Burnt Ends – 07/11/2016

The point on a brisket is typically the fattiest cut. Pitmasters often trim the point (and select edges) off a brisket and return those pieces to the smoker.

 

 

 

Are burnt ends tough, chewy worthless cuts of meat, or are they heavenly bites of smoky goodness? It depends on who you ask…

 

 

 

Rather than discard the trimmings and fat, we choose to savor all the information that flows through the site. So, sit down and help yourself to some burnt ends.

 

 

 

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This is a free site, so anyone can read this report. If you share it with someone, please take time to attribute the information to HornSports.

 

 

 

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It was a huge week in the recruiting world with the Opening and Prime 21 camps, and HornSports had you covered on both fronts. Daniel Seahorn spent nearly a week in Oregon watching the best players in the nation, and we’ve got a ton of content from that event.

 

 

 

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When you are out at events like The Opening and there are elite recruits everywhere you look, it can be a little chaotic as you try to take things in. Guys are here and there doing interviews, talking to coaches, and taking part in drills so it can be hard to put eyes on everyone that you want to see.

 

 

 

That’s not the case for Bellaire Episcopal defensive tackle Marvin Wilson.

 

 

 

Big Marv is a hard guy to miss given that he weighed in at 330 pounds and stands six feet four inches tall. One thing I’ve learned about Marvin is that you will never see him shying away from competition and he will always be at the front of the line of drills trying to get as many reps as possible. Back at the Houston regional this spring every time I looked up Wilson breaking in line to get more reps and was laser focused as coaches critiqued him and showed him how he could improve his technique. It was the same exact story during his time in Oregon.

 

 

 

While had an up and down performance by his usual dominant standards, he still made the Final Five for the defensive lineman and earned himself another MVP award. Just another day (or week) at the office for one of the most highly recruited prospects in the nation.

 

 

 

I was able to catch up with Wilson and get some thoughts from him on how he was enjoying his time out Oregon along with some brief thoughts on recruiting.

 

 

 

Horn Sports: Marv, obviously the competition out here at an event like this is the best of the best, how does it feel to be out at something like this and how do you feel you have been doing?

 

 

 

Wilson: It’s been a great feeling and I got pushed like I’ve never been before. I lost four consecutive reps, but I won a lot more than that. It felt good to be down and to be able to battle back to get into the Final Five and then win back to back reps. It help me find out where my heart was in the game, and it made for a great thing and a great experience.

 

 

 

Horn Sports: What are some of the things the coaches are trying to get you to improve on?

 

 

 

Wilson: Well, I’m a power rusher so they have been helping me on my power moves and my counter moves because I get set on one move. I have to learn to get from my first move to my second move, so I’ve been learning a lot of things in that aspect.

 

 

 

Horn Sports: As far as these offensive linemen go, who do you think has been your stiffest competition?

 

 

 

Wilson: Hmm, that’s hard, really hard. I went up against a lot of really good guys. I’ll probably that 2018 kid was good (Jamaree Salyer), he was really good, and someone else I would say is Creed Humphrey.

 

 

 

Horn Sports: Lets circle back to recruiting. You’ve been a bit of a globetrotter, you’ve been here and there and all over the place. Do you have any further visit plans this summer?

 

 

 

Wilson: I’m probably going to go up to USC in a couple of weeks, then I’m going to go to Texas’ Under The Lights camp and that will be it for the summer.

 

 

 

Horn Sports: As far as Texas goes, how often are they in contact with you?

 

 

 

Wilson: I talk to Coach Bedford almost every day and I talk to Coach Strong every now and then too.

 

 

 

Horn Sports: Would you say Coach Bedford or Coach Strong is your primary recruiter?

 

 

 

Wilson: Coach Bedford

 

 

 

Horn Sports: If you could compare yourself to any college or NFL player who would it be and why?

 

 

 

Wilson: That’s kinda hard, but I would compare myself to Gerald McCoy. He’s a real power rush, he gets off the ball and I see myself being just like him.

 

 

 

Getting Big Marv back on campus is another positive data point for Charlie Strong and his staff as they try to earn his commitment. Texas is trending in the right direction in this recruitment and writing them off at all would be absolutely silly. There was a report that came out during the event that Texas was moving up Wilson’s list and after talking with him and some folks here I would say that is absolutely accurate.

 

 

 

This one is going to come down to Texas’ performance on the field. If they are successful and show progress they will have as good of a chance as anyone else to earn his pledge come NSD.

 

 

 

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It is easy to see why so many college coaches are in pursuit of Xavier Newman. When you have a guy who has the flexibility to be able to play every spot of the offensive line they become increasingly valuable and allow you to be able to mix and match so you can get your best five big bodies on the field. It also says plenty about Newman from a mental aspect, as being able to learn all of those positions and be able to bounce around like that is not easy whatsoever. It shows that his coaches trust him, and when coaches trust you to be able to throw that kind of responsibility on you, you know you have yourself a good one.

 

 

 

There have been a lot of whispers surrounding DeSoto offensive lineman Xavier Newman and his commitment to Texas. There has been increasing talk that the versatile big man has been more than flirting with Texas’ archrival north of the Red River, and the Sooners recently came through with an offer after losing out on Creed Humphrey to Texas A&M. I caught up with Newman out here in Oregon to see where his commitment to Texas stands, and gave him an opportunity to address the things swirling around his recruitment.

 

 

 

Horn Sports: How does it feel to be out at an event like this and compete against the best of the best?

 

 

 

Newman: It’s a great experience to be able go against the best in the country and learn off of each other, and take moves back to DeSoto where I can help my other brothers there.

 

 

 

Horn Sports: How do you feel you stood up against some of the best of the best out here today?

 

 

 

Newman: I feel like I did great. Like you said it’s the best of the best so you are going to win some and you are going to lose some. At the end of the day you are competing and getting better.

 

 

 

Horn Sports: What is some of the things you enjoyed the most about being out here?

 

 

 

Newman: Just being able to make new friends and really bond with the guys I’ve been out here with for these two days and really get to know them. Also being able to go against the best and really take in a lot of technique and learning.

 

 

 

Horn Sports: Of all the guys you went up against today who do you think was your stiffest competition?

 

 

 

Newman: I would say my stiffest competition is probably Marvin Wilson.

 

 

 

Horn Sports: I saw you taking reps at center; did you get some reps at guard as well?

 

 

 

Newman: I took a couple reps at guard, but I mostly played center today so I could get a lot of reps.

 

 

 

Horn Sports: Circling back to recruiting. You committed to Texas earlier this spring, but recently received an offer from Oklahoma. There has been some buzz that you were considering possibly changing your commitment, is that accurate?

 

 

 

Newman: No it’s not true. It’s just a process, I’m going to take it one day at a time and make the best decision for me and my family.

 

 

 

Horn Sports: Would you say your commitment is solid?

 

 

 

Newman: Pretty solid right now.

 

 

 

Horn Sports: Do you have any more visit setup this summer and will you happen to be at Under The Lights later this month?

 

 

 

Newman: I’m going to take a visit to Oklahoma and I’m going to take a visit to Texas and it will probably be for Under The Lights.

 

 

 

Horn Sports: Who would you say your main point of contact is on the Texas staff?

 

 

 

Newman: Coach Mattox and Coach BJ

 

 

 

Horn Sports: How would you describe your relationship with Coach Mattox?

 

 

 

Newman: We have a great relationship. Ever since I committed we’ve been getting to know each other every day and been getting better acquainted with each other.

 

 

 

Horn Sports: Texas commit Sam Ehlinger is out here as well, have you talked to him since you have been out here?

 

 

 

Newman: Yeah I talked to him when I got off the plane. I told him I was at the hotel and we’ve been talking ever since.

 

 

 

Horn Sports: Do you guys have a pretty tight bond?

 

 

 

Newman: Yes sir.

 

 

 

While Newman maintains that his commitment to the Longhorns is solid, I still have an uneasy feeling about how this one is trending after asking around out here in Oregon. If he does indeed make that visit to Norman I would bet that the Sooners push to flip before he leaves campus so he doesn’t make that return trip to Austin and meet with the coaches. Like I said earlier, getting a guy like Newman on your depth chart can give you some serious flexibility on the interior since he can play all three spots and I think losing him to Oklahoma would be a swift kick in the you know what on top of that.

 

 

 

We already got ourselves a Red River Shootout battle and it isn’t even October yet.

 

 

 

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I’ve decided to dub Walker Little “Franchise”, because every time I look at him I feel like I am looking at a future franchise left tackle. He’s a legit 6’6-6’7 and carries 295 pounds extremely well in his leaned out frame with extremely long arms. Ironically enough, when I asked him who he compared his game to he told All-Pro Washington Redskins offensive tackle Trent Williams. Every offensive line coach in the country is beating down is beating down his door just to have the opportunity to try to recruit this kid to their respective school and if they’re not they probably don’t need to be in this business.

 

 

 

Little has been on a warpath this spring and has racked up MVP awards for his position at every camp he has attended, so it hasn’t surprised me at all that he has more than held his own among the nation’s best out here in Oregon.

 

 

 

I was briefly able to catch up with Little and get his thoughts on being invited out to Football Heaven and see where things stand on the recruiting front.

 

 

 

Horn Sports: Tell me about the experience being here and how does feel to be out here among the elite prospects in the country?

 

 

 

Little: It’s definitely a huge honor being out with all of this great talent. They’ve definitely been treating us well, giving us a lot of good stuff, and making it a fun experience so far. I’ve been having a great time.

 

 

 

Horn Sports: What have been some of the highlights?

 

 

 

Little: Definitely going against each other. Testing was a good time too, but just hanging out really has been the most fun. Being able to talk to guys you see all the time on Twitter or whatever and getting to meet them in real life. There are a lot of cool guys, especially the O-Line group. We all get along really well.

 

 

 

Horn Sports: Do you feel you did well in testing and 1 on 1s?

 

 

 

Little: Definitely have room to improve on 1 on 1s, I had a little bit of a slow start. Definitely thought I did better as the day went and tomorrow I think will have a really good day.

 

 

 

Horn Sports: You’ve been racking up the MVPs this offseason at camps, do you think you will get another one out here?

 

 

 

Little: I’m going to try. There is definitely tough competition, but I’m going to try my hardest.

 

 

 

Horn Sports: Lets talk about recruiting. I know you are taking the process slow, do you plan on taking all five of your official visits?

 

 

 

Little: Yeah I definitely thinking I’m going to take all five OVs. We’ll see, I don’t really know where I’m going to take them yet. Definitely going to be taking it slow, but maybe sometime during the season or after the season I will be able to have a decision made.

 

 

 

Horn Sports: Do you have a lot of guys out here trying to give you the hard sell to come here and come there?

 

 

 

Little: Definitely. A lot of guys out here talk to me about the schools they are committed and things like that. Particularly the quarterbacks since they are usually the lead recruiters for schools.

 

 

 

Horn Sports: As far as Texas goes, have you been in contact with the coaches frequently?

 

 

 

Little: Yeah I talk to them almost every day. I’m in touch with Coach Mattox regularly and I definitely like all the coaches out there and feel really comfortable with them and have good relationships.

 

 

 

Horn Sports: Is Coach Mattox your lead read recruiter?

 

 

 

Little: Yeah, he is definitely the guy I’m in contact with the most. He will be my position coach there, so he is definitely a guy I try to keep in touch with a lot to make sure we have a good relationship. If he is potentially going to be my college coach I want to make sure everything is good with him.

 

 

 

Horn Sports: Under The Lights is coming up later this month, do you plan on being there?

 

 

 

Little: I’m going to try to make it out there. I have to make sure I don’t anything otherwise, but I am definitely going to try to make it.

 

 

 

Texas, Stanford, and Ole Miss have been the school most frequently mentioned with Little, and he was able to visit all three schools this spring. I feel really good with where Texas sits in this recruitment based off what I’ve been hearing. With numbers being tight, and Texas taking a big class of offensive lineman in 2016, I expect them to take a small group this cycle and put max effort in getting elite guys like Little in the boat.

 

 

 

If Texas is able to land a commitment from Little down the line, the depth chart for the offensive line is going to be absolutely loaded in 2017.

 

 

 

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I have never been shy about my recruiting crush for Kennedale linebacker Baron Browning. I’ve called him everything from a freak, to a transformer, to an alien. Guys who are put together like him are not supposed to be able to move and do things he does on a football field. When I asked Browning who he would compare his game to. It came as no surprise that his answer was another freakish talent: Sean Taylor.

 

 

 

With Taylor you could see early on that he was just different and more physically gifted than anyone else on the field, and the same goes for Browning. I’m not going to say Browning is going to end up being Sean Taylor, but I know that he has a chance to be a very special player and he possesses very uncommon athleticism for the position he plays

 

 

 

I was able to catch up with Browning out here in Oregon and pick his brain a bit on the trip out West, recruiting, and where things currently stand between him and Texas.

 

 

 

Horn Sports: Lets cut to the chase, how cool is it to be out here in Football Heaven in Oregon?

 

 

 

Browning: It’s an honor to be out here to compete with some of the best in the nation and to go up against people who are on your own level I guess you could say.

 

 

 

Horn Sports: They give you a ton of stuff when you come out here, what is some of the coolest things they have given you?

 

 

 

Browning: Today’s gear was our training camp gear, but I’m really looking forward to the gear that we get for 7 on 7. We got some pretty nice gear though, and I really like my sweats, jacket, and my shoes I got on. They’ve been taking care of us, and feeding us very well.

 

 

 

Horn Sports: How do you feel you did in the testing?

 

 

 

Browning: I think I did pretty good, but I wasn’t happy because I came out with higher expectations for my 40 time. I almost reached my goal that I had myself, so I really wasn’t mad about anything else I was just upset because I wanted to go faster in my 40.

 

 

 

Horn Sports: How fast did you run?

 

 

 

Browning: 4.5

 

 

 

Horn Sports: That’s ‘pretty’ good for your size.

 

 

 

Browning: 4.49 would have been good for me because that’s what I was shooting, but now it is back to the drawing board.

 

 

 

Horn Sports: What’s the experience like for you to be able to compete with the best of the best?

 

 

 

Browning: To be honest, it’s one of those things that you dream about. It’s almost like a test to see where you at and see what you need to work on, get better it and see what your strengths and weaknesses are.

 

 

 

Running in the 4.5 range at 6’3, 230 pounds is phenomenal, but I love that he isn’t settling and wants to get better. It also just confirms my suspicions that Mr. Browning is not of this world.

 

 

 

When asked if he intended to make his way to Austin for Texas’ Under The Lights camp, Browning confirmed that he will be in attendance, and I also was able to confirm that the trip that he once had planned to Ohio State was indeed canceled.

 

 

 

To say that Texas is in frequent contact with the blue chip linebacker would probably be an understatement. Browning says that he stays in contact with multiple members of the Texas coaching staff, but his main points of contact have been linebackers coach Brian Jean-Mary and Charlie Strong. When asked about his relationship with Strong, Browning noted that he has a good relationship with head coach and that they like to joke around. He added that they can talk about anything.

 

 

 

Browning plans to be an early enrollee, so his official visit list is already starting to take shape. He currently has three visits lined up and they include the Iron Bowl between Alabama and Auburn, The Battle of L.A. featuring USC and UCLA, and The Game between Ohio State and Michigan. I have to say that the man has impeccable taste in football matchups.

 

 

 

Browning didn’t state on whether he would take an official visit to Austin, but he also didn’t rule it out. Despite not currently having an official scheduled, I like the way Browning’s recruitment is trending and him opting to visit Austin rather than Columbus certainly doesn’t hurt that confidence.

 

 

 

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Much like Baron Browning, La Grange running back JK Dobbins is never satisfied. He ripped off a 4.45 in the forty, buy he thought he could have been faster. He threw the power ball 42 feet, but he thought he could have threw it farther. He jumped 43.1 on the vert, but he thought he could have jumped a little higher. By the way, all of those testing numbers placed him in the 99^th percentile in those categories. Did I mention he took home the overall Nike Football Rating crown with a total score of 146.76? He still thinks he could have been better.

 

 

 

Good is never good enough for a guy like Dobbins. Guys like him strive to be great and they are constantly trying to catch that greatness, and once they have done it they try to catch it again, and again, again. That’s how you go from being just a good or decent football player to being one that people remember forever. Aside from making a run at a state title, Dobbins has his eye on breaking the All-Time central Texas rushing record, so he certainly doesn’t lack ambition.

 

 

 

From the very first time I ever laid eyes on JK’s film it was love at first sight. There really isn’t anything he can’t do at the running back position, and he is so dynamic they will line him up at quarterback in the Wildcat formation. While 7 on 7 tournaments don’t generally showcase a running back’s true talents, JK has proven out here that he is a well-rounded back. He’s shown he’s a threat to take a handoff 70 yards to the house and he is also capable of coming out of the backfield as a credible receiver and has decent hands to boot. He’s made my case for me and proven that he is no doubt the best back in the state and one of the very best in the country.

 

 

 

Recruiting isn’t something that JK likes to talk a lot about, but when you are committed to Ohio State and you got schools like Alabama knocking on your door you have little choice. Despite surprising many by suddenly pledging to the Buckeyes, that hasn’t slowed down Texas’ pursuit of the central Texas back. We all know an early commitment has never deterred Charlie Strong and his staff from continuing in hot pursuit of a recruit they really want, and that goes double for one that is right in their backyard.

 

 

 

I get the feel that this recruitment could be similar to Erick Fowler’s in the way that Texas needs to continue to chip away and that being the home team could end up a playing a big factor. While he doesn’t have any official visits planned at the moment (not even one for Ohio State) I wouldn’t be shocked if Texas got a visit from him in December or January. Even with Dobbins making his early pledge and being pretty happy with being a part of an absurdly stacked Ohio State class, I keep coming back to the fact that Texas has yet to move on other players at the position. Just something to think about.

 

 

 

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It’s no secret right now that Texas is in need of edge rushers, and one of the very best edge rushers in country resides in Houston. As I watched K’Lavon Chaisson compete out here in Oregon all I could remember was him being an absolute game wrecker in the state championship game against Sam Ehlinger’s Austin Westlake squad. Chaisson single handedly dominated the matchup and took home MVP honors for his efforts.

 

 

 

Despite being a Texas kid, Texas has had their work cut out for themselves to get themselves in the thick of things in Chaisson’s recruitment. When Chaisson released his top ten schools in order, Texas barely made the cut at number ten. While making the cut was a positive, being at the back of the pack isn’t very encouraging.

 

When we heard that Texas could be making a move up Chaisson’s list, I made it a point to pick his brain on recruitment and gauged on where Texas stands currently with the blue chip pass rusher from North Shore.

 

 

 

Horn Sports: At an event like this obviously they got the best of the best out here, how do you feel you have done so far and what are some of the things you have taken from being out here so far?

 

 

 

Chaisson: I’ve definitely learned a lot of new things and new moves. Last year I just used to go out there and use my speed and quickness, but a lot of these offensive lineman out here are athletic so you have to know how to use your hands.

 

 

 

Horn Sports: What are some of the things the coaches have been stressing for you to work on?

 

 

 

Chaisson: Using my hands. When I do use my hands I try to use a swim move, but these guys out here are highly competitive and highly talented and know how to get into my ribs and drive me out of the picture.

 

 

 

Horn Sports: What are some of things you like about this event in particular?

 

 

 

Chaisson: It’s a little getaway trip from home. I’m not really a media person, so it’s really just a getaway trip from home and a chance to compete with the toughest guys.

 

 

 

Horn Sports: Do you have any visits planned for the near future?

 

 

 

Chaisson: I know after this I will be leaving to go to Georgia on the 14^th, then possibly to LSU for their July camp, then after that I will probably be going to Florida State.

 

 

 

Horn Sports: Did you get invited to Texas’ Under The Lights camp?

 

 

 

Chaisson: Yeah, I plan on making a visit there, but I don’t know what day yet. I’m not sure if it will be on camp date or not, but probably not so I can little more attention and they can show me around and do more things. If I do go for a camp date I probably won’t participate.

 

 

 

Horn Sports: You had Texas down around nine or ten on your list, what do they have to do to make their way up for you?

 

 

 

Chaisson: Oh no they have definitely jumped now; I think they should be number four on my list right now.

 

 

 

Horn Sports: Why did they make the jump?

 

 

 

Chaisson: It was my fault because I hadn’t really talked to Texas lately because I don’t talk to colleges, but I finally reached out to them. They gave me some good information on the academic side, they have one of the top business programs and that’s what I want to major in, so that definitely caught my eye. It’s also not too far or close to home so it’s a cool little place to go.

 

 

 

Horn Sports: Don’t you have a connection to Coach Haley?

 

 

 

Chaisson: He coached my dad in high school.

 

 

 

Horn Sports: What has Coach Haley been telling you?

 

 

 

Chaisson: Me and Coach Haley don’t talk as much, I talk more to Coach Bedford.

 

 

 

Horn Sports: Have they told you they are recruiting you at the Fox position and are you okay with that?

 

 

 

Chaisson: Yes. I’m going to watch more film just to make sure, but from what I’ve seen I really like it.

 

 

 

Horn Sports: You won a state title last year, aside from getting another in 2016 do you have any personal aspirations for yourself?

 

 

 

Chaisson: I don’t really have anything too personal. I just try to make sure that me and all of my teammates are on the same page. It’s not really about getting offers, but it is really about the brotherhood in case someone falls down in life or if someone has family issue you so that they know they always have someone they can call on. I just focus more on stuff outside of football and getting a good relationship with my teammates.

 

 

 

Horn Sports: I know you are visiting Georgia soon, what is it that you like about them?

 

 

 

Chaisson: The Leonard Floyd position. I definitely what to play that. It took a little shake with the Robert Beal commitment, but at the same time I’m not scared of any competition so I’m still looking at them.

 

 

 

Horn Sports: If you could compare yourself to a college or NFL player who would it be and why?

 

 

 

Chaisson: (With a big smile) Eric Striker. That dude is a beast for a guy who is only six foot; he is so quick and can get off the edge and get around these big, fat, slower lineman.

 

 

 

Horn Sports: Dang, man did you have to call them fat? (chuckles)

 

 

 

Chaisson: Yeah, man they are too big. (laughs)

 

 

 

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When you talk about blue chip recruits in the 2017 recruiting class, there is absolutely no way you can leave Plano East linebacker Anthony Hines III out of the discussion. You will be hard pressed to find another player who has racked up 90 (yes that is 9-0) FBS offers like the stud Texas backer. That kind of resume that puts Hines in very elite company, and he isn’t just hype.

 

 

 

Hines came out here to Oregon with one thing on his mind; to prove that he belonged with the best of the best. After being able to watch him throughout the week I would say he accomplished that mission and solidified his status as one of the elite inside linebackers in the country.

 

 

 

As far as recruiting goes, Hines recently narrowed his very long list of schools down to 10 and Texas safely made the cut. As the 7 on 7 Championship tournament concluded today I was able to catch up with Hines and get his thoughts on the event and where things stand as far as Texas goes.

 

 

 

Horn Sports: With the event now wrapped up, tell me your thoughts on how it was to be at something like this and how was your experience out here at The Opening?

 

 

 

Hines: Honestly it was just a blessing to be out here competing with the top guy, getting coached by the best, and being able to take in all of this knowledge. It was a really good experience and one that I will never forget.

 

 

 

Horn Sports: How do you feel you performed out here among the elite prospects in the country?

 

 

 

Hines: I performed pretty well, with an exception of a few things I have to work on. This is another thing, it’s a measuring stick and I have some stuff I have to work on, but I feel like I did pretty well overall.

 

 

 

Horn Sports: Did the coaches tell you anything specifically you could improve on?

 

 

 

Hines: We did mostly zone, but my man stuff was on point. With zone there are weak spots in it and there certain things that you can do and tinker with to cover up those weak spots. Besides that, that is all I need to work on.

 

 

 

Horn Sports: What were some of your testing numbers from earlier in the week?

 

 

 

Hines: I ran a 4.5 in the forty and I ran a 4.12 in the pro agility (shuttle).

 

 

 

Horn Sports: At 230 pound that’s pretty good, you said it like it was just nothing.

 

 

 

Hines: I was going for a better time in my 40.

 

 

 

Horn Sports: I’ve been asking all of the guys out there this, if you could compare yourself to a current college or NFL player who would it be and why?

 

 

 

Hines: I would compare myself to Luke Kuechly because of the nose for the football.

 

 

 

Horn Sports: That’s a heck of a comp. When you talk about a nose for the ball and being a cerebral linebacker, there is nobody doing it better in the league right now than Kuechly.

 

 

 

Let’s talking recruiting now. You just dropped your top 10 and you have Texas in there, how often do you talk to the Texas coaches and do you plan on getting back down there anytime soon?

 

 

 

Hines: I talk to Coach Bedford and Coach Mary (Brian Jean-Mary) daily pretty much and I talk to Coach Strong every week, so I have a pretty good relationship with them.

 

 

 

Horn Sports: I know you are scheduled to be at Texas A&M later this month for their barbecue event. I’ve heard that there was a possibility that you could attend Under The Lights and that event as well since it is in the same weekend, can you confirm that?

 

 

 

Hines: There’s definitely a possibility. I believe they are on back to back days so I may be able to make it to Austin, spend the night in Austin, and then go to A&M.

 

 

 

If Hines is able to make it down that would be another big time name added to the list of attendees for Texas’ premier summer camp. From what I have gathered, Texas sits in a good spot in Hines’ recruitment, but they are going to have fend off schools like Oklahoma to land his signature. I think the more that face time Charlie Strong and his staff get with him and continue to build the relationship; the better their chances will be in December when Hines wants to make his decision. From the way things are looking here I would be surprised if Texas didn’t end up getting an official visit from Hines, so they will be right in the thick of things until the end.

 

 

 

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While Daniel Seahorn was on top of the action in Oregon, Mike Roach made his way to the Prime 21 camp in Dallas to take in some of the top talent from the 2018 and 2019 classes. We’ll have more in the way of interviews from that camp as this week goes on, but we were able to pick up some tidbits throughout the day on some prospects in attendance.

 

 

 

*Midway QB Tanner Mordecai is starting to become a known man in the 2018 class. He keeps in contact with Sterlin Gilbert regularly, and is going to try to make it to Under the Lights. We expect Mordecai to be one of the top targets for the Longhorns in 2018

 

 

 

*Another top quarterback prospect in attendance was Denton Ryan’s Spencer Sanders. The dual threat star showed a lot in the passing game during the camp, and he’s already picked up several big offers. Sanders would have a lot of interest in Texas, but they haven’t had a ton of contact with him as of yet. Charlie Williams has reached out to Sanders about attending Under the Lights, and Sanders is a maybe for that event as well.

 

 

 

*Rockwall Heath DB Tanner McAllister looked impressive during the camp setting. The 2018 corner showed off his usual brand of physical football. The fast rising junior will be in Austin for Under the Lights, and he could be an offer candidate with another strong performance. If Texas were to offer, they’d have a few things in their favor. McAllister grew up a huge Texas fan, and he called it a dream offer. He’s also extremely close with Texas safety Deshon Elliott. Tanner is also hearing from TCU (who he believes is close to offering), and Oklahoma. Those three schools would be on top for McAllister if all of them offered, but I believe Texas would hold a bit of an edge.

 

 

 

*Prestonwood DB Jeremiah Lewis hasn’t had a lot of attention, but every time I see him he seems to get better. Lewis had a strong performance at Prime 21, and we’re told he is planning on attending Under the Lights in two weeks. It’s unclear if Lewis is on the Texas radar, but his blend of speed and technical ability could get him there with a strong performance. Lewis has some great versatility to play several positions in the secondary, and he’ll be featured this season in the PRestonwood defense.

 

 

 

*Jordan and Joshua Moore will both be at Under the Lights. The Yoakum twins are no strangers to Austin, and while talk of a potential commitment has been thrown around I’d say it’s unlikely at this point. Both brothers have picked decision dates for next summer that hold significance to them, and while Jordan acknowledged it could happen before then, Josh seems pretty dedicated to sticking with his timeline. Jordan is waiting on a TCU offer, but I get the feeling he could shut it down early for Texas if the Horned Frogs don’t offer. If Patterson does offer, the Frogs will be a big factor in their recruitment.

 

 

 

*Cibolo Steele DB Caden Sterns holds some big offers, but he’s yet to blow up in the way that I think he will over the next year. Sterns is a phenomenal looking prospect for his age, and he backed it up with his play at Prime 21. Sterns isn’t hearing a ton from Texas as of yet, but he was invited to Under the Lights and told us he plans to be there.

 

 

 

*Bossier City (LA) Parkway wide receiver Terrace Marshall is a legit star in the 2018 class. The big receiver is smooth as silk on the field, and he’s got big time offers already. The top player from the boot confirmed that he’s been in contact with Texas, and he feels they are close to offering. We didn’t yet confirm if he would be at Under the Lights, but we are working on that.

 

 

 

*Texas never got in the mix with Cedar Hill wide receiver Charleston Rambo. We spoke with the Oklahoma commit during the camp while he was there watching, and he told us that Charlie Williams has been in contact. If Texas does move on Rambo, we believe they could be a factor in his recruitment. Rambo has some family members that favor Texas, and he’s open to hearing what they have to say.