Recruiting Country: The latest recruiting news surrounding the Maroon & White

Key notes from Recruiting Country

• I'll go ahead and address the elephant in the room. We know that Zach Evans‍ is free to go anywhere he wants. We know he signed a Letter of Intent with Georgia. That was one of the worst kept secrets. He answered questions about it at the Under Armour All-American Game. He admitted he signed with a school and was asked what made him sign there. The way he was talking, it was pretty apparent that it was Georgia. Something happened where both sides got unhappy. He was officially released two days ago. After you sign a National Letter of Intent, you cannot sign another one. If Zach is going to be an early enrollee and jump through all the hoops to do that, he'll have to get to campus in the next week and a half or so. I believe the last add/drop day for Texas A&M is the 17th. You're looking at next week if he's going to be an early enrollee at A&M. It's not just A&M in on Evans right now. Yes, you'd want to get him on campus as soon as possible. He's eligible to fill out the FAFSA forms at two or three schools other than A&M. There's a chance this could stretch out to the summer.
   
• A&M is doing their due diligence at running back. They're talking to a Darvon Hubbard‍ out of Surprise, Arizona. They're also looking at Earnest Crownover‍ , who has a brother in the 2021class (Dametrious Crownover‍) a tight end. They're even talking to Frank Brown‍.
   
• I can tell you for a fact that Texas has made it very difficult surrounding Javonne Shepherd‍’s recruitment. A&M's targeted final three are looking like Javonne, a running back with Zach Evans at the top and McKinnley Jackson‍. People asking about Malik Hornsby‍, nothing is going to change unless something does with the other A&M targets. Until there is a movement with those three guys I mentioned, I think those available spots will go to those names.
   
• I could see A&M landing two of those three. With Shepherd, it's the academic stuff. That's out of A&M's control. They might not get him. He might be going to a junior college. If he goes to a junior college, you could add him to your 2021 haul. The same thing could be said for Ty'Kieast Crawford. There is a lot of talent at the junior college ranks. Maybe Shep has to go to junior college and graduate to qualify. I don't know. We will see.
   
• There are kids in every class that you get really close with and their families because you start very early in the cycle. Because of the baseball stuff I do, I coach kids that know these players. I've been really close to Josh Bankhead‍’s family for a couple of years now. They actually invited me to Josh's signing thing. For this class, it's hard not to say Devin Price‍. He came and played with Twelve Baseball, so I got to really see him grow over the last seven years or so. I think if he went to a different high school or if his dad wasn't who he is, he would've been a big-time recruit.
   
• It's been enjoyable to cover Demond Demas‍. He committed out of nowhere. He went through all of this adversity with the UIL thing as well. He has really matured. It's been cool to cover him. I've also enjoyed getting to know Jaylon Jones‍ and his family. There's not a bad story in this class. I always tell the kids that I'll root for them no matter where they go.
   
• It's going to be a lengthy rehab for Kenneth Phillips‍. There's no reason to come to campus and starting that clock if you're going to be rehabbing. They have a phenomenal set up in Ft. Bend. That's the plan with KP right now - staying there and get healthy. Kind of like a Braedon Mowry‍ situation.
   
• Probably one of those offensive linemen will be the next commit in 2021, maybe Reuben Fatheree‍, maybe Trey Zuhn‍. We will dive into 2021 soon. We will see some movement around the Super Bowl party.
   
• Donovan Jackson‍ is about to announce to Ohio State, maybe today. I don't think that's a big secret. He has some family ties to Ohio State. I'm still very confident that A&M will sign an excellent offensive line class in 2021.
   
• Edgerrin Cooper‍ is a total stud. Sideline to sideline type of dude. He can really run. Talk about what they've done at linebacker over the last two years. Remember when everyone was up in arms after Jimbo didn't take a linebacker in that first class. Look where they are now.
   
• Out in Orlando for the Under Armour All-American game, it was my first time seeing Chris Morris‍. He's just oozing with ability. They're upgrading the talent on the offensive line, but he's raw. Watching him and Akinola Ogunbiyi‍ - those guys are in the upper echelon of guys on the offensive line. Haynes King‍ is always just himself. He doesn't wow you, but he's just a winner. He has that 'it' factor.

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