First offer in for Smith
Klein (Texas) Oak has been one of the top talent producing schools in the Houston area over the past decade. The Panthers have three big prospects this year in Nicky Baratti, A.J. Hilliard and E.J. Fatu but an additional one has recently emerged.
Safety Dashone Smith earned first-team all-district honors this past season after totaling 102 tackles, two interceptions, a sack and a fumble recovery. The 5-foot-11, 185-pound junior recently picked up his first offer from a Big Ten program.
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"I got offered by Minnesota," Smith said on Wednesday evening. "They offered me today actually. They came last week to watch me practice and they said they liked me a lot so I sort of knew it was coming. It was a good feeling though. My coach said Nevada was talking about offering me too."
An in-state school could soon follow suit.
"Texas Tech seems like they could be close to offering me as well," he said. "They were actually out here today to see me."
Smith visited two campuses earlier this spring but has no other trips in the works at the moment.
"I went to LSU a little while back for a junior day," he said. "That was a lot of fun. I also went to a junior day at Houston. I don't have anything else planned right now."
Though Smith claims no favorites at this time, he does admit to growing up a fan of a particular school.
"I'm hoping LSU offers," he said. "I'm originally from Louisiana. We moved to Houston after Katrina. I grew up as a big LSU fan."