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Vincent Paige celebrates a big tackle against All Saints Episcopal School during the TAPPS Division I semi-final game at Globe Life Park (12/05/2020)
Vincent Paige: North Texas' first 2022 commit
After announcing his top 4 as the University of Houston, the University of Kansas, Louisiana Tech, and the University of Connecticut on January 19, Nolan Catholic defensive end Vincent Paige took to twitter with a commitment some might not have seen coming:
Hometown Hero✅
🎥 @_johnebaggs pic.twitter.com/OEzdlmLEK4
— Vincent Paige (@VincentPaige3) January 24, 2021
Paige, who has played part of his high school career at Denton Guyer, chose Louisiana Tech's Conference USA rival North Texas. "North Texas is close to home," Paige explained. "I felt like it would be the best choice for me."
As a three-star recruit, Paige has made his presence in the Dallas-Fort Worth area known for both Nolan Catholic high school and Denton Guyer. In 2019, Paige helped lead Guyer to the Class 6A Division II state title game. In 2020, Paige helped lead Nolan Catholic to the TAPPS Division I state title game. During his first season with the Vikings, the 6'3" 235 pound junior recorded 72 total tackles, 44 solo tackles, and 5 sacks averaging 8 tackles per game. Paige also recovered three fumbles.
Paige is ranked as the No. 31 top weak side defensive ends in the 2022 recruiting class according to 247Sports. His commitment to the Mean Green program marks the first 2022 commit that North Texas has reeled in. Although he still has plenty of time ahead of his senior season, Paige wanted to commit early. "With the pandemic and colleges not knowing what their scholarship numbers are, I felt like I needed to make a decision," Paige said in an interview. "I felt like I could come in early and make an impact… It meant a lot to me to be the first player they took out of the class of 2022."
The second-team all-district selectee was recruited to play as a standup defensive end under North Texas' new defensive coordinator Phil Bennett. "I feel great about what North Texas has going on. The program is on the rise and I want to be a part of that," said Paige.
Go Mean Green💚🦅 pic.twitter.com/wHf3g3ntMg
— Vincent Paige (@VincentPaige3) January 25, 2021
Paige is choosing to commit to North Texas over nine other schools that have offered him a scholarship to include Baylor, Cincinnati, Louisiana Tech, UCONN, and more.
I-35 Area TXHSFB Alums Hear Name At NFL Draft In Sports' Short Return
Interstate 35 is one of the most important roads in the United States because it connects six American states (Minnesota, Iowa, Missouri, Kansas, Oklahoma and Texas) and gives the country another entrance into North American neighbor Mexico. Significant metropolitan areas have also developed along it, so there's enough talent and competition to prepareathletes for the highest levels of sport. That was evident in the 2020 NFL Draft because15 of Texas' 33 high school alums-turned draft picks came from the Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex or the Austin and San Antonio areas of the state.
COVID-19 has cancelled and postponed many events, but the NFL found a safe way to host its annual draft on Thursday, Friday and Saturday. The highly anticipated three-day event featured a new virtual format that allowed it to go on as scheduled. It also provided sports fans with an important sense of hope and gave them the opportunity to cheer for their favorite teams and college players.
For Texas, there was a lot of celebration for the draft picks that previously competed near the highway. The first large in-state area you come across when you travel north to south on it is the Metroplex, which produced a dozen draft picks from its boatload of high school alums.DeSoto recorded two draft pick graduates over the weekend in Laviska Shenault (2nd Round, Pick 42 forJacksonville Jaguars) and James Proche (6th Round, Pick 201 forBaltimore Ravens), while South Grand Prairie'sJeffrey Okudah (Pick 3) and Waxahachie's Jalen Reagor (Pick 21) were first round selections for the Detroit Lions and Philadelphia Eagles.
On the second day, the Baltimore Ravens drafted a pair of North Texas athletes in the third round.McKinney North's Justin Madubuike heard his name called with the 71st pick andSachse's Devin Duvernay was later announced at pick 92.
The third day began with the fourth round of the draft, which saw Cleburne's Reggie Robinson II go 123rd to the Dallas Cowboys. Then, Cedar Hill's Trevis Gipson (Pick 155 for Chicago Bears) and Arlington Martin's Jason Huntley (Pick 172 for Detroit Lions) followed in the fifth round, the Cincinnati Bengals grabbedGarland's Hakeem Adeniji with the 180th pick in the sixth round, and Wylie East's Eno Benjamin (Pick 222 for Arizona Cardinals)and Mansfield Summit's Vernon Scott (Pick 236 for Green Bay Packers) were included in the seventh round.
The next notable area along I-35 is Central Texas. Before you arrive in Austin, you'll reach two important stops on future Minnesota VikingJames Lynch's journey to the 130th pick in the fourth round of this year's NFL Draft. They include the towns of Waco and Round Rock, where he played for Baylor University and Round Rock High School. The region was also put on the map when the Baltimore Ravens made La Grange's J. K. Dobbins a second round draft pick at 55th overall.
Then, the road extends to the South Texas cities of San Antonio and Laredo before reaching the United States/Mexico international border. The Alamo City area producedConverse Judson's Alton Robinson, who was picked up by the Seattle Seahawkswith the 148th pick in the fifth round.
For more sports coverage, follow Thomas (@Texan8thGen) and VYPE (@VYPEDFW/@VYPEATX/@VYPESATX) on Twitter.
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