2014 Texas Longhorns Recruiting Thread

[TFloss32]

HornsNation reporting that OL Joseph Paul of New Orleans, LA will be in Austin this weekend for Texas' spring game even though he committed to Florida last week. Some quotes from him:

“I just felt like it was the right time (to commit),” said Paul, who checks in at 6-foot-4 and 340 pounds. “I knew that’s what I wanted to do because I prayed on it. It just felt like the right thing to do that day.”

“I really just want to make sure,” he said. “When I get older Texas is where I want to stay so I just want to make sure I am giving them a fair chance.”

“I’m excited to come down there again,” Paul said. “Texas is like a second home to me.”

“It was great. It felt like home,” Paul said of his Florida visit. “I really connected with the players. They treated me like I was one of their own.”

[TFloss32]

Update on LB Otaro Alaka from HornsNation. He's scheduled to see UT this weekend, A&M on April 5th and LSU on April 12th:

“Initially, you know, the decision I was looking at making was in the end of March, but that’s when it was just Texas and Texas A&M,” Alaka said. “But then LSU offered and now Florida State has offered.”

“He’s (Les Miles) the one who wanted me to get up there (LSU) for the 12th,” Alaka said. “They wanted me to come last weekend, but I couldn’t do that. Everybody says that LSU’s campus is beautiful and pretty cool, so I’m looking forward to it.”

“It’s pretty big, since he (Alaka's father) hasn’t seen either Texas or Texas A&M,” Alaka said. “I just want my dad to see the place and meet the coaches and see what he thinks about it.”

“I really just want to narrow it down,” he said. “Texas and Texas A&M are pretty much still my top two. They’re pretty much equal. I’m not looking for anybody else.”

[ThePop]

Why do you want his visit to be a secret?

[TFloss32]

Update on DT Courtney Garnett of New Orleans, LA who will also be in town this weekend (HornsNation):

“Texas is my No. 1 school,” he said. “Then it’s Ole Miss and Oklahoma.”

“I’ll be looking to see how the guys are competing and how the coaches get after the guys,” Garnett said.

“Bo Davis did tell me that there weren’t many defensive tackles coming out of Texas this year and that they didn’t sign one DT in 2013,” he said. “They are looking for a lot of D-tackles.”

“I mean having two big rival schools offer me is great,” he said. “My recruiting process is going well. I plan on getting to Norman actually during my spring break. My spring break starts after this week.”

“They (Ole Miss) are coming after me hard,” he said. “We actually talked two days ago. The recruiting process is going great. I’m enjoying all the love that they are showing me. My decision is going to be very tough.”

[TFloss32]

Why do you want his visit to be a secret?

Because LSU will just turn up their efforts whether legally or illegally. You know they hate that Larry Porter is the lead on his recruitment for Texas. It also bothers them that DeCarlos Holmes, the defensive coordinator for St. Augustine and DE Torshiro Davis' old coach, isn't an LSU fan.

[Bloeddyr10]

Just to continue the good news, WR Trey Quinn of Barbe (La.) as well as '15 RB Rawleigh Williams III of Bishop Lynch will be attending the Spring Game, per HornsNation.

[TFloss32]

Quotes from DT OJ Smith of Bossier City, LA who unofficially visited Texas last weekend (HornsNation):

“I liked it a lot,” he said. “I liked the atmosphere, the family atmosphere, and I like coach Mack Brown and Bo Davis.”

“Texas is my No. 1 school right now,” he said. “I like everything about Texas. My dad just wants me to wait it out. He doesn’t want me to commit too early. But I like everything about Texas.”

“It was great. I liked the tempo they played with, they played hard and I liked everything about it,” Smith said. “He’s a good coach. I like the way he runs his defensive line. He likes to work. Everybody thinks he’s cool, and I like the way he coaches.”

“I’m not ready to make a decision right now,” he said. “It’s too early. It’s not my senior year yet. My dad just wants me to wait it out.”

[TFloss32]

Just to continue the good news, WR Trey Quinn of Barbe (La.) as well as '15 RB Rawleigh Williams III of Bishop Lynch will be attending the Spring Game, per HornsNation.

Really hope Quinn makes it in. I know they said he had already paid for a football camp this weekend and he was trying to work around that so he could make the trip to Austin. This is the only time he'll get to see Texas' offense until the season starts.

[TheMex]

I was hoping if the kid ever visited UT it would stay a secret, but RB Leonard Fournette of New Orleans, LA (arguably the #1 prospect in the nation) is on UT's campus today. It's specifially a football visit; he didn't come just to hang out at Texas Relays. No word on how long he'll be in town.

Chances of him committing TFLoss?? Just kidding.

[TFloss32]

Chances of him committing TFLoss?? Just kidding.

Dude, as soon as he sits down with Mack.

[rjv]

I was hoping if the kid ever visited UT it would stay a secret, but RB Leonard Fournette of New Orleans, LA (arguably the #1 prospect in the nation) is on UT's campus today. It's specifially a football visit; he didn't come just to hang out at Texas Relays. No word on how long he'll be in town.

i still think he's bamas to lose, with LSU as the next possible option. but one never knows....

[ThePop]

Just noticed Fournette tweeted yesterday that he is visiting today, I guess no one noticed. Still, with social media it's almost impossible for a visit to be a secret, especially when the player himself tweets about it.

[ThePop]

Basketball news
In case you missed it, Sheldan McClellan is transferring. One more transfer is likely, probably Julien Lewis.

PG Kendal Yancy Harris is visiting today/this weekend. We have a good shot with him
PG Kendal Yancy Harris on the #Longhorns this season: “I thought they were missing a guy like myself."

[TFloss32]

Here's the first list of prospects that will be in town at some point this weekend. Majority of it is from HornsNation. Guys in red are possibilties:

2014
QB, Jerrod Heard, Denton Guyer TEXAS
RB, Leonard Fournette, St. Augustine (New Orleans, LA)
RB/FB, Daniel Gresham, Fort Worth All Saints Episcopal TEXAS
WR, Roderick Bernard, Houston Sharpstown TEXAS
WR, KD Cannon, Mount Pleasant
WR, Armanti Foreman, Texas City <--------------------- COMMITTED TO OKLAHOMA
WR, Lorenzo Joe, Abilene Cooper TEXAS
WR, Dorian Leonard, Longview
WR, Trey Quinn, Barbe (Lake Charles, LA)
TE, Anthony Jones, Edna Karr (New Orleans, LA)
OL, Terrell Cuney, Jasper
OL, Demetrius Knox, Fort Worth All Saints Episcopal TEXAS
OL, Joseph Paul, St. Augustine (New Orleans, LA) <--------------------- COMMITTED TO FLORIDA
OL, Jovan Pruitt, Dallas Bishop Dunne
DT, Courtney Garnett, St. Augustine (New Orleans, LA)
DT/DE, Jake McMillon, Abilene
DE, Myles Garrett, Arlington Martin
DE, Jarrett Johnson, Katy Seven Lakes
DE, Derick Roberson, San Antonio Brennan TEXAS
LB, Otaro Alaka, Cypress Falls
LB, Reggie Long, Whitehouse
CB/S, John Bonney, Houston Lamar
CB/S, Tony Brown, Beaumont Ozen
S, Jamal Adams, Carrollton Hebron
S, Mattrell McGraw, John Curtis (River Ridge, LA)
ATH, D'Onta Foreman, Texas City

2015
QB, Nathan Elliott, Celina
RB, Rodney Anderson, Katy
RB, Soso Jamabo, Plano West
RB, Rawleigh Williams III, Dallas Bishop Lynch
DT, Bryce English, DeSoto
DT, Daylon Mack, Gladewater
DE, James Lockhart, Ennis
CB, Kendall Sheffield, Fort Bend Marshall
S, Justin Dunning, Whitehouse
S, Larry Pryor, Sulphur Springs
S, Johnny Shaw, Center
S, Deionte Thompson, West Orange-Stark <--------------------- COMMITTED TO ALABAMA
ATH, Chris Warren, Rockwall

[TFloss32]

24/7 reported yesterday that 2015 WR KeKe Coutee of Lufkin was almost offered last Saturday at the first Sop re Day. Texas wants him at CB and his Lufkin coaches think that's where his future is, but he's not sold on that yet. He wants to play WR for now. UT apparently told him he has an offer on the table if ever wants to play defense.

[TFloss32]

Just to continue the good news, WR Trey Quinn of Barbe (La.) as well as '15 RB Rawleigh Williams III of Bishop Lynch will be attending the Spring Game, per HornsNation.

They have confirmed Quinn will make it.

[TFloss32]

Good picture of 2015 ATH Chris Warren that shows just how big he is already. Hard to see him staying at RB.

[TFloss32]

Here's a look at how I'd break things down heading into the weekend:

Offer Watch

WR, Dorian Leonard, Longview
TE, Anthony Jones, Edna Karr (New Orleans, LA)
OL, Jovan Pruitt, Dallas Bishop Dunne
LB, Reggie Long, Whitehouse
2015 RB, Soso Jamabo, Plano West
2015 RB, Rawleigh Williams III, Dallas Bishop Lynch
2015 S, Justin Dunning, Whitehouse
2015 S, Larry Pryor, Sulphur Springs
2015 S, Johnny Shaw, Center
2015 S, Deionte Thompson, West Orange-Stark <--------------------- COMMITTED TO ALABAMA

Commitment Watch

TE, Anthony Jones, Edna Karr (New Orleans, LA)
OL, Terrell Cuney, Jasper
OL, Jovan Pruitt, Dallas Bishop Dunne
DT, Courtney Garnett, St. Augustine (New Orleans, LA)
DT/DE, Jake McMillon, Abilene
LB, Otaro Alaka, Cypress Falls
LB, Reggie Long, Whitehouse

[Bloeddyr10]

Leonard Fournette

[TFloss32]

Inside Texas reporting OL Sedrick Flowers suffered a bad concussion this week in practice. Due to the fact that he has a history with concussions, he's out for the spring game and will be closely evaluated in the fall. Let's hope he doesn't go the way of RB Tre Newton.

[TFloss32]

Awesome pic of Fournette.

[TFloss32]

And I don't know who reported this first, but CB Orlando "Duke" Thomas has been getting some time at WR. He played a lot of offense in high school.

[TFloss32]

Added WR Dorian Leonard of Longview to the possible offer list above. He's supposed to be in Austin for the Texas Relays but I don't know if he'll hang around long enough to meet with the staff. He's a wildcard for sure.

[TheMex]

And I don't know who reported this first, but CB Orlando "Duke" Thomas has been getting some time at WR. He played a lot of offense in high school.

This is so strange, I thought that Diggs was moving to nickel because Duke Thomas was having a great spring as CB. Now this??

[TFloss32]

This is so strange, I thought that Diggs was moving to nickel because Duke Thomas was having a great spring as CB. Now this??

I hope they're not trying too hard to find playmakers on that side of the ball now that WR Cayleb Jones is done for a while. If you're going to move a former offensive stud over from defense, why not S Mykkele Thompson? The guy either has no desire to tackle, or doesn't know how to tackle. He was electric in high school when had the ball in his hands.