Around Texas: A round-up of recruiting news in the Lone Star State

The recruiting action continues to move at a rapid pace around the state of Texas, and it is once again time to take a look at the latest news, notes and headlines from across the state.

Big Gets

Willie Nelson‍ pledges to Oklahoma State

Headlines

Hawkins brothers cleared to play at Frisco Emerson – 2024 QB Michael Hawkins‍ and his brother 2025 CB Maliek Hawkins‍ have both been cleared to play at Frisco Emerson. The Hawkins family transferred from Allen after finding racist vandalism on their home in January, and a 5-1 vote by the District 3-5A executive committee means the brothers will be eligible to compete. Michael is regarded as one of the top QBs in the state, and Maliek is making a name for himself at cornerback. Both were multi-year standouts at Allen.

Zion Kearney‍ trims his list – The standout receiver from Fort Bend Hightower is one of the more imposing receivers in the state, and he has narrowed his long list of offers to six. Only two in-state programs made the cut in Texas A&M and Houston. The Aggies were also joined by fellow SEC programs Arkansas and LSU on his list, while the Big 12 was repped by Oklahoma and the Big Ten by Nebraska.

James Peoples‍ trims his list – The San Antonio Veterans Memorial 2024 RB has been a key target for several top programs in and around the state, with offers arriving from across the country. Now he is down to six with Alabama, Ohio State, Oklahoma, Oregon, TCU and Texas making his cut. As a junior, Peoples rushed for over 1900 yards, recorded 28 touchdowns and averaged 9.9 yards a carry.

Davila back on the market - Midland (TX) Legacy 2024 QB Marcos Davila‍ committed to TCU in December. Since then, he has received offers from Texas A&M, Purdue, Miami, Colorado and Texas State, and he saw OC Garrett Riley move from TCU to Clemson. Kendal Briles has since stepped in for the Horned Frogs. On Tuesday night, he decided to take another look at his options, stating: “College football changes fast and relationships matter, so I feel it’s best for me to re-open my recruitment.”

New Name to Know

DE Kevin Ford‍, Duncanville – 2026

Ford has not played a varsity down, but the buzz is already growing for the 6-foot-4, 215-pound standout. He spent last fall on the JV level, and his explosion on the edge quickly became evident as he dips his shoulder and cuts the corner. He comes off the ball low, gets good extension, and he is quick with his hands which allows him to quickly shed blocks.

While he does his work on defense, his role models are on offense. His two older brothers both turned heads on the offensive line. His oldest brother, Deandre, was a standout OT at Fairburn (GA) Creekside before going to Middle Tennessee State, and brother Donovan was a stalwart on the interior at Allen (TX) and Santa Ana (CA) Mater Dei before heading to Navarro College.

His abilities are already drawing the attention of college coaches. Arizona State offered in January, and SMU, Oklahoma, Washington, Baylor and North Texas are showing some interest.

In addition to football, Ford also competes on the track. He runs 200m on the AAU circuit, and he will be competing this spring and summer.

What’s up with the top

Top 2024 OLs
1. Ashton Funk‍, Katy Tompkins – Texas A&M
2. Max Anderson‍, Frisco Reedy
3. Michael Uini‍, Copperas Cove
4. Daniel Cruz‍, North Richland Hills Richland
5. Nate Kibble‍, Humble Atascocita
6. Blake Frazier‍, Austin Vandegrift
7. Gibson Pyle‍, Klein Cain
8. Blake Ivy‍, League City Clear Springs
9. Casey Poe‍, Lindale
10. Makai Saina‍, Arlington Martin