Three make ideal list for Texas DT

Victoria (Texas) St. Joseph's defensive tackle Hank Gilley is one of the state of Texas' top underclassmen by several publications. And several schools are already taking notice of the 6-foot-5, 260-pound prospect.

"Hank is just big and strong," St. Joseph's coach John Mares said. "His strength allows him to just overpower opponents. He was second on the team in tackles for us last year, but that is really misleading.

"He ended up with 53 tackles, but the biggest thing he does can't show up on any statistic chart. Teams adjusted their offense to run away from him. You can't put numbers on that when a guy is able to take half of the field away just by being there. We would try to have him switch sides and throw the other team's offense off, but they would just change their play, if they had time."

Gilley has three schools at the top of his list right now for what Mares calls his standout's ideal list.

"Hank's ideal list right now is Texas, Colorado and Miami. I think, just like most kids in this state, that Texas is going to be the place a lot of them want to go. Then Colorado and Miami, he just likes. I don't know of any connection for those two programs. TCU recruited his brother out of high school hard before he went to the Naval Academy, and they are in the running for Hank, too.

"He gets mail all the time from schools. You name the school and he has gotten at least something from them. Nobody has offered him a scholarship yet. I think they are waiting for his SAT scores. He'll be alright academically. That won't be a concern, I really don't believe."

Gilley will have an active spring and summer with camps filling part of his time.

"Hank is going to the NIKE camp in Fort Worth in late April. He is also going to go to all of the one-day camps that schools will have in this area."