DMN: Youri Yenga commits to SMU

[RE Tycoon]

Euless Trinity defensive end Youri Yenga, SportsDay’s 2006 Defensive Player of the Year, said Sunday morning that he has orally committed to SMU.

http://www.dallasnews.com/sharedcontent ... cef6e.html

[Otto]

YES! YES! YES!

Welcome to SMU, Youri! Congratulations, coaches!

[Otto]

Here's a guy I really like - he's on most short lists of "diamond in the rough" guys. For what it's worth, I've been told he's up to 6-foot-2 now, and last I heard he weighed in at 215, but I haven't seen him in person in a couple of months, so it's hard to say. He's very raw, because he's only played football for a few years. He was born in Africa and started his athletic career on the basketball court, not the football field. He's undersized for a defensive end, but everyone I've talked to seems to think he's going to grow more, perhaps a lot more. He's pretty strong for his size, but he's still pretty thin, but has wide shoulders and big feet, and very long arms. That doesn't always mean a guy is going to get significantly bigger, but it's usually a pretty good indication. Looks a little big like a smaller version of Jevon Kearse, who was recruited to Florida as a safety, but kept moving forward as he grew taller and filled our his frame until he became a prolific defensive end. No, that's not saying Yenga is another Kearse, but he has a similar frame. I would assume that he doesn't start out as a defensive end, but if he redshirts and continues to grow during his redshirt year, he might. Depends on who signs him, and what kind of defense that team uses. He looks like a very high-motor guy who goes 100 MPH on every play, and everything I've heard is that he's the same way in practice and in the weight room, not to mention in the classroom, where he's an excellent student. Yenga's size and relative inexperience will make a lot of schools overlook him, but the guy can play, and he has as much potential for growth and improvement as any player I know of. He's a guy who will get several offers after he gets his first, as some coaches seem hesitant to be the first to offer an undersized guy who is still relatively new to the game. Whether that potential pans out remains to be seen (he's got to hit the weights hard for a year or two as he grows into his body and works on his technique and knowledge of the game, as his performance at Trinity has been largely a result of him playing off instinct and raw athletic ability), but this is a guy who is worth a chance, and has a great chance to make a lot of teams regret passing him over.

I got fired up the first time I read this, and wanted to bring Guru's report back up.

[RE Tycoon]

DMN recruiting blog entry:

January 7, 2007
Trinity's Yenga goes to SMU
If you go by what many of my colleagues believe, then SMU got itself a steal Sunday morning when Euless Trinity defensive end Youri Yenga orally committed to the Ponies.

SMU also got two other commitments.

Personally, I would have voted for Plano East linebacker Keenan Robinson (Texas) for SportsDay's Defensive Player of the Year, but Yenga appears to be a great catch for Phil Bennett and his staff.

http://recruitingbuzz.beloblog.com/

[Stallion]

Right now LB would appear to be the bright spot in our recruiting class getting Yenga and Julian Herron two smaller but very quick LBs who fit into Bennett's LB mold. ( I thought I was assured that SMU wasn't going to take any LBs this year).

[PonyPride]

Much of what I've read and heard suggests that Yenga is being recruited to play DE (after getting bigger and stronger, of course). Remains to be seen, of course.

And isn't there some speculation going around that Herron could end up, with his size and speed, as a safety candidate?

I would think any discussion of the "strength" of this recruiting class also has to include Josh LeRibeus, at least at this point.

[Stallion]

there is no way in hell Yenga plays Defensive End at that size in Division 1A. Now 3 years from now if he is really even 6-2 and if he grows to 250 then he might but I bet for the next two years at least he is a LB. His own high school listed him at 198 pounds this year. I've seen pictures of this guy-not a DE.

[PonyPride]

Right .... "at that size...." The key there is that there also is no way in hell he stays that size.

A lot of us have seen pictures of the guy. I've also seen him in person, and I've seen him play, but that doesn't matter, either. Everyone agrees that he's too small to play DE now, but is there really anyone who doesn't think this guy has "redshirt" written all over him? When I was Yenga's age, I grew a lot, and believe me I wasn't camped out in a weight room or chugging protein drinks. Yes, if he had to play today, he likely would be at LB, but my comment was in reference to his future at SMU. I have talked to reporters who follow Trinity, and I have talked to HS coaches, and every one I've talked to has said this guy looks like he'll get a lot bigger, and that he projects as a DE in college. Perhaps I wasn't clear (sorry) in my earlier post -- didn't mean to suggest he could play DE now, just that DE is the position where many people think he'll end up.

[Ponymon]

Hopefully Youri's commitment will give us the lead-in to the Trinity program to start getting some of their top players. It seems that this school is ALWAYS loaded with BIG, top lineman. Wouldn't it be nice to start mining some of that talent!

[Corso]

I'm right there with you on that desire to open the Trinity pipeline -- some of those 300-plus OLs would be a huge (literally) addition.

WELCOME, YOURI!

[mathman]

Stallion, when will the new commitments show up on SMU's list on Rivals?

[westexSMU]

With what I have read on this post and Yenga being DMN's Defensive player of the year in 2006, obviuosly this guy is talented. So I can't understand why he has not been rated on Rivals at this point ? Is he on the DMN State Top 100 list or just the area Top 100 ?

[Ponymon]

With what I have read on this post and Yenga being DMN's Defensive player of the year in 2006, obviuosly this guy is talented. So I can't understand why he has not been rated on Rivals at this point ? Is he on the DMN State Top 100 list or just the area Top 100 ?

He didn't make either list. Goldthorpe didn't either.

[Maryland78]

...I find it interesting that he could be DMN Defensive player of the year, but not make the Area Top 100 list...was he overlooked?...or is there different criteria for the Area List?...any local recruiting experts or Dallas high school football fans care to comment? Thanks.

[Stallion]

the lists were made prior to their Senior seasons. I believe Yenga has only played football for 3 years so he is a late developer. Finally don't confuse High School accolades with top recruiting prospects. I'm very happy to get him but he is not a highly recruited player. UNT and UTEP.