Recruiting Roundup — Longhorns and Mean Green

Catching up with some of the latest recruiting headlines across Texas.In this week's Recruiting Around the State, the Texas Longhorns and North Texas Mean Green have had recruiting activity recently with hosting prospects, extending offers, and being on the ground developing relationships. They're building bonds with some of the best players and high school coaches in the state. One thing is certain with the programs from Austin and Denton: the coaches aren't afraid to look far and wide for talent and are more than willing to alter their recruiting approach to ultimately find success.TEXASTexas head coach Charlie Strong and the Longhorns have been reluctant to offer sophomores since he took over for the job in January 2014. Strong likes to take his time with evaluations in order to find perfect fits to his system. Now that he and his staff has established their bearings around the state, they are targeting more and more of the underclassmen. Well, times have changed.UT offered a handful of the class of 2017 last week beginning with Stafford WR Hezekiah Jones. The sophomore pass-catcher is one of the best in-state for 2017 and his offer list is just like his track times; impressive. At barely 6-foot-0, 170 pounds, Jones boasts offers from out-of-state powers Florida, Michigan, and OU while also holding invitations from Texas, Baylor, TCU, and Texas A&M. Next up was Cy-Fair 5-star TE Brock Wright. The 6-foot-5, 238-pounder from the Houston area already holds offers from LSU, Michigan, and Notre Dame among others.Two more offers to sophomores went out on Saturday. Dallas Bishop Dunne DB Chevin Calloway and Kennedale LB Baron Browning joined the short list of prospects from the 2017 class that hold offers from the Longhorns. Browning, 6-foot-3, 220 pounds, was on an unofficial visit with his grandfather in Austin and came away impressed.It's an example of Strong adapting to his surroundings, which is certainly a trait of quality leaders.NORTH TEXASThe Mean Green have made it a point to focus part of its recruiting plan on one important area: East Texas.Currently the UNT roster holds added 10 fellow East Texans including Tee Goree (Carthage), Okeeron Rutherford (Carthage), Willie Ivery (Sulphur Springs), Sid Moore (Van), Rex Rollins (Tyler Chapel Hill), Caleb Chumley (Pine Tree) Sir Calvin Wallace (Tyler Chapel Hill) and Jeffrey Wilson (Elkhart). It's obvious the Mean Green staff covets the region as they offered a handful from the area recently. The Liberty-Eylau duo of Lagaryonn Carson (2017 DE with offers from Alabama, Texas, Tennessee, Baylor, Texas A&M, and OU) and Ke'Mon Freeman (ATH who also holds an Arkansas State offer) picked up UNT offers last week. Others garnering invitations are Riley Anderson (OL, Mineola), Austin Anderson (OL, Mineola), and Kendrick Rogers (WR, Frankston). When you yield such high results, it's no surprise the North Texas coaches frequent the Piney Woods.Not to keep themselves in a box, head coach Dan McCarney and his staff also extended an offer to Sickles HS (Tampa, FL) athlete, Trey Fullwood. The 6-foot-2, 190-pound athlete projects at WR or safety at the next level. Bellaire Episcopal sophomore DT Marvin Wilson and Monroe Junior College CB Kamal Hardy also picked up UNT offers recently. Justin Wells is an editor of InsideTexas.com and a TexasFootball.com contributor.