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RECRUITING: Landen King ready to put the state on his chest, verbals to Texas
Apr 27, 2020
HOUSTON - Landen King doesn't point to one particular game or performance that was his breakthrough moment in recruiting circles.
It wasn't just his outlandish performance against Katy Tompkins, where he had 13 grabs for 169 yards and a score. It was his overall consistency - 45 catches for 612 yards and seven scores - game-in and game-out that raised his stock.
"I think it was more of just being consistent all year," King told VYPE in a text. "When it did come playoff time, I stepped up and did my job on the big stage."
The offers poured in for the 2021 tight end once the season was done.
According to 24/7 Sports, King has amassed 28 offers. On April 10, King cut the list down to his Top 10, including Texas, Alabama, Georgia, Texas A&M and Oregon.
On Sunday night, King cut that list down again - to just one. The Atascocita junior added to what is becoming an impressive Texas Longhorns' 2021 recruiting class.
"It felt like home," King said. "I kept comparing Texas to other schools. They needed me, wanted me and recruited me. I felt like a very top priority."
King, a three-star prospect, brings the Longhorns' 2021 recruiting class to seven, four of which come from Houston. Texas' class is currently ranked 14th in the country and first in the Big 12 Conference. King adds his name to the pot, which includes Katy Tompkins' Jalen Milroe, Katy Taylor's Hayden Conner and New Caney's Derrick Harris Jr.
King would fill a role the Longhorns need as they haven't signed a tight end out of high school for the 2020 recruiting class.
State on your chest...
Family on your back...
COMMITTED! #HookEm 🤘🏾 pic.twitter.com/senJC4jgj0
— Landen King ¹³ (@Landen_King3) April 27, 2020
Photo by Cypress-Fairbanks ISD
VYPE Recruit Spotlight: Cypress Park's Perkins sees stock skyrocket with offers from LSU, Oklahoma, Alabama
Apr 14, 2020
HOUSTON – Cypress Park football has its first big-time recruit.
The infant football program just completed it second varsity season in 2019 – going 3-7 overall – and on it was sophomore Harold Perkins.
Perkins pops up all over the stat sheet for the Tigers. He passed the ball a few times, he rushed it 31 times for 268 yards and two scores. He even caught four passes for 71 yards and a touchdown. And even returned some kicks for a total of 550 all-purpose yards in 2019.
But it's the defensive prowess of the sophomore outside linebacker that has caught the attention of college recruiters.
Last year he finished with 46 tackles, four sacks, one interception, seven pass deflections, a fumble recovery and a blocked punt.
As the spring recruiting season emerged the offers started to come. Baylor was the first on March 26. Then Tulsa on April 2. Then the floodgates opened.
Since April 6, Perkins has received offers from USC, Arkansas, Texas, University of Houston, Oklahoma, SMU, defending National Champion-LSU, Texas A&M and most recently Alabama.
"Honestly it was a big surprise," Perkins said about his recruitment taking off via text. "I just remember talking with my 7-on-7 coach after working out and he was telling me to prepare for a big weekend after Texas offered me. Sure enough the next day it was like a movie."
The day he's referring to was Friday, April 10.
Perkins' phone was lighting up. Five Division I offers rolled in in the matter of hours – including two from teams that were in the College Football Playoff last year.
Houston, Oklahoma, LSU, SMU and Texas A&M all offered on that Friday, the day after the Texas Longhorns offer.
"It was definitely crazy," Perkins said. "I was excited about all of them, honestly. It felt really good to get the LSU offer just because I'm from New Orleans. But getting Texas A&M, OU, Texas, Houston, SMU and LSU all within 24 hours had me excited period."
Perkins' family moved to Houston when Hurricane Katrina hit in the early 2005.
Most of Perkins' family has moved back to New Orleans since then, but his decided to stay in Houston, which didn't set well with him at first.
"I was so upset, I hated being in Houston until coach Larry from Houston Defender Basketball got me more active," Perkins said. "It really allowed me to settle in and find things to love in Houston. It also allowed me to meet two of my best friends Donovan Green (Dickinson TE) and Jaiden Robertson (Dekaney).
"I thank coach Larry because I might not have met them or linked up with my coaches and teammate on my 7-on-7 team the Houston Storm. I'm just really thankful. Most people see Katrina as a tragedy, but I found some light within the storm."
As the offers have rolled in, Perkins says every college has talked to him about playing mostly outside linebacker. Alabama offered him as an athlete.
When talking with each coach, Perkins has a list of questions he asks.
The list ranges from 15 to 20 questions, including ones about what the team GPA is and what the percentage of students graduating from the program is.
"It lets them know I'm big on grades and can the school help in the process of me becoming a man and can you prepare me for the next level, whether it's football or not," Perkins said.
The recruiting attention on Perkins doesn't only help him in his future but can benefit his teammates as college recruiters come around to see him, they also see them and other athletes across all sports.
"It means a lot to me that I could be the first one out of all the great athletes at our school right now," Perkins said. "I honestly wouldn't be at this point without any of my teammates or coaches at Cy Park. I hope it opens the door for a lot more people, girls and boys included."