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Highland Park lineman stays home, picks Mustangs; SMU also gets oral commitments from two defenders

01/28/2002

By RICHARD DURRETT / The Dallas Morning News

Highland Park offensive lineman Grant Eidson wanted to stay close to home and play football.

He will get to do both at SMU next season. Eidson (6-1, 270) visited SMU on an official visit this weekend and decided to orally commit.

Oral commitments are not binding. The first day a football player can sign a national letter of intent is Feb. 6.

Eidson chose SMU over an offer from Memphis. SMU will look at Eidson as a center and possibly a deep snapper. Eidson was a member of The Dallas Morning News' All-Area first-team thanks to his play this season. He was the top-grading offensive lineman for an offense that averaged 421 yards a game.

SMU also received oral commitment from Cypress Creek linebacker Cole Horton (6-5, 215) and Commerce defensive end Justin Rogers (6-4, 205). Horton, who chose SMU over an offer from New Mexico, will play outside linebacker or defensive end.

I was a little concerned about the future of the linebacking spot, but I love the fact that with Jamar Bey and Cole Horton, we have two new 'backers coming in at 6-5. Maybe we bulk up one or both of them and move them up to defensive end. But regardless of where they line up, that size means they can get those paws up in the air and knock down passes, and if they drop into coverage (and rumor is they both run pretty well), they have the reach to tip away passes.

Nice pick-ups.