College Football Signing Day Special: My Top 5 DFW Recruits
By Colin Rose
Jan 2, 2014; St. Petersburg, FL, USA; Team Highlight defensive end Myles Garrett (15) tackles Team Nitro running back Braxton Berrious (8) during the first half in the Under Armour All America football game at Tropicana Field. Mandatory Credit: Kim Klement-USA TODAY Sports
Christmas in February is what today is like for most hardcore college football fans.
It’s a time where you can imagine 20-something new recruits leading your team to a national championship. It’s a time where your dream of a 5-star quarterback inking with your school can become a reality. It’s a time where you can justify cussing out an 18-year old kid over Twitter cause he flipped to your conference rival hours earlier.
Yes, it’s National Signing Day. The most wonderful time of the year for recruiting junkies like myself. To honor this grand occasion, let’s take a look at the best prospects our fine city has to offer:
1. Myles Garrett: Defensive End – Arlington Martin High School – Texas A&M
Listed at 6’5 and 247 pounds, Garrett is an absolute monster coming off the end and easily the top player in the state. He’s ranked #2 by Rivals and #4 by ESPN nationally. Garrett finished his senior season with 20.5 sacks and was named the 5A All-State Defensive Player of the Year. In a 47-3 victory over Weatherford in October, he recorded an astounding 8.5 sacks, two forced fumbles, and a blocked kick. The Texas A&M pledge should make an immediate impact on a young Aggie defense that was the worst in the SEC in 2013, giving up 475.8 yards per game.
2. Jamal Adams: Safety – Lewisville Hebron High School – LSU
Adams is a hard-hitting safety that finished his senior year with more than 80 tackles and 16 touchdowns as a two-way stud. He’s ranked as the second best safety in the country by Scout and was named the District 5-5A MVP. During the Under Armour All-American Bowl, Adams committed to play for Les Miles after revealing his baby niece wearing a purple and gold outfit. Tigers defensive coordinator John Chavis has a history of developing talented defensive backs, such as Tyrann Mathieu and Eric Reid. Expect Adams, who stands 6’0 and 200 pounds, to join that group in a few years.
3. Solomon Thomas – Coppell High School – Stanford
Thomas (6’3, 263 pounds) pulled off one of the most creative signing day selections I’ve ever witnessed when he chose Stanford this morning on ESPNU. After picking the Cardinal over UCLA and Arkansas, the Coppell defensive end broke out a mini-tree and nerd glasses to celebrate with family and friends. Thomas, who accounted for 12.5 sacks and 26 tackles for loss as a senior, will be a perfect fit for coach David’s Shaw’s hard-nosed defense. Rivals ranks him as the fourth best player in Texas.
4. Ed Paris – Safety – Mansfield Timberview High School – LSU
Paris’ recruitment was about as drama-free as it gets, deciding on the Tigers about a year ago. The U.S. Army All-American is a ball-hawking safety that moved to the Dallas area from Louisiana after Hurricane Katrina. He’s ranked as the third best safety in the country by 247Sports and can also play cornerback. Paris, 6’0 and 201 pounds, has already enrolled at LSU for the spring and should compete for early playing time as a freshman next fall.
5. Dylan Sumner-Gardner – Safety – West Mesquite High School – Boise State
Unlike Paris, Sumner-Gardner’s recruitment has been filled with plenty of drama. Back in June 2012, the Mesquite defensive back committed to Clemson, only to decommit about six months later. In March of 2013, he pledged his allegiance to Texas A&M after developing a strong relationship with secondary coach Marcel Yates. When Yates left the Aggies to become the defensive coordinator at Boise State, Sumner-Gardner followed. At 6’1 and 198 pounds, he will be one of the best recruits ever for the Broncos. Rivals ranks him as the 54th best player in the nation.