UNT recruting notes heading into Sunday

[Brett Vito]

I had the day off today since UNT didn't have a basketball game. Saturdays off are rare and cherished in this business, but I am checking in on the blog to post a state of the union as far as recruiting goes heading into Sunday, which at this time of year usually means it's time for wild goose chases and hunting for random 18-year-old safeties cell phone numbers.

First of all, it's looking more and more like UNT can kiss Javia Hall good bye. The kid is not going to talk to me at this point after telling me two or three times that he was going to stick with UNT. He has told everyone else that he has switched to UTEP, pending a visit to LSU. If LSU offers, he's going to go to Baton Rouge.

Who knows how this will all end up, but I would be surprised if he signs with UNT. I was surprised he committed to UNT in the first place considering he has a lot of options and Riley Dodge is going to be a sophomore.

If UNT loses Hall, and I think that will be the case, UNT will drop in the recruiting rakings quite a bit. I don't see UNT landing another nationally ranked player of Hall's caliber.

There are a number of other prospects who could very well make up their minds this weekend.

Jordan Taylor is facing a Sunday deadline with Rice. He can stick with the Owls as a wide receiver or flip and sign with UNT as a quarterback. My guess is he sticks with Rice after talking with his coach.

Defensive tackle Corey Hill is visiting Stephen F. Austin and has a number of options. UNT is in the race, but I haven't talked to the kid or anyone close enough to him to have a guess as to how that will play out.

Defensive back Will Wright Jr. is headed to Louisiana-Monroe. I don't have a feeling on that one, either, but the Warhawks are pulling some kids out of the area.

Offensive lineman Antonio Johnson is at Texas State, where he is visiting with a staff that includes several former UNT coaches who know where the bodies are buried in Denton. I think UNT has a good shot with Johnson after talking to him, but you never know.

There was no basketball game to look for players in on visits, but I would expect UNT to have several guys in.

We should see in the next day or so how UNT's class will shape up.

From the looks of it now, UNT is looking at a middle of the pack class in the Sun Belt again this year.

A question was posted on the blog about Gilmer quarterback Darian Godfrey. I have not seen his name come up in connection with UNT, but he is still on the board.

This is a look at the hits and misses with Hall on the misses list. It also includes Houston St. Pious athlete Venric Mark, who passed on an offer from UNT to commit to Northwestern:

UNT commits

DE Aaron Bellazin, Everman

RB Brandin Byrd, Copperas Cove

WR Brelan Chancellor, Copperas Cove

S Ryan Downing, Butler (Kan.) CC

LB Blake Dunham, Argyle

CB Vincent Eddie, DeSoto

OLB Brad Graham, Navarro JC

OL Graylin Hawkins, Dallas Skyline

S Jamison Hughes, Pearl River (Miss.) C.C.

OLB Forlando Johnson, Butler (Kan.) CC

CB DeLeon McCord, Butler (Kan.) CC

K Zach Olen, Richardson Berkner

LB Zach Orr, DeSoto

OL Mason Y'Barbo, Sulphur Springs

Players with UNT offers who have committed to other teams

CB Jimmie Anderson, Kilgore, Troy

OL Josh Allen, Cedar Hill, Minnesota

CB Bernard Blake, Bastrop, Colorado State

WR Kelvin Bolden, Miss. Gulf Coast CC, Mississippi State

OL Zach Bolton, Klein Forest, Kansas

S Barry Browning, Everman, Stanford

ATH Stephen Bryant, New Deal, TCU

OL Luke Burleson, Allen, Baylor

DE Dartwan Bush, Brazoswood, Texas Tech

CB Aaron Colvin, Owasso, Okla., Oklahoma

LB Lavonte David, Fort Scott (Kan.) CC, Nebraska

DE Adam Davis, Hutchinson (Kan.) CC, Kansas St.

OL Tayo Fabuluje Jr., Arlington Oakridge, BYU

RB Daryl Fields, Madill, Okla., SMU

WR Carey Fortson, Longview, Louisiana Tech

LB Toquavius Gilchrist, Butler County (Kan.) CC, Houston

LB Quentin George, Arkansas Van Buren, Tulsa

DE Anthony Gonzales, Blinn CC, Baylor

DB Justin Goodman, Blinn CC, Louisiana Tech

OL Bob Graham, Jenks, Okla., Iowa State

QB Javia Hall, Dallas Skyline, UTEP

S Jeremy Hall, Brenham, SMU

RB Broam Hart, Alvarado, Air Force

S Sam Holl, Katy, Baylor

OL Kason Hostrup, Sachse, Kansas State

DB Saheed Imoru, Navarro JC, Pittsburgh

S Dan Jackson, Trinity Valley CC, Louisiana-Monroe

ATH Venric Mark, Houston St. Pious, Northwestern

S Desmond Martin, Round Rock Stony Point, Texas Tech

DL Jonathan Mathis, Blinn, Texas A&M

OL Mason Myers, Southmoore, Okla., Colorado State

OL Trevor Murphy, Jefferson, Colorado State

LB Ryan Oppman, Sugarland Clements, Tulane

RB Reggie Pegram, Dallas Madison, Purdue

OL Chase Petersen, Bentonville, Ark., Louisville

RB James Sims, Irving MacArthur, Kansas

S Xavier Smith, Edmond (Okla.) North, Missouri

CB Lionel Stokes, Copiah-Lincoln (Miss.) JC, UL-Lafayette

OT Javius Towsend, Dallas Madison, Texas Tech

OL Davonte Wallace, El Paso Irvin, New Mexico State

WR Chris Young, Trinity Valley, Iowa State

DL Darrell Zellers, Hutchinson (Kan.) CC, Tulsa

View the full article