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Wayne Shanks Jr. is that dude at Kinkaid
Shanks the "Next Big Thing" at Kinkaid
The running back position is back in the recruiting spotlight after taking a back seat the past few seasons.
The Kinkaid School’s Wayne Shanks Jr. is front and center after earning a VYPE Offensive Player of the Year nomination, leading the Falcons to an SPC Championship as a sophomore.
Shanks played for Cypress Woods his freshman year, earning the District 16-6A Newcomer of the Year title in 2023.
So, what’s next for the junior-to-be?
“I’m working on my stock and showcasing my talent to colleges across the country,” he said. “I’m figuring out which schools are most interested in me and what a good fit would be.
“My strength is my versatility. I’m not going to say I’m better at one thing than another... I’m good at multiple things. If we need a fourth-and-two, I’m going to get the first down. You can put me at receiver, and I can make someone miss and go score. I can also fill a hole and make a linebacker miss for a big play.”
With his already impressive resume, it’s no surprise that Shanks has pulled offers from the SEC, ACC, and Big 12, to name a few.
“I’ll be visiting Kansas, Houston, TCU, SMU, and Baylor starting next week,” he said. “I’m excited to see the campuses and meet the coaches. I’m continuing to build my relationships with Texas, Texas A&M, and LSU.”
Oklahoma and Florida State have also recently offered.
For now, he’s locked in on the purple and gold—the Kinkaid Falcons.
“The education here is great,” he said. “If I’m struggling with something, my teachers are here to help. It’s just more attention. The people are very caring and take care of you here at Kinkaid.
“From a football perspective, no one works harder than us—in the classroom, the weight room, or on the football field. The coaches push us and hold us to the gold standard.”
The school has an impressive football lineage, with LSU’s Josh Williams and Dillon Bell (Georgia) and Micah Bell (Notre Dame, Vanderbilt, Georgia) recently walking the halls.
Shanks is just the “next big thing” to come out of the prestigious private school inside the loop in H-Town.
Do not sleep on the Katy Tigers
RANKINGS: Katy makes statement, Cy Woods overlooked no longer in VYPE Rankings
Cypress Woods has been overlooked all season.
Well, no longer. The Wildcats are 7-0 and blew out Cypress Springs last week. Next up are the No. 15 Cypress Ranch Mustangs for the district title. QB Darien Rogers and Bryant Thomas lead the offense, while the "no-name" defense is stingy and fly to the ball. Coach Cody Simper has it going, so keep it up.
Katy knocked out Katy Jordan with ease to remain THE TEAM in the Katy ISD. Somethings never change.
Willis stays undefeated by handing Conroe, who drops their first game. Nimitz drops out of the ranks after losing a pair of games as Clear Springs moves into the Class 6A Top 25.
In Class 5A, everyone moves on except Waltrip. The Rams are out and the LaPorte Bulldogs move in.
A pair of wild games headlined the private school ranks as Kinkaid snuck by Episcopal and Second Baptist School beat TWCA in overtime.
Here are the rankings.
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VYPE’s Class 6A Top 25
No. 1 North Shore Mustangs
No. 2 Atascocita Eagles
No. 3 Fulshear Chargers
No. 4 Willis Wildkats
No. 5 Summer Creek Bulldogs
No. 6 Cypress Woods Wildcats
No. 7 Hightower Hurricanes
No. 8 Ridge Point Panthers
No. 9 Bridgeland Bears
No. 10 Shadow Creek Sharks
No. 11 Katy Tigers
No. 12 The Woodlands Highlanders
No. 13 Klein Cain Hurricanes
No. 14 Tomball Cougars
No. 15 Cypress Ranch Mustangs
No. 16 Katy Jordan Warriors
No. 17 Cy-Fair Bobcats
No. 18 Deer Park Deer
No. 19 Pearland Oilers
No. 20 Dickinson Gators
No. 21 Clear Springs Chargers
No. 22 Paetow Panthers
No. 23 Conroe Tigers
No. 24 Westfield Mustangs
No. 25 Stratford Spartans
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VYPE’s Class 5A Rankings
No. 1 Randle Lions
No. 2 Galveston Ball Tors
No. 3 Angleton Wildcats
No. 4 Iowa Colony Pioneers
No. 5 Huntsville Hornets
No. 6 FB Marshall Buffs
No. 7 Montgomery Bears
No. 8 Crosby Cougars
No. 9 Texas City Stings
No. 10 LaPorte Bulldogs
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VYPE’s Top 5 Private Schools
No. 1 Kinkaid Falcons
No. 2 Concordia Lutheran Crusaders
No. 3 Second Baptist School Eagles
No. 4 Episcopal Knights
No. 5 The Woodlands Christian Academy Warriors