NOTE: The content on the Baylor Blitz is solely meant for the subscribers of SicEmSports. Let's all please make sure that whatever is written here stays here. We appreciate you all helping us with this. Now, let's all take a look at Baylor recruiting and what else is going on involving the Bears.
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NOTE I: Palatine (IL) safety Kenney Lyke is scheduled to make his commitment decision known Friday afternoon about 2:00 pm at Fremd High School. The final four schools are Baylor, Michigan State, Oregon and Notre Dame. While it would be a great recruiting win for Baylor for the 3-star prospect, the common knowledge believes Lyke appears to be favoring Michigan State. While there is a coaching connection between Baylor, the problem is that Lyke is making this decision before summer. He never visited Baylor. So it would be hard to see him picking a school sight unseen.
NOTE II: I was at Trophy Club Byron Nelson’s spring game on Thursday night to watch three-star offensive tackle Kellen Diesch and three-star defensive end Brandon Bowen (more on him in down below). Diesch dominated in the time he was out there as the first-team offense matched up against the first-team defense. His length and feet really jump out. Baylor offensive line coach Randy Clements and area recruiter Jeff Lebby were by earlier in the week for their second and final visit. It’s clear that Diesch is pretty much stressed out and worn down by recruiting process and wants to get this over. He didn’t want to talk much about it. We learned that potential announcement date is June 1. It’s likely between Baylor and Oklahoma. But we also learned Arkansas was making a late move. As was mentioned, it appeared that Baylor had the inside track but we also know this is a decision that Diesch has struggled to resolve. We’ll keep monitoring in the coming days.
Meet of Champions at Baylor
The first of its kind Meet of Champions is Saturday afternoon at Hart Track & Field Stadium at Baylor. As far as Baylor interested parties are concerned, it was unclear if either commits Kenan Ivy and Kameron Martin were going to be coming with the Lancaster and Port Arthur Memorial.
Funding and interest played a role in some cases. Houston Stafford 2017 wide receiver and two-time state champion Hezekiah Jones said Thursday he was not coming. He already returned to football workouts. However, Class 6A state champion high jumper Brandon Bowen is coming. He won the event at 6-7 and said he wants to see if he can clear seven feet.
-SicEmSports
Urquidez: Short and Sweet
I was hoping to see a little more of Baylor offensive tackle commit and Rivals 250 prospect J.P. Urquidez Thursday night than I did. But I got to see the last 20 minutes or so of Copperas Cove’s scrimmage and left feeling really good about what I saw.
Urquidez moved really well. His feet have been a point of emphasis and there has definitely been improvement. It was not that he was slow, but he would get them too close together and lose his base or get tangled up or just stop moving them. He kept a very good base and he kept them moving too. He was also able to play with good leverage and keep his pad level down. His best was in pass protection. It definitely looks like he has shown some nice improvements.
-Jason Howell
Weekend visitors
Baylor football is expecting three visitors this weekend. Rivals 100 and Nacogdoches safety Brandon Jones appears to be on track to take his visit. Jones holds a boatload of offers from programs across the country, but the overwhelming opinion around recruiting circles is that he might be leaning towards Texas A&M or Texas. A visit to the Baylor campus will help the coaching staff gain ground with Jones and should happen sometime this summer, regardless of what happens with his visit plans this weekend.
Trophy Club Byron Nelson Brandon Bowen said he plans to stop by and visit with the Baylor coaches while he’s at the Meet of Champions Track & Field meet. It would at least the second visit for Jones and the third for Bowen. Mesquite Poteet 2017 safety Daiquain Jackson (5-11, 190) tweeted out Thursday night he was planning to visit Baylor this weekend as well. Currently, Jackson does not have any offers.
-SicEmSports
The Anderson Plan
Manvel Rivals100 defensive back Deontay Anderson has offers from schools near and far, and yet the nation’s fifth ranked safety has always kept an open mind throughout the recruiting process, until now.
“I've narrowed things down, but I just haven't released it yet,” said Anderson. “It will be sometime this summer.”
Several key factors came into play when Anderson made his selections.
“Well first playing time is one of them; second is academics and where there is life after football; and third where it's family and what fits good for me,” said Anderson.
Only time will tell which programs made the cut, but Anderson did drop some hints.
“Coach Strong at UT, my relationship with him is like far from none,” said Anderson. “He talks to my parents all the time. He talks to me all the time. I talk to LSU a lot, And the Ole Miss coach a lot…The Alabama defensive coordinator came by, Texas A&M they've been, LSU too and Ole Miss is coming by a lot too.”
Anderson went on to explain his relationship with the Baylor staff.
“Coach (Cris) Dishman is my area recruiter from Baylor,” said Anderson. “I worked out with him last summer. He was teaching me all kinds of stuff. I know he's a great coach, so I know I'd be safe if I go there.”
-Courtney Roland
Preston deals with immediate attention
Manvel’s 6-foot-3, 205-pound wide receiver Jalen Preston was a standout performer at the Rivals Speed & Skills Challenge in Houston, and he was one of the youngest prospects at the camp.
The class of 2018 prospect has tremendous upside and potential which is why schools like Baylor, Houston, LSU, Michigan, Michigan State, Oklahoma State and Wisconsin have already offered.
“It is special, nothing but God’s blessing,” said Preston.
On a daily basis coaches from across the nations line up and down Manvel’s sidelines to watch spring workouts. For a freshman, soon to be sophomore, that could be an overwhelming sight to see, but not for Preston who is simply grateful for it all.
“Really I’m just glad to see coaches over there every day,” said Preston. “No one stands out just yet, just glad to see them all.”
Even though Preston said it is still too early for schools to jump out at him just yet, he does admit there are a few schools he grew up watching.
“I grew up loving Oregon, Texas and Florida,” said Preston. “I don’t have a particular list of favorite schools though, not right now, but I’m still young.”
Preston has not made his summer camp plans yet, but said he will be attending a few. When he makes these summer camps and starts to evaluate schools right now he is just looking for the basics.
“I am looking for good coaches and a good atmosphere,” said Preston.
-Courtney Roland
Williams still listening
It’s been one month since Shreveport (LA) cornerback Rodarius Williams gave his verbal commitment to Oklahoma State. But that apparently doesn’t mean his recruiting is closed.
Williams had maintained contact with Baylor defensive backs coach Carlton Buckels. The communication has reached a point where Williams said that Baylor has a chance to change things.
“Most definitely, I’m looking other schools and willing to listen,’’ Williams said. “I’m interested. When I went to Baylor last year for their camp, I was blown away by the school and all of the facilities. I want to go back and visit this summer.’’
Williams committed to the Cowboys because he said he thought the OSU coaches were honest with him and liked his foundation of playing one-on-one coverage and also being able to play bump-and-run. He also visited with 2014 first-round draft choice Justin Gilbert. Cleveland selected Gilbert as the 8th overall selection.
However, Williams is aware that Baylor had five players who were either selected in the 2015 draft or signed as free agents. That will always catch a recruit’s attention.
“Baylor is capable of putting guys in the NFL,’’ he said. “It’s a great school with great academics. One of my dreams is to go pro. I want to be in the best place to get me there.’’
-Kevin Lonnquist
New OL offer
Lewisville offensive guard Denzel Okafor received a new offer from the Baylor coaches this week. The spring evaluation period is often mentioned because it leads to several new offers after coaches see prospects work out in person.
Okafor is one of the fastest rising prospects in the state this spring and recently doubled his offer list with five new offers in one day.
“It was crazy, I noticed that Texas and Oklahoma coaches were there to watch us,” Okafor said. “After practice, my coaches told me that I had several calls to make. That is when I found out that more coaches had actually stopped by and offered me earlier that day.
“I ended up receiving offers from Texas, Oregon State, Oklahoma, Tulsa and Utah State on the same day. I cannot even begin to explain how busy that day was, but it’s truly a blessing and something I will remember for a while.”
The Bears jumped into the picture this week with a new offer and Okafor talked about his relationship with the Baylor coaching staff.
“I actually haven’t really talked with them for a few months now,” Okafor said. “I’m not exactly sure which coach stopped by, but I used to talk with Coach (Jim) Gush and my coaches told me to call him later tonight.
“We last talked in April and Coach Gush told me they like me at Center. He mentioned that I’m not wide enough to play guard and not tall enough to play tackle. I told him that I’m willing to learn anything.”
The 6-foot-4, 290-pound prospect already unofficially visited Waco and camped with the Baylor coaches this past summer as well.
“I went to the junior day [Jan. 31],” Okafor said. “I spent most of the day with Coach Gush, he showed me the facilities and the stadium. I even met with a few of the players and met Coach [Art] Briles. It was amazing.
“I also went to a Baylor camp last summer. I spent some time around the coaching staff and learned a few things, it was a good experience.”
Okafor now holds 14 FBS offers and continues to hear from new programs on a weekly basis.
“I’m still open right now,” Okafor said. “I have a lot of schools that I would like to visit this summer. I’m planning visits to Texas A&M, Oklahoma, TCU, Texas, LSU and Baylor again. There could be some other visits or camps too. Coaches from Alabama, Nebraska and Wisconsin stopped by or contacted me just this week.”
Rated a two-star prospect, Okafor earned 6-6A All-District Second Team Offense this past season.
-Matt Clare
Anderson’s wait ends
It wasn’t any secret that Frisco 2017 and Rivals100 offensive line prospect Jack Anderson was pretty frustrated that Baylor had not offered him.
He didn’t believe he was entitled to it. But when about 40 schools offer and one located about 100 miles away had not, it left him perplexed. That all ended earlier in the week when Baylor offensive line coach Randy Clements offered.
“Maybe I knew it was coming,’’ Anderson said. “I showed coach [Jim] Gush a lot of good things when he came to visit last week. I was eating lunch when I walked into my coaches office and found out Baylor offered.’’
While the Bears are one of the later programs to offer, Anderson (6-5, 295) still views it as big one. He had an idea of what a Top 10 or Top 15 was going to look like. Now, the Baylor offer may change the thinking.
Anderson admits he isn’t sure if Baylor is looking at him as a guard or tackle. He thinks it’s a guard. But he believes by the time he arrives in college, he’s either going to be playing center or tackle.
The summer may be kept low key. Unofficial visits could be the agenda not going through camps. Anderson, who hasn’t been to Baylor since the 2014 football season, hopes to visit Baylor at some point. By October, he wants to narrow his list of schools to 10-15. At that time, he should have an idea which schools are really making a push and which schools are not.
“I just want to see who is the most real,’’ Anderson said. “When I pick a school, I want to be falling in love with the school not the staff. It’s a case of a place of where I want to be. That’s the big thing.’’
-Kevin Lonnquist
Bowen update
Trophy Club Byron Nelson 2016 defensive end Brandon Bowen did not go through a single team snap of the Bobcats just concluded spring football season.
There were a couple of very important reasons: He was preparing and going through the track season. Nelson head coach Brian Polk did not want him to suffer an injury that could keep him out for an extended period of time.
But there’s no doubt that Baylor has made its impression with him. While he said he’s wide open, the Bears are in the middle of this recruitment.
“Deeper into the recruiting, I’ve been talking to them a lot more,’’ Bowen said. “They’ve always been there to check on me. I love their campus. It’s an amazing place. It’s a good chance I could be going there.’’
What that last sentence means probably signals that Bowen likely will make Baylor among his finalists. Time will tell. However, his plans are busy this summer.
“I want to go to Oregon and Miami (Fl) and some of the other schools around them,’’ Bowen said. “Right now, I’m wide open. I’m going to take my visits to the schools that want me. I feel like when I visit then I can try and narrow things down. I might make my decision after the football season but there’s a chance I could decide before the season. It just depends on where everything is.’’
-Kevin Lonnquist
Will Baylor make its move?
Kingwood (TX) athlete Sewo Olonilua made his verbal commitment to Gary Patterson and the Horned Frogs program this past December, but the four-star prospect admits that a few programs have continued to recruit him over the past six months.
“I actually talked with Baylor yesterday,” Olonilua said this week. “Coach [Carlton] Buckles told me that he’s trying to come down and see me again. He came down for one of our track meets recently.
“The Baylor coaches haven’t offered me yet. Coach Buckles mentioned that he showed the defensive coordinator my film and they liked me as a linebacker. I think they want to make sure that I’m interested before making an offer.”
Olonilua remains a solid commitment for Horned Frogs and admitted that he is transparent with the TCU coaches on the latest with any visits or recruiting updates.
“I don’t hold anything back from the TCU coaches,” Olonilua said. “They are my clear No. 1 right now, but I’m talking with schools that continue to show interest and will take a couple of visits.”
The 6-foot-3, 220-pound prospect holds seven offers and continues to receive interest from new programs this spring.
“Alabama, LSU and Baylor are some of the schools showing interest lately,” Olonilua said. “The Texas A&M coaches are still recruiting me pretty hard as well. I might stop by a few camps here in the Houston area and take another visit or two, but I don’t have anything setup at the moment.”
Rated a four-star prospect, Olonilua is the No. 23 athlete in the nation and the No. 37 player on the Rivals Texas Postseason Top 100 for the 2016 class. He recently earned an invite to The Opening, an invite-only camp for some of the best prospects in the nation that is held at the Nike headquarters in Beaverton, Oregon.
-Matt Clare
Emptying the notebook
>Baylor defensive line coach Chris Achuff and safeties coach Cris Dishman attended Allen’s scrimmage Thursday night to watch Rivals100 safety Jaylon Jones and three-star defensive end Levi Ozukurike. Ozukurike called it a good meeting. No plans as of yet to take an unofficial visit to Baylor.
>The select basketball season continues this weekend. The last stop on the Nike EYBL circuit is in Minneapolis. Baylor targets such as 2017 guard Trae Young, 2016 center Marques Bolden and 2016 guard De’Aaron Fox will be up there. The Under Armour circuit is in New York this weekend. That involves 2016 forward commit Mark Vital and 2017 prospect Billy Preston.
>Two Austin Westlake 2017 prospects to watch are linebacker Levi Jones and 2017 quarterback Sam Ehlinger. Ehlinger (6-2, 205) started the entire 2014 season for the Chaparrals and threw for 2656 yards and 25 touchdowns and rushed for 765 yards and another 10 scores. Westlake coach Todd Dodge said Ehlinger reminds him of Chase Daniel whom Dodge coached in the early 2000s at Southlake Carroll. Baylor has been by to see both prospects.
>Another 2017 quarterback to keep an eye on is Colleyville Heritage’s Camden Roane (6-2, 205). He’s a left-hander with a big arm. When Colleyville Heritage held its spring game this past Tuesday, about 14 different Division I schools attended. Baylor was not there but CHHS interim coach Judd Thrash said he plans on getting the word out to the coaching staff.
>Baylor’s baseball season faces elimination Friday in the Big 12 tournament. The Bears (22-30) face No. 4 Texas Tech at 3:15 pm on FOX College Sports. Texas Tech swept a three-game series against the Bears in Lubbock in mid-April.
>We’ll keep you posted on pending football roster moves.
-SicEmSports
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