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BREAKING: North Shore '25 5-star Sanchez commits to Ohio State
Class of 2025 North Shore 5-Star DB Devin Sanchez has made his decision, committing to the Ohio State over Alabama and Texas A&M.
The No. 1 CB in 2025 and No. 5 player in the country made his commitment at the All-American Bowl Saturday.
VYPE’s Jackson DiPasquale talked with the new Buckeyes pledge prior to his announcement about the commitment and more!
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The star DB is trading in the heat of Texas for the cold of Ohio, so what made Columbus feel like home?
“I honestly fell in love with Columbus, its a place where outside of football there is a lot to do and it felt like the place for me,” he said.
The Buckeyes staff made Sanchez a priority and that relationship helped earn the Buckeyes Sanchez’s pledge.
“The relationship that I built with the coaches really impacted me," he said. "Since day one, it was a strong relationship and they made it feel like home. I’m the top player committed in the Class of 2025 and they want me to be the leader in the class and help get others to join us.”
On the recruiting trail, Sanchez is already trying to help build the Buckeyes class talking to 2025 4-Star DB Dorian Brew from Conroe, 4-Star OL Carter Lowe from Ohio and 4-Star S Trey McNutt from Ohio to name a few.
The tradition of NFL production that the Buckeyes have produced also was a main point of emphasis for the 5-Star DB.
“Seeing what Coach Walton has done there and what he did with Davison Igbinosun and Denzel Burke, who could be a first- rounder, it made me wonder what he could do with me in three years. I want to be apart of that.”
The North Shore defensive back is now off the board, committing to Ohio State ahead of his senior year and plans to stay locked in and focused for his last year of high school ball this offseason.
“I’m just going to be working on my craft preparing for my senior year and the next level because I’ll be an early grad” he said. “I’m locked in with Ohio State and plan on going on multiple trips to Columbus this offseason.”
The Buckeyes have come in and taken one of the top recruits in the state of Texas but don't expect Sanchez to be the last.
PUNCHING THEIR TICKET: Westlake prepares for highly anticipated State Semis rematch
To the surprise of no one, the state superpower Westlake is back in the Final Four of the Class 6A-Division I championship bracket.
And it is no surprise that they face North Shore... again. This will be a rematch of last year’s State Semifinal match, in which the Chaps fell to the now Willie Gaston-led Mustangs by a score of 49-34.
However, the game-plan doesn’t change for Salazar and company.
“I’ve reflected on the game from last year, watching the game film, and it was the big plays that killed us. We played well, but when they had a big play it went for a touchdown, and you can’t do that against a good team like them."
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Per the usual, after entering the district portion of their schedule, the Chaparrals have gone on a rampage in the Texas high school football scene.
It all begins with their stingy defense, which has allowed a mere 9.7 points per game entering the State Semis, and features the likes of Judson Crockett (Sr. DB), Elliot Schaper (Jr. LB), Denim Collins (Sr. DB), Caden Boenig (Sr. DL) and Cullen Devine (Jr. DL).
“I think we’ve been very complementary of each other all year long,” said coach Tony Salazar. “Our defense tends to start up fast, which makes it that much easier on our offense because of the short fields and quick touchdowns, and from there we keep it rolling.”
Speaking of offense, the emergence of sophomore QB Rees Wise has been one of the more exciting developments this Fall.
Since stepping on the field in Week No. 4, Wise has thrown for nearly 2,000 yards through the air, with over 400 yards on the ground, and 30 total touchdowns on the year.
“We needed a little spark in the first game against Lake Travis, and we put him (Wise) in there and he provided it,” said Salazar. “From there, our football team has gained confidence in the young quarterback, and obviously he has delivered.”
Of course, he hasn’t done it all by himself on the offensive side of the ball.
It can’t hurt to have the second all-time leading rusher for the Chaparrals, senior RB Jack Kayser (1119 yds/19 TDs in 2023), with you in the backfield.
“It’s no secret that our offense runs through Kayser,” Salazar said. “He’s small in stature but he’s big on game. He’s just a workhorse who shows up every week ready to work, and he’s the energizer bunny who we look to for the big plays.”
With a holistic approach to this State Semi, the Chaps know the assignment.
"We have to protect the football, capitalize in the red-zone, control the line of scrimmage and tackle effectively on defense," Salazar said. "If we can also eliminate the types of plays that lead to points, then I like the chances of the Chaparrals being around next week.”