Ranking the Contenders: Savion Byrd
Any conversation regarding Savion Byrd as a football prospect must center around the word "versatile."
The Rivals100 offensive tackle spent the majority of his junior campaign playing on the defensive side of the ball to propel Dallas-area powerhouse Duncanville back to the Class 6A state championship game. While Byrd held his own as a defensive lineman, his future is almost certain to be as a pass-protector on offense.
Byrd has kept a consistent group of programs at or close to the top of his list for several months, and the lack of spring visits in 2020 stings someone like Byrd, who has yet to venture out of state. The four-star prospect has made a steady string of visits to both SMU and Texas, while also raving about his relationships at Oklahoma and LSU.
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CLASS OF 2021 RANKINGS: Rivals250 | Position | Team | State
CLASS OF 2022: Top 100
1. SMU
Byrd has visited The Hilltop more than any other campus in the country, which should come as no surprise since he resides in Dallas and has a longstanding relationship with SMU running backs coach Ra'Shaad Samples, who used to be on the Duncanville High School coaching staff before taking jobs at Texas and now with the Mustangs. There's no doubt that Samples and Byrd have the strongest relationship in the tackle's recruitment and it does not appear that playing in the AAC vs. the SEC or Big 12 matters much to the prospect of note. Whenever Byrd is ready to make a decision, expect an SMU cap to be on the table.
2. OKLAHOMA
The school that Byrd most often brings up when discussing his main interests and must-make travel plans is Oklahoma. The Rivals100 tackle was supposed to visit Norman last fall and if not for the coronavirus shutting down spring visits, then Byrd would likely be on campus at some point this offseason. Bill Bedenbaugh has done a fantastic job of appealing to and connecting with Byrd and the Sooners' long track record of producing NFL linemen sells itself. Expect Oklahoma to eventually get Byrd on campus -- likely for an official, too.
3. TEXAS
The other Texas-based college that Byrd has frequented is Texas, where he's very familiar. While the Rivals100 offensive tackle has not returned to the Forty Acres in a few months, the Longhorns staff put an early offer on the table with Byrd and recently signed his former quarterback, Ja'Quinden Jackson, is a part of the huge "Dallas-to-Austin" movement that got underway in last year's recruiting cycle. There's familiarity and comfort when discussing Byrd and Texas, and whenever travel resumes, the Longhorns will likely get another crack at the four-star offensive tackle.
4. LSU
Like Oklahoma, it's hard to imagine a conversation with Byrd in which the Tigers are not brought up. Byrd has been raving about his relationships with James Cregg and Ed Orgeron for months and LSU is a team that is looking to make a splash with some premium offensive linemen in the Class of 2021. Byrd is one of several Texas-based prospects that LSU is hoping to sign this cycle, but first, a visit must transpire. The coronavirus travel ban definitely hurts the Tigers' chances of getting Byrd to Baton Rouge -- for now -- but expect LSU to be in the running for an official visit down the line.