Football Recruiting - Midlands Region: Oklahoma State Cowboys
Receiver Jeffery Mead (Tulsa, Okla./Union) talks about his recruitment and juggling playing three sports.
TULSA, Okla. - Tulsa (Okla.) Union wide receiver Jeffery Mead simply doesn’t know how to slow down and doesn’t want to. Mead is a three-sport star for the Redskins at receiver, small forward in basketball and shortstop/pitcher in baseball.
The scary part is Mead was actually doing five sports at one time with soccer and track added into the mix. He eventually cut those out, but the other three sports are all in play, as Mead gets ready to conclude his junior year of high school.
The scary part is Mead was actually doing five sports at one time with soccer and track added into the mix. He eventually cut those out, but the other three sports are all in play, as Mead gets ready to conclude his junior year of high school.
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Spring (Texas) Klein Oak High School has a handful of prospects in the 2014, 2015 and even the 2016 classes and plenty of college coaches have made their way to the school in the north Houston area to evaluate them this spring.
One of them is 2014 inside linebacker Josh Mabin, who continues to add schools to his offer list.
One of them is 2014 inside linebacker Josh Mabin, who continues to add schools to his offer list.
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Before Monday, Missouri City (Texas) Ridge Point 2015 linebacker Cameron Townsend had not heard from or spoken to anybody at Michigan.
As a result, he had no idea of the Wolverines' interest level in him. He found out on Monday.
As a result, he had no idea of the Wolverines' interest level in him. He found out on Monday.
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Offensive lineman Lem Galeai (Euless, Texas/Trinity) has two favorites, and a decision might be looming -- but not before a key member of his family is with him.
Galeai, a 6-foot-5, 305-pound guard, said Oklahoma State and Baylor are neck and neck in his recruiting race. Both schools -- and any other potential darkhorses -- will have to wait until at least mid-June. Galeai said one person in particular has to be in attendance.
“I may do it after my brother comes home,” Galeai said, referring to his older brother Richard-Salanoa Afu Galeai. “He’s on a mission in Tonga, and he comes home on June 17.”
Galeai, a 6-foot-5, 305-pound guard, said Oklahoma State and Baylor are neck and neck in his recruiting race. Both schools -- and any other potential darkhorses -- will have to wait until at least mid-June. Galeai said one person in particular has to be in attendance.
“I may do it after my brother comes home,” Galeai said, referring to his older brother Richard-Salanoa Afu Galeai. “He’s on a mission in Tonga, and he comes home on June 17.”
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Inspired by Florida's "#ComePlayWRFortheJoker" campaign, our recruiting writers looked at other ways schools can sell themselves on the trail. Here's a look at recruiting pitches for the Big 12:
Baylor Bears
What they’re selling: The new 45,000-seat, $250-million on-campus stadium that will open in 2014. Recruiting is an arms race, and players like fancy stadiums and locker rooms, and Baylor’s upgrade puts them finally on the same level playing field as everybody else in the Big 12.
What they're missing: Help on defense -- specifically at defensive line and defensive back.
Iowa State Cyclones
What they’re selling: Paul Rhoads. He grew up miles from the campus and has helped turn around Iowa State with a physical and fundamentally sound style of football.
What they're missing: A true home-run threat at receiver.
Kansas Jayhawks
What they’re selling: Charlie Weis. He’s taken risks (juco infusion), repaired relationships with area high school coaches and widened KU’s recruiting pool.
What they're missing: Wins. When you’ve won only one conference game in three years, a little bit of everything is missing.
Kansas State Wildcats
What they’re selling: Bill Synder. The plan has worked for years in Manhattan. K-State doesn’t care how many stars a player has attached to his name, a player only earns an offer from K-State unless Snyder personally signs off on it after a lengthy review. It’s a plan that produced a No. 1 BCS ranking and a Big 12 championship in 2012.
What’s missing: I’ve been told by coaches for years that the most difficult position to recruit is defensive tackle. That’s why you often see even average defensive tackles rack up double-digit offers, and finding good depth at defensive tackle has been very difficult to do at K-State.
Oklahoma Sooners
What they’re selling: Oklahoma is proud of its football tradition, and few schools can match the Sooners’ track record for success, facilities and ability to prepare you for the next level.
What they're missing: A renewed focus on evaluating players. It’s what differentiated Bob Stoops’ staff when they started, and it’s how they found players like Sam Bradford, Josh Heupel, Juaquin Iglesias and Donald Stephenson. All at the time were considered to be three-star recruits but wound up being impact players for the Sooners.
Oklahoma State Cowboys
What they’re selling: Their ability to evaluate and develop offensive talent.
What they're missing: Elite players in the Lone Star State. With the best facilities in the conference, it might be just enough to get kids to visit.
Texas Longhorns
What they’re selling: Few in the nation can offer up the type of atmosphere, fan base, tradition and total student-athlete package like Texas can.
What they're missing: A true a difference-maker at quarterback. The last two Heisman Trophy winners have come from Texas high schools, and the Longhorns didn’t recruit one heavily and recruited the other as an athlete.
TCU Horned Frogs
What they’re selling: The Horned Frogs recruit to their style of smash-mouth play on both sides of the ball and don’t care how many stars a recruit has. It hurts them some in the recruiting rankings, but it helps them win a lot of ball games.
What they're missing: BCS conference depth. Heading into their second season in the Big 12 after a 7-6 season, the biggest thing the Horned Frogs need to do is to build the roster to be able to compete year in and year out in the BCS conference.
Texas Tech Red Raiders
What they’re selling: The Red Raiders went through a transition that brought Kliff Kingsbury to Lubbock, and the early reception has been nothing short of positive.
What they're missing: The Red Raiders have never had issues putting up points on people, but under Tommy Tuberville and Mike Leach there was little defense being played.
West Virginia Mountaineers
What they’re selling: WVU is a force in the Atlantic region, can recruit well in Pennsylvania and is arguably one of the best schools at identifying offensive talent in the JC ranks.
What they're missing: The 2014 class will have to be all about rebuilding in Morgantown, as the needs are mounting while several impact players have moved on.
Baylor Bears
What they’re selling: The new 45,000-seat, $250-million on-campus stadium that will open in 2014. Recruiting is an arms race, and players like fancy stadiums and locker rooms, and Baylor’s upgrade puts them finally on the same level playing field as everybody else in the Big 12.
What they're missing: Help on defense -- specifically at defensive line and defensive back.
Iowa State Cyclones
What they’re selling: Paul Rhoads. He grew up miles from the campus and has helped turn around Iowa State with a physical and fundamentally sound style of football.
What they're missing: A true home-run threat at receiver.
Kansas Jayhawks
What they’re selling: Charlie Weis. He’s taken risks (juco infusion), repaired relationships with area high school coaches and widened KU’s recruiting pool.
What they're missing: Wins. When you’ve won only one conference game in three years, a little bit of everything is missing.
Kansas State Wildcats
What they’re selling: Bill Synder. The plan has worked for years in Manhattan. K-State doesn’t care how many stars a player has attached to his name, a player only earns an offer from K-State unless Snyder personally signs off on it after a lengthy review. It’s a plan that produced a No. 1 BCS ranking and a Big 12 championship in 2012.
What’s missing: I’ve been told by coaches for years that the most difficult position to recruit is defensive tackle. That’s why you often see even average defensive tackles rack up double-digit offers, and finding good depth at defensive tackle has been very difficult to do at K-State.
Oklahoma Sooners
What they’re selling: Oklahoma is proud of its football tradition, and few schools can match the Sooners’ track record for success, facilities and ability to prepare you for the next level.
What they're missing: A renewed focus on evaluating players. It’s what differentiated Bob Stoops’ staff when they started, and it’s how they found players like Sam Bradford, Josh Heupel, Juaquin Iglesias and Donald Stephenson. All at the time were considered to be three-star recruits but wound up being impact players for the Sooners.
Oklahoma State Cowboys
What they’re selling: Their ability to evaluate and develop offensive talent.
What they're missing: Elite players in the Lone Star State. With the best facilities in the conference, it might be just enough to get kids to visit.
Texas Longhorns
What they’re selling: Few in the nation can offer up the type of atmosphere, fan base, tradition and total student-athlete package like Texas can.
What they're missing: A true a difference-maker at quarterback. The last two Heisman Trophy winners have come from Texas high schools, and the Longhorns didn’t recruit one heavily and recruited the other as an athlete.
TCU Horned Frogs
What they’re selling: The Horned Frogs recruit to their style of smash-mouth play on both sides of the ball and don’t care how many stars a recruit has. It hurts them some in the recruiting rankings, but it helps them win a lot of ball games.
What they're missing: BCS conference depth. Heading into their second season in the Big 12 after a 7-6 season, the biggest thing the Horned Frogs need to do is to build the roster to be able to compete year in and year out in the BCS conference.
Texas Tech Red Raiders
What they’re selling: The Red Raiders went through a transition that brought Kliff Kingsbury to Lubbock, and the early reception has been nothing short of positive.
What they're missing: The Red Raiders have never had issues putting up points on people, but under Tommy Tuberville and Mike Leach there was little defense being played.
West Virginia Mountaineers
What they’re selling: WVU is a force in the Atlantic region, can recruit well in Pennsylvania and is arguably one of the best schools at identifying offensive talent in the JC ranks.
What they're missing: The 2014 class will have to be all about rebuilding in Morgantown, as the needs are mounting while several impact players have moved on.
Darrion Johnson is getting a fresh start at Navasota, and he couldn’t be happier.
The four-star defensive back is in his second week at the Class 3A school after his abrupt transfer from Brenham (Texas) High School, and the move hasn’t hindered his recruitment much.
The four-star defensive back is in his second week at the Class 3A school after his abrupt transfer from Brenham (Texas) High School, and the move hasn’t hindered his recruitment much.
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Some athletes simply have recognizable nicknames. Wide receiver Byron Daniels (San Antonio/Madison) is known around his high school as “Scooter.”
“I don’t even know how I got it,” Daniels said. “I was named after my dad, and it was something my family called me. When they called for Byron, both of us turned around.’”
Daniels said his grandfather was the first to call him Scooter. What many probably didn’t know was that the name would fit as a football player. In addition to being quick and elusive, he runs with a level of power that many 5-foot-11, 170-pound athletes don’t have.
That combination of talents has made Daniels a major recruiting target for several college programs. Daniels has seven offers, and he’s looking to earn more as the spring season progresses.
“I don’t even know how I got it,” Daniels said. “I was named after my dad, and it was something my family called me. When they called for Byron, both of us turned around.’”
Daniels said his grandfather was the first to call him Scooter. What many probably didn’t know was that the name would fit as a football player. In addition to being quick and elusive, he runs with a level of power that many 5-foot-11, 170-pound athletes don’t have.
That combination of talents has made Daniels a major recruiting target for several college programs. Daniels has seven offers, and he’s looking to earn more as the spring season progresses.
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Each week this spring, GigEmNation reporter Sam Khan Jr. will bring you notes and nuggets from watching and visiting with high school football prospects in the Greater Houston area that week, including observations of Texas A&M commitments and targets and other players that catch his attention. Here's this week's installment:
MANVEL, Texas -- Plenty of colleges have their eyes affixed on Manvel (Texas) High School because of 2014 prospect Koda Martin, who we profiled in-depth last week, but there are plenty more reasons for coaches to keep stopping by the school just south of Houston.
The 2013 class was loaded with the likes of receivers Austin Bennett (Oklahoma), Kyrion Parker (Texas A&M) and Carlos Thompson (Texas Tech), cornerback Tavares Garner (Texas A&M), defensive tackle Dewan Edmonson (UTEP), quarterback Shane McCarley (Old Dominon) and center Travis Romero (Southeastern Louisiana). Martin headlines a 2014 class that also includes a large defensive tackle, 6-foot-6, 280-pound Justin Gardner.
MANVEL, Texas -- Plenty of colleges have their eyes affixed on Manvel (Texas) High School because of 2014 prospect Koda Martin, who we profiled in-depth last week, but there are plenty more reasons for coaches to keep stopping by the school just south of Houston.
The 2013 class was loaded with the likes of receivers Austin Bennett (Oklahoma), Kyrion Parker (Texas A&M) and Carlos Thompson (Texas Tech), cornerback Tavares Garner (Texas A&M), defensive tackle Dewan Edmonson (UTEP), quarterback Shane McCarley (Old Dominon) and center Travis Romero (Southeastern Louisiana). Martin headlines a 2014 class that also includes a large defensive tackle, 6-foot-6, 280-pound Justin Gardner.
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In his first trip to Stillwater, Okla., offensive lineman Cole Anderson (League City, Texas/Clear Falls) had all of his questions answered -- and all of his expectations fulfilled.
A 6-foot-5, 265-pound interior lineman, Anderson gave Oklahoma State high marks after taking in the football team’s spring game on Saturday. Anderson commented on the campus atmosphere, the scenery of Stillwater and the camaraderie between the players and the coaching staff.
A 6-foot-5, 265-pound interior lineman, Anderson gave Oklahoma State high marks after taking in the football team’s spring game on Saturday. Anderson commented on the campus atmosphere, the scenery of Stillwater and the camaraderie between the players and the coaching staff.
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At 5-foot-11 and 180 pounds, Fonzale Davis (Dallas/South Oak Cliff) quietly is rising in the recruiting ranks as a wanted receiver. While he still is waiting for his first offer, he has several Big 12 and SEC schools watching his every move.
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The Oklahoma high school scene already has two prospects rated in the ESPN 150, but there are several more who are starting to get attention, too.
When Tulsa (Okla.) Booker T. Washington defensive end Jordan Brailford visited Oklahoma for its junior day in February, he didn’t have any offers. Entering the spring evaluation period, Brailford now has offers from Tulsa, Baylor and Washington State.
Brailford was invited to OU’s spring game two weeks ago but was unable to attend. Following a trip to Oklahoma State last weekend, Brailford is ready to take it easy and see what college coaches will be coming to town during the evaluation period.
When Tulsa (Okla.) Booker T. Washington defensive end Jordan Brailford visited Oklahoma for its junior day in February, he didn’t have any offers. Entering the spring evaluation period, Brailford now has offers from Tulsa, Baylor and Washington State.
Brailford was invited to OU’s spring game two weeks ago but was unable to attend. Following a trip to Oklahoma State last weekend, Brailford is ready to take it easy and see what college coaches will be coming to town during the evaluation period.
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Texas Tech was always high on the list for Oklahoma City Millwood wide receiver Cameron Batson. But he never could invest 100 percent without a trip to campus.
That changed this weekend, when he made his first visit to Lubbock, Texas, for the spring game.
That changed this weekend, when he made his first visit to Lubbock, Texas, for the spring game.
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Oklahoma State coach Mike Gundy wasn’t pleased with how the Cowboys attacked the Oklahoma high school scene for the Class of 2013.
He said it would change for the Class of 2014. Saturday was more proof of that as top in-state outside linebacker Gyasi Akem (Broken Arrow, Okla./Broken Arrow) confirmed in a text message that he committed to the Cowboys at the school's spring game.
He said it would change for the Class of 2014. Saturday was more proof of that as top in-state outside linebacker Gyasi Akem (Broken Arrow, Okla./Broken Arrow) confirmed in a text message that he committed to the Cowboys at the school's spring game.
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Safety Payton Hendrix has only been at Dallas Bishop Dunne a few weeks, but the move has already done wonders for his recruiting process.
Hendrix, who attended Red Oak (Texas) High before transferring this spring, picked up his biggest offer yet on Tuesday from Stanford and now has five total thus far.
The 6-foot-3, 187-pound prospect met with Cardinal defensive coordinator Derek Mason on Tuesday and was excited to add the Rose Bowl champions to his list of options.
Hendrix, who attended Red Oak (Texas) High before transferring this spring, picked up his biggest offer yet on Tuesday from Stanford and now has five total thus far.
The 6-foot-3, 187-pound prospect met with Cardinal defensive coordinator Derek Mason on Tuesday and was excited to add the Rose Bowl champions to his list of options.
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RECRUITING NATION MIDLANDS COVERAGE
The Midlands Region consists of the states of Colorado, Iowa, Kansas, Missouri, Nebraska, North Dakota, Oklahoma, South Dakota and
Texas and is where Big 12 programs make a living recruiting. However, with the deep talent pool in the Lone Star State, teams from all over the country flock to the Midlands to find players.
More RecruitingNation blogs
RecruitingNation has the latest recruiting news from across the country:
• On The Trail
• East Region blog
• Midwest Region blog
• Southeast Region blog
• West Region blog
MIDLANDS RECRUITING CONTRIBUTORS
Sam KhanESPN Archive |
Max OlsonESPN Archive |
Bob PrzybyloESPN Archive |
Damon SaylesESPN Archive |
Mitch ShermanESPN Archive |
William WilkersonESPN Archive |
