The top 10 of the AY 100
Rob and I have started work on the 2016 list and we're about halfway through (actually, we ARE halfway through; we're at exactly 50), and thought we'd give a little preview of the guys at the top of the list and tell you why they're there. So, without further adieu:
1) Greg Little, OL, Allen (Texas A&M commit)
Why: There's very little dispute that he's the top player in the state for 2016. He's big, he's got long arms and quick feet. He's also got plenty of room to bulk up. Probably the best O-line prospect in the state in many years -- for my money, going back to Jake Matthews and Luke Joeckel.
2) Deontay Anderson, S, Manvel
Why: Already has good size (6', 190), rangy, very fast and will hit. Always finds the football.
3) Patrick Hudson, OL, Silsbee
Why: Already massive at 6'5", 330, but still has solid footwork. He projects as a top-fight right tackle, and someone you don't want to have blocking you in the running game.
4) Eric Monroe, S, Galena Park North Shore
Why: A superior athlete with excellent speed. Good enough footwork that A&M thinks he'll actually be a corner in college.
5) Brandon Jones, S, Nacogdoches
Why: A bit smaller than Anderson and Monroe, but we're splitting hairs here. Extremely fast (4.4) for a safety and a turnover-making machine.
6) Erick Fowler, LB, Manor
Why: The guy already has major college size (6'3", 235), plays with good speed and aggression. He has all the physical gifts needed to be a standout linebacker.
7) Ed Oliver, DT, Houston Westfield
Why: Broad shouldered with a big frame and plenty of room to grow, but has really good speed for an interior lineman.
8) Chris Daniels, DT, Euless Trinity
Why: Absolutely massive frame, very strong and much faster than you'd expect him to be. Still raw, but has a major upside.
9) Devwah Whaley, RB, Beaumont Central
Why: Best combination of size, speed and physical running of any back in Texas in 2016.
10) Jean Delance, OL, North Mesquite
Why: Built very similarly to Little (both are 6'5" with long arms), he gets his hands on people and can pretty much eliminate them from the play. Much faster than you'd expect a player of his size to be. Has the frame to get up to 310 pounds without much trouble.
LBs: The sky is (not) falling (yet)!
I've seen some freaking out over the linebacker situation (you know who you are) over the past couple of days, so let's take a moment to address this. First: don't freak out yet. Yes, the casualty list is long right now and got longer with A.J. Hilliard tearing a labrum last Friday night (a recovery time of 3-4 months after surgery) joining the other labrum tears, but we're in the second week of March, not the second week of August. If Hilliard has his surgery in the next week or two, he's back at full health no later than mid-July, or before the start of camp. Otaro Alaka and Shaan Washington are already ahead of that curve.
Is this optimal? No, definitely not. Is it panic time? Also no, definitely not. Alaka, Washington, Hilliard and Josh Walker are all at every practice and taking part in film sessions, so they're getting an idea of what John Chavis wants from his linebackers even if they aren't hitting. In the case of Hilliard, I personally think it's almost a blessing to get him off the field because it allows his ankle to heal some more without fear of a contact injury. He had looked really good to date, but the more time he has the better. It certainly allows Chavis to figure out what he's got in Claude George and Richard Moore, because they're going to get a ton of snaps over the next two weeks of practices.
Is it frustrating not to have everyone out there? Sure, but it may be more frustrating to us, the spectators, than anyone else. They'll have a full complement of guys when it matters, in the fall, and that's the real important part. That, and finding a backup middle linebacker.
Here's my projected two-deep, and it hasn't really changed:
SAM: Alaka, George
MIKE: Walker, Hilliard
WILL: Washington, Hilliard (Moore will play as well, I'd wager)
QB recruiting: Where things stand
It's really interesting to see the reaction of quarterbacks, more than any position, to Texas A&M of late. There are two ways to look at it: the proverbial "logjam" (Hi, Dallas Jackson), with Kyle Allen entrenched and Kyler Murray on his way (I mentioned this earlier in the week, but I've been told things look really good for A&M at the moment); or, you can say they have one scholarship QB on campus and the coach pulled the last guy who was putting up good numbers looking for a spark. Good quarterbacks are always confident in their abilities, and it doesn't look like many guys are fazed right now when they look at A&M's potential QB depth chart.
First, Xavier Gaines, the #9 dual-threat QB in the nation, says he really wants an offer and A&M jumps to the top of the list if he gets one. Then Jalen Hurts of Channelview does get an offer, and even though his dad wasn't letting on about any favorites when I talked to him, we know they have a good relationship with the coaching staff and like how A&M's doing business. I would wager A&M sits at the top of his list now. Then they offered Kahlil Tate and seem to be in respectable shape with him. I'm sort of surprised at just how well the Aggies are being received by signal callers, confidence or not. The Aggies are, however, out on Juwon Pass and seemed to have cooled considerably on Dwayne Haskins of Potomac (Md.) Bullis. Considering the level of competition Haskins plays against, I personally have no problem with that.
Right now, A&M has a total of seven offers out to QBs. Two are committed. They have a shot at two of the remaining five, and they haven't offered Gaines (yet). I think they could seriously land Hurts, even if he's in no rush to do anything. If you do get him, or any of the other guys, that's a real nice start to what needs to be a two QB class -- and the restart of that awesome logjam.
This post was edited on 3/11 3:11 PM by Mark Passwaters
Rob and I have started work on the 2016 list and we're about halfway through (actually, we ARE halfway through; we're at exactly 50), and thought we'd give a little preview of the guys at the top of the list and tell you why they're there. So, without further adieu:
1) Greg Little, OL, Allen (Texas A&M commit)
Why: There's very little dispute that he's the top player in the state for 2016. He's big, he's got long arms and quick feet. He's also got plenty of room to bulk up. Probably the best O-line prospect in the state in many years -- for my money, going back to Jake Matthews and Luke Joeckel.
2) Deontay Anderson, S, Manvel
Why: Already has good size (6', 190), rangy, very fast and will hit. Always finds the football.
3) Patrick Hudson, OL, Silsbee
Why: Already massive at 6'5", 330, but still has solid footwork. He projects as a top-fight right tackle, and someone you don't want to have blocking you in the running game.
4) Eric Monroe, S, Galena Park North Shore
Why: A superior athlete with excellent speed. Good enough footwork that A&M thinks he'll actually be a corner in college.
5) Brandon Jones, S, Nacogdoches
Why: A bit smaller than Anderson and Monroe, but we're splitting hairs here. Extremely fast (4.4) for a safety and a turnover-making machine.
6) Erick Fowler, LB, Manor
Why: The guy already has major college size (6'3", 235), plays with good speed and aggression. He has all the physical gifts needed to be a standout linebacker.
7) Ed Oliver, DT, Houston Westfield
Why: Broad shouldered with a big frame and plenty of room to grow, but has really good speed for an interior lineman.
8) Chris Daniels, DT, Euless Trinity
Why: Absolutely massive frame, very strong and much faster than you'd expect him to be. Still raw, but has a major upside.
9) Devwah Whaley, RB, Beaumont Central
Why: Best combination of size, speed and physical running of any back in Texas in 2016.
10) Jean Delance, OL, North Mesquite
Why: Built very similarly to Little (both are 6'5" with long arms), he gets his hands on people and can pretty much eliminate them from the play. Much faster than you'd expect a player of his size to be. Has the frame to get up to 310 pounds without much trouble.
LBs: The sky is (not) falling (yet)!
I've seen some freaking out over the linebacker situation (you know who you are) over the past couple of days, so let's take a moment to address this. First: don't freak out yet. Yes, the casualty list is long right now and got longer with A.J. Hilliard tearing a labrum last Friday night (a recovery time of 3-4 months after surgery) joining the other labrum tears, but we're in the second week of March, not the second week of August. If Hilliard has his surgery in the next week or two, he's back at full health no later than mid-July, or before the start of camp. Otaro Alaka and Shaan Washington are already ahead of that curve.
Is this optimal? No, definitely not. Is it panic time? Also no, definitely not. Alaka, Washington, Hilliard and Josh Walker are all at every practice and taking part in film sessions, so they're getting an idea of what John Chavis wants from his linebackers even if they aren't hitting. In the case of Hilliard, I personally think it's almost a blessing to get him off the field because it allows his ankle to heal some more without fear of a contact injury. He had looked really good to date, but the more time he has the better. It certainly allows Chavis to figure out what he's got in Claude George and Richard Moore, because they're going to get a ton of snaps over the next two weeks of practices.
Is it frustrating not to have everyone out there? Sure, but it may be more frustrating to us, the spectators, than anyone else. They'll have a full complement of guys when it matters, in the fall, and that's the real important part. That, and finding a backup middle linebacker.
Here's my projected two-deep, and it hasn't really changed:
SAM: Alaka, George
MIKE: Walker, Hilliard
WILL: Washington, Hilliard (Moore will play as well, I'd wager)
QB recruiting: Where things stand
It's really interesting to see the reaction of quarterbacks, more than any position, to Texas A&M of late. There are two ways to look at it: the proverbial "logjam" (Hi, Dallas Jackson), with Kyle Allen entrenched and Kyler Murray on his way (I mentioned this earlier in the week, but I've been told things look really good for A&M at the moment); or, you can say they have one scholarship QB on campus and the coach pulled the last guy who was putting up good numbers looking for a spark. Good quarterbacks are always confident in their abilities, and it doesn't look like many guys are fazed right now when they look at A&M's potential QB depth chart.
First, Xavier Gaines, the #9 dual-threat QB in the nation, says he really wants an offer and A&M jumps to the top of the list if he gets one. Then Jalen Hurts of Channelview does get an offer, and even though his dad wasn't letting on about any favorites when I talked to him, we know they have a good relationship with the coaching staff and like how A&M's doing business. I would wager A&M sits at the top of his list now. Then they offered Kahlil Tate and seem to be in respectable shape with him. I'm sort of surprised at just how well the Aggies are being received by signal callers, confidence or not. The Aggies are, however, out on Juwon Pass and seemed to have cooled considerably on Dwayne Haskins of Potomac (Md.) Bullis. Considering the level of competition Haskins plays against, I personally have no problem with that.
Right now, A&M has a total of seven offers out to QBs. Two are committed. They have a shot at two of the remaining five, and they haven't offered Gaines (yet). I think they could seriously land Hurts, even if he's in no rush to do anything. If you do get him, or any of the other guys, that's a real nice start to what needs to be a two QB class -- and the restart of that awesome logjam.
This post was edited on 3/11 3:11 PM by Mark Passwaters
