Football
The Dotted Line: Examining prospects Nos. 50-46 on the 2021 Fabulous 55
Posted March 17th, 2020
The recruiting calendar was altered when the NCAA decided to prohibit in-person recruiting on and off of college campuses and high schools until April 15 due to the COVID-19. March and April are normally important months on the recruiting calendar, as recruits take visits to campus and college coaches fan out across the nation to scout prospective talent.
The Dotted Line will focus on the 2021 Fabulous 55 for the next two weeks, breaking down the skill set and recruiting situations of each player on the list, continuing with Nos. 50-46.
Matthew Wykoff, offensive tackle, Magnolia
FYI: 6-5/304; 3 stars; No. 33-ranked offensive tackle
Fab 55 rank: 50
Texas offer? Yes
No. of offers: 29
Wykoff’s stock grew in February as he picked up seven offers, including Auburn and Tennessee. The big-framed offensive lineman released his top seven schools on March 5, which included Texas, Texas A&M and Texas Tech. Wykoff was a first-team all-district selection as a junior.He’s big frame and ability to block at the point of attack suggests he could also move into guard. Wykoff is likely to receive a fourth star on the next ranking update.
The 2021 cycle is a great year for in-state talent at offensive tackle, and Wykoff should be included when discussing the best prospects in Texas, and he could become an important one for the Longhorns in this cycle. Texas’ top target at offensive tackle is five-star Tommy Brockermeyer. The Longhorns already hold a commitment from four-star Hayden Conner. Wykoff moves up the board if targets like Savion Byrd and Reuben Fatheree II lean towards the SEC or Oklahoma.
Cam’Ron Valdez, running back, Rockdale
FYI: 5-10/187; 4 stars; No. 20-running back
Fab 55 rank: 49
Texas offer? No
No. of offers: 21
Valdez is a big-play weapon at running back who is also a threat out of the backfield as a receiver. He arrived on the varsity scene as a sophomore, rushing for 1,175 yards and 17 touchdowns as a sophomore. That earned Valdez the District 10-3A Division I Offensive Newcomer of the Year. He backed that up with Offensive MVP honors of the same district as a junior. Valdez rushed for 1,697 yards and 26 touchdowns as a junior. The Rockdale product picked up Arkansas and Nebraska offers in February. He has official visits planned to Oklahoma State and Texas Tech when recruiting travel is permitted.
Lake McRee, tight end, Lake Travis
FYI: 6-4/217; 3 stars; 24 offers
Fab 55 rank: 48
Texas offer? Yes
No. of offers: 24
The Austin-area product missed his junior season due to injury. He backed off of his preseason commitment to Texas in February to focus on recruitment. He picked up offers from Alabama, LSU and Auburn following his pledge to the Longhorns. McRee caught 17 passes for 274 yards and two touchdowns as a sophomore.
Texas clearly wants two tight ends in the 2021 class with three-star Juan Davis of Everman High School already in the fold. Davis is a long, lean prospect with more experience at wide receiver than tight end. McRee is the same type of prospect, but his frame suggests that McRee could reach 250 pounds with ease. The easy comparison is Cade Brewer, a current Longhorn and a former star at Lake Travis, but it might be the right one.
Terrence Cooks, outside linebacker, Alvin Shadow Creek
FYI: 6-2/210; 3 stars; No. 34-ranked outside linebacker
Fab 55 rank: 47
Texas offer? Yes
No. of offers: 34
Cooks found a varsity home at Shadow Creek as a junior after spending his sophomore year at Houston Fulshear and his freshman season at Houston Christian. Cooks registered 72 tackles and forced three fumbles in 2019 while helping his high school to a perfect record and the Class 5A Division I state championship. Cooks is Texas’ top target at outside linebacker in the 2021 cycle and will end it as a four-star recruit. He’s recently picked up Alabama, Georgia and Stanford. Cooks is a long, rangy linebacker with coverage skills.
The linebacker position is of upmost importance for Texas in the 2021 cycle under new defensive coordinator Chris Ash. He’ll want an influx of the type of players he thinks fits best in the new 4-2-5 scheme. Cooks’ importance to Texas, as well as the move of DeMarvion Overshown from safety to linebacker, shows that Ash envisions his weak-side linebacker as an overgrown safety with the ability to attack downhill and get sideline-to-sideline.
Deuce Harmon, cornerback, Denton Guyer
FYI: 5-9/185; 4 stars; No. 19-cornerback
Fab 55 rank: 46
Texas offer? Yes
No. of offers: 21
Harmon is a two-time all-district selection for one of the state’s premier Class 6A programs. He’s an ultra-fast defensive back who ended 2019 with 45 tackles and two interceptions. He’s broken up 20 passes over his past two seasons on varsity. He has five varsity interceptions and was timed at 4.5 in the 40-yard dash at The Opening regional during his junior year. He’s not ideally sized for a cornerback, but he makes up for it with size, athleticism and leaping ability. Harmon could also slide inside to nickel back. Texas A&M and Notre Dame are the current leaders.
Previous outlooks: 55-51 |
RANK PLAYER POS. HIGH SCHOOL COLLEGE
1. Donovan Jackson OG Bellaire Episcopal (TAPPS) Ohio State
2. Tommy Brockermeyer OT Fort Worth All Saints Episcopal (TAPPS) Alabama
3. Ja'Tavion Sanders ATH Denton Ryan (5A) Texas
4. Landon Jackson DE Texarkana Pleasant Grove (3A) LSU
5. Bryce Foster OG Katy Taylor (6A) Uncommitted
6. Billy Bowman ATH Denton Ryan (5A) Texas
7. Savion Byrd OT Duncanville (6A) Uncommitted
8. Preston Stone QB Parish Episcopal (TAPPS) SMU
9. Shadrach Banks WR Galena Park North Shore (6A) Texas A&M
10. Jalen Milroe QB Katy Tompkins (6A) Texas
11. Marcus Burris DT Texarkana Pleasant Grove (3A) Uncommitted
12. LJ Johnson RB Cy-Fair (6A) Uncommitted
13. Cody Jackson WR Richmond Foster (5A) Oklahoma
14. Quaydarius Davis WR Dallas Skyline (6A) USC
15. Camar Wheaton RB Garland Lakeview Centennial (6A) Uncommitted
16. Latrell McCutchin CB Austin LBJ (4A) Oklahoma
17. JoJo Earle WR Aledo (5A) LSU
18. Ishmael Ibraheem CB Dallas Kimball (5A) Texas
19. Dematrius Davis QB Galena Park North Shore (6A) Auburn
20. Reuben Fatheree OT Richmond Foster (5A) Texas A&M
21. Dametrious Crownover TE Grandview (3A) Uncommitted
22. Sawyer Robertson QB Lubbock Coronado (5A) Mississippi State
23. Clayton Smith OLB Texas High (6A) Oklahoma
24. Theodore Knox WR The Woodlands (6A) Mississippi State
25. Jordon Thomas DE Port Arthur Memorial (5A) Texas
26. Derrick Harris Jr. OLB New Caney (5A) Texas
27. Kendall Blackshire ILB Duncanville (6A) Alabama
28. Ketron Jackson WR Royse City (5A) Uncommitted
29. Landyn Watson DE Hutto (5A) Uncommitted
30. Eli Stowers QB Denton Guyer (6A) Texas A&M
31. Hayden Conner OT Katy Taylor (6A) Texas
32. JD Coffey S Kennedale (4A) Texas
33. Brandon Campbell RB Lamar Consolidated (5A) USC
34. Cullen Montgomery OT Bellaire Episcopal (TAPPS) Oklahoma
35. Behren Morton QB Eastland (3A) Texas Tech
36. Hunter Washington CB Katy (6A) Florida State
37. KJ Liggins WR Denton Guyer (6A) Uncommitted
38. Shemar Turner DE DeSoto (6A) Uncommitted
39. Jaeden Roberts OG Galena Park North Shore (6A) Auburn
40. James Brockermeyer OC Fort Worth All Saints (TAPPS) Alabama
41. Cisco Catson S Weatherford (6A) Baylor
42. Bryson Green WR Allen (6A) Oklahoma State
43. Latrell Neville WR Fort Bend Hightower (6A) Nebraska
44. Kyron Drones QB Alvin Shadow Creek (6A) Baylor
45. Erick Cade OT Braswell (5A) Uncommitted
46. Deuce Harmon CB Denton Guyer (6A) Texas A&M
47. Terrence Cooks OLB Alvin Shadow Creek (6A) Uncommitted
48. Lake McRee TE Lake Travis (6A) USC
49. Cam'Ron Valdez RB Rockdale (4A) Uncommitted
50. Matthew Wykoff OT Magnolia (5A) Texas A&M
51. Jordan Jenkins RB Lindale (5A) Baylor
52. David Abiara DE Mansfield Legacy (5A) Notre Dame
53. E'maurion Banks DE Wichita Falls Rider (5A) Texas Tech
54. Shedeur Sanders QB Cedar Hill Trinity Christian (TAPPS) Florida Atlantic
55. Byron Murphy II DT DeSoto (6A) Baylor
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