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

Key notes from Recruiting Country

• There's not a lot of news going on. We're evaluating those prospects that are high on the board as the first few weeks of film come in. I'm not sure new offers are going out. Since we've started our new social media initiative and learned how to post about offers, we haven't had to do it yet. It's been a pretty long evaluation period. Some of these schools are in Week Six. Some of the big schools have played just one game.
   
• The defensive end from Pasadena, Je'lin Samuels‍, has gotten a few offers from just one game. That small crop of clips from his early-season has gotten him some interest. We're going to send David Sandhop to see him. This kid has come out of nowhere. We would've known about him if there was a summer circuit. He's got offers from Incarnate Word, Wyoming, and Houston. A&M is definitely kicking the tires here.
   
• Rutgers is the home state team for Tywone Malone‍, but I don't think they're going to be much of a player. However, with the pandemic, that might change it. He's got some good baseball programs looking at him too. Ole Miss has been making moves like that too. We've talked about how two-sport happy Jimbo Fisher has been in his history. Jameis and Mauk both played both football and baseball. We've talked about this situation with Conner Weigman‍ as well. Bryce Foster‍ is another dual-sport guy they're recruiting. That won't be unfamiliar for Jimbo and his staff when they're recruiting Malone. It's good that A&M made that top six. With a kid from this area, do not count out the Aggies until the day he signs with somebody else.
   
• Rutgers had a run with Ray Rice and a walk-off field goal against South Florida a few years ago. Outside of that, it's been some bad football. There is enough talent in that area to get it done, but can it be done? Alabama uncovered that area early in Saban's tenure. Once Fitzpatrick came to Tuscaloosa, that opened people's eyes to the talent up there.
   
• At the Berry Center, the kids go into the locker room after the game, so you try and get them to talk quickly right after the game. With LJ Johnson Jr‍ (pictured above)‍, you could tell that these weren't some things that just popped into his head. It was a good two minutes with him and to get him on record with some of these questions. His vibe leads me to believe he's going to take his time with this decision.
   
• I thought Harold Perkins‍ was huge that night, and I'm a huge fan of Owen Pewee‍ as well. They were incredible.
   
• Keithron Lee‍, a local kid from Rudder, had a great game against Pflugerville. Lee had 12 catches for 278 yards and 4 touchdowns. He also had 12 carries for 91 yards and 2 scores on the ground. His quarterback, EJ Ezar‍, had a great night as well, going 22/27 for 425 yards along with 209 rushing yards for 7 total touchdowns. Lee will be one of those kids that will have the offer list grow as the season goes along. He decommited from UTSA recently.
   
• Conner Weigman did it again, this time on the road against the defending state champions in Shadow Creek without his top receiver. 28/42 for 386 yards and 4 passing touchdowns. He also had 15 carries, 44 rushing yards. He keeps getting it done.
   
• Oklahoma's issues probably arent' impacting Bryce Foster. He's more focused on relationships, life after football, and track.
   
• I've been asked the "top-ten" question about 30 times. There is no way to tell, but I feel good about it based on Jimbo's recruiting record. Remember that the rankings will be off as much as they've ever been because of the lack of consistent football being played around the country. I would say A&M needs to close on the big targets they have left. If you could land three of Johnson, Foster, Shemar Turner‍, Malone, and then more with Landon Jackson‍, Elijah Jeudy‍, and MJ Daniels‍. If you land 80 percent of what's left out there, you will absolutely have a top-ten class.
   
• A&M is about done at receiver in 2021. They're going to take Shadrach Banks‍, and that's it. I could see them take three more in the class of 2022. That class is incredibly talented. They've been out of Armani Winfield‍ out of Lewisville for some time, but they haven't offered a ton of skill position guys in the class of 2022. I don't think they've offered Caleb Burton‍ out of Del Valle, one of the top receivers in the country in that class.
   
• Bryce Foster has A&M and LSU in his top five. Landon Jackson is committed there. Shemar Turner is a kid that A&M and the rest of the SEC West are in for. Those are the big three. I'm not so sure there are a lot of head-to-head there. LJ Johnson seems like it's Texas-A&M. Foster seems like it's A&M-OU. It's an individual case-by-case basis as far as head-to-head battles. MJ Daniels is likely going to be A&M or Mississippi State, with the Aggies trying to pull him off that commitment.
   
• The best game in the area is back at Magnolia when they play College Station High School. I think that will be an excellent game.