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RECRUITING: Shadow Creek freshman DE Zion Taylor picks up UH offer, fourth overall
HOUSTON - Zion Taylor doesn't play like most freshman defensive ends.
Most freshmen don't rotate with the 1's during spring football and most freshmen didn't just pick up their fourth Division I offer, three from Power 5 conference programs, without even playing a down of varsity football.
Taylor isn't like most freshmen.
The Shadow Creek move-in, formerly at Ridge Point, has meshed well with the Sharks this spring and has made a clear case for varsity playing time come the fall. He also just picked up an offer from the University of Houston this week.
"It's amazing to have these offers so young," Taylor, whose first-ever offer was from Michigan State on February 9, said. "It's a true blessing, all thanks to God."
The 6-foot-2, 212-pound defensive end - remember he is just a freshman - has offers from Michigan State, University of Houston, Pitt and Colorado.
He doesn't plan to take any official visits this summer but does have a laundry list of camps that he is planning to attend, including the SMU Mega camp in early June. He will also attend Texas, Baylor, Texas A&M, Ole Miss, Duke and University of Incarnate Word's camps as well.
This football thing is in his blood. His older brothers Brandon Bell and DePriest Taylor both played at Manvel High School. Bell went on to play at New Mexico State and Taylor is at Prairie View A&M.
With just a season of freshman ball under his belt, Taylor said he is working on getting stronger and faster at his position this offseason.
So, who does he like to mimic his game after?
"Chase Young," Taylor said. "I look up to him. He's fast of the ball and I'm fast off the ball. He's just an elite edge rusher with great hips and hands."
There was another elite defensive lineman in the shark tank a few years ago, his name was Alec Bryant and he's now at Virginia Tech.
RECRUITING: St. Pius X TE Tanner picking up steam on recruiting front, plans visits for Summer
HOUSTON - When Logan Tanner got home from his lacrosse game, he went to check the mail.
The mailbox was chuck full of letters from college coaches from the programs that have offered the three-star tight end from St. Pius X.
"It's very humbling and I was taken back and to have as many as I did I knew it must've taken a lot of time," Tanner said about the letters.
Just got home from my lacrosse game with a mailbox full of letters. Blessed and thankful for each coach taking their time to write these letters not just to me, but to my family as well. Cant wait to visit these campuses in person. @StPiusXFootball @CranfillGreg pic.twitter.com/tjmVgYlGaG
— Logan Tanner (@iamlogantanner) March 24, 2021
Tanner is coming off a solid junior season for the Panthers, which saw them reach the TAPPS playoffs. The tight end finished with 1,059 receiving yards and 12 touchdowns on 43 catches and believes his best attributes is his versatility and route running.
Since the end of football season, Tanner has received offers from Yale, Eastern Illinois State, San Diego State, Bucknell, Air Force, Arkansas State, Utah, Navy, Tulane, Harvard and the University of Houston.
The recruiting process has been a "roller coaster" Tanner says and after June 1 he plans on visiting every school that has offered him along with Kansas State, Tennessee, Texas, Texas Tech, Texas A&M and SMU.
"Although simple I'm looking for a family atmosphere," Tanner said. "A place where I could feel like everyone from the coaches to the teachers on campus are all like a family."
So, what is he doing this offseason to get better?
First, starting with playing lacrosse at St. Pius X, Tanner can play in every position, except for goalie, at any time and he believes this will help him on the football field come the fall.
"Lacrosse translates well because I've learned to use my hips a lot better which helps my route running and blocking," Tanner said.
Outside of lacrosse, Tanner - whose favorite NFL tight end is Kansas City Chief Travis Kelce because of his great route running, putting the guy in front of him in the ground, and his swagger - is also working with his football teammates to get better for 2021.
"I'm working on building not just me but the brothers on my team with me," he said. "We go in groups to the weight room or go to the field and run routes. For me, personally, I've been working on my run blocking."