East Texas DB close to decision

Whitehouse, Texas safety Stephen Hicks isn't a name that surfaced on the early recruiting radar, but it looks like college coaches are quickly locating this diamond in the rough.

Hicks didn't fall under the radar too long before receiving his first official scholarship offer from Oklahoma State last month. Reports came out that Hicks had made a commitment to the Cowboys but according to the East Texas safety and his coach, the OSU staff has told him to come to campus before making it official

"What happened, I think is that coach (Joe) Wickline had offered him but they have changed defensive coordinators," Whitehouse coach Randy McFarlin said. "I think maybe they want Stephen to come up and meet him first."

Hicks will take his unofficial visit to Oklahoma State for the first time in April for the Cowboys spring game. While a decision appears all but done for OSU, McFarlin says that several other schools are showing his star player interest.

"Texas A&M has been calling about him," McFarlin said. "When the word got out about OSU, he starts getting letters from everybody. I'm sitting here with a letter on my desk from Kansas State and Utah and Nebraska have asked for tape. We sent that first DVD out and it caught Oklahoma State's attention first and then A&M."

McFarlin says that it didn't take long for the Cowboys to extend an offer after sending the film out.

"It was a shock to us," McFarlin said about OSU. "We sent coach Wickline the DVD and they sent me a letter the next week about the offer."

Hicks himself says he's excited about going up to OSU.

"Coach Wickline told me that I should come up to OSU and come check them out so I can look around the campus and see what is there," Hicks said.

Hicks was an all-district selection at safety and even rotated in at running back for Whitehouse. He had three interceptions last year, two of which he took back for touchdowns.

"He's a speedy kid," McFarlin said about Hicks. "He had a great year last year. You take a look at his highlight tape and you know think, 'man can he play.'"

Though Hicks appears to be inching closer to making his commitment official upon visiting Stillwater, he says that the Aggies are on his radar.

"I think I have to go through one more coach to look at my stuff and I think they would offer," Hicks said. "Two of the three coaches like my film from what I hear. I'm waiting on that."

Some others to watch at Whitehouse include defensive tackle Zach Hill who sits at the 6-foot-2, 290 pound mark.

"He started 13 games for us at defensive tackle last year and you don't have a kid that big who is that fast that will be overlooked," McFarlin said about Hill. "The only two schools that know about him are Oklahoma State and A&M."

Also, speedy defensive end Julian Broaddus is also a sleeper looking to get into the spotlight.

"He's really come on in the spring," McFarlin said. "He played in a few games last year in some clean-up roles. But he's really put in work in the spring. It's nice to see kids do that."