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Cardinal's Red Raider Confidential (April 10th)

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W. McKay

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A new prospect that could show up on Tech's radar soon is Frisco Heritage (Texas) wide receiver Bubba Ogbebor. Ogbebor recently competed in the Dallas RCS and is really working to get his name out there through camps this spring and summer.

"Oh I balled out at the camp. Everything I do, I compete. I am always physical with the DBs and I like to get in their face and let them know that they can't jam me and pretty much that if the ball is in the air, I'm going to win," he said. "I'm going to go to the Arizona State camp in the summer for sure. I hope to go to a lot of team camps over the summer to help get my name out. The camps are where a lot of coaches go out and see prospects and see what they are doing. I hope to just show up to a lot of camps and compete with everybody else at those camps."

The three-star prospect has experienced a slow recruitment so far but does hold offers from Kansas and Iowa.

"Things are going a bit slow right now, but so far so good. I have been talking to Central Arkansas, Arizona State, and Iowa right now. Kansas and Iowa have offered me."

When it comes to Tech though, the 6-foot-1, 190-pound receiver prospect would be all ears if they came calling.

"I have always loved Tech. I have been obsessed with Tech ever since Michael Crabtree went there. I have always liked their offense and their tempo and I'd definitely be interested."

"Our offense back at Frisco is pretty fast-paced, and I feel like I could jump right in with a tempo like Tech. I also know I can make big plays, I can stretch the field, I can go up over the corner, I can just make big plays on offense especially in an offense like Texas Tech's."

Ogbebor is not shy about what he feels like he could do on the football field and shared some more of his thoughts on what he knows about the Red Raiders.

"I know that they have a very fast receiving core and a very young coach that I really like. I haven't visited Texas Tech, but I hope that will change very soon."

To give those who don't know much about Ogbebor an idea of who he is as a player, the number 91 prospect in Texas gave a scouting report on what he feels like he does the best on the football field.

"I feel like people would say that I can go up and get it, I can stretch the field, I can run any type of route that you want me to. I'm versatile and I can play pretty much anywhere in an offense. I am just an overall competitor and I will compete with anyone and won't back down."

The WR has put a lot of thought in to what he wants from a future school, stating that he hopes to major in Criminal Justice or Sport Science. He also has a few other things on his list for a future college.

"I just want to commit to a school that has all my best interests at heart, and a school that my family likes also. I also want a school that is close so that my family could drive out to come see me play. I'm just looking for a place where I can get my education so that life after football I can have a job and support my family. "

The three-star prospect hopes to use the camps and combines to showcase his skills to prospective schools, he also hopes to use the upcoming spring football at his school to fine tune and develop other aspects of his game.

"Just understanding the game more in depth and knowing everyone's position besides mine and just being an overall better player. I really want to key in on the little things to get better."

He finished his junior season with 60 receptions for 1,042 yards and 19 touchdowns.

--Kohnle

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Southlake (Texas) Carroll athlete Lil'Jordan Humphrey has been keeping in contact with the Red Raiders but is starting to hear from a few other schools now as well. Humphrey is in no rush to name a top schools list and wants to keep everything open.

"The recruiting process is going great right now. Pitt, LSU a bit, and OU have been reaching out to me the most lately," he said. "I picked up Cal recently as well as a few more. I like it, it's a good school with a great football program. It doesn't bother me that it is out of state. I don't have a top list right now, all schools are equal.

Humphrey is focused on keeping things open and keeping schools equal, but he does know what he is looking for from a future school.

"A great academic place, a place where I can fit in the most, obviously I also want to be a great fit for the football program on the field and a place where I could enjoy and feel in love at."

With Texas Tech, the three-star prospect keeps in contact with Coach Curtis very regularly and enjoys the relationship he has built with the coach.

"I last spoke with Coach Curtis on Sunday. It was just a brief moment on Sunday, but usually we talk just about every day. We talk a lot about different stuff like what I want to do in the future and things like that."

"When I talk to Coach Curtis, I think he is a great guy and probably an even bett
er coach. I think we have a good relationship with what we have right now since we speak very often."
Humphrey then went on to share his thoughts about what he likes from the Red Raiders.
"I mean I like the school, I like the football program, and the academics of the school," he said. "It's really building up and becoming a great football program. It seems to be real family oriented with some really good fans."

A lot of prospects take the time in the spring to visit a lot of schools on unofficial visits. Humphrey has visited a few schools so far but has none more scheduled at the moment. If an opportunity to visit Lubbock comes up in the future, he wouldn't hesitate to jump on the opportunity.

"I don't have anything scheduled right now, but if I get a chance to, I probably will."

Humphrey is a rare prospect in that he plays running back for his high school, but he is currently 6-foot-5, 200-pounds. He has the frame of WR/TE, which is the position a lot of schools are looking at him at for the next level.
"Most schools are recruiting me as a wide receiver - tight end. I haven't talk to very many schools about it specifically yet, but I'm definitely willing to change positions to receiver, I just don't know yet. I would really like to play receiver."

Due to his versatility among other things, Humphrey thinks he could fit in at Tech or any school for that matter.

"I mean I am very versatile. I have the ability to catch the ball and everything. I can fit in to any program or offense because I am very coachable and flexible."

Carroll starts their spring ball on April 27th. Tech currently has three offers out to Southlake Carroll guys (Zach Farrar, Obi Eboh, and Humphrey) and will probably make it a high priority to visit the school and these prospects once the evaluation period starts next week.

With a lot of other schools trying to close in on Humphrey, Tech has made sure to keep a close relationship with the prospect. Humphrey is keeping everyone equal but if something feels right, a commitment could happen from the prospect.

"When it feels right, that's when I'll be making my commitment."

--Kohnle

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College of DuPage (Illinois) offensive lineman Paul Stawarz committed to the Red Raiders in March following his first and only visit to Lubbock. He recently signed his LOI, making everything official and is excited for the opportunity at Tech.

"March 28th I signed the letter of intent, made everything official. May 30th is when I will be getting down to Lubbock for the summer, I had been thinking maybe even earlier," Stawarz said. "Well I liked everything, I liked the coaches, and it felt like a good place to end the process. I really liked it there."

While on his visit to Lubbock, Stawarz got the chance to meet offensive coordinator Eric Morris and also got the chance to build a relationship with fellow o-linemen Justin Murphy and Rob Casteneda.

"I talked to Coach Morris, he is really funny, I like him a lot. I talked a little bit to a lot of other players as well. Rob (Casteneda) and Justin Murphy were two guys I got to hang out with. I thought they were pretty cool. It's going fast, but there are some really cool people down there."

Stawarz had never been out to Lubbock before his first visit to the town. Lubbock was a big unknown to the prospect, but he walked away very impressed with what he saw and it really helped bring him closer to a commitment.

"I didn't know what to expect, I had never been to West Texas before. When I got off the plane, all I saw was a bunch of cotton fields and I didn't know what to expect from the campus and the city. It blew me away though once we got in to town, everything was so nice around there. There was so much to do around there, so many restaurants, the town was really nice and I liked that, so it seemed like it was the place for me."

On the football field, Stawarz will not only provide some much needed depth but even has the chance to compete for a spot on the right side of the line as soon as he steps foot on campus.

"Either right guard or right tackle, I'm going to compete for that as soon as I get there. They also talked about the opportunity to redshirt, which I don't think would be a bad thing."

"I think right now I am pretty good in pass protection, but I know I can work on some things. I played last year at about 275 and am at 295 right now, so I think gaining that weight and gaining that strength, I think ill be a lot stronger and more explosive which was something I needed to work on. I am pretty excited about the opportunity to compete."

Stawarz has four years to play three, and Coach Hays is extremely excited that he is a Red Raider.

"He is excited because he thinks it is a really good opportunity for me. They needed someone to come in there and bring some competition and I am excited about that chance to compete."

--Kohnle

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The Texas Tech coaches were the first to offer Tyler (TX) Lee athlete Zach Hall this past October and remain the only program to offer the standout prospect. Hall plays quarterback for Tyler Lee, and most college coaches are recruiting him to play either wide receiver or corner at the next level.

"The Texas Tech and TCU coaches want me at slot receiver," Hall said. "The Baylor coaches want me to play corner. It varies from school to school, but I just want to get on the field and will decide based on what school makes me feel most comfortable.

"A lot of coaches just really like my speed and athleticism. I'm not sure why more schools haven't come through with an offer, but I know that several coaches are going to visit during the spring and I have a few visits coming up."

Hall made it clear that Texas Tech is the program standing out to him at the moment, and the fact that Tech is his only offer might mean something, according to the ATH.

"Yes, I connect with Coach (Trey) Haverty all of the time," he said. "My strongest relationship of all coaches is with Coach Haverty from Texas Tech. I'm excited to get out there for a visit and see the coaches in person."

"I have a visit to SMU this weekend and then my plan is to visit Texas Tech later this month. Texas Tech is the only program that has offered me and was thinking maybe that is God's way of telling me something? I do believe that SMU could offer this weekend."

Hall also plans to visit both Baylor and TCU sometime during the offseason.

Rated a four-star prospect, Hall is the number 26 athlete in the nation and the number 40 prospect in the Rivals Texas Postseason Top 100 for the 2016 class.

The 5-foot-11, 170-pound athlete passed for 2,001 yards and 16 touchdowns while running for another 1,487 yards and 22 touchdowns at quarterback in the 2014 season.

--Clare

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New Orleans (Louisiana) John Curtis inside linebacker Nathaniel 'Nate' Evans is one of the latest prospects to hear from the Texas Tech coaching staff.

"I first got in touch with Coach Curtis sometime during last season, probably around playoff time," Evans said. "Me, Coach Curtis and Coach Gibbs are really getting to know one another. I talk with Coach Curtis every day and connect with Coach Gibbs about twice a week."

The Texas Tech defensive coordinator believes that Evans could be a good fit with the Red Raiders' defense.

"Coach Gibbs has been talking with me about how the whole coaching staff watched my film and really liked what they had to see," Evans said. "They want to come for a visit this spring. Our spring practices start around May 1st, sometime around then."

"The coaches think that I would fit into their defense very well, and the program is on the come up. Coach Curtis and I talk a lot about having an important role on any team or program that I join."

Evans already holds seven offers and continues to receive interest from new programs on a weekly basis.

"I'm going to take some visits during the summer," he said. "Ole Miss, Mississippi State, Arkansas and Texas Tech are some of the schools that I would like to visit - maybe Troy too.

"I would say that Texas Tech, Arkansas, Utah, Arkansas State, ULM, Minnesota, Houston, Ole Miss, Tennessee and Oklahoma are the schools recruiting me the hardest right now."

The 6-foot-1, 235-pound linebacker is rated a three-star prospect and the number 42 prospect in the Rivals Louisiana Postseason Top 45 for the 2016 class.

--Clare

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Another prospect that lived up to the billing at the recent Rivals Camp in Dallas was Euless (Texas) Trinity defensive tackle Chris Daniels.

"I learned a lot out here today," Daniels said. "I'm looking forward to taking a few things we learned today back to my school and share it with my teammates. I think that I did well and only lost one of my one-on-one matchups on the day."

The standout prospect went from unrated to a four-star, Rivals Top 100 player in the latest rankings update, and things have continued to progress with his recruitment.

"It actually started out slow, and now I'm a top 100 player," Daniels said. "I have had a ton of new offers, a lot of phone calls, texts and a bunch of new followers on Twitter. I guess that I get the feel of being a top athlete, but it gets crazy sometimes."

Daniels remains in contact with the Texas Tech coaches and is planning a visit to the South Plains sometime soon.

"I talk with the head coach, Kliff Kingsbury and the defensive line coach Mike Smith from Texas Tech," he said. "They like how athletic that I am for a lineman and how I continue getting after it on each play. I'm also flexible along the defensive line and can play multiple positions. The coaches talked with me about mainly playing tackle and end, but I could play anywhere they need me along the line."

"I need to do a little more research on Texas Tech, but I will be visiting later this spring and actually talked with the coaches about it this past week. I know a couple of friends who attend Texas Tech and they have good things to say about the school."

Daniels holds over 20 FBS offers and plans to visit several programs this summer.

"I also want to visit Texas, Ole Miss, Kansas and Arkansas sometime soon," Daniels said. "I'm pretty open right now and want to visit each program to learn more about every opportunity.

"I want to take things slow, but it's really whatever God puts in my heart. When and if it feels right, then I might do it and make my decision."

The 6-foot-4, 300-pound defensive tackle is rated a four-star prospect, the number 9 defensive tackle prospect in the nation, the number 70 prospect in the Rivals 100 and the number 9 prospect in the Rivals Texas Postseason Top 100 for the 2016 class.

-Clare
 
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