KILGORE, Texas – Though Gladewater fell to Kilgore 31-8 on Friday evening, it was the losing team’s sophomore defensive tackle Daylon Mack that left the biggest impression on observers.
Daylon Mack has already been offered by Texas A&M.
The 6-foot-1, 305-pound Mack entered the game with 35 tackles, 12 tackles for loss, five sacks and four fumble recoveries and has had opposing coaches raving about his abilities. On Friday he showed exactly why he has received so much acclaim.
Kilgore came into the game undefeated and with a No. 4 state ranking. However, Gladewater’s defense held the Bulldogs in check the entire first half as the score was only 10-8 at halftime. While the Gladewater secondary was outmatched in the second half en route to a 31-8 loss, Mack never slowed down.
The talented sophomore has a huge base and is strong as an ox, as proven by his 375-pound bench press and 550-pound squat. What was most impressive, though, was his motor. He never gave up on any plays and made several tackles trailing from the backside. He tallied two tackles for loss and also recovered two fumbles on the game. The Kilgore fans could not stop talking about the talented underclassman and they could not believe he was only a sophomore.
Mack does not have the largest frame to add weight but his build is similar to Texas freshman defensive tackle and former five-star Malcom Brown.
Some have already touted Mack as a top national prospect for the class of 2015 and he is on that path right now. He has already picked up a very early offer from Texas A&M with others likely on the way after the season.
Kilgore players of note:
-Senior inside linebacker AJ Davis (5-10.5/225) has a nose for the football, which he proved by racking up an astounding 179 tackles as a junior. However, he is a bit on the short side and some think he could even be an H-back in college.
-Junior wide receiver Aaron Foy (5-9/165) reportedly ran a couple sub-4.4 40-yard dashes at the University of Houston this summer and he showed that speed when he took a short pass 86 yards down the sideline for a score. The speedster ended the game with three catches for 129 yards and two touchdowns.
-Junior defensive back DaQuavian Brewster (6-1.5/170) entered the game with 19 tackles, three interceptions, two pass breakups, one tackle for loss, a forced fumble and a blocked kick. He played both ways on Friday but his future is likely at safety. He should be a BCS-level prospect next year.
- Brian Perroni
- National Recruiting Analyst - 247Sports