Starks pulls in another high-profile offer
Nathan Starks is yet to play the first down of his junior season at Las Vegas' Bishop Gorman High School, and already heavy hitters are banging at his recruiting door. These days, the 2014 prospect carries eight scholarship offers in his hip pocket, the latest of which came from Texas on Thursday night.
The conversation was short. But by the time the touted running back hung up the phone with Longhorn assistant Darrell Wyatt, he had been invited to play his college football in Austin, Texas.
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Starks knows the UT offer is no small matter. He gets its significance. But to a player already holding similar ones from Nebraska, Oklahoma and others, the initial shock wasn't exactly flooring.
"I don't really know a lot about Texas," Starks said on Thursday. "I know they've been one of the bigger schools for a long time. I'll probably up my research on the school and see what they have to offer for me."
Don't be fooled, though. Starks hasn't become jaded with the recruiting process just yet. It hasn't become bothersome. He still shows a certain level of excitement when he does interviews and sees the newfound attention as a blessing.
Bogged down he's not. Not yet, anyway.
"It's all pretty new and exciting to me," he said. "I'm trying to take it all in and not let it get to my head. I use it for motivation. It gives me more reason to keep working harder."
Immediately after making the offer, the Longhorns catapulted into Starks' list of favorites. He notes that his recruitment is still young and says he doesn't want to get ahead of himself, but offers up a group of schools that have set themselves apart at this juncture.
"The top three would be; Oklahoma, Texas and USC," Starks, who is yet to pick up an offer from the Trojans said.
Starks plans to take a trip to Oklahoma sometime this fall, even if he won't speculate on a possible date.
"There's nothing for sure yet," he said. "I just have to see where my mom is at. If I get a chance, I'll definitely make it. Oklahoma has been one of my favorite schools since I saw Adrian Peterson there.
"It's always been a dream school."
Starks has no other visit plans, tentative or otherwise, at this time. Instead, he says he's focused on his team's upcoming season