The Big Texas Three!
Posted on: February 26, 2014
Jaylon Lane Image from GoSanAngelo.com (Patrick Dove), Roney Elam Jr. Image from ETSN.fm (Christopher R. Vinn), PJ Mbanasor Image from Statesmen.com
I obviously haven’t seen every CB in the state of Texas, but I wanted to highlight three who I believe have potential to be great college and maybe even NFL CBs. All three would be priorities to me if I were an Oklahoma coach. All three are, or at least were, under the radar, in my opinion. And all three are BIG corners that can move.
PJ Mbanasor (Pflugerville, TX) | VIDEO – He is someone we’ve talked about for a while. We came across him last recruiting cycle when Oklahoma was recruiting Trai Mosley and fell in love with his ability. In the past month, he’s finally started getting the recognition he deserves and has picked up a number of offers. He’s one of the biggest CBs I’ve seen both in terms of length and size. He has deceptive speed and is very difficult to beat deep. Mbanasor will be at Oklahoma’s jr. day this weekend.
Roney Elam Jr. (Newton, TX) | VIDEO – This kid is unreal. I came across him recently and in the past week, he’s picked up offers from Miss. State, LSU, and Baylor. The fact that LSU offered him when he really didn’t have much of an offer list to speak of prior tells you how good he is. Normally a big school like that will not be the first to offer a DB, especially a school like LSU that can pick off DBs at will. If I’m Oklahoma, I forget about every safety I’m recruiting and go after this kid. He may very well end up playing corner – and he’d be a very big one – but he has that true “heaviness” to play safety. Elam is quickly becoming my favorite 2015 DB. He’s someone I hope to get out and see in person.
Jaylon Lane (San Angelo, TX) | VIDEO – Lane just picked up his first offer Tuesday from Louisiana Tech. On film, Lane looks like a kid that can play anywhere. The thing that stands out about him is how quickly he can close space when he drives on the ball. Big corners often give receivers a little more cushion because they usually cannot move in multiple directions or change direction as quickly. But even when Lane gives that cushion, he can close the gap really quickly with a great drive on the ball. He closes space with his t-step and drive as well as any of the better corners I’ve seen this year. And like Elam Jr, Lane also has great ball skills.
Perhaps I’ll ask one of or former CB friends to do a “Blind Tape Test” on these three CBs. But for now I wanted to highlight these big and talented Texas cornerbacks.
33 Comments
Roney is good, don’t think he is the fastest but he hits like a linebacker
I haven’t seen enough to judge his speed but I agree with his ability to strike in the open field. A lot of people want to convert big corners to safety but just because you’re big doesn’t mean you can strike like a safety. Roney is elite. He’s truly one of those big corners that could be unbelievable safety. If I’m Oklahoma I’m literally offering him today. I’d take him over every single safety offer we have out right now.
From the video of these three, I would want Elam as safety. Seems to bring some “sauce” to his hits.
Thanx for the write up. Great as always.
Thank you John!
Excellent read, as usual. Texas seems to have a very deep and vey talented stable of defensive backs this year. The ones you profiled: PJ 6-2/185, Roney 6-3/167, Jaylon 6-2/175, great size and talented. Projected 2 starters at OU (cornerbacks) for 2014:Sanchez 5-11/164, S. Taylor 5-10/170. But let me remind people of a saying from my all time favorite movie “Roadhouse”. When the female doctor was stitching up the “cooler” (Patrick Swayze) she said I thought you’d be a little bigger. Of course he said I get that all the time. I wonder if Eric Striker hears that?
No doubt. Sanchez is scrappy and competes. Ive seen Stanvon T up close and personnal. He can play. There is another guy in the league that’s pretty good and he’s like 5’11” with his cleats on. Some guy named Reevis. In a perfect world I’m sure all DC’s would prefer the taller corners like Sherman who is like 6’3″. That is what is unique about these kids Super K has written about is their size.
SUPER K…Do you like all 3 better than Boyd or Patterson? Any chance they could be added to the blind test?
Boyd and Patterson are both similar players to me. They both are quick twitch, flexible athletes with top end speed. They can start and stop. They are both hard nosed players that can come up and hit and win the battle. But neither of them are the heights they are listed at in my opinion. Mbanasor, Lane and Elam are all legit 6’1.5+ NFL looking type corners. Boyd and Patterson are the 5’11 type corners that aren’t nearly as rare. Lane, Elam and Mbanasor are more similar to the highly coveted big CB, Tarvarus McFadden who I saw in person and talked to last week.
We didn’t have a CB vacancy until Moore left. We’ll need a good CB in the 2015 class and I wouldn’t be surprised if Mike doesn’t take 2. Brooks went from CB to RB so maybe that allows 2 CBs?
No doubt he will probably take some legit corners if they’re interested. And since the linebackers are young he may be able to take an extra corner or 2 this year. And if for some reason quick doesn’t like or flourish as a receiver he may be able to switch to corner. (I highly doubt that will happen)
Do you have an ‘in’ with the coaches? Seems like many of these guys you like we end up getting involved with in some capacity.
Let’s get all three of these studs! 🙂
Stoops would love Roney’s ability as a big, physical corner. Glad to hear PJ Mbanasor will be at the Jr. Day this weekend.
Who are some notable names for this weekend’s Jr. Day? Is Ryan Newsome & 5* CB Kendall Sheffield attending also?
Newsome is. I don’t think Sheffield is.
Thanks for the update!
So far from what I’m reading: Jamile Johnson-Dallas,Tx., Kahlil Mckenzie-Concord, Ca.,Bobby Henry-Moore, Ok., J.R. Hensley-Edmond,Ok., and Mbanasor. Also an official visit (I think) from Wesley Horky from Brentwood, Tn. on the 28th. He was the #1 deep snapper in the country and Tennessee wanted him to be a preferred walk on??? At one time I read Kendall Sheffield, but that seems to have dried up lately
I see that Horky is in the 2014 class…right? If OU is already at the 85 scholly limit, how does that work? I don’t know much about deep snappers, but if he’s #1 in the nation he’s legit.
I was wondering that myself, reason for all the question marks. I don’t know if L.J. Moore opened up another spot. I along with most people probably wonder how they actual arrive at the magic 85 number. The SEC has it down to a science!
Pretty sure that OU has one spot left for Horky now that Moore has left. Won’t bet the house, but pretty confident. Anyone got more info?
Sheffield will NOT be there, unfortunately.
Bummer. Maybe he will visit sometime during the season or the summer. He looks like the real deal.
Thanks K! Love hearing about guys that are under the radar! Those guys are what Champions are made of today. The 3* kids that a lot of people passed on!
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very impressed with Lane! Did he pick #28? is he another AD fan? Definately best thing I have seen in orange in a while, hope we can get him to Crimson!
Texas Tech just offered Roney
Lane looks like a pure corner. Great hips and vision along with excellent breaking speed to the ball. Elam appears to be a good candidate for safety, covers the field well and loves to come up and lay the wood.