2013 SG Martez Walker: Why did the Texas Longhorns offer?

2013 wing guard Martez Walker from Detroit (MI) Pershing officially visited the Texas Longhorns this past week. The news was first broken by a local area recruiting reporter, Steven Manrique. According to multiple Texas recruitniks, during the official visit, Walker received an offer from the Longhorns coaching staff.

Pershing small forward Martez Walker is visiting #Texas tomorrow. They have offered him.

— Steven Manrique (@mdhsathletics) April 20, 2013

With three guards already signed in the 2013 class, it's natural to wonder why Texas is going after another guard prospect so late in the game. If no news is bad news, then the following two "non-news" items may explain why.

First, one of Texas' signees, wing Demarcus Croaker out of Orlando (FL) Jones, recently retook his ACTs and has yet to receive his score ($). During his official visit earlier this year, Croaker had already received what was thought to be a qualifying ACT score. It's a bit concerning that he took the test again. While Croaker has stated that he does not expect any eligibility issues, the possibility that Croaker may be ruled academically ineligible could have contributed to the Walker offer.

Second, rumors are still swirling that sophomore guard Julien Lewis is on the fence about his transfer options. Fellow sophomore Sheldon McClellan has already left the program, giving Lewis a prime opportunity to lock down the starting 2 guard spot with a strong summer. If Lewis were to stay and Croaker were to achieve eligibility, the duo would get perimeter minutes along with returnee DeMarcus Holland and incoming freshman Kendal Yancy. Texas head coach could also opt for three-guard sets, either when starting 3 Ioannis Papapetrou sits or slides up to play power forward.

Walker is a 3* prospect in the class that has currently taken an official visit to the Temple Owls. Per Max Olson of ESPN HornsNation ($), Walker is also mulling visits to the Providence Friars and Central Florida Knights. It sounds like Walker is willing to wait until the May 15 Regular Signing Period deadline, or possibly beyond (in which case he would sign a financial aid agreement).

While he doesn't appear to be as explosive an athlete as Croaker or as solid a ball-handler as Yancy, Walker would add an additional dimension to the backcourt should he commit. He has a nice shooting stroke and looks like a high-energy player. But if Lewis decides to stay and Croaker achieves eligibility, there will be a lot of players fighting for limited minutes.