Five Texas prospects under the rankings microscope

Many of the top prospects in Texas are becoming more selective about their participation in camps and 7-on-7 competition. That makes the events that they will be attending all the more valuable when it comes to figuring out where they are in their development heading into the summer. Here is a look at five big names in the state that will be watched a little bit closer in the coming months.

UNDER THE MICROSCOPE PROSPECTS: Southeast | Florida | Mid-Atlantic | West

Cook is the only 2018 five-star prospect in the state, and now the focus becomes whether he can maintain that status. After putting himself on the map in a big way this time last year, he was one of the players in 2018 that stole the show on a national level with his performances in camps and state high school 7-on-7 events. Now that he’s filled out more, the physical style that he plays with becomes even more of a complication for receivers looking to break open on him. Now all that’s left to prove is that his cover skills are equally as tough.

Last football season ended far too early for Foster, who also seemed headed toward being included in the five-star discussion. Nobody is questioning his abilities in pass coverage, but the obvious storyline is how he’s looking and feeling while still finishing off his recovery from the knee injury he sustained. Foster is still choosing to lay off competition for the time being, which is smart, but the longer he stays off the field the more the anticipation builds for his return.

The four-star San Antonio-area receiver’s recruitment has ignited in the past few months, and he’s supported the hype in a couple of early opportunities this spring. He’s a long, rangy receiver that fits the mold that every college program looks for in its outside pass-catchers. His testing numbers are some of the most elite in the country, but now he’ll have more eyes on him looking to see just how strong he is at doing more than simply running past and out-jumping defenders.

Ghirmai, like Bush, has seen a similar explosion in his recruitment - particularly after a standout performance at the Army Underclassmen Combine in January. He found himself up over the 20-offer plateau in no time and again, like Bush, will now be looked at closely to see how much he resembles his new-found reputation. The camp season provides a heavy dose of pass-protection drills and one-on-one battles, and he occasionally lets a speed rush to the outside get the best of him, but Ghirmai has clearly already shown he’s got the goods to pique the interest of many programs.

O'Neal, one of the state’s top safeties, has seemingly picked up nothing but very high-profile offers this offseason. The Rivals250 prospect is as physically and athletically gifted as any other player is at the position, but the big focus for him in the next few months will be to show that he doesn’t rely too heavily on his genetics and can play with the patience and discipline needed to make the most of his opportunities to make plays on balls in the air.