Elite Underclassmen Camp Notes and Thoughts
Yesterday Brauny and I were in Houston for the Elite Underclassmen Camp at CE King and I had a few thoughts and notes I wanted to share. I'm sure Brauny will chime in as well.-Let's kick things off with WR commit Noah Thomas and CB target Julian Humphrey. Both were in the final group and coming off strong track performances the day before, so I don't think we saw them at the top of their game yesterday. Both are top flight athletes though and there is definitely a lot to like. Thomas has great length and he is just scratching the surface as a receiver. As he adds weight to his frame, he is going to be fun to watch. Humphrey is one of the more well put together DB prospects you will find. In one-on-ones I thought both showed promise. He got caught clutching and grabbing a few times but his last rep he made a great break to challenge a catch. I look forward to seeing both again soon. -The OL/DL was the first group, and 2022 CE King OL Van Wells walked away with the OL MVP. I would say he was the most impressive performer of either group. It is not often where a 1-on-1 receives applause from the crowd but parents and coaches in the stands let him know they appreciated his efforts after a couple of physical reps from his center position. This is not the first time Wells has earned MVP honors at a camp either. I saw him claim MVP honors at another camp earlier this year and I believe he won those honors at another camp in the last couple of months. Wells already has some offers but right at 6-foot-2, his height is the big knock. He is very smart, athletic, and explosive. He actually was an h-back/tight end before moving to center full time last fall. He also played basketball before focusing on football. There is no doubt in my mind this guy is going to be a steal for some P5 at center, and see the field very quickly. He holds offers from several group of 5 programs, but Maryland became the first P5 to offer in mid-April.-The guy who made the biggest impression on me was Colton Thomasson. The 2023 Smithson Valley standout has been working hard the last few years and he has reshaped his body. He checks in at a solid 330 and at 6-7 he wears it well. His flexibility and footwork have improved greatly since I last saw him at Texas A&M's camp between his eight and ninth grade year. I mean, that is to be expected, but it was very nice to see. If he continues to work and progress, I could see him turning into a real Texas A&M OL target in the 2023 class. He was in College Station on Saturday and he enjoyed what he saw and he will be back at camp in June. Smithson Valley 2023 OL Colton Thomasson (@ColtonThomasson) has trimmed up and is putting in work. He’ll camp at A&M in June pic.twitter.com/Fw3i1LoM0R— Jason Howell (@Jason_Howell) April 25, 2021
-Sticking with the OL, Port Arthur Memorial 2023 Cayden Bowie was another prospect who continues to make an impression. Yesterday was the second time I got to see him work in person and the third time I have laid eyes on him this spring and he has some really great tools. He has the frame to add some really good weight and he is pretty lean. His footwork and flexibility continue to catch my attention. I know he is one Brauny has been talking about for awhile and he is definitely on Texas A&M's radar. Another nice rep from @cayden_bowie pic.twitter.com/fVbqpBBoIb— Jason Howell (@Jason_Howell) April 25, 2021
-On the DL, CE King 2023 DL and Texas A&M offer Dylan Spencer definitely looked the part. He is a big framed, long armed prospect and has plenty of room to grow. He showed some nice quickness through drills and I particularly liked watching him running the L drill showing his burst and flexibility. This was my first time seeing him in person and he definitely made a strong impression.Dylan Spencer (@Trilldyl8) doing damage pic.twitter.com/zitgPY0Lih— Jason Howell (@Jason_Howell) April 25, 2021
-I was really looking forward to seeing Converse Judson 2023 DL Johnny Bowens and he did not disappoint. Checking in at 6-3, 250, he shows well on tape. He is a d-end but I could see him being a versatile type DL. He only did two reps during one-on-ones, both were at 3-tech. It was the first time he worked there so it was a bit of a learning experience. Still you could see the athleticism throughout and he is a guy I look forward to watching over the next few years. He already has an offer from UTSA and he said Baylor and Texas are showing interest. He also talks to DeMarvin Leal a bit about Texas A&M. I could see him turning some heads this summer on the camp circuit and see him as a P5 prospect.Converse Judson 2023 DE Johnny Bowens III (@D1Bowens) working the L drill. pic.twitter.com/CSjdhpoztM— Jason Howell (@Jason_Howell) April 25, 2021
-Cy Ranch 2023 DE Ashton Porter also had a strong day. He showed some really nice burst off the edge and looked really good in drills in testing. -McKinney 2024 Xavier Filsaime is a name you guys are going to want to write down. He passes the eyeball test with flying colors and he has precision footwork and routes. He will be a national prospect in his class.Another explosive rep for McKinney 2024 WR Xavier Filsaime (@XEF_19) pic.twitter.com/DQt0zG8Tsu— Jason Howell (@Jason_Howell) April 25, 2021
-Austin Westlake 2023 WR/TE Jaden Greathouse is one stout looking prospect. He showed well throughout drills and I like the thought of him being an H-back type.-Lucas Lovejoy 2022 TE Omari Murdock continues to impress. He has been working on his feet and routes and it showed on Sunday. He was quick getting out of his breaks yesterday.-Bryan LB Nic Caraway continues to look like a million bucks when he shows up. -Keller Fossil Ridge 2023 RB Landen Chambers continues to catch my eye. He already has some nice size and once again he showed a versatile skillset.-San Antonio Christian OL Ethan Sanders is primed to see his offer list grow this spring. The 2022 standout has the size and he is among the favorite to claim gold in the discus (176) and shot put (58-8) at the TAPPS State Championships. -Dickinson 2023 CB Vernon Glover was a wet blanket yesterday. He stayed in the hip pocket and it seemed like every time I turned around he was jumping up to make an INT. -Addison Trinity Christian 2023 TE Luke Johnston continues to turn heads at 6-5, 225 and he has the makings of a true in-line tight end. Clemson and Georgia have both reached out about him getting to camp and he plans to attend camp at Texas A&M, Oklahoma, and Arkansas as well. -Denton Guyer 2022 LB and North Texas commit Vincent Paige has done a great job of slimming down and becoming more of a true LB. He once checked in at around 230 and now he is more in the 205 range and he is showing better lateral movement and flexibility. He earned LB MVP honors on the day.
Unoffered names to keep an eye on
As we get ready to undertake a full slate of Texas HS football this week, I thought it'd be a good refresher to list all the names we are monitoring in terms of A&M involvement as the season unfolds. Now, we are not saying all these kids are in-line for offers. Rather, these are kids that with a few weeks of strong tape could put themselves on the Aggie radar. I'll predominantly take care of the greater Houston area guys and leave Dallas up to Howell. Jason, if I miss anyone, feel free to add them. 2021RBAlton McCaskill - Conroe Oak RidgeOLRemington Strickland - Ft Bend ChristianCole Carson - Bogota Rivercrest (Arkansas)Kamron Scott - Converse Judson (UTSA)Canon Boone - Dickinson (Virginia Tech)Gabe Blair - Denton GuyerEzra Oyetade - Garland Lakeview Centennial (Arizona State)Jack Leyrer - Dallas Highland Park (Stanford)Jack Tucker - Argyle (Texas Tech)Tate Williams - Wall (Baylor)TEMason Tharp - Klein (Texas Tech)WRJohn Paul Richardson - Ft Bend Ridge Point (Oklahoma State)Nehemiah Noel - Galveston BallJerand Bradley - DeSoto (Texas Tech)DTByron Murphy II - DeSoto (Baylor)DEJe'lin Samuels - Pasadena Sam RayburnLandyn Watson - Hutto (TCU)LBKeith Cooper - Dickinson SCaleb Ellis - Frisco Independence (Stanford)2022QBCade Klubnik - Austin WestlakeConner Weigman - BridgelandNick Evers - Flower MoundRBJamarion Miller - Tyler LegacyHymond Drinkard - George RanchDamien Brown - LeonardOLCory Hendrix - College StationJihad Lateef - Lubbock EstacadoEthan Sanders - San Antonio ChristianNeto Umeozulu - AllenSheridan Wilson - ArgyleCaden Kitler - Plano John Paul IIErik Gray - AmarilloTETrent McGaughey - Shadow CreekHouston Thomas - College StationCody Mladenka - The Woodlands College ParkOmari Murdock - AllenWRRandy Masters - Shadow CreekJeremy Patton - TenahaKeith Wheeler II - AtascocitaAnthony Black - CoppellDTTre Emory - Mt PleasantKris Ross - North ShoreDETai Leonard - CyFallsDeMone Green - Houston HeightsCurlee Thomas - Fort Worth Nolan CatholicLBTy Kana - KatyJustin Medlock - ManvelOwen Pewee - CyParkNic Caraway - BryanBralon Jones - SpringJordan Crook - DuncanvilleTrevell Johnson - Arlington MartinTyrell Johnson - Arlington MartinCB Eric Hemphill III - BrenhamChandler Rivers - Beaumont UnitedDorian Friend - SpringJalon Peoples - Cedar HillSJacobe Chester - Ft Bend MarshallJaidan Scott - Shadow CreekDylan Dixson - PearlandSherrod Covil Jr. - North ShoreCollin Wright - ManvelKCarter Brown - Pearland Dawson
Thursday Camp Recap
Week two, day two of Texas A&M football camp saw a lot of talented 2021's and 2022's make their way to College Station for the morning and afternoon sessions. Tomorrow is the last day of camp, and there will be only a morning (9-12) session. Today was the only two session day of the week. Here are some quick notes and highlights...The OffersSt Pius ATH Seth Jones - Jones worked out at WR on Wednesday and came back to camp to go through the paces at DB (which he'd never played before). Needless to say, Jones adapted to change well. He was outstanding on Wednesday at wideout - making acrobatic catches at the end of smooth, crisp routes where he flashed elite change of direction and next level suddenness at the top of his routes. As a DB, he projects more as a safety probably, but I thought he looked natural going through the drillwork with Mo Linguist and Mike Elko this afternoon, especially considering he'd never done it before. Every year, there are in-state kids that fly under the radar and blow up once they come to camp. Seth was once committed to Boston College, but recently backed away from that pledge and has now seen offers from Baylor and Texas A&M in the last week or so. 2021 CyFair RB LJ Johnson Jr - Powerful. Explosive. Sturdy. When you turn on the tape of LJ Johnson Jr, those are the qualities that stand out. I was unsure how they would translate into a camp setting seeing as to how you'd think there would need to be some pads on for LJ to demonstrate all those attributes. However, he showed his versatility and how complete he was as a prospect going through bag and agility drills with Jay Graham. He was able to drop his hips on his turns, show acceleration between the tackles laterally, and finished every rep with intent and energy. I like this offer. A&M jumps in the boat for a kid from a school that typically sends a lot of students and athletes to Aggieland. 2021 Fort Collins (CO) OL Trey Zuhn - I had never even heard of Trey Zuhn until yesterday, but it didn't me (or anyone else out there watching) long to figure out that this kid was an upper end, elite national prospect on the offensive line. He's long, but he's not skinny. He carries 275 pounds so well on his 6-5 frame. He ran the 40 like he was a tight end, and when he does open up and run, it looks like a locomotive coming down the track. He was exceptional in one-on-ones as he showed off an outstanding punch, strong posture, and good lateral movement. After watching Trey work out, this was a no brainer offer. Zuhn has a lot of Aggie ties in his family, and he would fit right in amongst the best in Texas in that highly touted 2021 class. The StandoutsReeltown (AL) ATH Eric Shaw - It was Shaw's second day at camp. After working out with the linebackers yesterday, he joined Joe Jon Finley today with the tight ends. He was a fluid, long strider and a natural catcher of the football. It looks like, to my eye, that he's spent more time at tight end than linebacker as he seemed more comfortable there. Whichever side of the ball he ends up on, he's got plenty of talent to be a Power 5 player. Check out my interview I did with him if you haven't already. It's stickied. He mentions the likelihood of taking an official to A&M and coming back this fall for a game. He'll take an OV to South Carolina this weekend. 2021 CyRanch TE Ben Postma - It was another really solid outing for Postma. He'll camp again tomorrow. He's just been so consistent. When I first saw him, he was unsure if he wanted to be a tight end or a wide receiver. Now, it looks like he's bought in to being the best tight end he can be, but he runs and moves like a wideout. He'll camp again tomorrow, but he's already may win the Kaleb Higgins award this week - meaning he came to camp all three days and left having made a giant impression on the A&M coaching staff. 2021 Katy Tompkins QB Jalen Milroe - I was looking forward to seeing how Jalen would perform after racking up so many offers this spring and summer. He did not disappoint...at all. In fact, he may have been the days' most impressive prospect. It started early in the pre-practice agility work that he glided through effortlessly. He then went into QB skill work where he showed off his big time arm with Jimbo Fisher and Darrell Dickey looking on. He made the field look small throwing the one-on-ones and 7-on-7 reps. He then capped the day off by running a 4.5 flat. Simply put, Milroe can ball. I used to compare him to Kellen Mond at the same age, but I think he's hit a bit of a spurt that's shot him past Mond as a rising junior. Huge day for Milroe who grew up with an affinity for Texas A&M. Jacksonville (FL) LB Branden Jennings - A consensus national top 100 player, Jennings feet and change of direction are something to see on kid his size. He's 6-3, 220 pounds with the footwork of a 175 pound corner. Laterally, he's explosive and strong, and he got plenty of compliments on his technique from Bradley Dale Peveto. He's been in College Station since Wednesday, as well. He's got some ties to the big time programs in the Sunshine State so the Aggies will have their work cut out for them here, but it's good to get him to campus this early in his timeline. It bodes well for the staff to be able to get him back in the future. Other 2021'sPearland RB Brandon Campbell - For a while, Campbell owned the best Nike SPARQ score in America in the class of 2021. After bouncing around a bit, it looks like he's settled in at Pearland, and he's poised for a monster junior year. Pasadena Dobie RB/ATH Darius Hale - Hale measured in at 6-1, 217 and ran 4.6 in his forty. He worked out with the running backs, but I wonder if those measurements could maybe translate to the other side of the ball. He was solid as a back, no question. I'd like to see him run around at LB maybe. Gilbert (AZ) QB Ty Thompson - Thompson has a nice offer list coming out of the desert, and he threw the ball well today. He's a 6-4, 200 pounder that I thought showed good poise and feel for the game. Shadow Creek QB Kyron Drones - It's incredible what this kid has done to transform his body in 12 months. He's got a good arm and clean release. Great kid. Dad is a coach at Shadow Creek. New Caney ATH Cale Sanders Jr - Do-it-all type of kid that could play slot, outside receiver, corner, or nickel at the next level. Outstanding balance, change of direction, and center of gravity. Keep an eye on...Stephenville QB Kade Renfro - He's grown up a lot physically in the last 12-18 months. He got quite a bit of attention from Darrell Dickey over the course of the last two days, as well. High energy kid who's always got a smile on his face. He's a UNT commit. If A&M chooses to make this a two QB class (which I'd call doubtful at this point), Renfro would be a name to know. 2022 already looks loadedI won't get into a detailed breakdown of each of these youngsters, but here are the 2022's that look like future high end prospects.Martin (TN) QB Ty Simpson Summer Creek OL Kelvin Banks Ft Bend Ridge Point DB Alejandro Colbert Ft Bend Ridge Point DB Jacobe Chester Brenham DB Eric Hemphill III Klein Oak RB Charles Garrett St Pius ATH Jackson White San Antonio Christian OL Ethan Sanders North Shore DB Jaidan Scott Shadow Creek TE Trent McGaughey Non-Camp AttendeesA&M also welcomed in a few top prospects who did not participate in camp today.Shadow Creek S Xavion Alford Aldine MacArthur CB Josh Eaton 2021 Ft Bend Ridge Point WR John Paul Richardson 2021 Ft Bend Willowridge WR Latrell Neville
