The Longhorns got a huge commitment seemingly from out of nowhere when Navasota wide receiver Tren’Davian Dickson pledged on Tuesday. Dickson chose Texas over offers from Alabama, Baylor, Oklahoma, Texas A&M, USC, and LSU.
Though the Longhorns were a mainstay among Dickson’s favorites throughout the process, the popular thought was that the Horns were behind several other schools in the pursuit of the highly coveted playmaker.However, throughout the spring and summer Dickson constantly mentioned his admiration for Charlie Strong and the rest of the UT coaching staff as the reason he held the school in such high regard. Dickson joins Reggie Hemphill and Collin Johnson in a star studded wide receiver class.
Dickson was originally committed to Baylor, but opened his recruitment up in the spring. He really grabbed the spotlight in a big way at the 4A state championship game when he put on a performance to remember totaling 12 catches for 177 yards and 4 touchdowns. His 39 touchdowns on the season set a national record for touchdown receptions and turned Dickson into a national name. Ranked as the 2nd best receiver in the state by HornSports, Dickson is the best natural playmaker statewide and has a chance to finish his high school career ranked among the elite of elite in the Texas.
Film Analysis: The knock on Dickson is he lacks plus size – he is 6’1″, 170 pounds. Dickson has a long, lean frame that he blends with some high end tools and elite intangibles.
While he doesn’t have the blazing track speed of a prospect like Devin Duvernay, Dickson possesses an advanced understanding of body control and when to accelerate to separate himself from the defender. He has quick feet that help him get off the line and long arms that add a big catch radius and allow him to keep defenders from getting inside.
Dickson can play any receiver position on the field, and while he has no problem scoring on bubble screens and quick passes, he’s best used as a medium to long passing threat. Dickson’s smoothness and fluidity are second to none and his awareness and body control are as good as you will ever see from a high school receiver. He is a natural pass catcher who doesn’t let the ball get into his body, and shows the ability to make the impossible catches look easy. He will need to add a little more weight to his frame, and clean up some of his route running.
Final Verdict: The talent on the offensive side of the ball is really starting to come together for the Longhorns. Dickson has creative ability that the Longhorns lack at the receiver position and should have the chance to contribute early on in his career.
Dickson has a tremendous ceiling that currently project to an All-American candidate and first round pick in the NFL draft (if he is able to realize his potential. This commitment also gives Texas some positive momentum going into the Under The Lights camp, as well as credibility with some of the other highly recruited prospects in state.
