National Notes: Aggies score big

A look around the world of college football recruiting...

Trey Williams is one of the top running backs in the country.

Great weekend for Texas A&M

It’s hard to imagine a better weekend of recruiting for Texas A&M than the one that just ended. Not only did the Aggies play their spring game, but also secured commitments from two of the Lone Star states best.

The huge get for the Aggies on Saturday was sensational running back Trey Williams (Spring, Texas/Dekaney). The 5-foot-8, 176-pounder with more than 4,000-yards rushing in 20 games the last two seasons is the No. 24 ranked prospect in the247 picked the Aggies over offers from Auburn, Alabama, Texas Tech, Miami (Fla.), LSU and TCU among others.

Williams’ good friend and district foe Matt Davis (Houston, Texas/Klein Forest) also picked Texas A&M on Saturday. The 6-foot-1, 195-pound dual-threat quarterback prospect entered his junior season as one of the most highly sought prospects in Texas, but a torn ACL and other ligaments in the season opener derailed his season and recruitment to a certain degree. Davis, No. 187 in the247 picked Texas A&M over Oklahoma (interest), Auburn (interest), TCU (offer) and Alabama (offer).

The Aggies are also in line for commitment No. 20 in the coming days. Athlete and soft verbal to Oklahoma State Bralon Addison (Missouri City, Texas/Hightower) picked up an official verbal offer from Texas A&M on Saturday and could make the switch to Texas A&M in the near future.
Texas A&M currently has 19 commitments, including five members of the247 in Williams, Davis, safety Corey Thompson (Missouri City, Texas/Elkins), center Mike Matthews (Missouri City, Texas/Elkins) and outside linebacker Michael Richardson (DeSoto, Texas). 



Pike to announce



Earlier today, Steve Wiltfong of 247Sports reported that five-star quarterback Zeke Pike will be making his announcement on Wednesday. The 6-foot-5, 220-pounder has a final group of Auburn, Tennessee, Michigan, Purdue, Arkansas and Clemson. Most feel that Auburn is the favorite to land him on Wednesday. The Razorbacks, Wolverines and Vols also are possibilities.

Gray still set to announce Friday

Will five-star quarterback Zeke Pike being wearing orange in college?

Record breaking running back and five-star prospect Johnathan Gray (Aledo, Texas) is still set to announce his decision on Friday, April 22 which just happens to be his 18th birthday.

The 5-foot-11, 200-pound runner has a final three of Texas, TCU and Texas A&M with Texas still considered to be the favorite. Gray, the No. 15 prospect in the 2012 class, will enter his senior season with 7,000 career rushing yards and 124 touchdowns.



Notre Dame sets the tone



We talked about Notre Dame’s spring game being a possible springboard for the Irish and it ended up being just that. The Fighting Irish landed one of the fastest prospects in the country for the 2012 cycle in Ronald Darby (Oxon Hill, Md./Potomac) and also got an expected commitment from safety Nick Baratti (Spring, Texas/Klein Oak). Long snapper Scott Daly (Downers Grove, Ill./South) rounded out a trio of new pledges for Notre Dame. Brian Kelly and staff finished with the nation’s No. 8 class in 2011 and have set themselves up for similar success in this cycle.

Three quick thoughts



-There continues to be plenty of buzz surrounding Penn State’s 2012 effort. The Nittany Lions had another great weekend of visitors, which included four-star receiver Eugene Lewis (they are the team to beat) and others. Multiple coaches and analysts behind the scenes have been talking up the potential for this Penn State class, which right now would rate among the best in the country.



-The commitment of Royce Jenkins-Stone (Detroit, Mich./Cass Tech) was huge for Michigan, which is seeking to re-establish in-state recruiting dominance under new head coach Brady Hoke. The reception from prospects both in and out-of-state has been good so far and landing the nation’s No. 18 outside linebacker is a big early get. 



-Lost in the talk about the outstanding classes being put together by Texas and Texas A&M in 2012 is the job TCU is doing early on the recruiting trail. We talk often about the response that recruits are giving to certain schools and the Horned Frogs are definitely in the conversation among the best prospects not only in Texas but around the country. Four-star linebacker James McFarland (West Monroe, La.) and four-star athlete Edward Pope (Carthage, Texas) headline TCU’s eight early commits.

Kenneth Marshall was a big get for Oklahoma State.

Texas quick hitters

-Oklahoma State picked up a key commitment from the Lone Star state over the weekend. Safety/outside linebacker Kenneth Marshall (Houston, Texas/South Houston). The 6-foot-1, 200-pounder started at corner as a freshman for South Houston before seeing time at corner and safety last season. He will play a hybrid safety/outside linebacker as a senior for the Trojans.

-Cornerback DeVante Harris (Mesquite, Texas/Horn) picked up his fifth offer on Friday. Kansas State became the latest to offer the 5-foot-11, 160-pound son of former Texas A&M and NFL receiver and return man. SMU, Mississippi State, Virginia and North Texas offered previously. Texas Tech, TCU, Baylor, Texas and Oklahoma are among the many showing interest.

Nuts and Bolts

- Justin Hopkins of 247Sports reports that four-star defensive tackle Aziz Shittu (Atwater, Calif./Buchanan) has a top three of USC, UCLA and Stanford.

-Josh Newberg of Noles247 talks with athlete Nelson Agholor (Tampa, Fla./Berkeley Prep), the highest-rated four-star prospect in the country, about his unofficial visit to Florida State this past weekend.

-Josh Low of 247Sports reports that Class of 2013 quarterback Eddie Printz (Marietta, Ga./Lassiter) is giving South Carolina a hard look early.

-Class of 2013 receiver Charlie Callinan (Jersey City, N.J./St. Peter’s Prep) says that Rutgers has issued an early verbal offer. He’s a 6-foot-4, 200-pounder.



-Justin Wells of GatorBait reports that four-star offensive tackle Patrick Miller (Palm Beach, Fla./Dwyer) is leaning toward playing in the Southeastern Conference (the guess here is Florida or Auburn).

-Sean Fitz of Lions247 reports that quarterback Skyler Mornhinweg (Philadelphia, Pa./St. Josephs), who is committed to Stanford, could be looking at some other options.

-Rusty Mansell of 247Sports with some Insider Notes on Georgia recruiting.