PonyFans.com

Since everyone seems to agree that the hardest position to find is defensive tackles .... I found a list of some of the top senior DTs in Texas for the 2003 season. I don't know anything about them or whether they're interested in playing for the Ponies, but here are some good ones.

Yaniv Barnett, 6-3, 275, 5.2, Schertz Clements
William Bell, 6-3, 240, 4.9, Belton
Romel Bonner, 6-1, 285, 4.9, Dallas Roosevelt
Elias Charles, 6-0, 235, 5.1, Crosby
Joey Ellis, 6-3, 230, 4.9, Brownwood
Phillip Hunt, 6-2, 260, 4.8, Fort Worth Wyatt
Bryan Jacobs, 6-3, 235, 4.8, Bandera
Tim Jass, 6-2, 260, 5.2, Lytle
Mark Johnson, 6-2, 240, 4.9, Fort Bend Hightower
Ryan Johnson, 6-4, 260, 4.7, Dallas Carter
Trumaine Johnson, 6-2, 260, 4.8, Galena Park
Michael Jones, 6-3, 290, 5.1, Pasadena Rayburn
Derek Lokey, 6-3, 250, 4.7, Denton Ryan
Brandon Mack, 6-3, 270, 4.9, Beeville Jones
Zack Martin, 6-2, 245, 4.9, Garland Rowlett
James McClinton, 6-2, 290, 5.1, Garland Lakeview Centennial
Eric Mikolachak, 6-3, 280, 4.9, Katy Mayde Creek
Cedric Milton, 6-3, 275, 4.9, Langham Creek
William Morrissey, 6-2, 270, 4.9, Silsbee
Casey Royer, 6-3, 260, 4.9, Anahuac
Aaron Saunders, 6-5, 250, 4.9, San Antonio Jay
Coil Shackelford, 6-3, 250, 5.0, Wink
Gil Shackelford, 6-3, 235, 4.9, Wink
Michael Smith, 6-2, 240, 4.8, Spring Hill
Kevin Wright, 6-2, 250, 4.8, Fort Bend Hightower

• • • • • • • • • •

Anyone else notice the Shackelford guys? Gil and .... "Coil"?

Derek Lokey's already committed to Texas.

But there are some big boys on that list. Let's hope we get 2 or 3.

Ryan Johnson (Desmond Jones' teammate at Carter) is a real stud. Scary quick for a guy that big and strong. We need to figure out a way to get that guy to SMU.

a guy with that combination of size and speed is going to draw a lot of attention. If Desmond gets some playing time as a frosh and SMU can start winning and building credibility as a program, Bennett just might be able to get more interest from local guys who have options of going to UT or A$M and red-shirting, or coming to SMU and playing right away while helping the Mustangs win WAC championships.

Desmond Jones, from all accounts, is a very nice, charismatic, friendly guy. Here's a case where we need him to call on all of those skills to recruit his teammate. And it wouldn't hurt if he stepped in as a freshman and earned some significant playing time.

At least by the numbers, Ryan Johnson is the most appealing guy on that list. He's the tallest (if those numbers are accurate), meaning he could add some weight, and seems to have good quickness for a big guy. Let's get the Carter connection of Jones and Johnson causing some trouble on the D-line.