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We checked in on a few 2015 prospects for this week's RRC, including Waco (Texas) Midway 2015 wide receiver Devontre Strickin.
Stricklin, who has been offered by Texas Tech, has picked up a few other Big 12 offers already.
"It's been going well," he said. "After Baylor offered me, Tech came around. After Tech, TCU came around. So it's been going pretty good."
The coach recruiting Stricklin to Tech is inside receiver coach Eric Morris and he's liked what the former slot receiver has told him about the Red Raiders and their offense so far.
"What I like about them is that they were straightforward, said that they were an Air Raid team and that 'We want you,'" he said. "That's what I really like about them. Coach Eric Morris is recruiting me. I think he's a pretty cool guy. He's been straightforward with meand by him describing it, it felt pretty good and I think I'll like it up there."
The Waco native loves the fact that Tech runs passing offense. He feels you can show off your skill set on any given down if the right play is called.
"It's an honor being offered by an Air Raid team, knowing that they throw the ball like 85 percent of the time," he said. "It's exciting. Just knowing that any play you can get the ball and every series there's a chance for you to shine."
Being a junior, Stricklin will start taking visits to various schools in the coming months, but he's not sure as to which junior days he's going to attend just yet.
"TCU, Baylor and Tech all want me to come out on the same day for junior day, so I don't know which one I'll choose yet," he said. "But I am hoping to make visits this spring."
Stricklin currently holds offers from Tech, TCU and Baylor.
- McKay
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Another 2015 prospect I got in touch with was Aledo (Texas) athlete Ryan Newsome.
Newsome's recruitment is starting to blow up. He's already planning on taking in a few junior days.
"I'm really trying to get out to a Baylor junior day, the OU junior day and the Texas A&M junior day. I won't be able to make any out-of-state junior days, but I'll definitely be making those three."
So, what about Tech? Newsome would love to make it out for a junior day, but the distance makes it hard for him to make it out just for that.
"Unfortunately, the junior days I won't be able to make are the ones that are more than two hours away, so Tech's unfortunately out there, that and out of state schools," he said. "If Tech were only two or three hours away, I would go out to Tech for a junior day, for sure. I really want to see what Tech has to offer me. I love the style that Kliff Kingsbury brings to the table, man. I love the foundation that they're building."
While he won't make it out for a junior day, the versatile athlete will make a trip to the Hub sometime this spring.
"I will get up there this spring," Newsome said. "They already invited me out there to spring practice and all that, so I'll definitely get out there."
Newsome was being recruited by Sonny Cumbie, but his recent move to TCU has brought both Kevin Curtis and Eric Morris into the fold for his recruitment.
"Recently Coach Cumbie went from Tech to TCU, so now I've been talking to Coach Kevin Curtis," the Aledo prospect said. "We actually talk every day, talk about life. I talk to him and Coach Morris a lot. They're always in my ear, man. I talk to them a whole lot."
The Red Raiders also have another recruiter in their corner: Ennis safety Jah'Shawn Johnson. The two played each other in the playoffs back in December and they've built a relationship ever since then.
"I actually talked to Jah'Shawn last night," he said. "I know he's a Tech commit and everything and he talked to me about trying to get me to go to Tech and everything. We recently got close after our game. We've just been talking, had a pretty long conversation all night."
So, where exactly does Tech want Newsome? It looks like slot receiver, specifically H, for right now. That and as a punt returner.
"Slot receiver is one of those things that I really have a passion for, so that's why I love Tech.," he said. "They give me a good opportunity with that."
It's still early on in the process for the DFW area native, but he's already made an early top seven. The Red Raiders have made the cut.
"That's Baylor, Oklahoma, UCLA, Texas Tech, Clemson, Alabama and Florida State. No order, but that's who I like. It's sort of a different vibe with all those schools, and two of those schools haven't offered me yet."
He also had this to say in closing:
"I'm actually looking forward to getting up to Tech, man," Newsome said. "Kliff, he's a really cool guy, but he really seems like he knows what he's doing. I like that a lot about him."
Newsome currently holds offers from Clemson, Oklahoma, Texas Tech, UCLA, Baylor, Oregon State and Colorado State.
- McKay
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Things have been going good for Tech safety commit and Ennis native Jah'Shawn Johnson although it's been pretty status quo for the senior over Christmas break.
"Things are going good," he said. "No new news or anything. I've just been working out and getting ready for the season, but nothing is really new."
While some commits are taking their official visits out to Tech on January 24, he'll actually be in town next weekend on the 17th with a few others.
Johnson is excited for the visit and is ready to hang out with a few of his future teammates.
"I'm visiting on the 17th," he said. "It's exciting to see people again. I haven't been out there in a while, so it'll be fun. I'm not sure who else is going to be out there. It should be fun getting to know each other and all. It should be a lot of fun."
As I said earlier, Johnson has become friends with Aledo 2015 athlete Ryan Newsome. The Tech commit said things are going well between them.
"We played them our last game and then we spoke after the game," he said. "He was respecting me and I respect him as well. He was just telling me that he thought I was a great athlete and stuff like that. We've just been talking about how his recruiting process has been going."
He's trying to get in Newsome's ear and pull him out to the LBK as well.
"I'm just trying to persuade him in any way possible, just seeing if we can get him out there," Johnson said. "But, it's his decision at the end of the day, so we'll see how it goes."
- McKay
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One other commit that I got to talk to a bit was OKC (Okla.) Millwood athlete Cameron Batson. It's flown a bit under the radar, but Batson has actually been offered by two new schools over the last few weeks.
"Arizona State was trying to get in on me," he said. "Also, just two days ago, Tulsa extended an offer to me. But, I'm still 100 percent Texas Tech and no one can change my mind."
As Batson said, he's set on being a Red Raider.
"Arizona State, they were trying to say the same things as Tech, trying to tell me that they wanted me to be a receiver and return guy and all that," Batson said. "But I really wasn't trying to mess things up with Tech. Tech is the place that I want to be and I didn't want them to think I had decommited or anything. Texas Tech is the place I'm going and nobody can change my mind."
- McKay
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The Red Raiders are still the leader for College of San Mateo defensive tackle Rika Levi.
Not much has changed since we last caught up with the 6-foot-2, 350-pounder.
"Texas Tech is the top seed right now," Levi said. "Nobody else has shown as much interest or love."
Visits to Missouri and Kentucky could be in the works, but Levi isn't sure if he will be taking the visit or not.
"I'm supposed to, but I'm not sure yet," he said.
Levi has offers from Tech, Kentucky, Missouri and Washington.
- Graham
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Landing Nigel Bethel II on Thursday might have just been the starting point of a Miami (Fla.) Booker T. Washington trio.
Bethel told CaneSports.com writer David Furones that Arkansas and Tech are "in the picture" for Miami defensive end commit Demetrius Jackson.
The Red Raiders might also be interested in Booker T. Washington receiver Deltron Hopkins who is currently committed to Appalachian State.
"I got a call from Texas Tech that the track coach might want to talk to me about coming down for a visit," Hopkins, a 5-foot-8, 160-pound two-star, said. "I'm going to take that visit and also see what they're talking about football. I'd be interested in joining the football team as well."
Hopkins was a part of Booker T. Washington's repeat as Florida's 4A State Championship team last month.
He will visit Tech on Jan. 31.
"My skillset at receiver is awesome," he said. "I'm a fast slot receiver who can get away from defenders. I'm in the run packages and can carry the ball and make big plays. My skills, I like to make a man miss in the open field."
Hopkins also offered his own evaluation of Bethel.
"Nigel is a great guy," he said. "A guy I've played three years of high school football with. He's an awesome defender, as you can see. He has nice speed and upside. I'm grateful to be around him.
"When he decommitted from Miami, that situation, he said he felt like it would be a better decision for him to get away from home and experience a different place."
- Graham
If you're in the Lubbock area and looking to get into shape, but don't know where to start, check out the website for Cardinal's Fitness. You can sign up for individual classes -- no contract or membership required -- that are good for people at any fitness level.
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We checked in on a few 2015 prospects for this week's RRC, including Waco (Texas) Midway 2015 wide receiver Devontre Strickin.
Stricklin, who has been offered by Texas Tech, has picked up a few other Big 12 offers already.
"It's been going well," he said. "After Baylor offered me, Tech came around. After Tech, TCU came around. So it's been going pretty good."
The coach recruiting Stricklin to Tech is inside receiver coach Eric Morris and he's liked what the former slot receiver has told him about the Red Raiders and their offense so far.
"What I like about them is that they were straightforward, said that they were an Air Raid team and that 'We want you,'" he said. "That's what I really like about them. Coach Eric Morris is recruiting me. I think he's a pretty cool guy. He's been straightforward with meand by him describing it, it felt pretty good and I think I'll like it up there."
The Waco native loves the fact that Tech runs passing offense. He feels you can show off your skill set on any given down if the right play is called.
"It's an honor being offered by an Air Raid team, knowing that they throw the ball like 85 percent of the time," he said. "It's exciting. Just knowing that any play you can get the ball and every series there's a chance for you to shine."
Being a junior, Stricklin will start taking visits to various schools in the coming months, but he's not sure as to which junior days he's going to attend just yet.
"TCU, Baylor and Tech all want me to come out on the same day for junior day, so I don't know which one I'll choose yet," he said. "But I am hoping to make visits this spring."
Stricklin currently holds offers from Tech, TCU and Baylor.
- McKay
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Another 2015 prospect I got in touch with was Aledo (Texas) athlete Ryan Newsome.
Newsome's recruitment is starting to blow up. He's already planning on taking in a few junior days.
"I'm really trying to get out to a Baylor junior day, the OU junior day and the Texas A&M junior day. I won't be able to make any out-of-state junior days, but I'll definitely be making those three."
So, what about Tech? Newsome would love to make it out for a junior day, but the distance makes it hard for him to make it out just for that.
"Unfortunately, the junior days I won't be able to make are the ones that are more than two hours away, so Tech's unfortunately out there, that and out of state schools," he said. "If Tech were only two or three hours away, I would go out to Tech for a junior day, for sure. I really want to see what Tech has to offer me. I love the style that Kliff Kingsbury brings to the table, man. I love the foundation that they're building."
While he won't make it out for a junior day, the versatile athlete will make a trip to the Hub sometime this spring.
"I will get up there this spring," Newsome said. "They already invited me out there to spring practice and all that, so I'll definitely get out there."
Newsome was being recruited by Sonny Cumbie, but his recent move to TCU has brought both Kevin Curtis and Eric Morris into the fold for his recruitment.
"Recently Coach Cumbie went from Tech to TCU, so now I've been talking to Coach Kevin Curtis," the Aledo prospect said. "We actually talk every day, talk about life. I talk to him and Coach Morris a lot. They're always in my ear, man. I talk to them a whole lot."
The Red Raiders also have another recruiter in their corner: Ennis safety Jah'Shawn Johnson. The two played each other in the playoffs back in December and they've built a relationship ever since then.
"I actually talked to Jah'Shawn last night," he said. "I know he's a Tech commit and everything and he talked to me about trying to get me to go to Tech and everything. We recently got close after our game. We've just been talking, had a pretty long conversation all night."
So, where exactly does Tech want Newsome? It looks like slot receiver, specifically H, for right now. That and as a punt returner.
"Slot receiver is one of those things that I really have a passion for, so that's why I love Tech.," he said. "They give me a good opportunity with that."
It's still early on in the process for the DFW area native, but he's already made an early top seven. The Red Raiders have made the cut.
"That's Baylor, Oklahoma, UCLA, Texas Tech, Clemson, Alabama and Florida State. No order, but that's who I like. It's sort of a different vibe with all those schools, and two of those schools haven't offered me yet."
He also had this to say in closing:
"I'm actually looking forward to getting up to Tech, man," Newsome said. "Kliff, he's a really cool guy, but he really seems like he knows what he's doing. I like that a lot about him."
Newsome currently holds offers from Clemson, Oklahoma, Texas Tech, UCLA, Baylor, Oregon State and Colorado State.
- McKay
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Things have been going good for Tech safety commit and Ennis native Jah'Shawn Johnson although it's been pretty status quo for the senior over Christmas break.
"Things are going good," he said. "No new news or anything. I've just been working out and getting ready for the season, but nothing is really new."
While some commits are taking their official visits out to Tech on January 24, he'll actually be in town next weekend on the 17th with a few others.
Johnson is excited for the visit and is ready to hang out with a few of his future teammates.
"I'm visiting on the 17th," he said. "It's exciting to see people again. I haven't been out there in a while, so it'll be fun. I'm not sure who else is going to be out there. It should be fun getting to know each other and all. It should be a lot of fun."
As I said earlier, Johnson has become friends with Aledo 2015 athlete Ryan Newsome. The Tech commit said things are going well between them.
"We played them our last game and then we spoke after the game," he said. "He was respecting me and I respect him as well. He was just telling me that he thought I was a great athlete and stuff like that. We've just been talking about how his recruiting process has been going."
He's trying to get in Newsome's ear and pull him out to the LBK as well.
"I'm just trying to persuade him in any way possible, just seeing if we can get him out there," Johnson said. "But, it's his decision at the end of the day, so we'll see how it goes."
- McKay
---
One other commit that I got to talk to a bit was OKC (Okla.) Millwood athlete Cameron Batson. It's flown a bit under the radar, but Batson has actually been offered by two new schools over the last few weeks.
"Arizona State was trying to get in on me," he said. "Also, just two days ago, Tulsa extended an offer to me. But, I'm still 100 percent Texas Tech and no one can change my mind."
As Batson said, he's set on being a Red Raider.
"Arizona State, they were trying to say the same things as Tech, trying to tell me that they wanted me to be a receiver and return guy and all that," Batson said. "But I really wasn't trying to mess things up with Tech. Tech is the place that I want to be and I didn't want them to think I had decommited or anything. Texas Tech is the place I'm going and nobody can change my mind."
- McKay
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The Red Raiders are still the leader for College of San Mateo defensive tackle Rika Levi.
Not much has changed since we last caught up with the 6-foot-2, 350-pounder.
"Texas Tech is the top seed right now," Levi said. "Nobody else has shown as much interest or love."
Visits to Missouri and Kentucky could be in the works, but Levi isn't sure if he will be taking the visit or not.
"I'm supposed to, but I'm not sure yet," he said.
Levi has offers from Tech, Kentucky, Missouri and Washington.
- Graham
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Landing Nigel Bethel II on Thursday might have just been the starting point of a Miami (Fla.) Booker T. Washington trio.
Bethel told CaneSports.com writer David Furones that Arkansas and Tech are "in the picture" for Miami defensive end commit Demetrius Jackson.
The Red Raiders might also be interested in Booker T. Washington receiver Deltron Hopkins who is currently committed to Appalachian State.
"I got a call from Texas Tech that the track coach might want to talk to me about coming down for a visit," Hopkins, a 5-foot-8, 160-pound two-star, said. "I'm going to take that visit and also see what they're talking about football. I'd be interested in joining the football team as well."
Hopkins was a part of Booker T. Washington's repeat as Florida's 4A State Championship team last month.
He will visit Tech on Jan. 31.
"My skillset at receiver is awesome," he said. "I'm a fast slot receiver who can get away from defenders. I'm in the run packages and can carry the ball and make big plays. My skills, I like to make a man miss in the open field."
Hopkins also offered his own evaluation of Bethel.
"Nigel is a great guy," he said. "A guy I've played three years of high school football with. He's an awesome defender, as you can see. He has nice speed and upside. I'm grateful to be around him.
"When he decommitted from Miami, that situation, he said he felt like it would be a better decision for him to get away from home and experience a different place."
- Graham
