ESPN Recruiting Nation Football

IRVING, Texas -- Rami Hammad didn’t have to say much.

“It’s my dream school,” he said. And that pretty much told the story.

The moment Texas first offered last week, Hammad knew in his heart that playing in burnt orange was what he wanted. On Wednesday, the 6-foot-5, 314-pound Irving (Texas) High offensive lineman made it official with a verbal commitment, a tip of a fresh baseball cap and the traditional “Hook'Em” sign with his right hand.

Hammad's pledge gives the Longhorns 15 commits for the Class of 2013. A three-star recruit, Hammad is considered the No. 31 offensive guard in the country, but his size, footwork and overall versatility make him a legitimate candidate to play either guard or tackle at the next level.

“It’s just a great opportunity, a school with a lot of tradition and great academics,” Hammad said. “They’re ranked in the nation for their academics, and with my commit to them, I’m going to work to make sure we’re the best O-line in the nation. I believe in the setting there.”

Recruited by offensive line coach Stacy Searels, Hammad's stock has skyrocketed in the last two months. He originally committed to Oklahoma State in June, but he decommitted to explore his options. He then committed to Baylor in November -- before putting on an outstanding performance at the Semper Fidelis All-American Bowl in Carson, Calif., to start 2013.

Since that game, Hammad has been one of the nation’s hottest targets. Next, he was contacted by Texas, and promptly set up an official visit.

Things seemed to fit even better when Hammad’s assigned player host was freshman fullback Alex De La Torre, the son of Irving head coach Aaron De La Torre.

“It was crazy when I got [the offer],” Hammad said. “Once I got it, I had to take a step back. I feel like I’ve found a school that really has good football and good academics.

“Austin is like New York to me. I’m excited about Coach Searels and learning under him. I’m also excited about living in Austin. I’m ready.”

ESPN 300 running back Kyle Hicks (Arlington, Texas/Martin) can’t deny what his heart is feeling.

For the last few months he has contemplated the idea of playing football closer to home, closer to his mother and close to his good friend and former high school teammate Devonte Fields.

Today, his heart couldn’t take it any longer.

Hicks called Texas co-recruiting coordinator Bruce Chambers and told him he had decided to switch commitments from the Longhorns to TCU.

“One, I get to play for an outstanding football team,” Hicks said. “Two, I get a good education from a private school, and three, it is 15 minutes from home.”

Hicks was Texas’ lone running back recruit in the Class of 2013. He had been committed to the Longhorns since Feb. 18.

“It was the hardest thing I’ve ever done in my life,” Hicks said. “Talking to Chambers on the phone, my body was shaking. I never thought I would decommit from Texas. I created a big bond with Chambers for nine months. Just to decommit was the hardest thing ever.

“Of course he was disappointed. He wanted to know why. It was just a decision I had to make.”

Martin coach Bob Wager was in his office with Hicks when Hicks made the call to Chambers.

“He’s been agonizing over it for months,” Wager said. “He just called Coach Chambers 15 minutes ago in my office. Torn up, distraught, very apologetic. But very sincere. It’s the hardest thing he’s ever had to do. I was there watching him, and pain was showing all over his face.”

Hicks (5-foot-11, 190 pounds) is rated at No. 20 among running backs and No. 219 overall in the country.

He had to step in at quarterback for Martin this season and fared well. He threw for 458 yards and six touchdowns without an interception. But his bread and butter was still the run, which he did 177 times to the tune of 1,113 yards and 22 touchdowns.

Hicks tore his left ACL and meniscus Oct. 26 and is scheduled to have surgery Tuesday. It was the second serious injury for him in the last two seasons.

Last year, during the third round of the playoffs, he broke his foot on the first play of Martin’s game against Euless Trinity. He continued to play and finished the game with 20 carries for 113 yards and a 19-yard, game-clinching touchdown.

Hicks is confident that he’ll be fully healthy in six months and ready for fall camp with the Frogs.

“It was where my heart is at,” Hicks said. “I feel at home with TCU. Whenever I got the chance to visit TCU I just knew that was where I wanted to be. Great football team and it’s close to my mom. I can’t pass that down.”

FORT WORTH, Texas -- Texas knew it was getting a versatile weapon in 2014 running back Daniel Gresham (Fort Worth, Texas/All Saints). But how’s this for versatility? Gresham has played lead roles in two All Saints Episcopal theater productions.

That's right, he was Horton the Elephant in “Seussical,” and the voice of the evil plant in “Little Shop of Horrors.”

“The guy can sing. Really well,” All Saints coach Aaron Beck said. “He’s one of those guys who gets pulled in a lot of different directions.”

The bruising, 5-foot-11, 220-pound back can also pitch and play outfield. For the Longhorns, though, the new commit will be quite a handful as a hybrid fullback/running back who can also catch passes out of the backfield.

Beck admits he finds it hard to believe Gresham is only going into his junior season.

“The kid is a freak in the weight room,” Beck said. “We tested him on Monday. On the squats, I stopped him at 600 pounds, because who cares what you can do over that? He’s sniffing 400 on the bench. And he’s got two high school seasons left to play.”

Gresham also ran two 40 times Monday. He clocked in at 4.59 both times, just as he had earlier in the summer.

“At that size, that’s all you could ask for,” the coach said. “He’s such a bruiser, but he has the softest hands, too. He can be a giant mismatch.

“If you’re a corner at our level, just get out of the way.”

Gresham will take over as the feature back for All Saints this fall after rushing for 580 yards (7.25 per carry) in a supporting role behind UTSA signee Brian Vaughn.

Gresham has matured more than most 2014 backs -- he’s already 17 -- and said his weight fluctuates between 225 and 235 pounds. Beck is making a point of keeping him under 230 and his conditioning at a high level for the next two years.

After that? Once Gresham gets on campus, Beck said, the fun begins.

“In the college weight room, that dude’s frame will carry whatever you want to slap on it,” Beck said. “He’s only limited by his height. They’ll have some options with that kid. They won’t lose with him.”

Texas has long stuck to its tradition when it comes to offering recruits early.

Nearly all recruits have to wait until February of their junior year and attend a UT junior day in order to receive their offer.

On Thursday, Texas made a big step toward changing that philosophy.

The Longhorns have accepted a commitment from 2014 athlete Lorenzo Joe (Abilene, Texas/Cooper).

“I just got off the phone with Coach [Bo] Davis and he let me know that I can go ahead and go public and let people know I’m committed,” Joe told HornsNation.

Joe originally gave his verbal pledge to Texas after being approved for a 2014 offer at the Longhorns’ June 10 camp. At the time, UT coaches told him he’d have to wait until February for that pledge to become official.

But Thursday, Texas coaches swiftly changed course in their long-held beliefs on early offers. Even Joe was surprised when he got the call from Davis.

“It feels so good to finally tell people,” Joe said. “I don’t have to tell people my recruiting is going slow anymore.

“To finally get it off my chest now, it feels good. I’m so excited. I’m sorry I had to lie to y’all.”

Joe, a 6-foot-2, 190-pound junior-to-be, is being recruited by Texas to play wide receiver. He’ll serve as Abilene Cooper’s starting quarterback this fall.

“They came down during spring to check me out and watched my highlights and came to my school,” Joe said. “I went to their camp and tried to perform, and they liked what they saw.”

As a sophomore, Joe caught 48 passes for 762 yards and nine touchdowns and also rushed for 200 yards and two more scores. He received an offer from Texas Tech earlier this summer.

But when Texas coaches told him in June he’d get one, Joe committed without hesitation. He didn’t need a year to think it over.

“Texas was always the school growing up,” he said. “It was the right thing to do.”

Texas coaches also made an official offer Thursday to their No. 1 quarterback target, Denton (Texas) Guyer dual-threat passer Jerrod Heard. He told HornsNation he’ll wait until next summer to make a decision.