Five prospects that helped raise their stock in Dallas
ARLINGTON, Texas – The Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex was busy in the recruiting world over the weekend as multiple events took place featuring some of the top talent in the region.
Friday saw some of the speedsters on the gridiron translate those traits onto the track at the Lancaster Meet of Champions while Saturday featured a loaded group of training sessions across Dallas before Sunday's Under Armour camp in Arlington.
Here are five prospects that improved their stock over the weekend.
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Midlothian (Texas) four-star wide receiver Bryant Wesco had a very compelling case for top overall performer after an unreal weekend that began with him dominating in jumping events on Friday in Lancaster (placed second in long jump, fifth in triple jump) before making his way to Arlington on Sunday to route-up and go up top with some of the best defensive backs in the region.
Wesco's fluidity in route-running, movement at the top of his routes and strong hands at the finish made him simply unguardable on Sunday. Even with defensive backs that were able to keep up with his quick twitch and strength at 6-foot-2 and 170 pounds, Wesco's body control up top allowed him to still finish even the most difficult of reps with a win.
Wesco currently sits as the No. 165 recruit in the country and the No. 31 recruit from Texas, but rises are in order in both of those categories after the weekend. There is a solid group of receivers being churned out of the state of Texas, and while the 2024 class is another big reflection of that, Wesco is steadily showing that he is among the elite.
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Little Rock (Ark.) Mills four-star defensive end Charleston Collins has a combination of size and speed that makes him near impossible to control off the edge, as the Arkansas native made move-after-move on Sunday during one-on-ones to get around offensive tackles and into the backfield.
Collins has always had a quick burst about him that allows him to get off the line in a hurry, but his weight room work was what was most evident when he was able to line up with a more agile offensive tackle as he brutalized a pair of guys in the trenches after his initial get-off.
The four-star currently sits outside of the Rivals250 and is ranked as the No. 5 recruit from Arkansas, but his performance over the weekend warrants both of those categories seeing improvements.
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North Richland Hills (Texas) four-star offensive guard Daniel Cruz proved himself to be one of the top interior linemen in attendance on Sunday with a strong initial punch and lower half that kept a variety of different pass-rushers in check during one-on-one sessions.
Cruz earned four-star status in the last rankings release, but did not place into the Rivals250. His worth as a force in the trenches will change that result the next time around.
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Sunday's camp allowed for the first proving opportunity for Bay City (Texas) defensive end Carlon Jones, and the 6-foot-3, 275-pound pass-rusher impressed against some of the region's top offensive linemen.
Lining up mainly at defensive tackle, Jones powered through opposing interior linemen and found a variety of ways to get into the backfield. Nine programs have offered so far, including three Power Five teams, as Jones is continuing to rise on the recruiting trail as the days pass.
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Red Oak (Texas) athlete Zachary Smith has been picking up some steam on the recruiting trail following a triple-digit tackle season as a junior, and he showed out on multiple stages over the weekend.
Beginning with a training session on Saturday in the north Dallas suburb of Melissa, Smith displayed fluid hips and a quick top-speed that immediately made his athleticism apparent. In Sunday's camp, he translated those traits onto the field against some of the region's top backfield talents and held just about everyone in check that lined up opposite of him.
Unranked on Rivals as of now, Smith's initial ranking will have some solid context after his performance over the weekend.