Junior Day
As part of Mack Brown’s never ending quest to secure an entire recruting class by Easter, we’re having our first junior day this weekend.
Among the luminaries are: (a hat tip to Rivals for this info)
QB - Garrett Gilbert - Austin Lake Travis
QB - Russell Shepard - Houston Cy Ridge
RB - Chris Whaley - Madisonville
WR - Greg Timmons - Aldine Eisenhower
WR - Emory Blake - Austin High
OL - Mason Walters - Frenship
OL - Garrett Porter - Odessa Permian
OL - Thomas Ashcraft - Cedar Hill
OL - Paden Kelley - Austin Lake Travis
DT - Jamarkus McFarland - Lufkin
DE - Alex Okafor - Pflugerville
DB - Marcus Davis - Houston Clear Creek
DB - Craig Loston - Aldine Eisenhower
Ath - Dexter Pratt - Navasota
They are all elite level recruits and Texas has a chance to secure as many as six commitments this weekend.
Timmons and Loston are an interesting pair to bring in as Aldine Eisenhower players traditionally despise Texas. Loston is one of the most impressive high school safeties I’ve ever seen on film, a pure football talent; Timmons is a very polished big body possession receiver. It will be interesting to see if they can budged from their reflexive Ike-inspired Longhorn animus.
Taking a stab at it, I reckon we’ll land commitments this weekend from:
Alex Okafor
Paden Kelley
Russell Shepard
Marcus Davis
Chris Whaley
Athlete Pratt and WR Blake are certainly possiblities. We should be able to make strong inroads on OL Porter and Mason.
Loston and McFarland are by far the most desirable defensive prizes.
That would be a pretty powerful base for a 2009 class that won’t have more than 20 bodies.
February 9, 2008 at 2:55 pm
Loston may not make it in.
February 9, 2008 at 2:57 pm
Bummer.
February 9, 2008 at 5:24 pm
“As part of Mack Brown’s never ending quest to secure an entire recruting class by Easter…”
Hey, getting the most early commitments is the only way Mr. Football can still compete for the title of Coach February.
February 9, 2008 at 7:20 pm
Word on the street is that DB Marcus Davis has committed to the Horns…
February 9, 2008 at 7:37 pm
He did. Already holding offers from OU, LSU and A&M.
February 9, 2008 at 11:21 pm
The tragedy here is that each and every swinging Richard here knows that UT could and should cherry pick the best of Texas. Even assuming they did get all 14 guys on that list, they’ll lose 3 of 4 to OU for no other reason than because you guys still have Greg f*cking Davis running your offense. If you replaced him with an Oompa Loompa, you’d have 2 Big 12 titles and another MNC by 2010. But I guess horizontalism is its own reward.
At this point, I’m not even happy about it anymore. I’m really not. It took the single greatest player in UT history, and one of the best ever to set foot on a field for ANY team, to unf*ck the UT offense.
Good Lord, you all are resilient. I truly salute you.
February 10, 2008 at 8:49 am
Thanks for feeling our pain, Nate…
February 10, 2008 at 12:38 pm
I don’t know that Kelley gets an offer. Unless his aunt really puts her foot down. He’s definitely not one of McWhorter’s top 3 targets so the variable may be how many ships McWhorter is allotted this year. I think maybe a no.
Unless he’s already a commit, then never mind.
February 10, 2008 at 12:42 pm
I’ll stand by my prediction that Paden Kelley will be a Longhorn.
February 10, 2008 at 1:37 pm
“At this point, I’m not even happy about it anymore. I’m really not. It took the single greatest player in UT history, and one of the best ever to set foot on a field for ANY team, to unf*ck the UT offense.
Good Lord, you all are resilient. I truly salute you.”
Angry emoticon.
February 10, 2008 at 3:27 pm
I want Shavodrick Beaver, the QB from Wichita Falls. Can you imagine calling him “Shave”? That’s up there with Luscious Pussey.
February 10, 2008 at 3:41 pm
Chris Whaley and Paden Kelly have committed.
February 10, 2008 at 3:47 pm
I’m 3 for 3 so far.
More to come…
Addendum: My predictions started very well. They’ve headed south since then. Timmons is out of left field. Why we’re antagonizing Shepard is beyond me.
February 10, 2008 at 3:55 pm
I was wrong on Kelley. Thought they might wait. Wonder how many OL we take this year?
I didn’t realize he projected as an OT though; we definitely need bodies there. Kelley definitely has the right attitude and want-to, as well as the bloodlines.
February 10, 2008 at 4:01 pm
Whaley’s not a surprise, as Mack had made him a personal project some time ago.
The offer to the safety from Brownwood is interesting. Shepard may take some time to play out. I can’t see turning a kid like Loston frankly.
McFarland and Okafor are must-haves IMO.
Scip, be interested in some more in-depth color from you on some of these kids if you’re so inclined.
February 10, 2008 at 4:54 pm
Some dude at HornFans who is watching Rivals says Garret Porter is #5. It appears to have been posted on the free board at OB and then edited by the mods.
February 10, 2008 at 4:54 pm
Hey,did Mack offer Chris’ dad a better job than the one i have? Egads!
February 10, 2008 at 5:15 pm
AA-S confirms that Odessa Permian OL Garrett Porter is commit #5.
February 10, 2008 at 5:28 pm
Snitches at HornFans say Aldine Eisenhower WR Greg Timmons is #6
February 10, 2008 at 5:34 pm
That’s a great get. Not so much for Timmons himself - he’s very good - but for what that could open up at Ike down the road.
Good shit there.
February 10, 2008 at 6:01 pm
AA-S says Shephard was offered but didn’t commit. He wants a shot at QB and is waiting to see if Pryor signs with Michigan.
February 10, 2008 at 6:19 pm
AA-S says Pratt was offered but didn’t commit. Wants to visit OU and LSU and doesn’t plan to commit until signing day.
February 10, 2008 at 6:29 pm
Here’s the AAS stuff.
February 10, 2008 at 6:34 pm
Our handling of Shepard is just inept enough to irritate me on what has otherwise been an awesome day.
February 10, 2008 at 6:46 pm
Mack is nothing if not inept when it comes to handling QBs.
February 10, 2008 at 8:07 pm
Since Okafor declined to verbally commit, I assume that “his list of 5 favorite schools just became 4.”
February 11, 2008 at 6:08 am
If we stop recruiting MacFarland, Pratt and Shephard because they are going to visit other schools, I will dick whip every single one of you.
It hurts our feelings and we don’t want to work past June. Our staff is not paid nearly well enough to recruit year round.
February 11, 2008 at 12:08 pm
Isn’t Whaley the brother of Nebraska commit Alonzo Whaley? He’ll probably at least visit Lincoln for a glass of red drank before he commits to the Horns.
February 11, 2008 at 1:53 pm
Looks like Thomas Ashcraft will be committing to Texas tonight.
February 11, 2008 at 2:24 pm
February 11, 2008 at 2:40 pm
Scipio paid him the ultimate compliment. Says he reminds him of a young Charlie Tanner.
February 11, 2008 at 4:37 pm
Barton:
I think you’ll need to write off Pratt, unless he radically alters his commitment timetables.
Getting Thomas Ashcraft is gigantic.
I may be irritated with our poker playing with Shepard, but damn, we’re sealing the deal on some freaking animals early in the game.
February 23, 2008 at 9:41 pm
Mason Walters could start for a Div-I program now. He is physically as impressive, if not more impressive than some of the guys we had on our starting OL today at practice #2.
If we land him, we are good on the OL for years to come. He makes Allen and Huey look small. Picture Ulatoski, but with a healthy physique.
September 14, 2008 at 10:56 am
Paden Kelley, and Garrett Gilbert rock!
i go to school with them, and i am a football trainer for them, and ive seen them play and i know theyre good!
GO CAVS!
and soon to be HORNS!
WHOO!