NOTE: With Baylor's commitments of League City Clear Falls WR/Ath John Humphrey and Plano OL Sam Tecklenburg, the Bears are tied for No. 12 with Arkansas in the Rivals team rankings for 2015.
Eubanks at Jordan Brand Classic Regional Game
Baylor signee Kobie Eubanks has had quite the week. On Wednesday, the Our Savior New American 6-5 shooting guard signed his national letter of intent with the Bears.
Friday afternoon he will be playing in the Jordan Brand Classic Regional Game at the Barclays Center in Brooklyn, N.Y. This is different from the All-Star game that features the likes of Myles Turner and Emmanuel Mudiay. This regional game begins at 4:30 p.m. An International game starts at 2:30. The All-American game is scheduled for 7:00 p.m.
However, Eubanks is in a position where he demonstrate his skill set against other highly touted New York area players who are also headed to Division I programs including Oklahoma State, Miami (Fla.), Providence and Seton Hall.
"I'm looking to get the MVP of the game,'' Eubanks said. "I want to show people that I'm going to play at a high level at the next level. I want to show off my athleticism.''
Baylor secured Eubanks away from Pittsburgh and Minnesota. The game is the only time Eubanks will be in any organized event. His AAU career is done. But don't expect him to arrive in Waco until the second summer session in July. He graduates from Our Savior New American on June 24. Baylor's first summer session starts in early June.
"I'm adding more moves and working on my footwork,'' Eubanks said. "I'm just another step closer to my dream [to play in the NBA].''
-Kevin Lonnquist
Durham finally collects Baylor offer
Maybe Landis Durham never doubted that Baylor would extend an offer to him. But the timing of it still caught him by surprise. The Plano East 2015 linebacker talked with assistant coach Jim Gush on Tuesday and learned the Bears wanted him to be a part of their class.
"I thought maybe by our spring game I would have been offered,'' he said. "It's huge, man. To know that I can stay home or close to home and play some pretty good football is a great feeling. Baylor has had some really good success recently.''
Last week, we talked about a third-party observer loving Durham's field presence and how he would want to take Durham into a street fight. Well, Durham (6-3, 228) definitely offers the frame and athleticism that his pursuers want. Texas Tech also offered on Tuesday.
Durham is in no rush to make a decision. His early thinking is that he could do it during the 2014 season or following its conclusion. For now, he is looking to schedule a summer visit. It would be his second since he attended the Jan. 26 junior day.
The other issue is that he's waiting to see who will be his next football coach. Two weeks ago, Randy Jackson resigned to take the same position at Grapevine.
For now, he's staying in shape with the high jump. He went to the area track meet on Thursday to see if he could improve upon his personal record of 6-2. Durham believes this discipline works with his flexibility.
"Baylor thinks I could be a fit in their system,'' Durham said. "Their defense is coming on. I just want to improve on my pass rushing and just do a better job of reading my blocks.''
-Kevin Lonnquist
Baylor pursuing highly sought Arkansas TE
Blessed to hold 28 Division I offers, Baylor had no problem becoming the 29th when it offered Pine Bluff (AR) tight end Will Gragg on Monday.
This is the sand box Baylor is now playing in because the program is now at a championship level. It can make the case to the top prospects just like Alabama, Notre Dame, Texas and Florida State can.
Gragg's offers came in before he went to high school. Arkansas offered him the summer before his freshman year. Alabama, Vanderbilt and Ole Miss followed. The rest has been an avalanche.
"I talked with Randy Clements and he said that he was telling me that they've never really had an athletic tight end in their program, and they want me to see what they can offer,'' Gragg said. "I can both block and catch balls in space. I'm starting to learn a little more about Baylor.''
Admittedly, Gragg carries the weight of a labeled town on his shoulders. Pine Bluff has been a community in decline in recent years and been a haven for crime. His recruitment has caught the attention of many.
"I feel like I have the city on my back, and I don't want to let them down,'' he said. "Pine Bluff has a bad reputation, and I want to change that.''
The Zebras are a predominantly a running team, so there weren't many opportunities for Gragg to catch passes. But there were times when he would line up in the slot. That's pretty impressive for someone 6-4, 241.
Gragg already has scheduled an official visit with Texas for Sept. 5. He also has one for Sept. 19 at Florida State but said that might change. For the summer, he said he wants to try and visit as many schools as possible that easy to travel to. Baylor could be one of those.
"Baylor is definitely a contender for one of those summer visits,'' Gragg said. "They like my versatility and that I can be a pro guy. I might come to their Marshall camp to hang out. I want to know more about them.''
-Kevin Lonnquist
So who is Sam Tecklenburg?
When Plano coach Jaydon McCullough started Sam Tecklenburg as a freshman in 2011 that spoke to the Wildcats' need and Tecklenburg's ability.
But that move has been a reward for the newest Baylor 2015 commit. Tecklenburg, who plays both way at tight end and defensive tackle, has earned unanimous all-district awards and was the newcomer of the year.
"As a tight end, we mainly used him as a tight end but we also used him as an H back,'' McCullough said. "From the first day, he's been consistent. He's going to get better every day on the field and in the weight room. He's coachable, leads by example, is not selfish and is a great teammate.''
The Bears had Tecklenburg on the periphery until Wednesday when they offered. Hours later, he became a Bear. When Baylor assistants Jim Gush and Randy Clements took in the Plano practice, they liked what they saw.
"They watched first hand someone who is physical and just has a presence on the field,'' McCullough said. "His tenacity comes from within. But they saw someone who is coachable. We get on our kids in practice. I can tell you he's not tapped out. He can play at the next level. I'm biased but Baylor got a great addition.
"Sam understands what this means. He knows this is about the championship, not the scholarship. I know what the Baylor coaches stand for and what they're looking for. Sam is going to a great situation.''
-Kevin Lonnquist
Tolbert plans trip back to Waco
New Baylor commit John Humphrey doesn't go to the same school as Jordan Tolbert. But he hopes to change that.
"He's talking to me about Baylor a lot," said Tolbert, a cornerback from Ridge Point in Missouri City. "He's been talking them up a lot."
But so are the Baylor coaches. The staff has picked up its recruitment of Tolbert lately now that he's not a commitment to Houston anymore. Tolbert said he plans to visit Waco a week from tomorrow.
"I'm thinking I'll go up to Baylor next Saturday," he said. "I don't have any other visits scheduled right now. I'm just going to visit again. The coaches wanted me to go up there."
Tolbert previously came to Baylor's Junior Day in January. Back then, he had a commitment to Houston. He reopened his recruitment this week and says he's wide open and that his commitment came before he really had a chance to explore his options.
I'll be in touch with Tolbert around the time he visits Baylor to see how his latest trip to Waco affects his thinking.
-Jake Shaw
Basketball recruiting roundup
With New York shooting guard Kobie Eubanks signed for the 2014 class, Baylor is still in a position where it wants to add a big for the late signing period. This late signing period runs through May 21.
Jake has already kept you apprised of Deng Deng down at Lee College. One of the transfer options they were looking at in St. John's shot blocker Chris Obepka. However, there are rumblings that the 6-9 Obepka may be reconsidering and want to stay with Steve Lavin's program.
As for the 2015 class, Baylor continued to build some equity with several top DFW prospects including Plano West forward D.J. Hogg, Dallas Madison shooting guard Admon Gilder and Triple A Academy point guard King McClure.
All three said their inhome visits with the staff went well but none are ready to commit as of yet.
Said Gilder: "The meeting went well. I really enjoyed getting to know them a little more. I really like Baylor. I don't have a top 5 or top 10. But I have a lot of opinions.''
Said Hogg: "I had a good meeting with them. It made me realize how close it all is. A lot to think about.''
We'll have a little more on McClure later. However, his father said that his son is progressing very well from his knee injury and wants to get to 100 percent health. There is no timeframe on a decision.
-Kevin Lonnquist
Baseball vs. Kansas State
With this being Easter Weekend, the Baylor baseball team resumed its Big 12 season with a weekend series at Kansas State that started Thursday.
In Thursday's opener against the Wildcats (21-17, 3-7 Big 12), the Bears (17-20, 4-8) lost, 8-2. Baylor has now dropped six consecutive Big 12 road games as left-hander Brad Kuntz (4-2) took the loss. This is a pretty big series because the Bears needed to win the series to get back to .500. Now, that won't happen. But they can't get swept either because that could put them in a really difficult spot to try and even make the Big 12 tournament. The top eight teams advance to Oklahoma City next month.
Right-hander Dillon Newman (3-2, 2.74 ERA) has the 6:30 p.m. start on Friday. Left-hander Daniel Castando (4-1, 2.72) starts Saturday at 7:00 p.m. That game can be seen on ESPNU.
-SicEmSports
Emptying the Notebook
>With Sam Tecklenburg and Mo Porter committed, Baylor is probably looking at probably one or two offensive linemen for the 2015 class. It appears this program is only going to take on DT. Now, Tecklenburg's situation could change to where he could end up being a DT. Based on its interaction, Baylor has its sights set on Dallas Bishop Dunne's Darrion Daniels as its top DT prospect.
>Baylor did in inquire on Allen QB Kyler Murray shortly after Jarret Stidham committed to Texas Tech. However, when Murray made it clear he was looking at other schools, the program decided not to offer.
>Did a quick text message exchange with Baltimore Gilman dual threat QB Kai Locksley. The 4-star recruit said he hasn't really talked with Baylor since he got his offer. But when asked about the distance from Baltimore to Waco, Locksley said it wasn't a factor in his recruitment.
> Baylor already has one commitment from a JUCO offensive lineman. But the staff apparently wants more as we mentioned. Earlier this week, San Francisco City College OT Dominic Desouza picked up a Baylor offer. We'll have more on him later this weekend.
> Recruiting can be confusing at times, especially at this point on the calendar, when offers can only be made verbally. Perhaps that's what led Patrick Onyiah astray. No matter what happened, though, the Alief Elsik WR does not have a Baylor offer, nor does he have offers from Arkansas or Houston as originally reported. Baylor probably has room for one more receiver, and for now, it looks like Onyiah is a Plan B or C option for that opening.
>League City Clear Falls WR/Ath and Baylor commit John Humphrey met with Baylor DC Phil Bennett and DBs coach Carlton Buckels on Wednesday. The timing was perfect the day after he committed. "The visit was great,'' Humphrey said. "I always enjoy myself in their company. My family and I are still pumped!!!''
-SicEmSports
Eubanks at Jordan Brand Classic Regional Game
Baylor signee Kobie Eubanks has had quite the week. On Wednesday, the Our Savior New American 6-5 shooting guard signed his national letter of intent with the Bears.
Friday afternoon he will be playing in the Jordan Brand Classic Regional Game at the Barclays Center in Brooklyn, N.Y. This is different from the All-Star game that features the likes of Myles Turner and Emmanuel Mudiay. This regional game begins at 4:30 p.m. An International game starts at 2:30. The All-American game is scheduled for 7:00 p.m.
However, Eubanks is in a position where he demonstrate his skill set against other highly touted New York area players who are also headed to Division I programs including Oklahoma State, Miami (Fla.), Providence and Seton Hall.
"I'm looking to get the MVP of the game,'' Eubanks said. "I want to show people that I'm going to play at a high level at the next level. I want to show off my athleticism.''
Baylor secured Eubanks away from Pittsburgh and Minnesota. The game is the only time Eubanks will be in any organized event. His AAU career is done. But don't expect him to arrive in Waco until the second summer session in July. He graduates from Our Savior New American on June 24. Baylor's first summer session starts in early June.
"I'm adding more moves and working on my footwork,'' Eubanks said. "I'm just another step closer to my dream [to play in the NBA].''
-Kevin Lonnquist
Durham finally collects Baylor offer
Maybe Landis Durham never doubted that Baylor would extend an offer to him. But the timing of it still caught him by surprise. The Plano East 2015 linebacker talked with assistant coach Jim Gush on Tuesday and learned the Bears wanted him to be a part of their class.
"I thought maybe by our spring game I would have been offered,'' he said. "It's huge, man. To know that I can stay home or close to home and play some pretty good football is a great feeling. Baylor has had some really good success recently.''
Last week, we talked about a third-party observer loving Durham's field presence and how he would want to take Durham into a street fight. Well, Durham (6-3, 228) definitely offers the frame and athleticism that his pursuers want. Texas Tech also offered on Tuesday.
Durham is in no rush to make a decision. His early thinking is that he could do it during the 2014 season or following its conclusion. For now, he is looking to schedule a summer visit. It would be his second since he attended the Jan. 26 junior day.
The other issue is that he's waiting to see who will be his next football coach. Two weeks ago, Randy Jackson resigned to take the same position at Grapevine.
For now, he's staying in shape with the high jump. He went to the area track meet on Thursday to see if he could improve upon his personal record of 6-2. Durham believes this discipline works with his flexibility.
"Baylor thinks I could be a fit in their system,'' Durham said. "Their defense is coming on. I just want to improve on my pass rushing and just do a better job of reading my blocks.''
-Kevin Lonnquist
Baylor pursuing highly sought Arkansas TE
Blessed to hold 28 Division I offers, Baylor had no problem becoming the 29th when it offered Pine Bluff (AR) tight end Will Gragg on Monday.
This is the sand box Baylor is now playing in because the program is now at a championship level. It can make the case to the top prospects just like Alabama, Notre Dame, Texas and Florida State can.
Gragg's offers came in before he went to high school. Arkansas offered him the summer before his freshman year. Alabama, Vanderbilt and Ole Miss followed. The rest has been an avalanche.
"I talked with Randy Clements and he said that he was telling me that they've never really had an athletic tight end in their program, and they want me to see what they can offer,'' Gragg said. "I can both block and catch balls in space. I'm starting to learn a little more about Baylor.''
Admittedly, Gragg carries the weight of a labeled town on his shoulders. Pine Bluff has been a community in decline in recent years and been a haven for crime. His recruitment has caught the attention of many.
"I feel like I have the city on my back, and I don't want to let them down,'' he said. "Pine Bluff has a bad reputation, and I want to change that.''
The Zebras are a predominantly a running team, so there weren't many opportunities for Gragg to catch passes. But there were times when he would line up in the slot. That's pretty impressive for someone 6-4, 241.
Gragg already has scheduled an official visit with Texas for Sept. 5. He also has one for Sept. 19 at Florida State but said that might change. For the summer, he said he wants to try and visit as many schools as possible that easy to travel to. Baylor could be one of those.
"Baylor is definitely a contender for one of those summer visits,'' Gragg said. "They like my versatility and that I can be a pro guy. I might come to their Marshall camp to hang out. I want to know more about them.''
-Kevin Lonnquist
So who is Sam Tecklenburg?
When Plano coach Jaydon McCullough started Sam Tecklenburg as a freshman in 2011 that spoke to the Wildcats' need and Tecklenburg's ability.
But that move has been a reward for the newest Baylor 2015 commit. Tecklenburg, who plays both way at tight end and defensive tackle, has earned unanimous all-district awards and was the newcomer of the year.
"As a tight end, we mainly used him as a tight end but we also used him as an H back,'' McCullough said. "From the first day, he's been consistent. He's going to get better every day on the field and in the weight room. He's coachable, leads by example, is not selfish and is a great teammate.''
The Bears had Tecklenburg on the periphery until Wednesday when they offered. Hours later, he became a Bear. When Baylor assistants Jim Gush and Randy Clements took in the Plano practice, they liked what they saw.
"They watched first hand someone who is physical and just has a presence on the field,'' McCullough said. "His tenacity comes from within. But they saw someone who is coachable. We get on our kids in practice. I can tell you he's not tapped out. He can play at the next level. I'm biased but Baylor got a great addition.
"Sam understands what this means. He knows this is about the championship, not the scholarship. I know what the Baylor coaches stand for and what they're looking for. Sam is going to a great situation.''
-Kevin Lonnquist
Tolbert plans trip back to Waco
New Baylor commit John Humphrey doesn't go to the same school as Jordan Tolbert. But he hopes to change that.
"He's talking to me about Baylor a lot," said Tolbert, a cornerback from Ridge Point in Missouri City. "He's been talking them up a lot."
But so are the Baylor coaches. The staff has picked up its recruitment of Tolbert lately now that he's not a commitment to Houston anymore. Tolbert said he plans to visit Waco a week from tomorrow.
"I'm thinking I'll go up to Baylor next Saturday," he said. "I don't have any other visits scheduled right now. I'm just going to visit again. The coaches wanted me to go up there."
Tolbert previously came to Baylor's Junior Day in January. Back then, he had a commitment to Houston. He reopened his recruitment this week and says he's wide open and that his commitment came before he really had a chance to explore his options.
I'll be in touch with Tolbert around the time he visits Baylor to see how his latest trip to Waco affects his thinking.
-Jake Shaw
Basketball recruiting roundup
With New York shooting guard Kobie Eubanks signed for the 2014 class, Baylor is still in a position where it wants to add a big for the late signing period. This late signing period runs through May 21.
Jake has already kept you apprised of Deng Deng down at Lee College. One of the transfer options they were looking at in St. John's shot blocker Chris Obepka. However, there are rumblings that the 6-9 Obepka may be reconsidering and want to stay with Steve Lavin's program.
As for the 2015 class, Baylor continued to build some equity with several top DFW prospects including Plano West forward D.J. Hogg, Dallas Madison shooting guard Admon Gilder and Triple A Academy point guard King McClure.
All three said their inhome visits with the staff went well but none are ready to commit as of yet.
Said Gilder: "The meeting went well. I really enjoyed getting to know them a little more. I really like Baylor. I don't have a top 5 or top 10. But I have a lot of opinions.''
Said Hogg: "I had a good meeting with them. It made me realize how close it all is. A lot to think about.''
We'll have a little more on McClure later. However, his father said that his son is progressing very well from his knee injury and wants to get to 100 percent health. There is no timeframe on a decision.
-Kevin Lonnquist
Baseball vs. Kansas State
With this being Easter Weekend, the Baylor baseball team resumed its Big 12 season with a weekend series at Kansas State that started Thursday.
In Thursday's opener against the Wildcats (21-17, 3-7 Big 12), the Bears (17-20, 4-8) lost, 8-2. Baylor has now dropped six consecutive Big 12 road games as left-hander Brad Kuntz (4-2) took the loss. This is a pretty big series because the Bears needed to win the series to get back to .500. Now, that won't happen. But they can't get swept either because that could put them in a really difficult spot to try and even make the Big 12 tournament. The top eight teams advance to Oklahoma City next month.
Right-hander Dillon Newman (3-2, 2.74 ERA) has the 6:30 p.m. start on Friday. Left-hander Daniel Castando (4-1, 2.72) starts Saturday at 7:00 p.m. That game can be seen on ESPNU.
-SicEmSports
Emptying the Notebook
>With Sam Tecklenburg and Mo Porter committed, Baylor is probably looking at probably one or two offensive linemen for the 2015 class. It appears this program is only going to take on DT. Now, Tecklenburg's situation could change to where he could end up being a DT. Based on its interaction, Baylor has its sights set on Dallas Bishop Dunne's Darrion Daniels as its top DT prospect.
>Baylor did in inquire on Allen QB Kyler Murray shortly after Jarret Stidham committed to Texas Tech. However, when Murray made it clear he was looking at other schools, the program decided not to offer.
>Did a quick text message exchange with Baltimore Gilman dual threat QB Kai Locksley. The 4-star recruit said he hasn't really talked with Baylor since he got his offer. But when asked about the distance from Baltimore to Waco, Locksley said it wasn't a factor in his recruitment.
> Baylor already has one commitment from a JUCO offensive lineman. But the staff apparently wants more as we mentioned. Earlier this week, San Francisco City College OT Dominic Desouza picked up a Baylor offer. We'll have more on him later this weekend.
> Recruiting can be confusing at times, especially at this point on the calendar, when offers can only be made verbally. Perhaps that's what led Patrick Onyiah astray. No matter what happened, though, the Alief Elsik WR does not have a Baylor offer, nor does he have offers from Arkansas or Houston as originally reported. Baylor probably has room for one more receiver, and for now, it looks like Onyiah is a Plan B or C option for that opening.
>League City Clear Falls WR/Ath and Baylor commit John Humphrey met with Baylor DC Phil Bennett and DBs coach Carlton Buckels on Wednesday. The timing was perfect the day after he committed. "The visit was great,'' Humphrey said. "I always enjoy myself in their company. My family and I are still pumped!!!''
-SicEmSports
