ll do just that but he must be mindful to keep his quickness because his ability off the ball is what makes him so special. I also like his strength and ability to run through the shoulders of blockers. As an interior player he should be in the upper echelon of pass rushers, and as he gets bigger, he’ll be able to hold up against the run when confronted by the Alabamas of the world.

inside texas

regard. He’s also a plus+ athlete as evidenced when on the pull. For being so big (6-foot-5, 325 pounds) he’s light on his feet. I’ve heard some think he ends up as a guard. He may have a layover there if depth requires it but ultimately I think he’ll be a fantastic right tackle.

7

LB Jeffrey McCulloch Aldine Davis (Houston, TX)

A theme in this cycle is versatility and McCulloch keeps that running. He projects to all linebacker spots as well as stand-up defensive end because of his size and movement skills. I like him best as a Fox end because of the ferocity with which he sets the edge and his ability to get after the quarterback. Not to mention he’s capable of covering the shallow flat in pass coverage. Like Fowler, he’ll have a lot to learn about

short side at 6-foot-1, but he combats this with

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Sachse (Sachse, TX)

toiling in the minor leagues? We’re about to

being able to play in the box consistently and

pect the same of Little. What makes him special

WR Devin Duvernay

What if Quan Cosby didn’t lose his speed while

rate, Jones is also the only one who projects to

Greg Little - photo courtesy maxpreps

5

playing off the LOS but that would just require

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TEXAS TOP 100

BY ERIC NAHLIN

reps and time. He would almost certainly have

of his range, closing, and striking ability. Pick-

to spend time working on zone drops and the

ing up vertical threats won’t be a problem to a

like, but he has the hips and ability for that. Mc-

player use to carrying them in man.

Culloch is capable of playing very early in his

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college career depending on how he’ll be used.

I love his size at a wide 6-foot-3, 230 pounds.

8

S Deontay Anderson Manvel (Manvel, TX)

It’s been fun watching Anderson go from freshman with baby fat to sprint champion. The one safety in the nation with more range than Monroe thanks to sub 21-second 200 meter speed, Anderson erases would-be yardage like few

WR Tyrie Cleveland

Spring Westfield (Houston, TX)

One of the most explosive receivers you’ll find.

Cleveland explodes into his routes and accelerates past defenders with ease. His acceleration also helps him become a devastating weapon in the screen game as he reaches top speed in minimal steps. Every school is looking for the guy who can blow the top off of a defense. Cleveland is that guy. You better shade a safety. I’ve

others. The lone question on him is how he’ll

seen his hands be a bit inconsistent at times, but

fair when tasked with 1-on-1 duties. Senior film

he can make any catch in the book.

showed a much more physical player than I ever

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knew he was capable of being and I love the direct lines he takes to ball carriers.

9

DT Jordan Elliott Westside (Houston, TX)

Prototypical size/build and athleticism that lends itself to versatility. Elliott’s big and powerful enough to anchor versus combo blocks as a nose tackle, but agile enough to be a disruptor as a 3-tech to 5-tech. I like his ability to stack and shed in a two-gap scheme, or his quickness to beat blockers and get up field when tasked to

LB Erick Fowler

Manor (Manor, TX)

Sudden linebacker, with explosive tackling power you can bring from any angle. Versatile player who projects to all three linebacker spots as well as from an outside rush position.

Because he lacks length and has a thick, stocky build, I project Fowler to Will or Mike. It’s not clear how instinctive he’ll be in traditional linebacking roles. Fowler’s initial quickness and overall speed are rare for the position. If he gets the cerebral parts down, he’ll be special because

beat his man. Elliott will be ready to play im-

he won’t lack the chase and tackle aspects of

mediately regardless of where he ends up. As

the position.

a player he has a very high floor. Worst case

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scenario he’s a pile causing nose tackle, but I believe he’ll be much more than that.

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DB Eric Monroe

North Shore (Galena Park, TX)

Exciting prospect because of his absurd range and man coverage capability. As a safety he’s in the upper reaches when it comes to both traits.

Coverage is good enough he could play corner

TE Kaden Smith

Marcus (Flower Mound, TX)

Projects to being a dual-threat tight end as both a dangerous receiver and reliable in-line blocker as part of Stanford’s offensive line death machine. You won’t find better hands on a wide receiver, and also like a receiver, Smith uses his size to his advantage. He can go up and get the ball in traffic. He runs well but isn’t as

in college until he fills out to safety size. He’s

twitchy as some of the freakish tight ends roam-

an ideal free safety long-term, however because

ing around but he’s plenty athletic.

Kaden Smith

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OT Jean Delance

North Mesquite (Mesquite, TX)

Delance is the offensive tackle template. Great size at 6-foot-5, 285 pounds, with uncommon athleticism and tons of untapped potential. He made great strides from his junior year where he was just a big athlete blocking people. Now he’s playing with good leverage and keeping his feet moving until his guy is removed from the play. I like his base, and as he gets bigger and stronger, he should be a plus as a drive blocker.

Delance has significant untapped potential still, but is showing a steep developmental trend line, meaning he’s going to be ready to play relatively early in his career.

15

DE Rahssan Thornton

Shoemaker (Killeen, TX)

Can be anything from a hand-in-the-ground Dend to stand-up outside linebacker. Very active player with significant physical development ahead of him, look for Thornton to hit your TV screens as a 250-pound edge terror. Fluid and flexible, Thornton is an athletic mismatch for offensive lineman, especially with his quickness off the ball. He’ll likely be asked to play in space at LSU, something not asked of him in

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IT Top 100 | 2016

high school, but he shows the movement skills to do so.

16

WR Quartney Davis

Langham Creek (Houston, TX)

Silky smooth and explosive receiver who projects to being a complete player. Ball skills,

quickness, body control, long stride, catch radius, etc., the kid has it all. At not quite 6-foot-2, Davis has both little receiver and big receiver

traits, which is about the highest compliment you can give a receiver. He’s going to be a terror in college.

length and ball skills. He’s the guy you put on

namic playmaker at quarterback. Hurts will re-

playing running back, he has tons of change of

duality. He’s a well above-average runner with

another team’s No. 1. As evidenced by him

direction skill. He needs to fill out as he’s still

too lean. He’s not Curtis Brown as an athlete, but he’s kind of that style and he’ll be bigger.

Projects to a guy you can put on one side of

the field and erase the other team’s deep threat.

Good senior film as well.

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OT Kellen Diesch Byron Nelson (Trophy Club, TX)

Landing guys like Diesch is how you restore

the 0-line talent left behind by Mike Sherman in Aggieland. Assuming Diesch keeps most

of his movement skills as he adds 30 pounds, he has the potential to be special. At 6-foot-7, he’ll have to play much lower and not stand up so straight in pass pro (he’s going to get bull

rushed on his ass at some point), but he’ll get

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Lamar (Arlington, TX)

Buechele has a high floor because of his mental

make-up. He can beat with you with his head, arm, or legs, sometimes all on the same play. An

underrated athlete, he’ll frustrate his share of defenses with his improvisational skill when the offense is off schedule, though keeping the of-

fense on schedule will be a strength. As one college coach told me, everything Buechele does is

quick; processes information, releases the ball,

etc. Shane also anticipates well, which is important because his arm is only average. He can

force a ball he shouldn’t on occasion. Mentally he’ll be able to play early if he’s needed, but he still needs significant physical development of his 6-foot-0, 180 pound frame.

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CB Charles Oliver Fairfield (Fairfield, TX)

Very athletic (return-man ability) with great

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the most disciplined defenses with his legs.

As a passer he can be erratic at times, but he

has more than enough arm to make necessary throws and utilize Alabama’s vast offensive resources. If he gets the cerebral components

down, we’ll all circle back and chuckle at this ranking. His ceiling is probably the highest of all the in-state quarterbacks in the state.

22

OL Chris Owens

Lamar (Arlington, TX)

Absolute mauler in the tradition of Alabama offensive linemen. Owens combines man strength

and mobility to complete the ideal OG compos-

ite. Essentially he’s athletic like a tackle, but

built like an immovable guard. He’ll be strong

and the ability to reach block and seal the edge

pulling or out in space in the screen game.

verage and balance. He shows solid quickness

in the phone booth yet agile on the move while

as well as the ability to get out in space. He’ll

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up physically. Daeshon Hall and Myles Garrett

QB Shane Buechele

speed and lateral quicks who can punish even

that as he learns rather quickly the value of le-

be able to play as soon as he has the size to hold

Quartney Davis - photo courtesy chron.com

mind you of high school Jerrod Heard with his

will work wonders towards his development.

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CB Parrish Cobb

La Vega (Waco, TX)

CB Jared Mayden

Sachse (Sachse, TX)

Dangerous enough athlete as a punt returner

to keep teammate Devin Duvernay from doing it. Mayden has plus+ size and is fluid enough

to remain at corner in college, though he may

One of the most explosive players in the coun-

better projected to safety depending on what

school player in the state because of his three-

change of direction, though not elite in either

try, and pound-for-pound, maybe the best high

phase ability. Cobb has the type of athleticism

that will allow him to mirror the quickest of receivers and the mindset to battle with big-

ger, tougher matchups. Cobb was underrated

for much of the cycle but has the playmaking

ability that could make him a household name in due time. He needs to get bigger and stron-

conference he ends up in. Solid quickness and regard. Not a true island corner but a good cover prospect.

24

DE Isaiah Chambers

Aldine McArthur (Houston, TX)

SDE whose 240-pound frame will get to 270

ger but that will come with work. I expect him

pounds with ease. I think he projects better

his athleticism and ball skills will make him a

a change from seeing him his junior year. He

eye. Cobb’s feet, quickness, and acceleration

have liked to see so the dipping and bending

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the degree it once was. Still, Chambers’ length

to play the bulk of his snaps at corner where

versus the run than as a pass rusher which is

threat to change momentum in the blink of an

hasn’t remained quite as flexible as I would

separate him from most other corner prospects.

required to beat offensive tackles isn’t there to

QB Jalen Hurts

Channelview (Channelview, TX)

Just what the world needs, Alabama with a dy-

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and motor will allow him to cause his share of trouble.

IT Top 100 | 2016

25

LB Dontavious Jackson Alief Elsik (Houston, TX)

lows offensive lineman to get into his pads. As a

rusher, Jackson is quick off the ball, can get up-

Classic tackle-to-tackle linebacker already at

field and get flat, or has the ability to go speed

size, he has quick feet and good straight-line

he doesn’t locate blockers in the run game (say

ball carrier. Should project to be good on inte-

easily, but he’ll get bigger and strong and come

arise with him in space and coverage. Surround

Perhaps best of all, Jackson is closer to being 17

as much as possible and he’ll be good, ask him

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to power if he catches a tackle on his heels. If

speed. He navigates traffic well to locate the

a pulling guard) he can be washed away rather

rior blitzes and stout versus the run. Questions

to understand where “his man” is coming from.

Jackson with athletes and keep him in the box

than he is 18.

to do too much and he could be exposed.

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OL Denzel Okafor

Lewisville (Lewisville, TX)

Andrew Fittzgerald

collegiate size (6-foot-2, 240 pounds). For his

DE Brandon Bowen

Byron Nelson (Trophy Club, TX)

One of the better athletes you’ll find in high

Long-limbed guard prospect with outside

he’s probably closer to 6-foot-5. His traits don’t

and athleticism. Okafor is also surprisingly

but part of what makes him so alluring is his fit

high school offensive lineman of his caliber. He

him to do. He’s athletic enough to rush from the

damentals. He’ll become a complete offensive

tween gaps. He pursues down the line well. As

some Trey Hopkins to his game. Indeed, Okafor

fully more explosive off the ball, he’ll be able to

enough that he could play early, but if he can

high school. Some guys just translate. He’s not

chance to play at tackle because of his length

jump off the screen from a combine standpoint

refined, displaying rare, sound technique for a

at Texas. Look where they shade him and ask

can beat you with superior ability or with fun-

outside while quick enough to get up field be-

lineman, and as a cohort of mine states, he has

he continues to get bigger, stronger and hope-

could play up and down the line. He’s refined

have as impactful a career in college as he did in

redshirt, all the better.

going to get blown off the ball, we know that.

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RB Darius Anderson George Ranch (Richmond, TX)

What a senior year for the state champ. Not only

did he get his ring, he showed people like myself who were doubting his junior film that he

was truly a stud. You can find a lot of guys ex-

He’s not going to be easy to run at. He’ll get

some push and force the OT up field. He’ll help create lanes for LB blitzes.

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RB Devwah Whaley Central (Beaumont, TX)

The best blend of burst and size in the state,

plosive to the edge, but what I love is how hard

Whaley’s a broad shouldered athlete who will

back, he runs with willingness and surprising

lot of talk about what he does wrong as a back –

chance to break a big play. His top-end speed is

the fact remains, guys his size don’t accelerate

he hits the hole between the tackles. For a speed

fill out to just south of 220 pounds. There’s a

power. Each broken tackle gives Anderson a

lacks nuance, doesn’t run through contact – but

the only thing lacking, but he’s not slow.

like he does often.

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on the course I envisioned as evidenced by his

see him play with strength despite being a bit

hard to articulate. They aren’t twitchy but they

off the ball, and playing with leverage will help

possessing tremendous size with room still to

Jackson. Despite not being tall, he does have

DE Andrew Fitzgerald

Marcus (Flower Mound, TX)

I was high on him extremely early and he’s still

DE Mark Jackson Steele (Cibolo, TX)

A player you’ll appreciate in person as you

recent rankings jump. Guys like Fitzgerald are

undersized (6-foot-2, 225). Wiry strong, quick

are athletic. He moves and bends well while

you combat with the big uglies and that typifies

grow. He’s not a 6-foot-3 guy listed at 6-foot-4,

long arms he uses to his advantage as he disal-

school football, Bowen still has a lot to learn about playing defensive end. He’s not nearly as polished as Jackson one spot ahead. He lunges a

bit too much, and doesn’t use his explosive abil-

ity when tackling. He also needs to learn how to

use his hands better. That said, because of his raw athleticism he has tremendous upside. I do

feel like the networks have him overrated at this point based on his size and ability to run.

32

CB Travon Fuller Athens (Athens, TX)

Fuller has the type of do-it-all film you expect

to see from a 4-star prospect playing lower classification ball. He affects the game in all three

phases simply because he’s too quick and too fast. When you see Fuller plant and go as a ball carrier so abruptly, you just know he’ll be great

at breaking on the ball when it’s in the air and sticking with receivers out of their routes. Now the test comes, can he bulk up and play physically?

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DB Eric Cuffee

Waco (Waco, TX)

The most intriguing thing about Cuffee is he’ll

have safety size with corner feet which could mean he ends up being a great nickel option.

His hips are also corner caliber so if he does move to safety or nickel, coverage shouldn’t be

an issue. There’s evidence of him being physical when the pads come on, but that’s still a bit

of an unknown. At nickel/safety you have to trade more paint than if you’re on an island.

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IT Top 100 | 2016

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WR Dee Anderson

catches away from his body, often after contorting himself.

Desoto (Desoto, TX)

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He took a bit of a bump because we didn’t get

RB Sewo Olonilua

to see his senior year since he wasn’t eligible.

As a junior he showed the ability to stretch the

Kingwood (Humble, TX)

field vertically with speed, something not very

Interesting career for Olonilua. Based off of ju-

common with a 6-foot-4 receiver. He’ll still be

nior year film almost everyone had him pegged

raw, and now he’ll be rusty, but when the light

for defense. At the time I thought defense was

comes on for Anderson he’ll make some noise

his highest upside, while adding I felt real he

(if LSU ever finds a QB).

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had real, natural running back ability. After

leaning up and improving his burst, Olonilua

DB Innis Gaines

now looks like a bona fide threat at running

back, where he’ll start his career at TCU. That

West Brook (Beaumont, TX)

I can’t think of a better player to follow in the Sam Carter/Denzel Johnson lineage. Gaines

said, if I thought he was going to play lineback-

Kendell Jones

has the traits to be part safety, part linebacker,

well all things considered. He should suffice as

man-up and cover, he can attack ball carriers in

elford one-on-one. What’s he going to do when

Gaines also has a nose for the ball when its in

be surprised if he ended up at OG in a year or

which Gary Patterson loves to employ. He can

a NT at Bama. He struggled with Zach Shack-

space, or he can fill for vacating linebackers.

two maulers combo him in college? I wouldn’t

the air.

two.

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with urgency like a smaller receiver. This puts

traffic as he runs to open space. He has great

cushion quickly. He has good size at 6-foot-

volume, move the pile runner. If paired with

also shows good fluidity, change of direction,

should be used often in the screen game where

burner but he’s fast. He’s not a big match-up

grass. He’s pretty well built, so I expect him to

He looks like he has the tools to become a com-

big runs.

Plano East (Plano, TX)

I love the way he gets into his routes, low and

RB Trayveon Williams C.E. King (Houston, TX)

Quicker than fast, Williams is a dart through

the corner on his heels as Omotosho eats up

stop/start ability, but doesn’t project to a high

2, but appears to be even longer than that. He

one, he becomes even more dangerous. He

and acceleration when he needs it. He’s not a

his initial acceleration should get him into open

nightmare, but he has good size and strength.

break some arm tackles and then break some

plete receiver. I never understood why Texas didn’t target him.

keep him out of the Top 20. Olonilua and Darius Anderson splitting carries won’t be fun.

41

CB Obi Eboh

Carroll (Southlake, TX)

Technical corner in the Carrington Byndom

36

WR Audie Omotosho

er for Gary Patterson, I’d be hard pressed to

mode. Eboh is intelligent with good length and

physicality. I like him as a boundary corner who could also become a safety as his body matures.

He shows intelligence and good vision as he peels off his man to track the ball. Unafraid to play force, you better also send some willing blockers when you run screens his way. In cov-

erage he’s not the fastest guy, but he’s not slow and his length and stride will make up ground.

Does well to use his body as he guides receivers out of bounds. Needs to be careful, though, as

he can be beat with quickness at which point he gets a little grabby. Quickness will determine

whether or not he sticks at corner or moves to

39

WR Courtney Lark

safety.

One of the most captivating prospects in the

ball’s in the air. Because of his stride, he plays

42

Unfortunately fans often equate appearance

to run. I also like the way he attacks the ball and

runs very well, and is fearless as a hitter. As his

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DT Kendell Jones

Bellaire (Bellaire, TX)

With his arm length and jumping ability, the

Shoemaker (Killeen, TX)

6-foot-2 Lark plays much bigger when the

nation is the man accurately described as Hulk.

much faster than 4.7 when given long stretches

DB DeMarkus Acy

Wilmer-Hutchins (Dallas, TX)

I call him a Miami recruit right here in Texas.

Why? Because he’s nowhere near maximized,

with ability. If we did that he’d be the best play-

er in the history of the sport. Standing 6-foot-

5, 375 pounds, you’ve never seen anyone like him. Alas, football is about the ability to move

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and put yourself in position to make plays, and

all too often Jones is winded or playing way too high which negates his decisive advantage —

strength. Once he does get going he does move

www.insidetexas.com

February/March - 2016

35

IT Top 100 | 2016

frame fills out he could be anything from a nickel to a box safety. His coverage skills will need

work but he has the athleticism to get to where he needs to be. Missouri has been known to

steal undervalued Texas talent and I think that’s

what’s going on here. Great senior year for Acy.

43

WR Tren’Davian Dickson Navasota (Navasota, TX)

I know he’s a record setter and highly rated. If

you care about records you’re not really evaluating. I like his body control and ball skills; he’s

in rare company in those regards. He has some Brandon Lloyd to him, but I question whether or not he’ll routinely get separation on the next

level and I also question if he’ll be a better option than some of the athletic marvels Baylor is stock-piling at the position. He has the abil-

ity to become a phenomenal route runner but that’s not a big need in Waco. I bet he catches

his share of balls in that offense but I don’t think he’ll be the difference maker some others do.

44

DT Chris Daniels

Trinity (Euless, TX)

Reports of his demise as a big-time prospect

were greatly exaggerated. Sounds like an excuse for why Texas didn’t pursue sooner. Maybe he

didn’t have a great year – typically defined by

consistent play – but he showed easy-to-project

traits for college. He has great length for a DT at nearly 6-foot-4. He bends well which creates leverage. This year he showed more punch at

the point of attack, but most importantly he re-

tained the movement skills that allowed him to play defensive end for much of his high school

career. He has a big butt and thick legs. He’ll play at 315 in college and will have versatility up and down the line.

45

RB Kameron Martin

Memorial (Port Arthur, TX)

Wispy wisp of smoke with rare acceleration and speed. Martin is ideal in any offense that will put him in space and out-run defenders. He’s

not a contact runner or a guy you give volume

carries to on the next level, and there’s even a solid chance he ends up as a slot receiver, but when Martin is on the field you’ll have to account for him.

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46

OT Austin Myers

Manvel (Manvel, TX)

Just a well-balanced offensive lineman with a

lot of good football ahead of him. He’s good in his kick-step and slide but will get better and he has a decent punch but will get stronger. He

moves well in space so the TCU screen game is

in good hands. He could be a bit quicker and bit bigger but overall a very good prospect.

47

DT Ross Blacklock Alief Elkins (Houston, TX)

He’s a nose or 1-tech all the way at the next level. He has an ass the size of the Fort Worth

stockyards which will make him tough to move.

50

CB KeShawn Somerville

Hendrickson (Plugerville, TX) Maybe it’s the hair, maybe it’s the size, or that he’s long been committed to TCU, but I’ve always been reminded of Jason Verrett when I watch Somerville. More than likely it’s that he has the twitch and feet to stick with anyone in breaks and the speed to run vertically with faster receivers. Somerville was hurt for most of the season but I’m not going to ding the cover man for it.

51

WR ‘Lil Jordan Humphrey

Carroll (Southlake, TX) Rare combination of length and fluidity with an

For his size – 6-foot-3, 325 pounds – he moves quickly and becomes an explosive tackler in one step and he can actually play with good le-

verage when he wants to. He has some uncommon traits working in his favor. The main knock

on him is motor and ‘want to’. Methinks Patterson will be good for him in that regard. With

a properly motivated Blacklock, it will be tough sledding for opposing run games as TCU’s no-

torious undersized, yet aggressive linebackers, fly to the ball.

48

WR Davion Curtis

Temple (Temple, TX)

Curtis projects as a poor man’s Corey Coleman; a field stretcher in the new I-35 offense (thanks,

Jordan Humphrey photo courtesy Denton Record-Chronical

Art!). His body is still filling out and has room for much more muscle. He has quick feet and

great coordination, but he’s still raw as a route runner. He’s not as explosive as Coleman, but he’s plenty fast.

49

DE Alton Robinson Judson (Converse, TX)

Not the greatest length at 6-foot-2, but strong player who does well to keep his outside (or

inside arm) free depending on his assignment.

Blockers often become an afterthought for Robinson as he locates the ball and gets there in a

hurry. Closing speed is good in a straight-line.

As he takes the step up in competition, his pass rushing, thanks to quickness and flexibility may become his strength, but he displays the power to play the run as well. He’ll be interesting to see at 260 pounds.

inside texas

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uncommon dose of physicality away from the ball for his body type. He’s not just physical when the ball is in the air, he’s aggressive as a blocker as well. It’s easy to see why he actually translated as a 6-foot-5 rzunning back in high school. He won’t tote the rock in college, but you can certainly get him involved in direct snaps and just move him around in general.

Expect him to be lined up all over the field and used in ways designed to get him the ball as well as create running room for others. Is he a skinny TE or a WR with a TE mindset? He’s a football player whatever he is. He’ll need to prove to have ball skills and the ability to beat defenses deep to truly maximize his potential.

52

DB Chris Brown,

Alief Elsik (Houston, TX) Versatility and physicality are the name of the

IT Top 100 | 2016

position. He has a great combination of size, burst, and speed, but chances are he won’t play his high school position of quarterback. Is a WR or RB? He’s definitely an interesting athlete and if Oregon finds him a home and he takes to it, there’s a good chance we’ll all get a chuckle out of this rating in a few years. Guys his size don’t typically run as well as he does.

game for Brown. He’s a tad undersized to be a box safety but has the mindset to replace linebackers in run support. He’ll be a great clean-up hitter in the back end – possibly an intimidator – and has the fluidity to play nickel at the LOS. One of his greatest attributes, he’s a tireless worker. Guys like Chris usually make a mockery of their rankings because analysts fail to properly account for this important attribute.

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OL Zach Shackelford

RB Kyle Porter

Katy (Katy, TX) A nuanced back with good feet and eyes, and the lateral quickness to take advantage of those two traits. He’s also a patient runner until it’s time to accelerate. He’s somewhat hard to evaluate because he has wider lanes to run through than the Katy Freeway and is often untouched.

Katy running backs often look special because they’re the sum of all those working parts. I’m unsure of how good of a contact runner he is and if his big-play speed will translate. Put him behind a great offensive line and he’ll look great, put him behind an average o-line and I’m afraid he’ll look the same. I do know plenty of college coaches who are higher on him than I am, so take this evaluation with caution.

54

DT Michael Williams

All Saints (Fort Worth, TX) Coupled with his natural leverage (about 6-foot-2), ability to get off the ball, and his understanding to target half a man, Williams gets into the backfield with ease, but you also have to account for him playing lesser competition. I like his motor, and after he improves his body, he’ll be a productive player for many years.

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QB Zach Smith,

Grandview (Grandview, TX)

Kind of silly putting a Baylor quarterback this low on principle, right? Not if you consider Jar-

ret Stidham is in front of him and Kellen Mond is behind him. Smith is a fine quarterback whose arm would unleash Baylor’s war chest of athletes

deep downfield, but because he lacks the ability

to run zone read as effectively as others, I question if he’ll ever truly be the guy with such mas-

sive dual threat talents surrounding him. Smith is a classic big-pocket passer who places darts all over the field; a big kid with a good release.

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Kyle Porter - photo courtesy of Kay News

OT Ryan McCollum,

Klein Oak (Spring, TX) Saw him at Texas Tech camp last summer and liked the way he moved at this size (6-foot-6, 270) so I checked his junior film. He lacked physicality and punch, typical of a young offensive tackle prospect. He’s shown a lot of improvement in this regard and as he gets bigger he’ll become increasingly nastier. Still light on his feet and bends well, the Aggies are getting a high upside OT who just needs time to develop.

He could end up being one of the steals of the class and has increased value because he’s a true LT candidate.

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LB Marvin Terry,

South Oak Cliff (Dallas, TX) Remember Deon Hollins? Hollins was a pass rushing defensive end in a linebacker’s body Texas passed on in 2013. Hollins has gone on to have a very solid career at UCLA as both a rusher and linebacker. That’s Terry; relentless in pursuit off the edge but showing the movement skills and bounce to play a more traditional linebacker role. Mizzou got a steal with Sean Weatherspoon back in the day. This could be another one that really stings if he takes to the traditional duties his body type is suited for.

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ATH Tristen Wallace

Desoto (Desoto, TX) orego If I was rating the top 15 athletes who play football, Wallace would easily make the cut, the problem is projecting him to a specific

Belton (Belton, TX) Physical, nearly immovable interior lineman whose greatest value at Texas is at center because he can anchor and get push so well. He has decent enough athleticism for center but won’t be a guy you find mauling people in space and will have some trouble reach-blocking quicker defensive linemen, if asked to do so. For a program that has lacked strength up the middle, Shackelford is a welcomed sight, provided he can handle the multi-tasking duties required of a center. Athletically and physically he’ll be fine down-blocking and working combos, the two biggest requirements in the new Texas scheme. Shackelford has a lot to learn in a short time if he wants to factor in for playing time next season. Being an early enrollee will help towards that end.

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CB Jaylon Jones

Allen (Allen, TX) A player I’ve always liked because he played safety for much of high school and showed a lot of traits you question about a corner, namely toughness and willingness to strike. The other side of that coin is you’d like to see how technical he is in coverage. He’s a plus athlete as exhibited in the return game, but he’ll probably have a bit of a growth curve as he fills out and learns to play corner with the big boys.

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WR Kendrick Rogers

Frankston (Frankston, TX) Not much film exists on Rogers so I had to go the word-of-mouth route. That word is he combines obscene length (6-foot-6) with above average straight-line speed. His hands apparently check out, he’s just raw as a football player because his level of competition doesn’t require anything more. Let him redshirt, then see if he can follow in Ricky Seals-Jones’ footsteps.

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QB Seth Green Allen (Allen, TX)

February/March - 2016

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IT Top 100 | 2016

The Minnesota native elects to return home to lead the Gophers where he’ll be an exciting prospect (also an early enrollee) as a dual threat quarterback with real size (6-foot-3, 215).

Green’s upside is better as a passer but he can definitely do more than just keep defenses honest with his legs. I like his ability to throw on the run with plus+ arm strength.

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OT Riley Anderson

Mineola (Mineola, TX) The networks have Riley rated behind his twin brother Austin but I have it differently because I think Riley is more likely to remain at tackle because he’s a touch bigger and more athletic.

Otherwise, you see the same aggression and same flat back with each. These two come off the ball.

fact, I think they did just that. Because of his brother, Reynolds became a known, but he’s a stud in his own right. A versatile player who passed, caught, and rushed his way through an entertaining Hudl clip, Reynolds could play inside or outside receiver equally well. His pretty gait eats up grass while his loose hips help him find open space.

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OL Austin Anderson

Mineola (Mineola, TX) Listed as a tackle, I have Anderson as a guard with interesting upside. He has guard aggression and borderline tackle athleticism which will help him reach and get out in space. Anderson has a mauler’s mindset, though footballwise he’ll be a long way from Mineola. As he continues to get strong and maintains athleticism, pass pro shouldn’t be a problem. He’s already better than most high school linemen at keeping his back flat.

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WR Tyrell Alexander

Lancaster (Lancaster, TX) I love Alexander’s upside and think he’s nowhere near reaching his ceiling. He’s sudden with good length and a frame that has a lot of real estate to develop. I think he projects equally to offense or defense but he’s slotted for receiver at Oklahoma State where Gundy has proven to have an eye for guys like him. I don’t blame him for wanting to play offense as he has a certain urgency with the ball in his hands.

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DT Marcel Southall

Riley Anderson - Justin Wells | IT

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WR Jared Atkinson

Horn (Mesquite, TX) Good length and top end speed for Baylor’s vertical passing, coupled with solid quickness and strength for the screen game. As his body continues to fill out, strength will become an asset and he should excel in the red zone. He’s also nifty in the open field — light on his feet in close quarters.

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WR Moses Reynolds

John Jay (San Antonio, TX) Moses is the younger brother of Aggie touchdown poacher, Josh, meaning A&M could have yet again uncovered a diamond in the rough. In

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Duncanville (Duncanville, TX) Looks like a jumbo sized Foreman in the face, and certainly has the upside of a Texas player, but consistency is a nagging concern of Southall. He moves well but struggles to unlock from offensive linemen. I do like his versatility as a prospect who can play from 3-tech on over to 5-tech.

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RB D’Vaughn Pennamon

Manvel (Manvel, TX) One of the quickest to and through the hole, Pennamon will then look to put his downhill velocity to work and truck someone or bounce outside thanks to good vision and nifty feet.

He’s a swivel-hipped back with power and speed, meaning nearly anything can happen on a given run. He may not be special in any one regard but he doesn’t have any weaknesses.

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DB Chris Miller

Lone Star (Frisco, TX) This guy certainly won’t hurt Baylor’s overall team speed. Miller takes great angles to the ball from safety and gets to the carrier quickly and in a bad mood, mitigating extra yardage in the process. He shows the hips to turn and run, and he can run with just about anyone. A fantastic get for Baylor who looks like an old Akina fourcorners safety with a little strength and conditioning.

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OL Tope Imade

Bowie (Arlington, TX) When I first saw Imade’s junior highlights early last spring, I had him as a possible Texas offer because of his size and raw athleticism. That offer found its way to him and in his senior year he demonstrated even higher upside as a guard who moves well at nearly 6-foot-5, 320 pounds.

He shows the ability to set a good base in pass pro and locate defenders while run blocking on the move. Like most young offensive lineman, he’ll need time to further develop but there’s a lot to like here.

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ATH Camron Williams

Skyline (Dallas, TX) Many guys who are chiseled like statues move like them as well but that’s not the case with Williams. He has the feet and coordination to play receiver in college but his body may force a position switch to H-Back/TE or LB, where his movement skills could go a long way to making him a special player.

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WR Reggie Hemphill

Manvel (Manvel, TX) From the James Kirkendoll/Brandon Collins family of receivers, Hemphill has the look of a slot who can exploit soft zones and sneak through smaller creases. He’ll have technical ability, though the new scheme won’t necessarily ask for it. I expect him to move the chains via quick routes but question how much of a big-play threat he’ll be. He’s a slot receiver with enough speed to become a factor on switches.

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DB Greg Eisworth

S. Grand Prairie (Grand Prairie,TX) I’ve loved Eisworth’s game since the beginning of the cycle. Whether he’s playing quarterback or defensive back, he plays with reckless abandon, splitting defenses while toting the ball,

IT Top 100 | 2016

or running the alley in search of the ball carrier with equal fervor. All that learning to cover nonsense will come with time. He may take some time to incubate but once he learns the nuances of coverage he could be a player. He won’t lack for physicality or want-to.

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QB Dillon Sterling-Cole

Westfield (Houston, TX) One of the biggest arms in the entire country, and he’s still nowhere near filled out in his lanky framework. DS-C can make most throws look easy, and though he’s listed as a pocket quarterback, he can run well when he needs too.

There have been some questions regarding his mental maturity, something that has sunk many a quarterback, but from my interactions with him I haven’t seen that.

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RB Rakeem Boyd

Stratford (Houston, TX) Broad-shouldered back that will mature to carry at least 215 pounds. He runs tough, and didn’t back down from some physical contests when I’ve seen him. A classic ‘run through or around’ back, Boyd has the ability to get tough yards between the tackles or use his burst to get the edge. When he plants his foot to get downhill, it’s a pretty thing.

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CB Grayland Arnold

Kountze (Kountze, TX) Not quite the athlete Deon Beasley was, but better suited to defense than the former Longhorn player. Arnold’s tenacious and shows the traits to be a cover man despite not having tons of experience doing it. He could also play offense but at Baylor he’ll be needed more on defense.

Arnold leaves it all on the field and relishes contact more than most 5-foot-10, 180 pound players.

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DB Kenan Ivy

Lancaster (Lancaster, TX) Twitchy and fearless defensive back with tons of speed. He accelerates through ball carriers and covers ground like few other defensive backs. What he lacks in height he makes up for in speed and tenacity. Man coverage could be his kryptonite.

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DE Levi Onwuzirike

Functionally very powerful as he bull rushes OT’s up field, Onwuzurike is also one of the more fundamental players in state as he rarely loses contain (a pet peeve of mine) and uses his hands well. He runs well, and gets off the ball quickly. Really the main knock on him is lack of length. I see him as a 4-3, hand in the ground WDE.

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TE JC Chalk

Argyle (Argyle, TX) A versatile offensive weapon, Chalk projects to the H-Back end of the TE spectrum as a guy you motion around to create favorable numbers and blocking angles. He shows good hands and the ability to turn and get up-field, while also being an energetic blocker.

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LB Demarco Boyd

Gilmer (Gilmer, TX) From one versatile (Boyd has played DE, DT, LB, and RB) hardhat award nominee to another, Boyd has a nose for the ball on defense and knows what to do with the ball on offense. If surrounded by enough athletes on the Bedford side of the ball, he could be a tackle to tackle plugger, but I think his upside is the 2.0 of Alex De La Torre, essentially a reverse linebacker.

Boyd would be a more explosive blocker and more viable offensive threat than the underrated Longhorn. Call him Tom Rathman or Daryl Johnston, if you please.

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QB Brennen Wooten

Central (San Angelo, TX) Wooten eats and sleeps football and has enough arm talent to make his mind’s eye come to life.

He strikes me as a kid Petersen would have gone undefeated with at Boise State as the quarterback repeatedly beats defenses with his head, then just when you think he’s Johnny Gymrat, he gets you with his legs or a throw you didn’t know he had.

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WR Denzel Mims

Daingerfield (Daingerfield, TX) He’s 6-foot-3 and ran a 21.3 200M to win state last year. Length and speed, just what Baylor needs! Mims is incredibly raw at this point but will be given time to develop. At Baylor he’s in the hole, not even on deck, so he won’t be rushed into action.

Allen (Allen, TX)

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WR Dylan Thomas

Paschal (Fort Worth, TX) He’ll be an inside receiver at TCU where he’ll help stretch the field horizontally on screens where he’s hard to tackle in a phone booth.

Thomas has some of the best lateral ability in the class, with good size for inside receiver to boot.

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CB Madre Harper

Lamar (Arlington, TX) Corner build, safety temperament. He tracks the ball well and shows real athleticism when returning turnovers. Harper shows field vision when he drops a man to pick-up another. Reminds of Obi Eboh some. If he puts on weight and becomes a safety, he could be a pretty incredible player.

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RB Trevor Speights

Memorial (McAllen, TX) The Valley’s Christian McCaffery, Speights made a lot of runs that wouldn’t happen if he played in other parts of the state, but that’s exactly what he’s supposed to do. He has great stop-start ability regardless of who he’s playing, coupled with good acceleration. All this in a tightly wound, compact build. Running in the valley might be unfair, but running behind the Stanford line is also an unfair advantage.

I’d rate him higher but the memories of former Longhorn Tony Ellis and former Aggie Bradley Stephens still burn deep in my mind as guys who crushed the Valley in similar fashion.

87

DE Michael Johnson

Hightower (Missouri City, TX) Really all Johnson is missing is more length for the position, but he plays with so much speed/ quickness/ferocity, I think he can overcome his limitations. He’s too quick for OT’s and is a terror when crashing down the line. He’ll probably be a ‘where did this guy come from’ Baylor special in a couple years.

88

WR Zarrian Holcombe

Summer Creek (Humble, TX) The former A&M commit has as much upside as he does length (6-foot-5) but has some off the field questions. He’s fluid for his size and catches the ball away from his body, maximizing his catch radius in the process. Whether he’s a WR or TE is semantics at this point because he’s nowhere close to lining up attached.

IT Top 100 | 2016

too high, but I’ve been saying that for a year and a half. I like his size but right off the bat I see him at guard rather than tackle, so that’s a big disconnect I have with other evaluators. I also think he’s a bit heavy-footed and he’ll require a lot of work and time to unlock his potential.

That said, Baylor’s a great place for him with the Bear’s recent track record for development and Urquidez has improved noticeably every season since his sophomore year.

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WR Brandon Benson La Vega (Waco, TX)

JP Urquidez - Will Gallagher| IT

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DT Bravvion Roy

Spring (Spring, TX) Unique athleticism for his body type, particularly laterally. He’ll hold up at the point of attack because of his build but athletically he’s much more than a guy who occupies blockers.

He lacks length so blockers getting into him will be something he has to overcome as he takes the next step.

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QB Bowman Sells

Lovejoy (Allen, TX) Categorized as a pro-style but there’s some real duality here which you know Tom Herman will put to use. The lefty shows a real feel for the passing game and adds zip as exhibited by his throws outside the hash marks.

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RB Mulbah Car

Reagan (Austin, TX) Watching his film you’d think you were watching footage from the late 80’s or early 90’s, all he’s missing is the lower back pad bouncing from beneath his jersey with every step. He has that old scat-back look to him and the way his legs keep churning it reminds of Ricky Watters. He shows great vision in the open field and rapid leg turnover. Fun kid to watch, you get the feeling he loves the game.

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OL JP Urquidez

Copperas Cove (Copperas Cove, TX) Obviously I think the networks have Urquidez

One of the few talented receivers in the state actually selling routes rather than just running by people. There’s a hint of refinement to Benson’s game as he gets into his route with urgency and sells deep before breaking routes off. Keeps a good relationship between his hands and feet when it’s time to cut at the top of his stem.

Quick and fast with decent size, Benson would also make a good defensive back, but he’s too dangerous on offense. Chad Morris will make this guy a known commodity, just as he’s done with a former favorite of mine, Brenham’s Courtland Sutton.

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QB Jett Duffey

Lake Ridge (Mansfield, TX) Duffey’s ranking suffers because of his lack of size but like his ability for what Tech is currently running with Pat Mahomes. Duffey’s not in Mahomes’ class (I think I had Patrick at #23) as a passer, but he can hit the right receiver and improvise with his feet to either prolong plays behind the LOS or take off and run. Duffey also has those hard to measure ‘team leader’ qualities and a quick, compact delivery.

95

QB Nick Starkel

Liberty Christian (Argyle, TX) As one of the few available QB’s late in the cycle, the interest in Starkel has inflated his value some, still, for this point in the cycle he’s a fine take. Still rail thin and already with a strong arm, it’ll be interesting to see how much more zip he adds over the years. With the flick of the wrist he can the ball down field with touch. He struggled with accuracy this year with barely over a 2/1 TD/INT ratio which isn’t something you like to see, especially facing his competition. He reminds of Matthew Merrick in some regards.

96

DE Bronson “Boom” Massie

Lufkin (Lufkin, TX) High energy, relentless player. His natural position is at rush outside linebacker or Fox defensive end, where he can attack the edges or defend the flats. At 6-foot-3, 215 pounds, he has some filling out to do and he’s going to a program known for development, provided Bill Snyder sticks around.

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WR, Kofi Boateng

Lamar (Arlington, TX) Future Texas signal-caller Shane Buechele’s top target, Kofi was one of the top possession receivers in Texas for 2016 and helped lead Lamar deep into the 5A state playoffs. The 6-foot-1 pass-catcher will also have better quarterbacking in high school than he’ll have in Fayetteville.

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LB Deonte Williams

Prestonwood (Plano, TX) Listed as an OLB but I think the FSU legacy is the template for a future ILB. He’s a better athlete in a straight-line than diagonally but it’s not going to be an impediment to him if he transitions inside as I suspect. He’s a knock-back tackler which also suits playing ILB.

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LB Jordan Carmouche

Manvel (Manvel, TX) Carmouche moves like a safety for his size, but isn’t the most physical linebacker you’ll find.

His fluidity in space at this size will make him intriguing but he needs to attack the ball carrier if he wants to take advantage of his natural ability putting him in position. Recently decommitted from Arkansas for some reason.

100

LB Maciah Long

N. Shore (North Shore, TX) The state champion quarterback projects better to linebacker. Instead of bludgeoning teams with ZR, he’ll be slowing them down. Long is a fluid runner with great change of direction for being thickly built, and projects to ILB where his natural field awareness should also shine.

Kansas gets a steal.

February/March - 2016

41

Culpepper’s Commentary Strong Influence

by Pat Culpepper

Just in case you missed it on page 89 of Sports Illustrat-

state were all gloom and doom for the 5-7 Longhorns of

ed’s February 15th Issue was its recruiting class rank-

2015 as far as gaining a top-flight group of incoming play-

ings and “your” Texas Longhorns came in at No. 8 in the

ers. Brent Musburger echoed that note during a basket-

nation.

ball broadcast the week before NSD.

​This is the most enthusiastic I have seen Texas Football

​My good friends and I found out about one of those quali-

fans since Colt McCoy’s run to the Rose Bowl to face

ties which I would attribute directly to Coach Charlie

Alabama in 2009. For sure it’s a long way to the kickoff

Strong as we got inside the Texas Football facilities on a

against Notre Dame and so many things have to fall in

beautiful day in Austin.

place before the 2016 UT squad runs out of their dressing room and there are 100,000+ plus fans on their feet ready

​In the Texas locker room we met LB from Brenham, Tim

to begin the season.

Cole. The young man stuck out his hand and introduced himself with a smile. One of my friends touted the fact

​Believe me, this will be a much different Texas football

that I was a linebacker himself in the previous century.

team. The Longhorns have loaded themselves with new

As I was looking up to this strong looking, 6-foot-2,

weapons, a new way of executing on offense, lots of

232-pound senior-to-be, he laughed and said “really” in a

heavy players on their defensive line along with a crew

nice way. I told him I sat four rows behind the opponents

of talented linebackers and highly recruited players in

bench and that I would yell at him during the pre-game

the defensive secondary, which could mean much tighter

warmups next season. More laughter and with a great

coverage on those slant routes. Count on Malik Jeffer-

smile he said, “Please do!.”

son being even more of a defensive weapon as an outside linebacker.

​I mentioned somebody had to step into Peter Jinkens’ spot at middle linebacker and the smile disappeared as he

​So this last Wednesday I went with three of my Longhorn

said “That’s my goal this spring.”

buddies to look at the “new facilities” that I saw during the signing day Longhorn Network telecast. You can’t get

​We left and went to the weight room. Texas has come a

to see them because of recruits and their families in the

long way since the day in 1963 when I went to see Coach

Tex-Moncreif Building were in the coaches offices, the

Royal and let him know the sophmores we had on the

weight room, and locker rooms are located in the south

Texas team from San Antonio Jefferson High School –

end zone at DKR-Memorial stadium.

Phil Harris, Hix Green, and a big read-headed linebacker named Tommy Nobis had to wait until Gregory Gym PE

​Reason No. 2 for going from home base in Cleburne, Texas

classes were finished to lift weights. Nobis had come to

to Austin was a get-together of Inside Texas contributors.

me and asked if I would talk to Coach Royal.

Like you, I was hoping to shake hands with the “Big

It was my first year on staff and I was determined to give

Cigar” whoever that may be. Way before that exciting

it my best shot – here is what I remember about that

signing day for Texas there were insiders at Inside Texas

conversation:

that predicted a highlight day in spite of the outside news “Coach, Tommy Nobis and his Jefferson buddies want to

media.

lift weights and they are having to go to Gregory Gym late How in the world did they know? Newspapers around the

42

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after PE classes are through.”

insidetexas.com

D’Onta Foreman - Will Gallagher|IT

“Do you think they need them?”

​There were no coaches in the weight room although we had met the man that helped convince Brandon Jones to

“Yes sir, I did that with Tommy Ford and Scott Appleton

come to Texas – Jeff Traylor. Another fine coach on this

myself.”

staff.

“Well hell – I didn’t know that but we have plenty of room

​That afternoon at the “Cover 3” restaurant we went man-

at the stadium. I’ll see what I can do.”

to-man with all those IT superstars (Eric and Justin) that nailed it on Signing Day predictions. Even Clendon Ross

​End of conversation and I hustled back down to Coach

made an appearance; the man who is responsible for tak-

Mike Campbell’s office where I had a small desk. That

ing over Inside Texas from Robert Heard.

was the start of the Longhorn weight program as newly bought equipment was put in the south upper corner of

​The whole group were like jet fighter pilots giving lots

Memorial Stadium within two weeks.

of tips about what was coming this spring in the way of change on the Texas offense. I was impressed to say the

​In 2016, the Longhorn weight room with the Longhorn

least. They care and they are hoping for the best.

decal on every weight is world class, complete with a 6070 yard running track. While examining the track, a big

​In this time of trouble over lack of discipline at Texas

looking youngster was all by himself doing violent curls

A&M, in football rape charge cover ups at Baylor by ath-

with a curl bar. He was sweating and I noticed he put

letes – Coach Strong set up a standard in that first year

down the bar loaded with weights, grabbed a towel, and

by those suspensions. There is no wiggle room in this

headed up the stairs.

operation.

​Two of my buddies got to meet D’Onta Foreman – the one

​Those smiles and handshakes, those “yes sirs” and “no

who secured the brilliant victory over OU with an 80-yard

sirs” were the real deal and will go far beyond the football

scamper right in front of the Sooner bench in the fourth

field.

quarter. Our very own Leonard Fournette.

Now, I’m ready for spring ball. ​My friends got a similar handshake and smile as Foreman climbed the stairs out of the weight room.

Pat Culpepper played for The University from 1960-62 and graduated from UT with a B.A. degree with honors in history. Pat coached college football for 12 years as an assistant at Texas, Colorado, Tulane, Baylor and Memphis State and was head coach at Northern Illinois from 1976-79. He also spent 16 years as a high school coach in Texas at Midland, Lufkin, Galveston Ball, Westfield and his hometown of Cleburne. He was selected to the Longhorn Hall of Honor in 1991. His commentary appears regularly in the Inside Texas magazine and at InsideTexas.com.

February/March - 2016

43

THE YEAR IN TWITTER One of the best ways to keep up with recruiting is to watch what is being said on Twitter.

Here are some of our favorite Texas-related tweets from the 2016 recruiting cycle featuring the comedy stylings of Chuck F’n Strong and Aggies being Aggies.

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Follow Inside Texas twitter.com/InsideTexas

February/March - 2016

45

2017 JUNIOR DAY Between National Signing Day and the Spring Game, Junior Day is all we have. By Justin Wells It not only gives us a chance to meet players and parents, but we also get an idea of who UT truly covets and who they have marginal interest in. It also allows us to talk to high school coaches, and even a few Texas ones, like new RB coach Anthony Johnson.

T

he prevailing theme from this Junior Day wasn't the star

out with Damion for awhile. They told me they'll use the TE. That it's

power (Baron Browning, Jeffrey Okudah, Anthony Hines,

not just rumors. Just had a good time."

Damion Miller, Sam Ehlinger, and Major Tennsion) or potential

offers (Eno Benjamin, Reed, Estell), but introducing the new coaches

Tennison needed to be here today. Not just to see the other commits/

to current Texas commits.

prospects, and to build camaraderie, but to see the coaches, face to face, and start building those bonds that are critical to keeping 4-star

Tennison wanted to know he'll be used in Austin. Miller wanted to

tight end pledges.

know how Gilbert will get him the ball. And Browning just wanted to keep learning about the history of the Longhorns. Add a thrilling

"I got to hear everything I wanted to," Tennison said. "I'm still keeping

hoops victory over rival OU, and it was a good day.

my eyes open, but at the same time, everyone knows I love Texas. I love the Longhorns and it gave me a good feeling today and hearing

MAJOR TENNISON

everything. (Texas) will throw to the TE. obviously using it for run- and pass-blocking, like you should."

The state's best TE, Major Tennison, has been the subject of many threads after his recent interview in which he basically said he'd still

I'm telling you again; don't worry. You know who isn't worried about

like to take a few visits beside being committed to Texas. I told you

Tennison? Charlie Strong. Strong even told Major and his father,

not to worry.

Johnny, to take other visits. Go see places.

It's that type of attitude and confidence that draws people to Strong. I think Major will see Michigan this summer, and maybe Nebraska. And I still wouldn't worry.

BARON BROWNING While the JD roster was a long list of some of the state’s best for 2017, nobody was bigger than 5-star LB Baron Browning. And while he left the scene early, I was able to chat with him this evening.

“I had a another good talk with coach Strong like we always do,” said Browning. “But this time both of my parents were with me and he impressed them. My parents aren’t the type of parents you can show some facilities and impress them. They want to know about the network, alumni, the opportunities, academic advisors. It was a great visit.”

Browning is starting to see what the other 4- and 5-star defenders Major Tennison - Justin Wells | IT

see in Strong; great coach, greater man, and he’ll get your ass to the NFL.

"It was awesome," said Tennison. "Loved getting to talk to the new coaches, get their insight on how they'll use TE. It was great seeing

Browning isn’t publicly leaning anywhere today. Privately, I think

some other recruits. Talked to Sam (Ehlinger) for awhile, got to hang

Texas is the team to beat.

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DAMION MILLER

ANTHONY HINES

One of the top WRs in Texas for 2017, Damion Miller, just wants the dang ball. And a bunch of other top college programs just want Miller.

The best part of the day for Miller, and other prospects as well; the basketball game.

"The Texas-OU game today," said Miller. "Got to see Buddy Hield, and Texas shut him down. That was the highlight of the day, getting that win."

What about football, Damion?

"I talked to the receivers coach (Williams) the most," Miller said. "I got to finally meet him, get closer to him. Met the offensive coordinator and got to see what the offense will look like. I can see that he throws the ball deep. I'm closer to all the coaches now."

Miller is another commit that Texas will have to hang onto for the next 11 months. Schools are coming at him hot. Alabama, Texas A&M, and OU are pursuing the most, and he might visit Ole Miss in April.

Anthony Himes - Justin Wells | IT

But today's JD helped Miller in more ways than one.

Not much impresses Anthony Hines. The 5-star LB from Plano East "All the stuff we did today, it makes me feel more solid and more

has 84 offers for crying out loud.

comfortable with (Texas). After seeing what the offense will look like, I like it, I like it," said Miller with a smile as big as DKR.

"Awesome visit, as always," said Hines. "I talked to coach Strong and coach Jean-Mary. They're always here with open arms, and it's just

The best thing that could've happened for UT and Miller happened;

a very comfortable place to be. They really welcome you, awesome

meeting Sterlin Gilbert and Charlie Williams. The 6-foot-2, 195-pound

facilities, I just always have a great time here.""

pass-catcher will be one we monitor, but after today, it couldn't have gone any better for Texas.

Hines won't start narrowing down the list anytime soon either. His quote. He's a kid that enjoys the recruiting process, and reminds me of Dontavious Jackson. Texas will be in it until the end.

ANTHONY JOHNSON One of the coolest moments today is when I pulled new RB coach Anthony Johnson to the side and started talking East Texas. Johnson, being from Jefferson, eyes opened up when he learned I was a fellow #bEASTtexas native.

He told me about his senior year and his final game with the Bulldogs; a battle with 3A foe Gilmer. And guess who was the head coach of those Buckeyes that night? Texas TE coach Jeff Traylor.

Johnson said that Traylor reminds him of that night often, teasing and ribbing the new UT coach. Johnson said it's great to be back in Austin, and that it really hasn't sunk in that he's actually coaching at his alma mater. Of all the new hires, I think Johnson is happiest and most at home. He will be recruiting Lufkin and south to the Golden Damion Miller - Justin Wells | IT

Triangle region.

February/March - 2016

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