It's time to put the 2020 recruiting class to bed, but the best way to do it is with a final iteration of the AggieYell 100. Here are the top 10 players in Texas, in our estimation:
10. LB Josh White, Cypress Creek (signed with LSU)
It has been a pretty dry stretch in Texas for linebackers the past few years, but White is an exception. He's fast, aggressive and can put a hit on you. He's the sideline to sideline type that we've seen on LSU's defense the past couple of years. He may need to take a season to get bigger, but he'll be a thorn in A&M's side soon enough.
9. ATH Devon Achane, Fort Bend Marshall (signed with Texas A&M)
Achane just added his fourth star, but we think he's still severely underrated. He racked up more than 3,000 yards of total offense and a staggering 50 touchdowns in 2019. There may be only a handful of bigger home run threats in the nation, and nobody's going to get catch him in the open field.
8. WR Quentin Johnson, Temple (signed with TCU)
Johnson is big, strong, physical and has impressive speed. He looks a lot like former TCU first round draft pick Josh Doctson. He's going to be a handful for the Big 12 and likely TCU's top receiver right off the bat.
7. RB EJ Smith, Dallas Jesuit (signed with Stanford)
Smith is an extremely versatile back who is as good at catching passes as he is running the football. He can grind things out like his dad did, but has an extra gear most backs don't. He may not play a lot as a freshman in Palo Alto, but he'll be the centerpiece of their offense before long.
6. LB/TE Drew Sanders, Denton Ryan (signed with Alabama)
Sanders is a big, rangy linebacker but injuries may move him to the offensive side of the ball in college. Regardless, he's got a ton of athleticism and he's going to make a whole lot of plays. He's got that knack.
5. RB Jase McClellan, Aledo (signed with Alabama)
Yeah, Alabama got another great back. McClellan is another back who has great vision, is physical at the line of scrimmage and then is tough to catch once he gets into the open field. His game is very similar to that of Trey Sanders, who the signed with Alabama last year. With Sanders and Najee Harris carrying the load this year, McClellan may get a year to develop and and he could be about the same size as Sanders next season.
4. WR Jaxon Smith-Njigba, Rockwall (signed with Ohio State)
We've got a lot of people griping about how the SEC is now coming into Texas and picking off elite prospects, but hey, what about Ohio State? For the second year in a row, they've taken one of the state's top two wideouts. Smith-Njigba has the full package: speed, athleticism and great hands. He could be on the field in Columbus right off the bat, and that's no mean feat.
3. CB Jaylon Jones, Cibolo Steele (signed with Texas A&M)
Jones dominated 2019. He was great at the 5-Star Challenge, had an excellent senior season, then was fantastic at the Under Armour All-American Game. He's tall, physical, can run with the best receivers and knows how to play the football. His progression has been both rapid and outstanding, and he could be one A&M's corners on the field to start 2020. At worst, he'll be playing a good bit.
2. RB Zachary Evans, North Shore
The red flags around Evans are myriad, but his talent remains undeniable. He was suspended for one game, missed half of another and was booted before the state championship game, but was the best player on the field in the Under Armour Game. If he's got his priorities right, he'll be a great back at the next level...somewhere.
1. WR Demond Demas, Tomball (signed with Texas A&M)
If you end up as the top player in Texas after playing one game in 15 months, you have to be something special. Demas is. He's got top-rank speed, amazing athleticism and can jump out of the gym. The guy literally came in off the street to play in the Polynesian Bowl against the nation's top talent (guys who played in both the Army All-American Bowl and the Under Armour Game) -- and smoked them. It was a dominant performance, and shows what he's capable of. With A&M needing a new starting outside receiver in 2020, it would be no surprise at all if he's that guy.
