Texas State 7-on-7 Tournament: News and notes from Day 2
COLLEGE STATION, Texas - The Texas 7-on-7 state tournament draws prospects from across the Lone Star State for some summer football. Rivals national recruiting analyst Cole Patterson was on hand to take in the action and talk to some of the prospects. Here is his report from the second day of the tournament.
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RELATED: Notes from the first day of the Texas State 7-on-7 Tournament
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SELMAN BRIDGES NARROWING FOCUS
Four-star cornerback Selman Bridges is one of the most physically impressive defensive backs in the 2024 recruiting cycle. He is a long, big-framed corner that has developed into a lockdown defender. Teams were not even throwing on his side of the field on Friday.
On the recruiting front, Bridges has taken official visits to Arkansas and TCU. Both have given him a lot to think about and he sees a path to playing early at both programs. However, the Rivals250 recruit is officially visiting Texas this weekend, and the Longhorns look to be in the driver's seat.
Steve Sarkisian is playing a personal role in this recruitment, which Bridges has taken notice of. The two are close, with assistant Terry Joseph also very involved. I have entered a FutureCast in favor of the Texas.
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LATEST ON MICAH HUDSON
All eyes are on five-star wide receiver Micah Hudson after he called off his official visit to Texas for this weekend. Hudson took his official visit to Texas Tech last weekend, where the Red Raiders rolled out the red carpet for the elite talent.
Hudson plays things close to the vest, but the smoke is around Texas Tech closing in on a massive addition to its 2024 class. The playmaking wideout dominated pool play during Friday's action, and he has the ability to be a day-one difference-maker at the school of his choice.
Adding a talent like Hudson to the class would be a statement for Joey McGuire on the recruiting trail.
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FLORIDA COMMITS ALL-IN ON THE GATORS
Arguably no program nationally is hotter on the recruiting trail than Florida. Billy Napier and staff have been rolling, with Rivals100 outside linebacker Jamonta Waller among the biggest headliners.
Quarterback commit DJ Lagway and safety commit Xavier Filsaime were both down in College Station on Friday, and the two emphasized their belief in Napier. Filsaime says he is locking down the defense while Lagway runs the show on offense.
Both are considered top-50 recruits in the Rivals rankings and set a great foundation for the class. The two are determined to help reel in the No. 1 recruiting class for the Gators.
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USC MAKES ITS PRESENCE FELT
From top targets Dre'lon MIller and Tyanthony Smith to underclassman target Riley Pettijohn, USC was a hot topic at the 7-on-7 tournament this week. Miller and Smith both spoke highly of their recent official visit to Los Angeles, while Pettijohn mentioned wanting to get out to the West Coast to see the Trojans being a priority during the fall.
Lincoln Riley not only brought a different kind of swagger and offensive innovation to Los Angeles from Oklahoma, he also brought significant ties and recruiting connections with him to USC. Which has his program a big factor in the Lone Star State.
USC has had success in Texas as of late, and four-star running back Bryan Jackson is one of the key additions set to head out West. With Miller and potentially Smith deciding soon, perhaps USC increases its pipeline in the near future.
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QUICK HITS
DeSoto wide receiver Ethan Feaster has not played a varsity snap just yet, but the upside and overall talent that he possesses is obvious. Feaster impressed at the Rivals Camp Series in Dallas earlier this offseason, and that was more of the same this week. The rising freshman already holds double-digit offers.
Class of 2025 wide receiver Adrian Wilson is a big name to track in next year's cycle. The playmaking wideout gets open with ease and always plays like the best player on the field. Oklahoma and Ohio State are the two programs worth paying close attention to for his commitment.
Four-star wideout Keonde Henry became one of the best available receivers on the market after decommitting from Boston College earlier this week. His pledge to the Eagles was short lived as he opted to open things back up. Purdue is making a serious push with quarterback commit Marcos Davila and wide receivers coach Cory Patterson leading the charge.