Kevin Jairaj-USA TODAY Sports
Slick edits sent out to prospects mark the school’s big promise to them.
It’s August 1 and that means “official” scholarship offers can go out to prospects entering their senior seasons. Essentially, this takes the offer status from a promise and puts it on paper, thus, making the offer official.
Here’s the NCAA bylaw in question:
Before August 1 of a prospective student-athlete’s senior year in high school, an institution shall not, directly or indirectly, provide a written offer of athletically related financial aid or indicate in writing to the prospective student-athlete that an athletically related grant-in-aid will be offered by the institution. On or after August 1 of a prospective student-athlete’s senior year in high school, an institution may indicate in writing to a prospective student-athlete that an athletically related grant-in-aid will be offered by the institution; however, the institution may not permit the prospective student-athlete to sign a form indicating his or her acceptance of such an award before the initial signing date in that sport in the National Letter of Intent program.
And here’s a look at some of the handful of Texas Longhorns targets and commits who have tweeted out their official offers from the ‘Horns.
- Montrell Estell – 4-star safety – Texas commit
The safety commit was a bit of a surprise pledge in April and is still solid to Texas, though Estell told Horns247 that Alabama is still pursuing him and plans on changing his mind during a visit.
- Xavier Newman – 3-star OG – Texas commit
This can be taken as an encouraging sign from the potential flip, who could potentially sign with Oklahoma when all is said and done. Newman’s still a Longhorn, even if that’s just temporary.
- Anthony Hines – 4-star ILB
Hines is among Texas’ top 2017 priorities and being able to get the Plano East product to play football in Austin would be among Charlie Strong’s most impressive recruiting feats to this point at Texas.
- Taquon Graham – 4-star WDE
The Temple product is widely considered a heavy Longhorn lean and outside of a surprise, will be playing football on the Forty Acres in 2017.
- Kobe Boyce – 3-star CB – Texas commit
The three-star cornerback pledge is another potential flip, although not quite as likely as Newman since last week’s commitment of his friend Josh Thompson, a three-star cornerback who was previously committed to TCU. It will be interesting to see how his recruitment plays out with Oklahoma and Iowa pursuing the Lake Dallas product.
- Josh Thompson – 3-star CB – Texas commit
The recent TCU flip became a Longhorn following Under the Lights, in which he called Texas “home.”
- Kenneth Murray – 3-star OLB
The Elkins product is another big-time in-state talent Texas hopes to haul in for 2017. Murray is high on the Longhorns.
- Jalen Reagor – 4-star WR – Oklahoma commit
The Oklahoma commit tweets out his official offer. He doesn’t appear to be a flip candidate at this point, but you never know with Charlie Strong’s closing ability.