SMU Junior Day

[50's PONY]

I am posting the Austin Statesman story as a matter of interest. However, I do think it is worth mentioning that I was in the Loyd Center late Saturday afternoon for an event and the lobby was packed with players and their parents who were visiting SMU for Junior Day.

RECRUITING

Big weekend for Texas recruiting
Five offensive linemen, including Westlake star, commit.
By Alan Trubow

AMERICAN-STATESMAN STAFF


Monday, February 27, 2006

You can make a splash. You can make waves.

The Texas Longhorns started the 2007 recruiting season with a tsunami.


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Seven players committed to the national champions after this weekend's Junior Days, including five offensive linemen.

"We're talking about a big, big weekend for the Longhorns," Rivals.com's Texas recruiting expert John Talman said. "They really are doing the same thing that they did last year. They're starting out with offensive linemen. Signing a good group of kids. They're just going to carry the momentum from the season into recruiting.

"We had been hearing that the Longhorns wanted to get five or six offensive linemen. And this would be a good year to do it because it's a strong year for offensive linemen."

The Longhorns didn't have to go far for one of their linemen, getting a committment from Westlake's 6-foot-6-inch, 295-pound tackle Matt Nader.

"I decided a while back that if they offered me, that's where I wanted to go," Nader said. "I had that gut feeling about Texas. It just felt right. The whole weekend just felt right."

This is the second consecutive year the Longhorns turned to Central Texas for an early commitment from an offensive lineman. Texas got an early verbal from Wimberley's Buck Burnette last year.

Westlake Coach Derek Long knows the Longhorns will be happy with Nader.

"He's got the size. He can move well. He's got great feet. He's got everything," Long said. "He's still figuring out what he can and can't do. I don't think he's realized just how good he can be yet."

Nader also knows who he could be lining up with in college, too, as Texas received verbals from offensive linemen Jerrod Gooch (6-4, 284), Kyle Hix (6-6, 290), Michael Huey (6-5, 290) and Andre McGaskey (6-4, 290).

"You're talking about a lot of big guys," Talman said. "All of these guys are 6-4 or taller and 280-or-more pounds. Mack Brown couldn't have asked for a better start."

Brown and the Longhorns also got two defensive commitments, linebacker Keenan Robinson of Plano and Beaumont defensive back Ben Wells, who runs a 4.45 40-yard dash.

[email protected]; 445-3959

[Dark Horse]

I heard we had around 70 players there (and their families) -- if that's true, I think that's a significant step up. If I remember correctly, didn't we have 40-50 last year?

[BringBackThePonies03]

[quote="Dark Horse"]I heard we had around 70 players there (and their families) -- if that's true, I think that's a significant step up. If I remember correctly, didn't we have 40-50 last year?[/quote]

Any big name guys that were there? Or any players that are seriously considering SMU, hopefully a couple of solid 4 and 3 star prospects, more importantly good fits for the SMU program.

[RedRiverPony]

Anyone hear anything?