EL PASO, TEXAS –Head Coach Mike Price announced UTEP’s 2010 football recruiting class on Wednesday. The list includes 26 high school standouts and one talented junior college transfer.
“It’s the biggest class we have had in terms of size. We recruited some huge kids,” Price said. “We need to get better. We have been a speed team for years, but we realize we have to be able to run the ball on offense and stop the run on defense. That has to start up front.
“We recruited a bunch of offensive and defensive linemen. We’re a big, tall football team, but we haven’t sacrificed our speed. We filled every need that we had.”
Of the 27 signees, eight are either offensive or defensive linemen. Eight are projected to play wide receiver in college and five are defensive backs.
UTEP signed five players who were regarded as top-300 prospects in the Lone Star State by Dave Campbell’s Texas Football magazine – QB Javia Hall (Dallas, Texas/Skyline HS), RB Nathan Jeffery (Caddo Mills, Texas/Caddo Mills HS), WR Jordan Leslie (Tomball, Texas/Tomball HS), OL Blake Snider (Frisco, Texas/Legacy Christian Academy) and WR Darius Tubbs (Houston, Texas/Humble HS).
The Miners inked a total of 10 players who earned All-State honors during their prep careers.
“There will be one or two players that will be placed in junior colleges, and one or two that will grayshirt,” Price said. “But academically this is the soundest, smartest class that we have recruited.”
2010 UTEP Football Recruiting Class
Name Pos. Ht. Wt. Hometown (High School/Previous School)
Marcus Bagley DL 6-2 320 Mesquite, Texas (North Mesquite)
Kyle Brown OL/DL 6-2 265 Conroe, Texas (Conroe)
Devin Dashnaw OL 6-6 340 Surprise, Ariz. (Willow Canyon)
Tajh Fite DL 6-2 230 Dallas, Texas (Bryan Adams)
Katrae Ford TE 6-5 230 Houston, Texas (Westfield)
Brandon Forge DL 6-5 240 DeSoto, Texas (DeSoto)
Javia Hall QB 6-1 180 Dallas, Texas (Skyline)
Davian Harper WR 6-3 205 Mesquite, Texas (Mesquite)
Adrian James DB 6-0 180 Dallas, Texas (Skyline)
Deron Jefferson OL/DL 6-6 260 Pomona, Calif. (Pomona)
Nathan Jeffery RB 5-11 190 Caddo Mills, Texas (Caddo Mills)
Jim Jones WR 6-0 180 Redlands, Calif. (Aquinas)
Jordan Leslie WR 6-3 205 Tomball, Texas (Tomball)
DeAndre Little LB 6-3 230 Sierra Vista, Ariz. (Buena)
Nick Martin OL 6-5 300 Rancho Cucamonga, Calif. (Los Osos)
Anthony McGhee WR 5-11 185 Dallas, Texas (North Garland)
Chad Moncure DB 6-0 180 Houston, Texas (William B. Travis)
Aaron Morris WR 6-2 175 Wylie, Texas (Wylie)
Devin Patterson WR 6-0 180 Mesquite, Texas (North Mesquite)
Michael Pickett DB 6-1 195 Cedar Park, Texas (Vista Ridge)
Cameron Richards-Lee DB 6-2 190 Dallas, Texas (Hillcrest)
Traun Roberson DB 5-11 180 DeSoto, Texas (DeSoto)
Blake Snider OL 6-6 290 Frisco, Texas (Legacy Christian Academy)
Eric Tomlinson TE 6-6 220 Klein, Texas (Klein)
Malcolm Trail WR 6-2 175 Dallas, Texas (Life School Oak Cliff)
Darius Tubbs WR 6-4 215 Houston, Texas (Humble)
Dakota Warren K/P 5-11 185 Austin, Texas (Cedar Park [Texas]/Ventura College)
2010 UTEP Football Recruiting Class
Marcus Bagley
DL, 6-2, 320, Mesquite, Texas (North Mesquite)
First Team All-District 11-5A choice as a junior and senior at North Mesquite HS … honorable mention All-State honoree by the Associated Press following his senior campaign … rated a three-star recruit by Rivals.com … regarded as an area top-100 prospect by The Dallas Morning News … credited with 96 tackles, five sacks and a forced fumble his senior campaign … teammate of Devin Patterson, another UTEP signee, at North Mesquite where he was coached by Michael Robinson … also close friends with another UTEP recruit, Davian Harper of Mesquite HS … had scholarship offers from Idaho State, Sam Houston State, UNLV and Wisconsin before choosing the Miners … other schools that showed interest included Arkansas, Kansas, New Mexico, Nebraska, Northwestern, Oklahoma, Oklahoma State, Stanford, TCU, Tennessee, Texas, Texas A&M and Texas Tech … very strong player who benches 435 pounds and squats 550 … member of North Mesquite’s track & field team, throwing the shot put with a personal best of 51 feet … carried a 3.93 grade point average in high school … parents are Cornelius Bagley and Barbara Stansbury … has six brothers and three sisters … cousin, Willie Wood, is in the Green Bay Packers Hall of Fame … brother Emmanuel Bagley plays football at Midwestern State … born 5/3/92 (Dallas, Texas).
“Marcus is a big, strong, physical defensive tackle who was able to manage double team blocks his senior year and still make defensive player of the year in his league. Marcus chose UTEP over Wisconsin, making him a big get for us.” – Defensive Coordinator Andre Patterson
Kyle Brown
OL/DL, 6-2, 265, Conroe, Texas (Conroe)
First team All-District 14-5A offensive lineman as a junior and senior at Conroe High School … first team All-District defensive lineman as a senior … played offensive guard and defensive tackle during his prep career … regarded as a top-100 area player by the Houston Chronicle … rated one of the top-150 defensive end prospects in the country by Scout.com … All-County choice on defense as a junior and offense as a senior … has a 40 time of 4.6 seconds … coached by Roger Holtkamp at Conroe HS, where he was a three-year varsity letterwinner … also a member of Conroe’s wrestling and track & field teams … finished in the top-eight in the state while wrestling at 285 pounds … parents are Steve and Stacey Brown … has two brothers and one sister … born 2/25/92 (The Woodlands, Texas).
“Kyle Brown comes from Conroe High School, a very good football program just north of Houston. He was a camp attendee for us. He was actually in an all-day wrestling camp the day before coming to our Klein camp in Houston. He did a great job for us and ran a 4.7 in the 40-yard dash. He is kind of an old-school player who brings toughness and athleticism to our program. He is a hard-nosed guy who was a heavyweight wrestler in high school. He will have the opportunity to play center and defensive end for us, so he’s another versatile player.” – Associate Head Coach Bob Connelly
Devin Dashnaw
OL, 6-6, 340, Surprise, Ariz. (Willow Canyon)
Tabbed to the Arizona Football Coaches Association 5A-II All-State team following a standout senior year at Willow Canyon HS … also appointed second team All-State 5A by The Arizona Republic and Scout.com at the conclusion of the 2009 season … rated one of the top-10 offensive linemen in the state by The Arizona Republic … unanimous first team All-Region pick as a junior and senior … rated one of the top-150 offensive tackle prospects in the country by Scout.com … three-year starter in the offensive line for a team that racked up over 5,000 yards rushing … also played nose tackle and defensive tackle, compiling nine tackles and a fumble recovery as a senior and 10 stops with a blocked field goal as a junior … coached by Michael Hadnutt at Willow Canyon … parents are Kevin Dashnaw and Jill Schnackenberg, and stepfather is Tom Schnackenberg … has one brother … uncle, Joe Proctor, was drafted by the Minnesota Twins … born 6/19/92 (Plattsburgh, N.Y.).
“Devin was also in our camp. He is a short space player, an athletic inside guy who brings size and mass to the table. He really does a nice job moving in space. He’s a versatile guy who can play both inside and outside. He comes from a small school in Arizona and possesses huge upside. He’s going to be a good player for us in the next few years.” – Associate Head Coach Bob Connelly
Tajh Fite
DL, 6-2, 230, Dallas, Texas (Bryan Adams)
Three-year varsity letterwinner at Bryan Adams High School … played defensive end his junior and senior year and saw action at tight end all three years … amassed 35 tackles and four sacks in 2009 … coached by Derick Roberson … also a member of Bryan Adams’ wrestling team … mother is Pamela Denise Fite … has one sister … cousin, DeMario Williams, plays for the Kansas City Chiefs … born 11/26/91 (Lawton, Okla.).
“Tajh Fite is an athletic defensive end with great long speed. He was a tremendous playmaker in high school.” – Defensive Coordinator Andre Patterson
Katrae Ford
TE, 6-5, 230, Houston, Texas (Westfield)
Regarded as one of the top-100 prep tight ends in the country by Scout.com … second team All-District 13-5A choice as a senior … regarded as a top-100 area player by the Houston Chronicle and was tabbed All-Greater Houston … primarily utilized as a blocker in the Westfield offense but still totaled seven receptions for 125 yards as a senior, with a long catch of 38 yards … rated fifth in the district in yards per catch (17.9) … one of the highlights of his senior campaign was scoring a two-point conversion against Klein, lifting his team to a 36-35 win … played two years of varsity ball – one at Westfield and another at Nimitz HS … coached by Corby Meekins at Westfield … also recruited heavily by Baylor, Kentucky, Kansas, Oklahoma, Rice and Southeastern Louisiana … garnered Academic All-District recognition his senior year … parents are Greg Ford and Nicole Murray … has three brothers and one sister … born 6/30/92 (Houston, Texas).
“Katrae came to our summer camp and we watched him on film. What he brings is the ability to do something with the ball after the catch. That’s what people are trying to find in tight ends nowadays, not just the guys who can run and block. He can get yards after the catch and make people miss in space.” – Assistant Head Coach Jeff Woodruff
Brandon Forge
DL, 6-5, 240, DeSoto, Texas (DeSoto)
Garnered second team All-State honors as a senior at DeSoto HS … first team All-District 11-5A selection as a senior and honorable mention as a junior … compiled 127 tackles as a senior, averaging 10.6 per game … also recorded 10.5 sacks and forced a fumble for a 9-3 team … tallied double-digit stops in six of 12 games, including a season-high 15 on two occasions … credited with 27 tackles, three sacks and a fumble recovery as a junior … three-year varsity letterwinner for coach Claude Mathis … played primarily strong side defensive end as a sophomore, tackle as a junior and returned to end for his senior campaign … teammate of Traun Roberson, another UTEP signee, at DeSoto … also recruited heavily by Arkansas, Baylor, Tulsa and UNLV … parents are Ronald Forge and Aline Johnson … has one brother and two stepbrothers … father played college football at Tennessee State and spent a short period in the NFL with the Dallas Cowboys and Washington Redskins … born 3/2/92 (Dallas, Texas).
“Brandon is a long, athletic defensive end. He has the ability to play end and the frame to maybe one day move down inside to defensive tackle. He has great bloodlines with his dad playing in the NFL.” – Defensive Coordinator Andre Patterson
Javia Hall
QB, 6-1, 180, Dallas, Texas (Skyline)
A member of Dave Campbell’s Texas Football Top-300 list … a three-star recruit by Rivals.com … regarded as a national top-100 quarterback prospect by Scout.com … rated an area top-100 prospect by The Dallas Morning News … second team All-State 5A choice as a senior after completing 66.8 percent of his passes for 2,600 yards … threw for 33 touchdowns with only two interceptions … also rushed for 200 yards as a member of a 12-1 team that lost to Cypress Woods in the state title game … completed 60.7 percent of his passes for 1,379 yards and 18 TDs as a junior … had 1,200 yards passing as a sophomore … three-year varsity letterwinner for coach Reginald Samples … also recruited heavily by Colorado State, New Mexico, North Texas and Wyoming … teammate of Adrian James, another UTEP signee, at Skyline HS … honor roll student … parents are Jay Harrison and Brenda Hall … has one brother and one sister … born on Oct. 15, 1991 (Dallas, Texas).
“Javia is a guy who came to our Cedar Hill camp. He has great leadership skills and he’s a football junkie. He loves football, offensive plays and coverages. He is very advanced for a high school quarterback and has great accuracy. He had 33 touchdown passes and two interceptions last year, by far the best ratio of any high school quarterback we have ever signed.” – Co-Offensive Coordinator Aaron Price
Davian Harper
WR, 6-3, 205, Mesquite, Texas (Mesquite)
Played primarily quarterback as a senior at Mesquite High School, completing 121 of 222 passes for 1,313 yards and five touchdowns … also saw action at wide receiver, making six catches for 58 yards and a score … utilized primarily at wideout as a junior … two-year varsity letterwinner at Mesquite, where he was coached by Robbie Robinson … also recruited heavily by Kansas, LSU, Oklahoma State and UNLV, among other schools … was a member of Mesquite’s basketball team for three years and plans to join the track & field squad this spring … is good friends with fellow UTEP signee Marcus Bagley, who played at North Mesquite HS … parents are Steven and Bergetter Harper … has one brother, Steven Jr., who played college football at Midwestern State … born 6/5/92 (Dallas, Texas).
“Davian played quarterback his senior year, but we watched him his junior year. He is a very polished receiver who runs really good routes and is knowledgeable about the passing game because he played quarterback. He had some explosive runs this year and brings a tough, physical stature to UTEP.” – Wide Receivers Coach Guy Holliday
Adrian James
DB, 6-0, 180, Dallas, Texas (Skyline)
Earned All-District 9-5A honors as a senior at Skyline HS in Dallas … helped Skyline to a 12-1 season and berth in the state title game … regarded as a national top-100 cornerback prospect by Scout.com … totaled 30 tackles, 13 pass break-ups and three interceptions in 2009 … saw action at three positions (cornerback, quarterback, wide receiver) while making an immediate impact in his only year on the varsity team … teammate of Javia Hall, another UTEP signee, at Skyline … also recruited heavily by Kansas, Louisiana Tech and Wisconsin … was a part of Skyline’s baseball and track & field teams for four years … three-year member of the student council … mother is Adriane Michelle James … has one brother and one sister … born 11/30/91 (Dallas, Texas).
“We saw Adrian in camp. He has some great ball skills and can run. He is highly competitive, and we think he will come in and be an impact player as a freshman.” – Cornerbacks Coach Allen Johnson
Deron Jefferson
OL/DL, 6-6, 260, Pomona, Calif. (Pomona)
First team All-League and second team All-Valley selection as a senior at Pomona HS … two-way starter who was utilized as a run-stopping defensive end and blocking tight end … played two years of varsity football after coach John Brown discovered him in the weight room … was playing basketball for Pomona at the time and gained 35 solid pounds while blossoming into a Division I prospect on the gridiron … played primarily defensive end as a junior with a little bit of action at tight end, earning honorable mention All-League and All-Valley honors at the former position … also recruited heavily by Arizona State and Eastern Michigan … parents are Ronald Jefferson and Detra Christopher … has three sisters and one brother … has three cousins who either have or will play college football – DeAndre Alexander (Florida State), Marion Knight (UNLV) and Ronald Powell (Florida) … born 6/25/92 (West Covina, Calif.).
“Deron is a really athletic guy. He played defensive end, tight end a little bit of offensive line in high school. He fits the mold of the players we recruited at Washington State because he’s tall with range and athleticism. He has the mentality of a defensive lineman but has the frame to develop into a very good offensive tackle. Coach (Andre) Patterson likes him and would like the opportunity to coach him on defense, but initially we’re going to try to develop him as an offensive tackle.” – Associate Head Coach Bob Connelly
Nathan Jeffery
RB, 5-11, 190, Caddo Mills, Texas (Caddo Mills)
A member of Dave Campbell’s Texas Football Top-300 list … listed as the no. 6 athlete prospect in the state by that publication … a three-star prospect by Scouts, Inc. … first team Class 2A All-State running back as a junior and senior and second team All-State as a sophomore … two-time District 13-2A MVP … tied for second on the all-time state career touchdowns list (136) with Jacquizz Rodgers, who currently stars at Oregon State … compiled 2,990 yards rushing on 370 attempts (8.1 avg.) with 48 TDs his senior year … rushed 249 times for 2,357 yards and 38 touchdowns his junior year, averaging 9.5 yards per carry … over the last two years had five 300-yard games, sixteen 200-yard efforts and scored four or more rushing touchdowns on 12 occasions … added 16 receptions for 224 yards and four TDs as a junior, and three catches for 65 yards as a senior … registered 85 tackles, six pass break-ups, two forced fumbles, a fumble recovery and a blocked field goal as a member of Caddo Mills’ defensive unit in 2009 (strong safety) … tallied 113 tackles, three interceptions, eight pass break-ups and two fumble recoveries as a junior … also a return specialist who averaged 20.6 yards on punts and 24.9 yards on kickoffs over two seasons … was the team’s primary punter his senior campaign … led Caddo Mills HS to a 10-3 mark in 2009 and 11-2 in 2008 … four-year varsity letterwinner for coach Steve Sumrow … also recruited heavily by Kansas State, Montana State and Stephen F. Austin … member of Caddo Mills’ baseball, basketball and track & field teams … All-Region honoree and district MVP in basketball … state qualifier in the long jump in track … member of the FCCLA (Family Career Community Leaders of America) … parents are Mason and Vera Jeffery … has two older twin brothers … born 5/1/92 (Greenville, Texas).
“Nathan is a touchdown scoring machine. He has great open field speed and reminds us a lot of Donald Buckram when he came out of high school. He’s highly productive and a very physical runner for his size. He never came off the field at any time during the games in high school. He has a great chance to play as a freshman in the return game. He is as good of a running back as we’ve recruited since we’ve been here.” – Running Backs & Punters Coach Jeff Banks
Jim Jones
WR, 6-0, 180, Redlands, Calif. (Aquinas)
Two-time Christian League MVP at Aquinas HS … first team All-State by MaxPreps as a junior and second team All-State by CalHiSports as a senior … two-time first team All-CIF selection … All-League Defense pick as a sophomore … registered 27 catches for 464 yards (17.2 avg.) with two touchdowns as a senior … also logged 266 yards rushing on 43 carries (6.2 avg.) with four scores … on defense, was credited with 43 tackles, four interceptions, four pass break-ups and a forced fumble … averaged 12.6 yards on 10 punt returns and 30.3 yards on six kickoff returns … also punted 17 times for 674 yards (39.7 avg.) … junior totals were 64 receptions for 1,307 yards (20.4 avg.) and 15 TDs … also accumulated 49 tackles, five picks, six break-ups and a fumble recovery while averaging 16.1 yards on punt returns and 41.3 yards on kickoff returns … led Aquinas to a 10-2 record in 2008 and an 8-4 mark in 2009 … member of a three-time league championship team … three-year varsity letterwinner for coach Nick Matheny … played wide receiver and cornerback all three seasons and saw action at quarterback his senior campaign … also recruited heavily by San Diego State, San Jose State, UNLV and Utah State while drawing interest from UCLA and Washington … two-time All-League honoree as a member of Aquinas’ baseball team, playing center field and pitching … parents are Bobbie and Christina Jones … has two brothers … uncle, Lloyd Jones, played at BYU and was drafted by the New York Jets … born 12/17/91 (San Bernardino, Calif.).
“Jim probably had the best highlight film I’ve looked at in some time. Any time a receiver has a 45-minute highlight film, that’s really impressive. Physically he’s not going to look as good as some of the other prospects, but his production is outstanding. He played a number of positions in high school, so he’s versatile. He’s probably going to be a slot receiver for us. He does some great things catching the football.” – Wide Receivers Coach Guy Holliday
Jordan Leslie
WR, 6-3, 205, Tomball, Texas (Tomball)
A member of Dave Campbell’s Texas Football Top-300 list … first team All-State pick as a junior at Tomball HS … tabbed a top-100 area player by the Houston Chronicle … rated the no. 16 overall player in Inside Texas’ Top 100 for 2010 … first team All-District 13-5A and All-Region selection as a sophomore, junior and senior … led the Houston area in receptions for two years … compiled 55 catches for 742 yards (13.5 avg.) with nine touchdowns as a senior … had a long reception for 63 yards against Spring HS … also rushed eight times for 22 yards and a score … had eight punt returns for 113 yards (14.1 avg.), and seven kickoff returns for 132 yards (18.9 avg.) … made 54 catches for 1,014 yards (18.9 avg.) with 10 TDs his junior season while adding five punt returns for 49 yards (9.8 avg.) and seven kickoff returns for 186 yards (26.6 avg.) … switched from quarterback to receiver for his sophomore year and responded by tallying 54 receptions for 770 yards and five touchdowns … All-Region Newcomer of the Year his sophomore campaign … three-year varsity letterwinner for coach Tommy Kaiser … also recruited heavily by Arizona, East Carolina, Houston, Kansas, Louisiana Tech, New Mexico and Tulsa, among others … tremendous athlete who was a three-time All-District choice in basketball and a runner-up finisher in the high jump at regionals for track & field … three-time Academic All-District pick and also made the Academic All-State team … mother is Michelle Lambert and stepfather is Michael Lambert … has four brothers and two sisters … born 10/31/91 (Houston, Texas).
“Jordan is an outstanding athlete. Out of all the wide receivers that we recruited, he probably plays the X position the best. He has unbelievable hands and great anticipation to go up and catch the high ball. He’s very strong and physical. He fills an area of need for us as a big receiver, since we lost Jeff Moturi and Tufick Shadrawy from last year’s team and will be losing Kris Adams next year. His hands are very dependable. He drops very few balls, and that was something we looked at in recruiting.” – Wide Receivers Coach Guy Holliday
DeAndre Little
LB, 6-3, 230, Sierra Vista, Ariz. (Buena)
A three-star recruit according to both Scout.com and Rivals.com … ranked a top-15 player at his position by Rivals and listed among the top-50 by Scouts … rated among the top-70 inside linebackers by ESPN’s Scouts Inc … voted to the Southern Region 5A team three times, including receiving first team recognition in both 2008 and 2009 … two-year captain for Buena HS, earning team MVP honors both seasons … had a monstrous junior year (2008) with 135 tackles, four sacks and four forced fumbles on the way to being selected the Southern Region 5A Defensive Player of the Year … first-team All-Region performer in both 2008 and 2009 … tallied around 100 tackles as a senior … three-year starter for head coach Kent Holland at Buena … also heavily recruited by New Mexico … father is Kendrick Little … born 11/30/91.
“DeAndre brings a great mix of size and quickness to our defense and, in particular, the MIKE linebacker position. He is going to develop into a high-caliber linebacker and he possesses the leadership qualities that you like to see. He is fast, he moves well and he’s very explosive with his hands, so he has the entire skill set that you look for in a MIKE linebacker. He also has the ability to move well in open spaces, which is something you don’t always see. He will fit in well in this defense.” – Linebackers Coach Robert Rodriguez
Nick Martin
OL, 6-5, 300, Rancho Cucamonga, Calif. (Los Osos)
Two-year starter at left tackle … earned All-Baseline League and All-California Interscholastic Federation honors as a senior … team posted a mark of 9-5 and won the league championship in 2009 … also voted team MVP for his position … voted the best offensive run and pass blocker at the LinemenInc camp in Long Beach, Calif. in July 2009 … also heavily recruited by Florida International, San Jose State and UNLV … good all-around athlete who has been a three-sport varsity letterwinner since his sophomore year … advanced to CIF in both the shot put and discus … took second place in the league for both of those events … also competed in varsity wrestling for three years … owns the power clean lift record for his school at 320 pounds … son of Tim and Mary Martin … has two sisters and one brother … born 12/28/91 (Rancho Cucamonga, Calif.).
“Nick is another big, physical, athletic offensive tackle. We had a chance to get in on him because he started his high school career at a smaller school without a good football program before transferring to Los Osos and playing for a CIF championship. He is tough and, being 300 pounds, will be able to come in and add depth a little sooner than some other guys.” – Associate Head Coach Bob Connelly
Anthony McGhee
WR, 5-11, 185, Dallas, Texas (North Garland)
Three-star recruit according to Rivals.com … voted the 10-5A District Player of the Year in 2009 … rushed for more than 1,300 yards in 2009 in leading North Garland HS to its first playoff appearance in five years … also paced his team in receiving … garnered second team All-District recognition as a junior … three-year letterwinner and starter for coach David Farris … chosen a top-100 area player by The Dallas Morning News … also heavily recruited by Oklahoma State and TCU … son of Hebeeba McGhee and Charles Curry … has two brothers and sisters … born 11/23/91 (Monroe, La.).
“Anthony played gun run quarterback this year and got a chance to show off his leadership skills. We had him in camp and got the chance to see him in the playoffs. He really reminds me of Jeff Moturi as far as being of similar stature when he was a freshman. He is very explosive and great at running after the catch. He is going to play in the slot where we can depend on him.” – Wide Receivers Coach Guy Holliday
Chad Moncure
DB, 6-0, 180, Houston, Texas (William B. Travis)
Three-star recruit and rated a top-75 player at his position according to Rivals.com … listed as one of the top-150 safeties nationally according to ESPN’s Scouts Inc … two-year starter at William B. Travis HS who earned multiple awards as senior … was a 23-5A first-team All-District performer, first-team All-Fort Bend Harold Team selection and the defensive player of the year for his squad in 2009 … was also the top kick returner statistically in the district … tallied 73 tackles, including 57 of the solo variety … credited with 15 pass break-ups, three tackles for loss and recovered a fumble … had a big junior season with 89 tackles, three interceptions and two forced fumbles … also heavily recruited by Rice, Stanford, TCU and Texas A&M … coached by Randy Cunningham … boasts a cumulative 3.4 GPA … has accumulated more than 40 hours of community service through a church program called Helping Hands … compiled more than 20 hours of community service through involvement with the special education program Best Buddies … son of Tim and Vickie Moncure … has two brothers … born 10/17/91 (Houston, Texas).
“Chad is another guy that came to our camp. He has great cover skills on the field and he’s an unbelievable tackler. He’s just a really good football player. He stayed committed to us after SMU came in and offered a scholarship.” – Cornerbacks Coach Allen Johnson
Aaron Morris
WR, 6-2, 175, Wylie, Texas (Wylie)
Played one year for head coach Bill Howard at Wylie HS, earning second team All-District 9-5A accolades … made 35 catches for 672 yards (19.2 avg.) and six touchdowns … considered by several publications to be a big-play threat … selected player of the week by the Wylie News following a nine-catch, 170-yard performance against McKinney Boyd … was his team’s player of the game against Plano West thanks to four catches for 101 yards and a TD … an athletically gifted player who possesses a huge upside, according to analysts … is one of five seniors from Wylie HS to sign with an FBS program this year … also heavily recruited by Arkansas State, Kansas, Louisiana Tech and UNLV … involved with the year-round Wylie Christian Care program … son of Allen and Danna Morris … has three brothers and two sisters … born 7/7/92 (Fort Worth, Texas).
“Aaron is probably the most polished of all the receivers we recruited. He is a very explosive, very smooth route runner. He has extremely large hands and he’s another guy who is very capable of catching the football. We look forward to having him on the field.” – Wide Receivers Coach Guy Holliday
Devin Patterson
WR, 6-0, 180, Mesquite, Texas (North Mesquite)
Two-year starter and letterwinnner for coach Michael Robinson at North Mesquite HS … posted 29 catches for 300 yards and three TDs as a senior … selected honorable mention All-District 12-5A in 2009 … served as team captain his senior season … teammate of Marcus Bagley, another UTEP signee, at North Mesquite … also heavily recruited by Colorado, Kansas and Missouri … member of the National Honor Society … involved in community service through his church… son of Lisa and Daymond Patterson … has an older brother … born 5/26/92 (Topeka, Kan.).
“Devin is really smooth and reminds me of Greg Jennings, who I recruited at Western Michigan and is now with the Green Bay Packers. He plays effortlessly. He can get in and out of breaks better than any wide receiver we have had except maybe Jeff Moturi. I really look forward to him contributing as a freshman. The Kansas coaches had him in their camp and really raved about him.” – Wide Receivers Coach Guy Holliday
Michael Pickett
DB, 6-1, 195, Cedar Park, Texas (Vista Ridge)
Two-year starter and letterwinner … compiled 38 receptions for 400 yards and two TDs at wide receiver as a senior … registered 95 tackles and two sacks as a junior … tabbed second team All-District 16-5A in 2009 … chosen the team’s MVP among receivers … elected the student paper player of the week on 10 occasions … coached by Bill Wilder … also heavily recruited by Baylor, Colorado State, Idaho, Texas A&M and Texas State … four-year letterwinner with the track team … competed in the 4×100 and 4×200 relays, long jump and triple jump … was the district champion in the long jump as a junior … son of Anthony and Yolanda Pickett … is an only child … born 6/17/92 (Santa Monica, Calif.).
“Michael was in our camp. He played quarterback, wide receiver and outside linebacker in high school. He is a multi-talented, multi-positional athlete. He scored touchdowns on offense and had a ton of tackles on defense. He can play one of several positions on defense for us.” – Cornerbacks Coach Allen Johnson
Cameron Richar
