Bryant sets sights on future

FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. - Don't think Rivals100 wide receiver Dez Bryant doesn't have a plan. From academic qualification to this week's Offense-Defense All-American Bowl, he's thinking ahead.

Bryant, the 6-foot-1, 195-pound four-star, is certainly ready for the 7 p.m. EST kickoff this Thursday where he'll get to show his stuff on ESPNU. However, he's also thinking about what he has to get done in the classroom to get to whatever school he chooses. All of that has him in a long-term mode going into the last semester of his senior year.

"I want to have fun this week, but I want to show more schools what I can do," Bryant said. "I've got a lot of offers already, but I'm going to wait and see what else shows up. I'm also working on getting my SAT and ACT scores up when I take the test next month.

"My grades aren't perfect, but I can make some things happen if I get a great score on my ACT or SAT."

Bryant says that he's planning to visit Texas Tech, Oklahoma State, LSU, and Florida before Signing Day. That's quite a load, but the talented Lufkin, Texas native wants to get to them all.

The Tigers were the school he wanted to visit first, but he hasn't spoken with the coaching staff in Baton Rouge lately.

"I lost my old cell phone and coach (Bradley Dale) Peveto haven't been able to talk since."

Denying a favorite, Bryant says he's going into the next few months with an open mind. Texas A&M is another school he added that's on his list. Louisville has also sent an offer his way which he says "came from out of nowhere."

Now that he's set for this week's All-American Bowl, Bryant says that he's going to show people his best attributes.

"People know I can catch the ball, but I'm going to make some catches that shouldn't be made," Bryant said. "That's what I'm known for in Texas, but this is nation-wide. We've got great athletes on the offensive side of the ball on the West team, so I don't think anyone can stop us."

In the end, Bryant is not just glad that he's got an academic plane. He's not just happy that he's playing against some of the nation's top prospects in this week's All-American game.

He's just glad he got through his first airplane flight from Lufkin to Fort Lauderdale.

"That was my first time in an airplane," he said. "I almost turned around and didn't get on. I was so scared in my stomach. I even called my girlfriend to tell her I was scared and she just laughed at me.

"I felt better when we were on the ground. So now I'm going to see what I can on the field."