All-American Bowl Preview and LIVE Check-in Thread
It is All-American Bowl week in San Antonio, and I am heading to player check-in right now. I'll post news and notes in this thread throughout the day, but first here's a quick preview.A few quick notes-Game Information: Saturday, January 5, 2019 - noon CT on NBC-Practice begins on Tuesday. The East squad will practice first from 10 a.m. - 1 p.m. Then the West will practice from 1 p.m. - 4 p.m.-Texas A&M commit Demani Richardson will not report today. He is scheduled to arrive on Thursday. He is on the West roster, but he will not participate in the game since he is rehabbing an injury.-Houston Dekaney CB Marcus Banks plans to announce his college decision during the game and he lists the Aggies as a finalist along with Alabama, Florida State, and Florida.The All-American Bowl By the Numbers2 - Texas A&M signees on the roster. Converse Judson defensive lineman DeMarvin Leal will suit up for the West squad. Demani Richardson is also on the West squad. Two is also the number of Texas A&M decommitments in the game - Houston St. Pius X QB Grant Gunnell (Arizona) and Baton Rouge (LA) University Lab LB Christian Harris (Alabama).1 - Texans on the East roster. It is one Texas A&M fans will be interested to see too. Defensive end David Ugwoegbu of Katy Seven Lakes was a late addition to the East roster. 13 - Texans on rosters for the game. The metro areas of Houston, Austin, Dallas-Fort Worth, and San Antonio are all represented by athletes. Jordan Whittington of Cuero is the only Texan outside of the metro areas selected for the game.EastDE David Ugwoegbu, Katy Seven Lakes - UndecidedWest16 QB Grant Gunnell, Houston St. Pius X - Arizona 14 WR Garrett Wilson, Lake Travis - Ohio State 81 WR Trejan Bridges, Hebron - Oklahoma 13 WR Jordan Whittington, Cuero - Texas 4 WR Jaylen Ellis, Round Rock Cedar Ridge - Baylor83 TE Austin Stogner, Plano Prestonwood - Oklahoma 60 OL EJ Ndoma-Ogar, Allen - Oklahoma 44 DL DeMarvin Leal, Converse Judson - Texas A&M31 DE NaNa Osafo-Mensah, Fort Worth Nolan Catholic - Notre Dame 8 CB Marcus Banks, Houston Dekaney - Undecided33 S Demani Richardson, Waxahachie - Texas A&M (not expected to play due to injury)19 S Tyler Owens, Plano East - Texas 8 - Prospects making announcements during the All-American Bowl on SaturdayWR David Bell, Indianapolis (IN) Warren CentralWR Jadon Haselwood, Ellenwood (GA) Cedar GroveDE Khris Bogle, Fort Lauderdale (FL) Cardinal GibbonsCB Tyrique Stevenson, Miami (FL) SouthridgeWR Kyle Ford, Orange (CA) Orange LutheranWR Bru McCoy, Santa Ana (CA) Mater DeiCB Chris Steele, Bellflower (CA) St. John BoscoCB Marcus Banks, Houston Dekaney28 - SEC signees/commitments on rosters for the game, the most of any Power 5 conference. There are 18 on the East squad, and 10 on the West. LSU leads the way with 7 on the All-American Bowl roster. East12 QB Taulia Tagovailoa, Alabaster (AL) Thompson - Alabama27 RB Quavaris Crouch, Charlotte (NC) Harding - Tennessee2 RB Eric Gray, Memphis (TN) Lausanne - Tennessee6 RB Trey Sanders, Port St. Joe (FL)/IMG - Alabama8 WR Dominick Blaylock, Marietta (GA) Walton - Georgia18 WR Ramel Keyton, Marietta (GA) - Tennessee88 TE Tyler Fromm, Warner Robins (GA) - Auburn75 OL Charles Cross, Laurel (MS) - Mississippi State77 OL Xavier Truss, Warwick (RI) Bishop Hendricken - Georgia56 DE Antonio Alfano, Colonia (NJ) - Alabama42 DE Nolan Smith, Savannah (GA)/IMG - Georgia44 DE Travon Walker, Thomaston (GA) Upson-Lee - Georgia47 DE Byron Young, Laurel (MS) West Jones - Alabama commit38 LB Diwun Black, Kissimmee (FL) Osceola - Florida commit11 LB Mohamoud Diabate, Auburn (AL) - Florida31 LB Tyron Hopper, Roswell (GA) - Florida25 CB Cameron Smith, Blythewood (SC) Westwood - South Carolina53 LS Quentin Skinner, Buford (GA) - LSUWest3 QB Ryan Hilinski, Orange (CA) Orange Lutheran - South Carolina22 RB Tyrion Davis, Baton Rouge (LA) Southern Lab - LSU70 OL Kardell Thomas, Baton Rouge (LA) Southern Lab - LSU78 OL Charles Turner, Canton (OH)/IMG - LSU44 DL DeMarvin Leal, Converse Judson - Texas A&M62 DT Siaki Ika, Salt Lake City (UT) East - LSU9 LB Marcel Brooks, Flower Mound (TX) Marcus - LSU 17 LB Christian Harris, Baton Rouge (LA) University Lab - Alabama24 CB Derek Stingley, Baton Rouge (LA) Dunham - LSU - participating in LSU's bowl practices, will not play in the game.33 S Demani Richardson, Waxahachie - Texas A&M20 - number of prospect signed/committed to the P5 Conference with the second most signees/commitments listed on the rosters. That honor goes to the Big 10.As I mentioned at the start of the post I will post news, notes, and other information in this thread as prospects make their way through check-in, so stay tuned.
A few Tuesday afternoon recruiting notes
We've seen the rumors about Memphis (TN) RB Eric Gray visiting this weekend. After checking with some sources, I do not expect that visit to happen. The Aggies are still planning official visits for David Ugwoegbu and Ke'Shun Brown. It's unclear as to whether Brown intends to sign next week or not. My guess is that it'll probably be in February, but that's just a gut feeling from reading the situation. I've received word from a Florida source that Marcus Banks is just one of a few remaining DB targets on the Gator big board. I get the feeling that Dan Mullen and company would like for Banks to at least push his decision back. I think he'll stand firm to that early January date.
Around the SEC: Recruiting news and trends
Recruiting in the SEC hasn't slowed over the summer months. In the midst of the dead period, recruits are still making their picks and narrowing down their options. Jason Howell breaks down the latest news from around the SEC.
Previewing the 2018 Opening Finals in Frisco by the numbers
Top prospects from around the country will be at The Opening Finals in Frisco this weekend, including a few A&M commits and targets. Jason Howell breaks down the event by the numbers.
On Eric Gray...
From what I've been able to gather tonight, this momentum with Memphis (TN) RB Eric Gray is something that started with Gray's strong ties to Darell Dickey's connections in the Memphis area. From there, it sounds like maybe this was communicated to QB commit Zach Calzada who started getting in Gray's ear really in the last week or so. To aid matters, Calzada and his future OL teammate Kenyon Green talk a lot. Calzada got Green on board with talking to Gray. From talking with a source in the mix of this whole thing, Calzada and Green feel strongly that this one could go the Aggies way. With the Ags likely in the market for only one running back this class, this is definitely an interesting development. I've also been told again recently that Klein Collins RB and Aggie legacy Isaiah Spiller will take an inventory on how the schools he's looking at will use their backs early in the upcoming season.