40 Acres Sports

Defensive tackle [tag]Derek Johnson[/tag] from Hoxie, Arkansas committed to the Longhorns Wednesday according to Orangebloods.com. Johnson, originally from El Paso, is reportedly one of the top five players in Arkansas for the class of 2009.

The 6-foot-3, 290 pound Johnson is the second defensive tackle in this class, joining Calvin Howell out of San Antonio who committed in mid-May. Hopefully 5-star stud Jamarkus McFarland will come and join an incredible defensive line group.

The recruitment of three defensive tackles in this one class certainly lends creedence to the rumors that defensive tackles [tag]Tyrell Higgins[/tag] and [tag]Brian Ellis[/tag] may not be back on the team in the fall. If they’re gone then the big need at the position quickly became a huge one.

Check out the YouTube video of Johnson courtesy of Orangebloods message boards below (warning: the audio is obnoxious and very NSFW):

Welcome to the Forty Acres Derek.

Mark Cuban on NBA agents and high school kids. Thinks the IRS would be interested in all this money moving with no taxes paid.

NCAA football coaches warm to early signing period. Allowing recruits to sign early would allow them to refocus on school once they’ve made decision.

Orangebloods.com is reporting that big time defensive tackle recruit Calvin Howell out of San Antonio has committed to the Texas Longhorns. Howell is the 18th rated (and rising) overall recruit in the state and one of Texas’ top defensive targets at a position of great need. He is the 18th player to join the Horns’ 2009 recruiting class.

Howell has been leaning towards the Longhorns for a while now but wanted to take his time and make an informed decision. In the last two months he returned to Austin multiple times while also making unofficial visits to Oklahoma and Texas Tech. This Monday he came back to Austin with his mother and after getting back and discussing it as a family he finally decided to pull the trigger. His mom called up Mack Brown Wednesday and informed him that her son would be a Longhorn.

This is a huge pickup for Texas. If they can now reel in 5-star Jamarkus McFarland they’ll have the best pair of defensive tackle commits in the country and two interior lineman who could be dominating the Big 12 together in a few years.

Congrats Calvin and welcome to the Longhorn family!

Cedar Hill offensive tackle [tag]Thomas Ashcraft[/tag] is one of the top prospects in the state and top offensive lineman in the country. The 6-foot-5 280 pound high school junior was one of the Longhorns earliest 2009 commits back in February but is one of the most important in this class. He’s one of four excellent line commits that should be building blocks that skill players like [tag]Garrett Gilbert[/tag] and [tag]Chris Whaley[/tag] will flourish behind.

Not only does the young man have potential to be a fixture on the offensive line for the Horns but he’s also a player Mack Brown and Co. scooped up early even after many believed he was an Oklahoma lean. It’s always nice to steal a kid of this caliber from the bad guys.

Check out Ashcraft’s sophomore highlight reel below:

If anyone has junior highlight video of Ashcraft (or any other commits) please let us know.

LSU finally dismisses QB Ryan Perrilloux from team. The Mack Brown curse continues.

The official letter of intent from 2008 shooting guard J’Covan Brown is finally in the hands of the Texas coaching staff. The 6-foot-2 shooting guard’s recruitment was a roller coaster from the very start. Even after securing his commitment in November, there was much doubt about whether he’d ever actually sign with the Horns. J’Covan has wanted to be a Longhorn all along but he has other people involved with his recruitment with their own interests in mind. Fortunately for J’Covan and Texas, what was best for the young man eventually won out.

One of the top #2 guards in country and best players in Texas, Brown is rated as a high 4-star prospect according to both Rivals and Scout. He is an excellent scorer who has the ability to drive to the basket as well as drain it from long range. He handles the ball well and could play spot duty at the point to spell the starter if needed. With his size and skill set, Brown is just the type of guard the Horns needed in this year’s Elite 8 match-up against Memphis. If he can be a factor on the defensive end as well, he has a chance to be huge contributor as a freshman.

Brown is currently the only 2008 prospect signed by Rick Barnes, but depending on if D.J. Augustin and/or Damion James head to the NBA Draft early they may have one more slot to fill. 5-star out of staters Devin Ebanks and Wesley Witherspoon are both seriously considering Texas and would be huge commitments for the program.

Next step for J’Covan is to get down to business in the classroom and make sure he’s eligible to head to Austin this summer and get started. Welcome to the 40 Acres!

Related Links

• ESPN profile
• Rivals profile
• Scout profile

Offensive line commit Thomas Ashcraft sounds like a kid with his head on straight. Good luck with Mechanical Engineering kid… yikes.

It’s still a year away, but already five 2009 Texas commitments have received the honor of being named to the Under Armour All-America Game roster. The Longhorns currently lead the way with players in the game, with quarterback Garrett Gilbert. tight end Barrett Matthews, and offensive linemen Thomas Ashcraft, Paden Kelley, and Mason Walters on the roster. The 2008 Under Armour game featured five Longhorns as well.

The list of players is impressive but still not 100% complete, I’m sure there will be some additions and subtractions between now and January 4, 2009. Maybe a few more Texas commits can earn their way onto the team, or maybe the coaching staff can convince Florida stud running back Trent Richardson to come play for the good guys.

Here are the Scouts, Inc. profiles on the five Texas players:

Garrett Gilbert

Quarterback
Lake Travis (Texas)
6-3, 186 pounds

Junior accolades: Set Texas records with 359 completions, 555 attempts and 4,826 passing yards. Also threw for 52 touchdowns and named First Team All-State by The Associated Press.

On goals for his senior season: “Hopefully to win another state championship.”

Favorite movie: “Wedding Crashers.”

Scouts Inc. says: The more you watch Gilbert, the more you realize how heady and savvy he is. He is similar to Aaron Corp from the 2007 class in terms of size and athleticism, only Gilbert is much further along at this stage and has a bigger arm. He has prototypical drop-back passer size but is a sneaky athlete who will surprise you and hurt you with his feet if you don’t respect that aspect of his game.

Barrett Matthews

Tight End
North Shore (Texas)
6-2, 225 pounds

Junior accolades: Caught 13 passes for 395 yards and seven touchdowns. Named to 22-5A First Team All-District and Houston Chronicle Second Team All-Area.

On why he chose Texas: “The coaching staff reminds me of our coaching staff [at North Shore] and Coach [Mack] Brown reminds me a little bit of Coach [David] Aymond. The facilities are amazing and I get to work with one of the best [strength] trainers in the nation.”

Favorite movie: “‘Any Given Sunday.’ I love the ‘piece with inches’ speech by Al Pacino’s character.”

Scouts Inc. says: An exciting prospect with the tools to be well-rounded at the college level. He’s a sound, tenacious blocker while also a weapon as a receiver. Has the ability to stay on the field in all situations and be a factor, making him a player to watch.

Thomas Ashcraft

Offensive Lineman
Cedar Hill (Texas)
6-5, 280 pounds

Junior accolades: First Team All-District, Honorable Mention All-State.

On why he chose Texas: “I felt at home at Texas. The coaches were real, they didn’t feel fake like they were putting on a show or it was rehearsed — they were real comfortable and natural. My parents liked it and my major [mechanical engineering] is a top major there.”

Favorite TV show: “The Boondocks.”

Scouts Inc. says: A gifted lineman with the size college coaches seek. He has shown the foot agility to both pull and trap from the offensive tackle position and also get back from a three-point stance and set before a defensive lineman gets into his frame. Ashcraft has the tools to develop into one of college football’s best, most athletic offensive linemen.

Paden Kelley

Offensive Lineman
Lake Travis (Texas)
6-6, 270 pounds

Junior accolades: Named to Texas 4A first team by Texas Sportswriters Association. Also named to First Team All-District.

On goals for his senior season: “I have hopes of leading my team to a back-to-back state championship and being awarded First Team All-State.”

Favorite band: Rage Against the Machine.

Scouts Inc. says: Kelley’s a very athletic offensive tackle with the versatility to also play guard. Tall and rangy, he looks the part, carrying his weight extremely well. Biggest strength may be his reach-blocking skills.

Mason Walters

Offensive Lineman
Frenship (Texas)
6-7, 285 pounds

Junior accolades: Named All-District, All-Area, All-South Plains, All-City and 4A Second Team All-State.

On what he’s looking for in a school: “Coaches you get along with for five years, a winning tradition and a bunch of good talent that is going to be there when you are there to give yourself a chance to win the national championship.”

Favorite food: Buffalo wings with ranch sauce.

Scouts Inc. says: A max-effort player with exceptional ability, he’s a self-starter who clearly loves the game. He goes after opponents like a heat-seeking missile. Comes off the ball aggressively and has the skills to reach, block back and even get to the second level with little trouble. Shows outstanding hustle by frequently getting a second block after executing his initial assignment.

High school sophomore Chris Martin is one of the top prospects for 2010 out of California. He’s already got offers from top programs such as Cal, Colorado, and Stanford and is being recruited by all the national powers. He doesn’t have a favorite in the recruiting process yet, but he sure knows where he doesn’t want to go to school…

Education is another factor weighing heavily on Martin’s opinion of colleges.

“Academic prestige is the first thing I’m looking for in a school,” said Martin. “I’m not sure on a major, but I think I’d like to go into marketing.

“I do know I wouldn’t pick a school like Texas A&M because I want to go somewhere that has had a line of successful people who have majored in the field I’m interested in.”

Apparently Martin just isn’t interested in Ag Leadership as a career.

I’m not sure where that quote came from or why a kid from California even brings up the Aggies, but it sure is funny. I guess it’s a step in the right direction for A&M though that a national recruit has actually heard of the school. I guess that 35 point loss to Cal in the Holiday Bowl paid off after all.

Maybe the Longhorns should start recruiting Martin, he’s mine kind of kid.

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