Longhorn Frenzy™🤘🐂 · @LongHornFrenzy
25th Jul 2019 from TwitLonger
The minister of aggy propaganda
Recruiting Update: A&M looks to close July strong with final event of summer
By Billy LiucciJuly 24, 2019
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It's no secret that Howell and I love our lists. So here are a couple of recruiting-centric lists as we approach what could end up being a busy weekend in Aggie recruiting (with the big end-of-summer pool party/BBQ scheduled for Friday). First is my 'most likely to be Aggies' list (we're talking 'most likely to SIGN' here). The second is my 'Personal Wish List' - the top five players, in order, I would like to see Jimbo Fisher and Co. close out the class with.
Most likely to be Aggies in 2020
Devin Price
Josh Eaton
Daniyel Ngata
Chris Morris
Devon Achane
Donell Harris
Dontae Manning
Princely Umanmielen (Pictured above)
EJ Smith
Garrett Hayes
Zach Evans
Omari Thomas
2020 Wish List
Zach Evans
Noah Sewell
Donell Harris
Chris Morris
Devon Achane
Most likely to be Aggies in 2021
Shadrach Banks
Trey Zuhn
Landon Jackson
Dematrius Davis
Bryce Foster
•I recently updated the 2020 edition of the Liucci 44 following camps, 7-on-7 and the various recruiting events. Here's your first look at my current 'Top 21 in '21' (easiest place to cap it off for now that I could think of, what can I say?):
Garland Lakeview RB Camar Wheaton
Episcopal OL Donovan Jackson
Fort Worth All Saints OT Tommy Brockermeyer
Katy Taylor OG Bryce Foster
Mesquite Horn LB Kendrick Blackshire
Richmond Foster OT Reuben Fatheree
North Shore WR Shadrach Banks
Pleasant Grove DE Landon Jackson
PA Memorial DE Jordon Thomas
Denton Ryan QB Eli Stowers
Katy Tompkins DE Tunmise Adeleye
Katy Tompkins QB Jalen Milroe
Denton Ryan DE Ja’tavion Sanders
DeSoto DE Shemar Turner
Duncanville OL Savion Byrd
Pleasant Grove DE Marcus Burris
New Caney LB Derrick Harris Jr
Parish Episcopal (Dallas) QB Preston Stone
Skyline WR Quaydarius Davis
Cy-Fair RB LJ Johnson Jr
North Shore QB Dematrius Davis
•Could the Aggies finally breakthrough at North Shore? As I've said many times over, the Aggies are surging with Zach Evans and have a legitimate shot at landing the nation's top-ranked tailback prospect. However, it's not going to come easy, it's far from a guarantee and - despite rumors to the contrary - I'd still be surprised if we heard any type of pre-season announcement. From the sound of things, the Aggies could land a Mustang commitment from the Class of '21 before Evans makes his college choice. Game-breaking wideout Shadrach Banks is planning to announce on August 1st, and he's choosing between A&M and LSU, with sources close to this particular recruitment feeling pretty confident about the Ags' chances.
If Banks chooses Texas A&M, we'd be talking about a pretty tremendous start to the '21 class between the QB/WR battery of he and Eli Stowers - a pair of state top-10 prospects by my count and two guys no one in their right mind wouldn't have firmly inside the Texas top-20.
Though he's not expected in town this weekend, another highly-regarded 2021 recruit who the Aggies are well-positioned with and would like to make either a pre-season decision or wrap things up earlier during his junior campaign, is Pleasant Grove defensive end, Landon Jackson. He's another likely high four-star and state top-15 talent (at worst).
Tyler Zander, TexAgs
A&M Consolidated wideout Devin Price remains high on Texas A&M as his decision date approaches.
•A few names likely to receive a ton of love this weekend include Shadow Creek safety Xavion Alford, Florida pass-rush phenom Donell Harris and Fort Bend Marshall blazer Devon Achane. I've heard enough to be convinced that the Aggies are set to turn up the heat on Alford in hopes that he could ultimately end up the only true safety in this year's class.
Harris was a top-5 prospect in the country in 2021 but reclassified and is seriously considering choosing the Maroon & White if things go well this weekend. Personally, I think Donell's recruitment will be a pretty wild ride between now and Signing Day. But we've seen the Aggies land somewhat surprising commits and manage to hold on to them through the finish line several times already under Fisher. As for Achane, while I don't think the Ags will convince him to shut things down this weekend, but it's not out of the realm of possibility. And Jimbo and Co. would love nothing more than to see it happen.
•While much of the defensive line focus in recent weeks had been on Vernon Broughton, Elijah Robinson, Terry Price, and the A&M staff have been hard at work with longtime target Princely Umanmielen of Manor and three card-carrying badasses from the Deep South.
We already discussed Miami pass-rusher Donell Harris, and the Ags are also still very much in the picture for Memphis DT Omari Thomas and George County, Mississippi, standout McKinnley Jackson. Harris and the 6-2, 327-pound Jackson plan to be in College Station this weekend and word out of Tennessee is that the Vols currently consider A&M the biggest threat to keeping Thomas from landing in Knoxville. A&M has won a couple of big head-to-heads versus Jeremy Pruitt and Tennessee of late. Haynes King chose the Ags last week, in-state talent Dallas Walker picked the Ags last month and Chris Russell left his home state to play for Jimbo Fisher last February.
Morris and Hayes have the potential to take the Aggie offensive line haul from good to great.
If the Ags can convince Chris Morris to jump on board prior to the season (right now, it's looking more like an October decision, but he's one I'll be keeping an eye on this weekend), they'll have handed UT yet another body blow. One that might resonate with Thomas and help push TAMU over the top.
Harris (37), Thomas (97) and Jackson (111) are all national top-100 type talents who are currently coveted by virtually every power program in the Southeastern Conference. Landing any name off of this list would represent another significant out-of-state coup upfront for Robinson and Price, who continue to do outstanding work in that area. Recent examples include Dallas Walker (Tennessee), Fadil Diggs (New Jersey) and Isaiah Raikes (NJ) in 2020, Adarious Jones (Virginia) and Derick Hunter (Florida) in '19 and Jeremiah Martin in the '18 class. Don't be at all surprised to see the Ags eventually add a name (or even two) to that list in the current cycle.
•Put an asterisk by the names Chris Morris and Garrett Hayes. You never know who will emerge as a potential flip candidate or become a more realistic target between now and Signing Day (perhaps recent official visitor Sedrick Van Pran out of Louisiana or rising Washington, DC blocker Aaryn Parks) but Morris and Hayes have the potential to take the Aggie offensive line haul from good to great.
When you look ahead to what Josh Henson and A&M have the potential to do with an absolutely loaded crop of Lone Star State blocking talent in 2021 (not to mention four-star Colorado tackle and Aggie legacy Trey Zuhn), closing things out with Hayes and Morris to go along with interior studs like Akinola Ogunbiyi and Josh Bankhead would represent the cornerstone class for an extended run of dominance in the SEC trenches. We're talking about the type of nasty, future NFL linemen needed to succeed in college football's most rugged division, no matter how much skill talent you've managed to assemble.
TexAgs
A&M will look to lock down Memphis OL Chris Morris this weekend to help bolster an already-impressive haul upfront.
Morris is still scheduled to be in town this weekend, and all eyes will be on the national top-100 prospect out of Memphis. He's been a decided A&M lean for quite some time, dating as far back as last summer, but is still debating whether or not he'll take a few visits or shut things down prior to his senior season. Tennessee is still probably the Ags' primary competition here, but Alabama, Auburn, and even Ohio State are attempting to extend his recruitment. If they're unable to do so, the 6-4, 290-pounder (who can play tackle or guard) could give Jimbo Fisher's 2020 class a monster late July boost. There's a legitimate chance Morris makes the call before the end of the month, though it's certainly not a sure thing.
As for Hayes, it sounds more and more like Oklahoma will be the Ags' primary competition here. Arkansas and Alabama have also been in the mix, and Garrett doesn't seem close to shutting things down, so this one is still fairly open. The 6-5, 295-pounder is and has always been the best pure tackle on the A&M board, in my opinion, and landing a young bookend to eventually pair with Kenyon Green is a must for the Aggies.
Garrett doesn't get as much hype as he deserves, because the dude is an absolutely elite-level athlete who is flat-out nasty with the pads on. The best tackle prospect in Texas, in my opinion, and it really isn't close. The official visit to College Station this fall will be key here. And I'm willing to bet that the Ags' recent addition of fellow East Texan (and potentially Hayes' future quarterback) Haynes King won't hurt A&M's chances, either. Still plenty of work to do on this one, however