SEC’s recruiting footprint in Texas likely to grow – Houston Chronicle
A look at recruiting patterns for Southeastern Conference schools since 1992, when the league expanded to 12 teams. Numbers do not include junior-college players or other transfers.
Alabama
Texas high school players signed, 1992-2011: 15.
Current Texas roster players: Four.
Roster breakdown: 106 total, 39 from Alabama, 36 from other SEC states.
Texas players on 2011 two-deep (2): DL Damion Square, Houston Yates; WR DeAndrew White, Galena Park North Shore.
Top Texans: QB Greg McElroy, Southlake Carroll (led Tide to 2009 BCS national championship); DB Charlie Peprah, Plano East (second-team SEC in 2005, led Packers in tackles in Super Bowl XLV); C J.B. Closner, San Antonio Clark (three-year starter).
Notes: Nick Saban has signed six players from Texas since 2007 and told Houston alumni this summer that three assistant coaches had responsibility for recruiting players in the state.
Arkansas
Texas high school players signed, 1992-2011: 114.
Current Texas roster players: 22.
Roster breakdown: 126 total, 48 from Arkansas, 26 from other SEC states.
Texas players on 2011 two-deep (9): WR Cobi Hamilton, Texarkana; LB Bret Harris, Irving MacArthur; LB Alonzo Highsmith, Fort Bend Elkins; DB Isaac Madison, Dallas Carter; TE Colton Miles-Nash, Sulphur Springs; DB Tevin Mitchel, Mansfield Legacy; LB Ross Rasner, Waco Reicher; C Travis Swanson, Kingwood; DB Tramain Thomas, Winnie East Chambers.
Top Texans: QB Ryan Mallett, Texarkana (2010 second-team all-SEC, now with the Patriots); OL Robert Felton, Houston Cypress Creek (2007 all-SEC, Arkansas all-decade team); OL Tony Ugoh, Spring Westfield (2006 all-SEC, Arkansas all-decade team); DB Kenoy Kennedy, Terrell (1999 all-SEC, Arkansas all-decade team); QB Clint Stoerner, Baytown Lee (1999 second-team all-SEC, Arkansas all-decade team).
Notes: RB Knile Davis of Fort Bend Marshall, who ran for 1,322 yards in 2010, is expected to miss this season after suffering an ankle injury in August workouts.
Auburn
Texas high school players signed, 1992-2011: 4.
Current Texas roster players: Two.
Roster breakdown: 103 total, 52 from Alabama, 42 from other SEC states,
Texas players on 2011 two-deep (2): WR Emory Blake, Austin S.F. Austin; DE Nosa Eqae, Mansfield Summit.
Top Texans: Blake and Egae began the season as starters for the defending national champions. 2010 Heisman Trophy winner Cam Newton, a native of Georgia, spent a year at Blinn College in Brenham.
Notes: Chizik, who spent a year as defensive coordinator at Texas, has four Texans on his coaching staff – former Baylor DB Trooper Taylor, former Rice and Texas A&M assistant Jeff Grimes, former Stephen F. Austin RB Curtis Luper and former Texas OL Jay Boulware.
Florida
Texas high school players signed, 1992-2011: 11.
Current Texas roster players: One.
Roster breakdown: 107 total, 77 from Florida, eight from other SEC states.
Texas players on 2011 two-deep (1): WR Omarius Hines, Corsicana.
Top Texans: DL Jarvis Moss, Denton Ryan (2006 All-America by Pro Football Weekly, first-round draft pick in 2007); TE Tate Casey, Longview (member of 2006, 2006 championship teams); WR David Nelson, Wichita Falls Rider (member of 2006, 2008 championship teams).
Notes: Florida trails only Texas in the number of FBS recruit signings each year but exports more players to out-of-state schools than does Texas.
Georgia
Texas high school players signed, 1992-2011: 9.
Current Texas roster players: One.
Roster breakdown: 123 total, 97 from Georgia, 21 from other SEC states.
Texas players on 2011 two-deep: None.
Top Texans: QB Matthew Stafford, Highland Park (second-team all-SEC in 2008, top pick in 2008 NFL Draft by Lions).
Notes: Georgia ranks fourth behind Texas, Florida and California as the state that produces the largest number of FBS high school recruits each February.
Kentucky
Texas high school players signed, 1992-2011: 30.
Current Texas roster players: Two.
Roster breakdown: 110 total, 42 Kentucky, 52 other SEC states.
Texas players on 2011 two-deep: None.
Top Texans: K Seth Hanson, Richardson Lake Highlands (third in career points scored); LB Trey Mielsch, Tidehaven (2004 team defensive MVP); LB Otis Grigsby (10 career sacks, played four seasons in NFL).
Notes: Kentucky has made only limited forays into Texas since the Hal Mumme-Guy Morriss era of the late 1990s and early 200s.
LSU
Texas high school players signed, 1992-2011: 62.
Current Texas roster players: 13.
Texas players on 2011 two-deep (5): QB Jarrett Lee, Brenham; DB Craig Loston, Aldine Eisenhower; DB Ron Brooks, Irving MacArthur; K James Hairston, Dallas Jesuit; LB Luke Muncie, Klein Oak. (WR Russell Shepard, Houston Cypress Ridge, was suspended for the season opener.)
Roster breakdown: 104 total, 65 from Louisiana, 22 from other SEC states.
Top Texans: OL Alan Faneca, Rosenberg Lamar (1997 Outland Trophy finalist, nine-time Pro Bowl selection); RB Joseph Addai, Houston Sharpstown (first-round pick by Colts in 2006 NFL Draft); QB Matt Flynn, Tyler Lee (MVP of 2007 BCS championship game); OL Ciron Black, Tyler Lee (2009 all-SEC); WR Brandon LaFell, Rosenberg Lamar (2008 all-SEC, now with the Panthers); DB Denard Walker, South Garland (nine years with five NFL teams).
Notes: Louisiana ranks 25th in the nation in population but trailed only Texas, Florida, California, Georgia, Ohio and Alabama in the number of high school players signed by FBS schools in 2011.
Mississippi
Texas high school players signed, 1992-2011: 12.
Current Texas roster players: Nine.
Roster breakdown: 120 total, 40 Mississippi, 57 other SEC states.
Texas players on 2011 two-deep (2): WR Ja-Mes Logan, Spring Westfield; KR Philander Moore, Austin Bowie.
Top Texans: QB Jevan Snead (transferred from Texas, two-year starter led Rebels to 2008 Cotton Bowl win); DB Ronnie Heard, Brazoswood (four-year starter, five years in NFL); WR Grant Heard, Brazoswood (third on school list for career catches and receiving yards).
Notes: Coach Houston Nutt’s staff includes former Rice assistants David Lee and Keith Burns and former Aldine MacArthur WR James Shibest.
Mississippi State
Texas high school players signed, 1992-2011: 22.
Current Texas roster players: Four.
Roster breakdown: 105 total, 67 from Mississippi, 29 from other SEC states.
Texas players on 2011 two-deep (3): K Derek DePasquale, The Woodlands; OL Archie Muniz, Houston Cypress Creek; DL Shane McCardell, Beaumont West Brook.
Top Texans: DL John Hilliard, Houston Sterling (second-team all-SEC in 1999, played three seasons in NFL).
Notes: Most of the Bulldogs’ Texas activity came when Jackie Sherrill coached there from 1991 through 2003.
South Carolina
Texas high school players signed, 1992-2011: 3.
Current Texas roster players: None.
Roster breakdown: 111 total, 47 from South Carolina, 41 from other SEC states.
Texas players on 2011 two-deep: None.
Top Texans: None.
Notes: The Gamecocks recruit more heavily into the Carolinas and Virginia than to the western edges of SEC country.
Tennessee
Texas high school players signed, 1992-2011: 16.
Current Texas roster players: None.
Roster breakdown: 115 total, 47 from Tennessee, 48 from other SEC states.
Texas players on 2011 two-deep: None.
Top Texans: P David Leaverton, Midland (kicked for 1998 national champions, 2000 team captain); WR Denarius Moore, Tatum (2,004 career receiving yards, picked in fifth round of the 2011 NFL Draft);
Notes: QB Branndon Stewart of Stephenville played alongside Peyton Manning for one year before transferring to Texas A&M, where he started for the Aggies in their 1998 Big 12 title game win).
Vanderbilt
Texas high school players signed, 1992-2011: 52.
Current Texas roster players: Six.
Roster breakdown: 104 total, 16 from Tennessee, 58 from other SEC states.
Texas players on 2011 two-deep (3): DB Eddie Foster, Colleyville Heritage; LB Al Owens, Springtown; OL Chase White, Plano West.
Top Texans: DB Eric Vance, Hurst Bell (five-year NFL veteran, director of player personnel for the Buccaneers); LB Patrick Benoist, Southlake Carroll (second-team all-SEC in 2008, 2009 team captain).
Notes: The Commodores have signed at least one Texas player every year except one since the SEC expanded.
GO EAST, YOUNG MEN
Texas high school players signed by SEC schools:
1992 19
1993 24
1994 17
1995 21
1996 28
1997 20
1998 20
1999 24
2000 12
2001 20
2002 14
2003 14
2004 13
2005 16
2006 20
2007 17
2008 16
2009 22
2010 14
2011 8