2021 Recruiting - Football

BurntOrangeLH said:
And he is an underweight and fast LB. There is a reason that 'Bama and Jawja were on him also. This guy is like a bulldog on speed. He does know how to tackle, too.
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I am much happier with our LB recruiting under Hutzler and Ash. They are going after the type of guys who are needed in today's game, esp in this conference. I could never figure out what Orlando was doing with LBs, other than his plan for DeGabriel Floyd to play all our LB positions. As just one example, Ayodele Adeoye was already playing at 245 in high school. He would have been perfect in the 80s/90s. But he was a top 100 player in 2018, so Orlando "won" the recruiting battle for him without really asking how well he might fit into scheme and conference. Meanwhile Baylor, ISU! and especially TCU were beating our brains in with better evaluations on high school LBs who were rated lower in the various recruiting rankings. Patterson has had 4 of his LBs drafted in the last 3 NFL drafts, while we have not had a LB drafted since 2012.

Anyway, back to Blackwell, the staff at Arlington Martin claims Blackwell has run a 4.47, and has a 37" vertical. They also say he is 6’2 1/2

Blackwell is already in the ESPN 300 and seems destined for a bump in the new 247 rankings. That just leaves Rivals having him at #84 in state. Rivals also has an update due soon so his Comp ranking will be interesting to watch once it all washes through the system.

 
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From ESPN -

Brockermeyer has a top five of Alabama, Auburn, Clemson, LSU and Texas as of now. He has a ton of ties to Texas, as his father and grandfather both played for the Longhorns, and a few other family members attended the university as well.

The No. 1-ranked tackle in this class also has a twin brother, James, who is an ESPN 300 prospect, and the two have said they would like to go to college together. Texas is the natural guess for both of them, but Alabama and Clemson are very much in the picture. Brockermeyer has said it's almost more difficult to go through the recruiting process with a twin brother because they're trying to find the right fit for two people rather than one.

Their recruitments might be affected by the restrictions caused by the coronavirus, so it might still be a little early in predicting. It does seem as though Texas, Alabama and Clemson have the best shot.

Prediction: Texas ​
 
Joe Fan said:
I am much happier with our LB recruiting under Hutzler and Ash. They are going after the type of guys who are needed in today's game, esp in this conference. I could never figure out what Orlando was doing with LBs, other than his plan for DeGabriel Floyd to play all our LB positions. As just one example, Ayodele Adeoye was already playing at 245 in high school. He would have been perfect in the 80s/90s. But he was a top 100 player in 2018, so Orlando "won" the recruiting battle for him without really asking how well he might fit into scheme and conference. Meanwhile Baylor, ISU! and especially TCU were beating our brains in with better evaluations on high school LBs who were rated lower in the various recruiting rankings. Patterson has had 4 of his LBs drafted in the last 3 NFL drafts, while we have not had a LB drafted since 2012.....
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Besides improved LB recruiting under the new staff, we are also smartly focussing on getting in-state players committed. Who knows this class might have looked like without the coronavirus? Going into the outbreak, the new staff had made more national offers than any Texas team in history. We will never know how that might have turned out. But our coaches adjusted to the circumstances that they were given and we are starting to see the results now.
 
Gabe Brooks on Morice Blackwell

" ..... Evaluation notes: Blackwell has lined up all over Arlington Martin's defense and produced terrific numbers for the past two seasons. He could become a box safety in the right scheme, but given the style of today's game and his frame length, Blackwell likely best suits an off-line linebacker role that will allow him to play in space and roam in pursuit.

In the 6-foot-1, 195- to 200-pound range, Blackwell owns a lean, athletic build with good length that should help him continue to gain some mass in college. He will need to add some more good weight to combat college-level blockers in the run game.

Having said that, his pursuit ability is outstanding. He shows plenty of range and his straight-line speed when closing on a target is one of his best traits. Blackwell shows the ability to provide the big hit when the opportunity arises, and he's unafraid to crash in-the-box traffic to make plays against the run.

Blackwell's participation in track and field is limited but encouraging. He owns a personal record of 11.60 in the 100 meters, a number that suggests he can improve his top-end speed, though his functional play speed is good. He also owns a 5-10 mark in the high jump.

Moving around the formation could be one of Blackwell's best characteristics as he projects to the next level. To do so effectively, he will need to hone his coverage skills, as the majority of his playmaking in high school has been downhill, forward-oriented action. There's a bit of literal stiffness to him at times, but that's not surprising for a player of his length who's asked to attack in most situations.

Blackwell could get on the field early on special teams, where he has thrived for Arlington Martin, and where his frame and play speed shine. He has the potential to provide an early impact as a special teamer, with the long-term ceiling of becoming a multi-year starter with aspirations beyond the college level. ...."​
 
Clayton Smith top 6 (no aggy)
FWIW, Smith's brother played with Valai and for Ash at Wisconsin
LSU seems to be the biggest threat
EXrcZv0WAAA1HYq
 
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Joe Fan said:
Inside Texas on WR Michael Jackson
“The H receiver position is really the one that if you built it in a lab, the two that we have right now in Jake Smith and Jordan Whittington would be that. Guys that have played tailback in high school and guys that can get open in space and are durable enough to take the hits that slot receivers take quite frequently.”​
That quote is from Tom Herman. I’m coining the position ‘slot machine’ because I like the fitting double entendre. We’ll see if fetch is going to happen.

An aside: Herman excluded Lil’Jordan Humphrey, but he played running back at a high level in high school despite being 6-foot-4. Remember how I said there’s no real point in evaluating for the express purpose of finding a LJH clone? That’s because it’s a mostly futile task. It’s easier to find the Duvernays, Whittingtons, and Smiths. And those guys aren’t all that easy to find.

Michael Jackson III from Desert Pines in Las Vegas fits the profile. He plays with noticeable power after the catch along with quickness. He certainly has running back traits with a thick, durable build.

He’s a composite 3-star, but 247 has him the highest as an 88. That number fits inside the 3-star/4-star margin of error. He’s a good player and if UT filled the JoJo Earle void with Jackson and Theo Knox, I’d be pleased.

Jackson seems to be a culture fit. Here’s our exchange:

You’re on the move. How long have you been talking to Texas?
“I've been talking to Texas’ coaches for a couple of months now. My older brother Jamil was in the Army and lives near Houston now and has been really on me for about a year now to take a close look at Texas.”​
Just finished watching your Hudl. Does Jamil want you to look at Texas because it’s close to him or another reason?
“Yeah, mostly because of him. But he's also stressed to me how much football is beloved by Texas residents. The history, the tradition... it’s all very appealing!”​
I see some Devin Duvernay to your game.
“Love Duvernay's game! I watched him a lot. Like his game and I definitely see the similarities between us. I've also seen how Texas' offense has been under Coach Herman. Really explosive, fast, and uses the slot receivers a lot which is really interesting, very intriguing.”​
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Sounds like Michael Jackson is moonwalking his way to USC
 
Joe Fan said:
I am much happier with our LB recruiting under Hutzler and Ash. They are going after the type of guys who are needed in today's game, esp in this conference. I could never figure out what Orlando was doing with LBs, other than his plan for DeGabriel Floyd to play all our LB positions. As just one example, Ayodele Adeoye was already playing at 245 in high school. He would have been perfect in the 80s/90s. But he was a top 100 player in 2018, so Orlando "won" the recruiting battle for him without really asking how well he might fit into scheme and conference. Meanwhile Baylor, ISU! and especially TCU were beating our brains in with better evaluations on high school LBs who were rated lower in the various recruiting rankings. Patterson has had 4 of his LBs drafted in the last 3 NFL drafts, while we have not had a LB drafted since 2012.

Anyway, back to Blackwell, the staff at Arlington Martin claims Blackwell has run a 4.47, and has a 37" vertical. They also say he is 6’2 1/2

Blackwell is already in the ESPN 300 and seems destined for a bump in the new 247 rankings. That just leaves Rivals having him at #84 in state. Rivals also has an update due soon so his Comp ranking will be interesting to watch once it all washes through the system.

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I’ll take 11 of him on D all day. This kid plays like the ball carrier shot his mom, very underrated commit.
 
Joe Fan said:
Clayton Smith top 6 (no aggy)
FWIW, Smith's brother played with Valai and for Ash at Wisconsin
LSU seems to be the biggest threat
EXrcZv0WAAA1HYq
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How’d Kentucky end up in there? I know they just had a recent high draft pick in Josh Allen I think but seems like enough to warrant an NCAA investigation.
 
Joe Fan said:
we are also smartly focussing on getting in-state players committed. Who knows this class might have looked like without the coronavirus? Going into the outbreak, the new staff had made more national offers than any Texas team in history
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Joe- I am not following the logic here. How has Coronas shifted focus to in-state? I would think that virtual recruiting would open things up more than normal. Is it just because relationships with High Schools and coaches already exist in state and our coaches can't travel to meet face to face with OOS?
 
LHABSOB said:
Joe- I am not following the logic here. How has Coronas shifted focus to in-state? ...
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Bc they cant travel. Cant get any of these OOS guys on campus. At least with the locals, we have already seen them in person, had most of them on campus already, gone to their games, talked to their coaches face-to-face. Maybe already met the families, maybe already been in their homes. With our new assistants, I am sure you probably noticed, they already had existing contacts with players all over the country and, as a result, UT football made more offers to OOS players than I can ever rmbr. But then the virus hit and everything changed. Our coaches adjusted this way. Makes sense to me.

Another thing is that I think is an advantage to us with the in-state guys is that players have pushed up their timelines and are committing sooner.

It has to be tough on coaches in some of the remote settings. Coaches in Texas, Calif and Florida have an advantage. And while it doesnt seem to matter to programs like LSU, Alabama or Clemson, what about coaches in places like Washington or Oregon? Coaches are making offers to players they have never met in person. Seems weird but they dont have a choice. The rumor is, and there does seem to be some support, Oregon is just offering cash to keep the top West Coast guys out west. We may end up seeing all sorts of weird arrangements come out of this environment.
 
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Joe Fan said:
LB Aaron Willis is originally from Texas and he still has family in Texas who he still visits. His family are Texas fans. We made his top 7. It would have helped if Orlando had already recognized all this and been in contact but, it any event, it sounds like we may actually have a legit shot.
The 247 Composite has him as the #9 OLB nationally, #109 player overall
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LB Aaron Willis (Baltimore) committed to Tennessee.
Little ut is getting a lot of action lately. I wonder if they adopted the Oregon plan?
 
Joe Fan said:
I am much happier with our LB recruiting under Hutzler and Ash. They are going after the type of guys who are needed in today's game, esp in this conference. I could never figure out what Orlando was doing with LBs, other than his plan for DeGabriel Floyd to play all our LB positions. As just one example, Ayodele Adeoye was already playing at 245 in high school. He would have been perfect in the 80s/90s. But he was a top 100 player in 2018, so Orlando "won" the recruiting battle for him without really asking how well he might fit into scheme and conference. Meanwhile Baylor, ISU! and especially TCU were beating our brains in with better evaluations on high school LBs who were rated lower in the various recruiting rankings. Patterson has had 4 of his LBs drafted in the last 3 NFL drafts, while we have not had a LB drafted since 2012.

Anyway, back to Blackwell, the staff at Arlington Martin claims Blackwell has run a 4.47, and has a 37" vertical. They also say he is 6’2 1/2

Blackwell is already in the ESPN 300 and seems destined for a bump in the new 247 rankings. That just leaves Rivals having him at #84 in state. Rivals also has an update due soon so his Comp ranking will be interesting to watch once it all washes through the system.

Click to expand...


Apparently Blackwell told the staff last week of his commitment
In the past, this news would have leaked
Kind of makes you wonder about all the paysites who claim to have 'sources' inside the program
 
A quick snipit from Eric Nahlin --

Hutzler is seemingly becoming a good recruiter. We’ve heard positives from team sources about his interactions with players, and he’s also doing yeoman’s work on Shadow Creek’s Terrence Cooks. With Blackwell, he had to not only overcome Baylor, but also Arkansas. There’s a bit of momentum on the trail. The 2021 class deserves some of the credit, especially Derrick Harris Jr. Not only is Jalen Milroe slowly but surely taking more and more of a leadership role, Humble Atascocita’s Landen King is also actively recruiting for the cycle. ​
 
4-star WR Ketron Jackson (6'2,190) from Lancaster says we are his dream school. Has does track and has a 24' in the long jump.


Nahlin/IT thinks we still have Mansfield Summit’s Hal Presley rated higher

But here is what Mike Roach/247 wrote about him --
I spoke with sources near four-star Royse City wide receiver Ketron Jackson last week. Texas is working him hard, and I think they'd have him already had they not offered late. Jackson was evaluated several times by Drew Mehringer, but he never pulled the trigger on an offer. Andre Coleman offered Jackson a couple of months ago, and so far they've been building a strong relationship. I was told that Texas is the school Jackson grew up wanting to play for, but the later offer is hurting them a bit right now. That said, I expect they will hang around in the race regardless and the longer this plays out the better it will be for Texas.​
 
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