Aikens holds one offer

As colleges coaches turn their eyes to the class of 2012, many new offers have been going out as of late. Quite a few prospects are garnering their first ones after schools watch their film.

One such player is Arlington (Texas) Seguin defender Steven Aikens. The 6-foot-2, 200-pound junior recently received his first offer after attending a junior day at an in-state school.

"I got offered by University of Houston," Aikens said. "Coach (Zac) Spavital called my head coach and told him they were offering me.

"I went down there this past weekend on a college visit and junior day. They didn't really say anything about offering when I was down there. I got to watch them practice and coach Spavital just said, 'Don't think that you came down here for no reason. We just wanted to see you guys and get to know you.'"

Aikens had a chance to watch practice closely while on campus.

"They have a pretty good team," he said. "The Heisman Trophy candidate quarterback (Case Keenum) , he didn't practice because he was hurt. Their DB's looked good, though. They're real quick and smart."

Aikens could play linebacker or safety at the next level but most schools see him as a bit of a hybrid.

"They're looking at me to play somewhat kind of both," he said of Houston. "They want me as a sort of nickelback. I would be playing a high safety and some in the box. I'd play a lot in the dime package.

"I mostly play free safety right now but, depending on the type of team we're playing, I'll play in the box. If we run our basic defense, though, it's me at free safety. Baylor is looking at me as somewhat of a safety and somewhat a linebacker, same as Houston. Pretty much all of the schools are kind of looking at me at the nickelback position. OU is considering me as either a nickelback or strong safety."

The versatile defender has been to several other campuses this spring as well and plans to hit a couple more in the coming weeks.

"I've also been to OU, Texas A&M, Baylor and UNT," Aikens said. "I'm supposed to be going to Texas sometime this month and also Oklahoma State. I've been talking to coach (Bruce) Chambers at Texas."

With the first offer under his belt, Aikens feels a couple of Big 12 programs could come through with ones as well.

"I think Baylor is close to offering," he said. "They're showing a lot of interest. Mizzou is also showing a lot of interest."