By John Peres

Special contributor to PonyFans.com

Braylon Hyder, the center from Houston’s Lamar High School who committed in March to sign a national letter of intent with SMU in February 2014, said he is “excited and looking forward to being a Mustang.”

Offensive lineman Braylon Hyder plays center at Lamar High School in Houston, but said he could end up playing guard at SMU (photo by Lamar High School).

In March, after sitting down with his parents, Hyder said “we all decided that SMU was the right school for me.” He also said that he heard of June Jones’ reputation and was eager to play college ball for him.

The 6-2, 280-pound Hyder, who also has offers from UTEP and New Mexico, is a tremendous athlete in a big man’s body. He possesses all the desired qualities in a prototypical offensive lineman: a combination of quick feet and hands, hip flexibility and a bit of a mean streak on the field. He has great leverage on defenders and stays engaged downfield. He has very good technique, which is enhanced by his speed, making him a very adept at pulling. A brief review of his highlights reveals a fierce tenacity and overpowering strength that make him successful in the Mustangs’ blocking scheme.

In addition to his sheer athletic ability, Hyder also is a versatile player who said he could fill a number of roles for the Mustangs, depending on the team’s needs.

“I was recruited as a center, but I can see myself playing guard,” Hyder said, adding that he really did not have a favorite between the two positions, liking both equally for different reasons. “I loved pulling at guard and really enjoyed down blocking at center.”

His flexibility to play different positions on the interior of the offensive line makes him that much more valuable an asset, and he likely is not yet done growing; training and continued physical maturity could put him easily over 300 pounds at some point during his college career.

One of the biggest adjustments offensive linemen often encounter when they arrive on the Hilltop involves learning to block from the stand-up position SMU coaches teach. The Mustangs’ two-point stance did not seem to be of great concern to Hyder, who blocked out of a stand-up position at times when playing guard for the Redskins.

“At Lamar, we used the two-point stance in certain situations,” he said. “I should have no trouble adapting to it when I join the team.”

Lamar went deep into the 5A Div. I playoffs last season, making it all the way to the title game before being knocked off by Allen 35-21.

Hyder is one of three Lamar players from the 2014 class joining the Mustangs. He, quarterback Darrell Colbert and wide receiver Shelby Walker will be joining an SMU roster that already includes a pair of 2013 signees from their high school: defensive end Zelt Minor and wide receiver/cornerback Cedric Lancaster.

“I think it would be great to play with them for another four years following our senior season,” Hyder said of joining Colbert and Walker in the Ponies’ 2014 signing class. “The chemistry we have with each other … (I) look forward to being able to play with my brothers.”

Some players face a transition of sorts when they get to college because the increased level of competition can be intimidating. But Hyder played at high school football’s highest level and enjoyed enormous success, so while he will face bigger, stronger, faster players while playing for the Mustangs, he is as well prepared as anyone to handle the transition.