College football recruiting: 12 underrated 2022 prospects worth watching in Texas

In a normal year, Thursday would have marked the start of the spring evaluation period, a six-week frenzy in which college coaches roam the country and visit high schools to get a look at the next crop of recruits.

Because of the ongoing NCAA-mandated dead period during the pandemic, that’s not the case for the second consecutive spring. But change is on the horizon, as the Division I Council announced Thursday that starting June 1, the dead period will end and the normal recruiting calendar will return.

That’s good news for prospects, who wish to take visits and participate in camps, and for coaches, who want to see players perform live. In the meantime, countless prospects have flown under the radar or not garnered near the attention they might under normal circumstances when coaches could see them in person.

The Athletic reached out to eight college coaches and staffers who recruit Texas and asked: Who are the most underrated Class of 2022 prospects in the state? There were plenty of names thrown around, from known prospects who have several offers but lack attention from blue-blood programs all the way down to unranked prospects who are still seeking their first offers.

Here are a dozen Texas prospects that coaches are watching closely in the coming months:

All rankings via the 247Sports Composite

1. Van Wells, center

High school: C.E. King (Houston)
Ranking: Unranked
Height/weight: 6-foot-3, 300 pounds
Offers: Air Force, Charlotte, East Carolina, Maryland, Navy, Nevada, New Mexico, Tulane, UTSA, Western Kentucky and multiple Ivy League schools

The buzz: Wells came on the scene late as a center prospect because he didn’t play the position until his junior year; he was previously a tight end. C.E. King coach Derek Fitzhenry said Wells squats 500 pounds and power cleans 350. He’s also a straight-A student, hence the Ivy League offers.

Despite being new to center, Fitzhenry said Wells didn’t have a bad snap in 13 games last season. FCS and Group of 5 offers have steadily come in since January, and on Thursday, Wells got his first Power 5 offer from Maryland. More are sure to follow. One out-of-state Power 5 assistant expects Wells to blow up on the summer circuit and said he’s willing to bet he ends up at a Power 5 program.

Fitzhenry said holding some schools back are questions about Wells’ size (his recruiting profile lists him at 6-2, 290), but Fitzhenry said he measures at 6-3 and now weighs more than 300 pounds. He plans to take a photo of Wells’ measurements soon to send to schools. Here’s Wells standing next to NFL defensive linemen Larry Ogunjobi (who’s 6-4) and Christian Covington (who’s 6-2):

@THErealVWells is a lot bigger than people think. https://t.co/aTjHT5Jmg4

— CE King Football (@CEKing_Football) April 9, 2021

2. Syncere Massey, defensive tackle

High school: Cedar Hill
Ranking: Unranked
Height/weight: 6-5, 280
Offers: USC, UCF, Liberty, New Mexico State, Utah State, Western Kentucky

The buzz: Massey has the height, weight and length (83-inch wingspan) big-time programs are looking for. So far, USC is the only Power 5 team to offer. Some coaches like him as a potential offensive lineman.

He was productive on defense, compiling seven sacks and 10 tackles for loss last season while helping Cedar Hill to a state championship game appearance. He plays with consistent effort and good technique.

Described as a “jumbo athlete,” Massey is a player one Power 5 assistant said he could see perennial power programs turning toward late this summer or early in the fall when they strike out on the blue-chip offensive or defensive linemen who are at the top of their boards.

3. Owen Pewee, linebacker

High school: Cypress Park
Ranking: Three-star, No. 41 outside linebacker nationally, No. 91 in Texas
Height/weight: 6-3, 180
Offers: Arizona, Boston College, Washington State, Vanderbilt, Houston, Louisiana, SMU, Tulane and several others

The buzz: It may seem strange to call someone with double-digit offers underrated, but several coaches feel he has major Power 5 potential. He plays on the same defense as five-star linebacker Harold Perkins and, in a normal year with no pandemic restrictions, coaches who would stop by Cy Park to see Perkins would get to see Pewee work out next to him and get a better evaluation.

He plays both receiver and linebacker and has been effective at both. He has only four offers from Power 5 schools, but coaches around the state see that changing.

One in-state Power 5 assistant said he sees Pewee ideally as an outside linebacker in a 3-4 defense and as an underrated prospect with potential to rake in many more Power 5 offers.

4. Doug Brooks, defensive tackle

High school: Shiner
Ranking: Unranked
Height/weight: 6-0, 265
Offers: Army, Colorado State, Houston, UTSA

The buzz: If you watched the Texas state championships in December, chances are you caught a glimpse of Brooks. He selflessly gave a teammate a touchdown after a strip-sack. He also delivered a violent stiff-arm to an overmatched would-be tackler. And he was defensive MVP of his team’s state title victory. Viral moments aside, Brooks can ball.

Brooks’ younger brother, 2023 four-star running back Dalton Brooks, is a top-100 national recruit in his class who already holds offers from Alabama, LSU, Texas and Texas A&M, among others. His cousin Jonathon Brooks is a Texas 2021 running back signee. Once the dead period is lifted and coaches can evaluate in-person, the elder Brooks could see his stock rise.

An in-state player personnel director said Brooks is under-recruited because of his height, but in watching Brooks’ video from the state championship game, he’s “unblockable” and makes “grown-man plays.”

5. Camron Cooper, defensive end

High school: Dayton
Ranking: Unranked
Height/weight: 6-3, 240
Offers: Air Force, Colorado State, Rice, San Diego State, Utah State, UTSA and multiple FCS programs

The buzz: Cooper is an intriguing two-way prospect. He runs well for his size; he posted an 11.2-second 100-meter dash in a recent track meet and runs the 200 in the low 23-second range.

Though listed on defense, several coaches like him as a tight end. Colorado State, Rice and UTSA recently offered Cooper at the position. His high school coach, Blake Ware, said Florida State reached out about Cooper on Thursday and is also interested in him as a tight end.

His combination of size, athleticism and versatility has several coaches seeing high long-term potential in Cooper.

6. Ashton Jeanty, running back

High school: Lone Star (Frisco)
Ranking: Unranked
Height/weight: 5-9, 195
Offers: Air Force, Army, Navy, New Mexico, North Texas, Tulsa, Dartmouth, Penn, Sam Houston State

The buzz: Jeanty is a versatile back who is as much a threat to score catching the ball as he is rushing. He led Lone Star with 55 catches for 816 yards and seven touchdowns while picking up 383 rushing yards and seven scores on 44 carries in 2020.

He also long jumped 23 feet, 3 3/4 inches this season.

Multiple coaches in-state like him because of his speed, production and all-purpose ability, viewing Jeanty as an every-down back.

7. Jakson LaHue, offensive tackle

High school: Azle
Ranking: Unranked
Height/weight: 6-5, 285
Offers: Virginia Tech, New Mexico, Columbia, Dartmouth, Penn, Houston Baptist

The buzz: LaHue began getting interest from FBS programs in the last two months. New Mexico was the first such program to offer him in February, and Virginia Tech became the first Power 5 program to do so in March.

LaHue’s athleticism and strength are apparent, and he sports a 4.0 grade point average.

One in-state recruiting director was befuddled by LaHue not having more teams courting him, considering his size, athleticism, physicality and intelligence.

8. AJ Padgett, quarterback

High school: Reedy (Frisco)
Ranking: Unranked
Height/weight: 6-2, 210
Offers: Houston Baptist

The buzz: A look at Padgett on video shows a prospect who has arm strength, can throw on the run and is accurate. He threw for 2,211 yards, 20 touchdowns and seven interceptions as a junior while completing 63 percent of his passes.

Multiple Group of 5 programs in Texas are keeping an eye on him and would love to see him throw in camps this summer.

One recruiting director views Padgett as the most underrated prospect in Texas.

9. Tyler King, wide receiver

High school: Alief Taylor (Houston)
Ranking: Unranked
Height/weight: 5-10, 160
Offers: Houston, North Texas, Northern Iowa

The buzz: If a team’s looking for speed, King has it in spades. He has posted a wind-aided 10.2-second 100-meter dash, a 21.6-second 200 and anchors the Lions’ nationally-ranked 400-meter relay team. On the football field, he was a first-team all-district performer as a junior.

Coaches are noticing. All three of his offers came this week. Look for more schools to follow in the coming months.

10. Kyndon Fuselier, wide receiver

High school: Nederland
Ranking: Unranked
Height/weight: 5-10, 175
Offers: None

The buzz: Fuselier is still looking for a program to take a chance on him, but the lack of offers is not for lack of production. As a junior last year, Fuselier was his district’s MVP and had 45 catches for 1,082 yards and 13 touchdowns in nine regular-season games. He also plays defense and is a return specialist.

Colleges are keeping an eye on him. Multiple Group of 5 programs and FCS programs in Texas are interested, and several would like to have him at their camps in June. Fuselier said he’s planning on camping at Colorado State and Lamar, and he has received interest from Utah, Houston, Rice, Central Michigan and Abilene Christian.

Some college coaches like him on defense, others think he has a future at his current position. One player personnel director in Texas called Fuselier a “do-everything” type of player.

11. Anthony Holmes, defensive tackle

High school: Westfield (Spring)
Ranking: Three-star, No. 39 defensive tackle nationally, No. 75 in Texas
Height/weight: 6-2, 270
Offers: Colorado, Memphis, SMU, Virginia, Houston, Marshall, Nevada, Tulsa, Eastern Kentucky

The buzz: Westfield has a long tradition of producing Division I defensive tackles, including Desmond Jackson (Texas), Ed Oliver (Houston) and Keondre Coburn (Texas). Holmes is next up. Coaches like his strength and the way he moves. He had seven sacks, two forced fumbles and three fumble recoveries as a junior.

An out-of-state Power 5 assistant said Holmes projects best as an interior lineman and definitely has the makeup of a Division I defensive lineman.

12. Bert Emanuel Jr., quarterback

High school: Ridge Point (Missouri City)
Ranking: Unranked
Height/weight: 6-2, 195
Offers: Texas Southern

The buzz: The son of former NFL receiver and Rice University star Bert Emanuel, the younger Emanuel had a tremendous showing at the Houston Elite 11 regional last month. He posted the best combine score, running a laser-timed 4.51-second 40-yard dash, and showed off a 36-inch vertical jump.

He’s a dual threat who had solid production as a junior, throwing for more than 1,400 yards and 14 touchdowns while rushing for more than 500 yards and six scores. Some coaches would like him to be open to playing receiver, but others feel he has potential at his current position.

One in-state player personnel director believes Emanuel throws it well enough to win games at the next level and would fit in an offense that features some quarterback run game. Bottom line, coaches feel he’s talented enough to bring on board and be an asset to a program, no matter what position he plays.

(Photo of Camron Cooper: Courtesy of Brian Perroni / 247Sports)