Graham going to Texas
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Taquon Graham at the UT Spring Game. (Will Gallagher/IT)[/caption]
TEMPLE -- He just wanted to make sure.
After almost committing to Texas a few months ago at the Spring game, and flirting with pledging throughout the summer, Temple 4-star DE Taquon Graham verbally committed to UT today.
Graham, 6-foot-3, 262-pound, held offers from Oklahoma, Texas Christian, Baylor, Michigan, and Georgia among others and is one of the composite top 200 players in the nation.
In his junior season at Temple, Graham had 62 tackles, including 23 TFLs, 11.5 sacks and three forced fumbles.
Graham told IT's Justin Wells that Texas "fits me in all areas." He also said the influence of the head coach is what really stood out to him.
"He's one of the top coaches in the nation and just talking to him," Graham said. "I know I want to play for him."
Excerpt from the Recruiting Notebook:
Taquon Graham, DE - Temple (2017)
Hudl/highlights
How he fits at Texas: Graham is a very lithe, 6-foot-4 edge-rusher with a nice wingspan and he's going to end up filling out to be an explosive 250+ pound edge rusher by the time he's completed his college career. Despite a frame with big potential, he should remain as a pass-rusher and play Fox and not strongside end. His greatest strength is beating tackles off the snap with his quickness and then using his long arms to keep them off his body and get free so he can bring down the QB. At Texas, they'd want to use him more like Louisville's Fox Marcus Smith then a more versatile guy like Naashon Hughes and send him after the QB more often than not. - IB
Coach says: This kid is strong, long, good with his hands, gets off the rock and has some twitch to him. He has the ability to effectively rush the passer and he is capable of setting the edge and being very disruptive in the run game. Seeing a young defender be as good with his hands as he is right now is always refreshing to see and will go a long way as he continues to develop.
How this affects Texas: One of the state's best at getting to the passer, Graham became a household name after a stellar junior campaign. And UT has a lot going for them here. His teammate, Davion Curtis, inked with Texas two weeks ago. He told an A&M reporter last week that we can't assume he's going to Texas "because everybody is going to Texas." Knowing Curtis, and Gilbert's Temple ties, it's easy to label Graham a Texas lean. This guy's got Longhorn written all over him. He'll be a candidate for a spring commitment. - JW
Graham is the 8th member of UT's Class of 2017. He joins Montrell Estell (Hooks), Xavier Newman (Desoto), Kobe Boyce (Lake Dallas), Lagaryonn Carson (Liberty-Eylau), Damion Miller (John Tyler), Sam Ehlinger (Austin Westlake), and Josh Thompson (Nacogdoches).
Taquon Graham at the UT Spring Game. (Will Gallagher/IT)[/caption]
TEMPLE -- He just wanted to make sure.
After almost committing to Texas a few months ago at the Spring game, and flirting with pledging throughout the summer, Temple 4-star DE Taquon Graham verbally committed to UT today.
Graham, 6-foot-3, 262-pound, held offers from Oklahoma, Texas Christian, Baylor, Michigan, and Georgia among others and is one of the composite top 200 players in the nation.
In his junior season at Temple, Graham had 62 tackles, including 23 TFLs, 11.5 sacks and three forced fumbles.
Graham told IT's Justin Wells that Texas "fits me in all areas." He also said the influence of the head coach is what really stood out to him.
"He's one of the top coaches in the nation and just talking to him," Graham said. "I know I want to play for him."
Excerpt from the Recruiting Notebook:
Taquon Graham, DE - Temple (2017)
Hudl/highlights
How he fits at Texas: Graham is a very lithe, 6-foot-4 edge-rusher with a nice wingspan and he's going to end up filling out to be an explosive 250+ pound edge rusher by the time he's completed his college career. Despite a frame with big potential, he should remain as a pass-rusher and play Fox and not strongside end. His greatest strength is beating tackles off the snap with his quickness and then using his long arms to keep them off his body and get free so he can bring down the QB. At Texas, they'd want to use him more like Louisville's Fox Marcus Smith then a more versatile guy like Naashon Hughes and send him after the QB more often than not. - IB
Coach says: This kid is strong, long, good with his hands, gets off the rock and has some twitch to him. He has the ability to effectively rush the passer and he is capable of setting the edge and being very disruptive in the run game. Seeing a young defender be as good with his hands as he is right now is always refreshing to see and will go a long way as he continues to develop.
How this affects Texas: One of the state's best at getting to the passer, Graham became a household name after a stellar junior campaign. And UT has a lot going for them here. His teammate, Davion Curtis, inked with Texas two weeks ago. He told an A&M reporter last week that we can't assume he's going to Texas "because everybody is going to Texas." Knowing Curtis, and Gilbert's Temple ties, it's easy to label Graham a Texas lean. This guy's got Longhorn written all over him. He'll be a candidate for a spring commitment. - JW
Graham is the 8th member of UT's Class of 2017. He joins Montrell Estell (Hooks), Xavier Newman (Desoto), Kobe Boyce (Lake Dallas), Lagaryonn Carson (Liberty-Eylau), Damion Miller (John Tyler), Sam Ehlinger (Austin Westlake), and Josh Thompson (Nacogdoches).
