Recruiting Notebook: Under Armour Dallas

The Under Armour Next Camp was held in Dallas over the weekend and several of the top prospects from around the region were in attendance to compete. The camp featured Texas Tech commitments, top 2024 targets and several standout underclassmen with offers from the Red Raiders.

Hutto quarterback William Hammond committed to the Red Raiders three months ago, then the now four-star prospect added a flurry of offers. Programs like Oregon, Texas A&M, Tennessee, Auburn and several others offered only weeks after Hammond's commitment to Texas Tech.

Through all of the new offers and coaches visiting during the open contact period, Hammond has remained strong in his commitment to the Red Raiders.

It was my first time seeing Hammond in person and his frame was the first thing that stood out to me. He is 6-foot-2 and a solid 195-200 pounds. The four-star prospect has a pretty strict workout regime and already looks the part of a college athlete.

His throws had a lot of zip on a very windy day and he threw very well on the run. The coaches setup various hitting dummies throughout the field and had the quarterbacks dropping back, aiming at each one, rep after rep. Hammond only missed one of the six throws during that drill and some targets were 30-40 yards downfield.

Speaking with Hammond and his father after the camp, they plan on returning to Lubbock for another Junior Day visit on the weekend of March 31st. Holton Hendrix mentioned this weekend as well, it sounds like another handful of top targets will be coming in town for unofficial visits.

Lubbock Cooper offensive tackle and Texas Tech commitment Holton Hendrix made the trip to Dallas for the camp this past weekend. The local product had competed in camp settings before and wanted to take advantage of the opportunity to compete against the best of the best in a larger camp setting.

The Texas Top 100 prospect put together some very solid reps against some top talent during the one-on-one sessions, all on an injured ankle. Hendrix is still growing at 6-foot-4, 270-pounds but the technique and experience he possesses at various position on the offensive line is evident when watching his footwork and hand placement.

Listed at offensive tackle, Hendrix's future at the college level might be on the interior at offensive guard or center. He has a great foundation with room to grow as a junior with another year of football at the high school level.

I was able to meet Holton's family before the camp, his Mom and Dad and younger brother made the trip. They were decked out in Tech gear and it was a pleasure talking with them. Mom and Dad mentioned that coaches from both Auburn and Tennessee still reach out to Holton, sending edits and showing interest.

Madisonville athlete Lorenzo Johnson Jr. was committed to the Red Raiders for over a year and had great things to say about the Texas Tech coaches, his commitment and overall relationship with the program on Sunday.

In fact, I asked him if he had the chance to meet Tech quarterback commitment William Hammond at the camp. The two had never met in person, they met and talked for a few minutes after our interview.

Then, at 10:00pm on Monday night, the three-star prospect and first 2024 commitment in the class announced his decommitment from the program.

Johnson Jr. competed at wide receiver during the camp and it sounded like the Tech coaches ultimately wanted him to play defense at the college level. The decommitment decision could have stemmed from a variety of things, but the one-time commitment did not have a ton to say in our conversation after the camp.

He did mention a relationship with the coaches at Houston and it would not surprise me to see the talented athlete eventually land with the Cougars.

Sachse outside linebacker Cheta Ofili is a prospect we recently covered at the Next Level Camp last month. It was a smaller camp, but a lot of the same defensive lineman prospects were in attendance and I mention this because it really seems like Ofili went to work after that camp.

He put together an impressive one-on-one session against the offensive line and the camp performance has already resulted in a new offer from Vanderbilt earlier today. After the camp, Ofili did not seem satisfied and talked about wishing he performed better. He is still very raw, but his frame is very impressive and his bend on the edge is not something you can necessarily teach.

The 6-foot-4, 215-pound prospect was in Lubbock last weekend for the program's Junior Day event and shared more about the experience after the camp.

"It was a great experience, the coaches showed me a lot of love during the event and throughout the whole day. It was my first visit to Lubbock and the environment around the program was great, I had a lot of fun out there.

"Coach (C.J.) Ah You talked with me a lot and said goodbye to us as we were leaving. I'm coming back this summer to camp with the coaches. They want to teach me a few things going into my senior season, technique wise.

"The Texas Tech coaches treated me like family and I think overall it is a great place."

Currently unrated, Ofili holds offers from Texas Tech, North Texas, Vanderbilt, Texas State, SFA and Arkansas State.

Lake Belton corner back Selman Bridges is one of the nationally ranked prospects the coaches recently hosted for the program's first Junior Day of the 2024 recruiting cycle. It was the standout prospect's fourth visit to the South Plains and he shared more about the experience.

In person, Bridges is one of the longer defensive back prospects that I have covered in nearly a decade of recruiting coverage experience at Rivals. He is rangey and showed off his athleticism in coverage, catching up to throws or deflecting balls with his long arms.

The future for Bridges at the college level could be safety or he could grow into a position down in the box at outside linebacker or a hybrid linebacker/safety role.

"Last week was my fourth visit to Texas Tech, whenever Micah (Hudson) has gone to visit I have been with him and vice versa. It was a cool experience. Me and Coach (Brian) Nance always talk about getting up there more.

"Coach (Marcel) Yates and I have been getting stronger in our relationship lately, so that is something that has really stood out. The coaches at Tech like my mindset, my hunger and my length as a defensive back.

"This visit was different because we got to interact and hang out with the players. We just talked with them and asked them about the coaches, how they are with the players on a day to day basis. It was a good conversation.

"I do not have any official visits planned. My only other visit I have planned right now is to Texas on the 25th."

Plano East defensive end Chima Chineke received an offer from the Texas Tech coaches in March of last year and the Red Raiders remain the only offer for the standout defender.

At the camp, Chineke's long 6-foot-5, 220-pound frame really stood out among the group of defensive lineman. I had seen him at another camp and his technique and overall movement did not look the same. It was evident he had put work into preparing for the one-on-one session and had a plan of attack.

From the UA Camp Combine notes, Chineke recorded the longest arm length of any prospect at the camp. He is physically built for college football and showed great athleticism, which is why the lack of addition offers seems odd, but there is plenty of time for more offers.

"I wanted to be one of the best defensive ends here and I feel like I made that pretty known. I got better and learned a lot of new techniques, new moves. I felt like I dominated in the one-on-one session.

"I talk with Coach (C.J.) Ah You and Coach (James) Lockhart from Texas Tech. They have had a lot of contact with me, and they both came by the school during the open contact period. I talk with Coach (James) Blanchard too, I have a great relationship with the Tech coaching staff.

"The coaches like my length, my height, my speed and overall athleticism. They always talk about that and how much upside that I have at the rush end position.

"I don't have an official visit setup, but I do want to take an official visit to Tech. I'm taking an unofficial visit to Iowa on March 25th and I'm talking with the Kansas State coaches about a visit."

Lancaster offensive tackle Tobias Steppes is a prospect on the rise this spring with recent offers from both Texas Tech and TCU over the past month. It is difficult to hide at a program like Lancaster, but after getting to know Steppes, it sounds like a few injuries have kept him off the field and off the radar of college coaches.

At the camp, he possesses a great frame with plenty of room to add weight at 6-foot-6, 256-pounds. He is a varsity basketball player and the athleticism was evident as Steppes moved through drills. The only downside is that lack of experience or reps, because there were reps where his lack of technique and hand placement got him in trouble during the one-on-one session.

Overall, it appears Steppes is fully healthy and putting in work this off-season to bridge the gap on the experience and technique needed at the position. The upside is definitely there and it is evident why programs like Texas Tech, TCU, Baylor and Nebraska are showing interest.

"I came into the camp expecting to see a lot more progress and I'm glad that I did. I was better with my hand placement and just need to keep working on it more. During my sophomore year, I broke a few fingers and tried to come back late in the season. Later that year, I tore a few ligaments and my knee cap playing basketball. I came back in September of last year and was still recovering, but I'm starting to see progress in my technique and playing the position more.

"It felt good and it was a lot of excitement to start receiving college offers. It all happened at once and I wasn't really expecting to receive offers, let alone back to back like that. I also had coaches reach out from Baylor and Nebraska showing interest, inviting me to camp with them. I'm going to visit Texas State here in a few weeks and I'm hoping to visit Texas Tech again for their spring game.

"Coach (James) Blanchard was the first Tech coach to reach out, then once I got there for the visit all of the coaches were very welcoming and I felt like a celebrity. I loved it, loved the energy and I loved the campus as well. They are honestly at the top of my list right now. I loved the visit, the coaches and just loved everything about it.

"I would say relationship and energy wise, the Tech coaches showed me a ton of love and were all happy that I was there to visit. I didn't know a lot about Lubbock going into the visit, but it was not as dry as I thought it was. I loved it, it kind of reminded me of home and a smaller town where everybody knows everybody. I met Kasen Long during the visit and didn't even know he was a commitment. He was very friendly, which was great because I was nervous going into the visit.

"I ultimately want to take my time and think things through before making a decision. I would like to announce a decision sometime around my birthday, which is the week of national signing day."

Forney safety Aaron Flowers is another prospect the Texas Tech coaches have been targeting for the past year. A younger prospect for his grade, Flowers does not turn 17 years old until next month.

At the camp, I was impressed with Flowers' size at defensive back and his range in coverage. It was evident why so many programs, including Nick Saban and Alabama, are in pursuit of the four-star prospect.

"I think the camp went well, it was a great experience and I came away with some things to work on.It was great talking with other recruits, some of the top guys and hear what they are hearing from college coaches.

"Yes, I released my Top 10 and it was great. It definitely relieved some stress and now I can focus on some of my top programs. I'm taking a few visits here soon to USC and Oregon. I'm interested in learning more about the academics at each program, how the coaches treat the players and how well they know their players, how much they know about me.

"With Texas Tech, I mostly talk with Coach (Brian) Nance and Coach (Joey) McGuire. They told me to choose a date in April and that I can come visit anytime. I'm going to tenatively schedule a visit to Tech for sometime next month.

"The coaches have said they really like my football IQ, my personality off the field and my physicality and versatility as a defensive back."

Timson athlete Vosky Howard is a prospect we wrote about earlier in the week and the four-star prospect shared more about his recruitment, plans to visit Texas Tech.

Howard plays multiple sports at Timpson and they just finished a deep run in the basketball playoffs, so the standout prospect has not really sat down to map out visits or what his spring or summer will look like from a recruiting standpoint.

At the camp, Howard was definitely a standout and worked at wide receiver on the day. He plays both sides of the ball at Timpson and it sounds like most college programs are open to having him play both offense and defense at the collegiate level.

The Texas Tech coaches seem to be in a good position to have both Howard and his teammate Terry Bussey on campus later this spring, which is always half the battle.

In terms of competition for Howard, he mentioned a visit to Duke and mentioned Vanderbilt as a program staying in contact.

Timpson athlete Terry Bussey is the reigning Mr. Texas Football in the football crazed state and he was one of the prospect that I wanted to see the most compete in person. The four-star standout certainly did not disappoint and lived up to the national ranking.

Bussey plays quarterback for Timpson, but he competed at wide receiver on the day and created a ton of separation with his sheer athleticism. It was evident that he was different early into the one-on-one session as he left defenders behind over and over. His future at the college level seems to be whatever he wants to do, either on offense or defense, and bsaed on his skill set it could be possible to play both sides.

"Coming in from 2A and competing against some of the top guys in the nation was a great experience for me. Some college programs say receiver, some say defensive back and some say that I could play both. I don't really have a preference.

"I have a strong relationship with almost every coach from Texas Tech, I hear from them everyday and I definitely feel the love. They like me on both sides of the ball, and said they would want to get the ball in my hands as an explosive player.

"I went to Tech against Baylor game last year and loved it out there. It was rowdy in the stadium and the fans were throwing tortillas everywhere. The coaches and I have talked about an official visit, but I have been busy with basketball and I play baseball and run track. Right now, I go from track to baseball practice everyday, it definitely keeps me busy.

"I'm looking at the summertime for visits. I would like to take some visits, then narrow my options down later in the summer or before my senior season starts."

Franklinton (Louisiana) wide receiver Kelly "KJ" Daniels made the trip to Dallas-Fort Worth for the camp this weekend. The three-star prospect is not someone I was able to see a lot of reps from, but in speaking with colleagues his speed really stood out during the one-on-one portion of the camp.

Texas Tech was the first program to offer Daniels and it sounds like that has really stuck with the standout prospect. The original offer and relationship with Texas Tech included former wide receivers coach Emmett Jones, who is now at Oklahoma and recruiting Daniels to the Sooners.

The three-star prospect has started to build a relationship with new wide receivers coach Justin Johnson.

"Most definitely, we get on FaceTime and we talk regularly. He seems like a good coach and he seems pretty cool so far. I feel like he can develop me into a better player.

"I stay in touch with Coach Juice, Coach (James) Blanchard, Coach (Brian) Nance, Coach (Zach) Kittley, Coach (Josh) Cochran and Coach (Joey) McGuire on a daily and weekly basis. They really like me as a player and I really trust them. In talking with Coach Kittley, he has showed me how I would fit into the offense and how they use the slot a ton.

"I visited Texas Tech for a game this past season and getting to know the coaches, how the players carried themselves on the field stood out to me. My only other recent visit was to Oklahoma, and I'm planning to officially visit both Texas Tech and Oklahoma this summer.

"I want to learn more about the support in the classroom and the coaching staff at each program. I want to major in Kinesiology, become a trainer one day. Those are the most important things, mostly looking to get a feel for how I could fit at each program."

There were hundreds of prospects and only one me, so the following were 2024 targets that competed at the camp, but guys that we weren't able to speak with after the event ended.

Lewisville corner back Tony-Louis Nkuba is a longtime target for the Texas Tech coaches. The 6-foot-1, 165-pound defender is a prospect we have seen recently at other camps and he mentioned plans to unofficially visit Lubbock this spring.

At the camp, Nkuba is a very lengthy defensive back and was agressive in coverage, which usually results in interceptions and pass break-ups but it can get him in trouble against a solid route runner at receiver.

Overall, the four-star prospect defintely lived up to the ranking against some of the top talent in the region. He has recently visited both Arkansas and Oklahoma. Those programs along with offers from Arizona State, California, SMU and UTSA will be some of the main competition for the Red Raiders.

J.J. Pearce tight end Jewlyen Thomas-Roberts is another longtime target for the Texas Tech coaches who competed at the camp this weekend.

The unranked prospect is built like a tank at 6-foot-5, 235-pounds and used his size to create separation, catching many jump balls in the one-on-one session.

Thomas-Roberts currently holds 10 total offers and he is really liking what the Tech coaches are saying, what the program has to offer after his recent visit for the program's Junior Day event.

Dawson defensive end Edward Smith is a prospect we wrote about earlier this week and the standout prospet shared his thoughts on Texas Tech, plans to visit and more.

At the camp, Smith was one of the bigger defensive ends at every bit of 6-foot-6, 240-pounds. He moved very well for his size and had a great day in the one-on-one session of the camp. His physical makeup follows a trend that Coach Blanchard and the recruiting staff follow with defensive lineman - bigger is better.

Look for Smith to officially visit campus this summer and we will track where things go from there.

Arlington Bowie safety Kristopher Wokomah was another Texas Tech target competing in the camp this past weekend.

The three-star prospect is compact and blanketed receivers in coverage during the one-on-one session. We weren't able to speak afterwards, but Wokomah is a prospect that has talked very highly of Texas Tech and the coaching staff. He is another prospect that will be unofficially visiting again this spring and someone to look for as an official visitor this summer.

Ridge Point wide receiver Ashton Bethel-Roman was another Texas Tech target competing in the camp this past weekend. The three-star prospect recently visited Lubbock for the program's Junior Day event and had great things to say about the experience.

He has a long, slim frame at 6-foot-2, 165-pounds and showed smooth route running ability during the one-on-one portion of the camp. We weren't able to reconnect after the camp, but the standout prospect is planning an official visit to Texas Tech for this summer.

When speaking with Will Hammond, he mentioned getting to catch up with Bethel-Roman at the camp and it sounds like the two have been staying in touch since the Junior Day visit.

Jasper wide receiver Britain Simmons was another Texas Tech target competing in the camp this weekend. The three-star prospect recently visited for the program's Junior Day and had great things to say about the coaching staff, his experience in Lubbock.

I was not able to see much of Simmons at the camp, need to see if other colleagues had feedback on his performance. Again, too many prospects and the receivers and quarterbacks were split into two sides of the field.

Nebraska and Vanderbilt seem to be the main competition for Simmons at the moment.

Tyler Legacy defensive end Travis Jackson was another Texas Tech target competing at the camp this weekend. The now four-star prospect recently visited for the program's Junior Day and shared plans for an official visit to Texas Tech this summer.

Jackson was solid in the one-on-one session portion of the camp and moved well during the defensive line drills.

He is very high on the Red Raiders, however, newer offers from programs like Missouri, Kansas State and Oklahoma State should play a factor in Jackson's recruitment.

Mansfield Legacy safety Landyn Cleveland recently included the Red Raiders in his Top 12 schools. The 6-foot-1, 185-pound prospect is solid and plays almost like a linebacker at the defensive back position, it was easy to see what many college coaches like about his makeup.

We were not able to reconnect after the camp, but it would not surprise me to see Cleveland visit the South Plains either unofficially or officially later this off-season.

Again, with hundreds of players in attendance, the focus stayed on the 2024 commitments and targets for interviews after the camp.

These were some of the 2025 and 2026 underclassmen targets with an early offer from the Red Raiders.