The Pit Stop: Notes on Neto Umeozulu, 5-star David Hicks, Jr., and more

Neto Umeozulu has been a difficult prospect to read for much of the cycle. The four-star Rivals250 offensive lineman holds offers from all over the nation, but he does not speak to the media very much. Therefore, there are mixed opinions on where he will end up signing.

Sources inside the Allen program believe that USC is the team to beat. Umeozulu officially visited the Trojans in June – his only OV to date. USC also offered his younger brother, 2024 defensive end prospect Zina Umeozulu. That said, another source believes that he will end up staying in state when it is all said and done.

Texas hosted Umeozulu on an unofficial visit at the end of July. It was huge for the Longhorns to get him on campus, along with his two brothers and his father. The Allen standout said that he talks with UT commits Cole Hutson and Connor Robertson regularly and that he has a good relationship with offensive line coach Kyle Flood.

However, the Longhorns have some work to do. Umeozulu plans to officially visit Ohio State in September when the Buckeyes play Oregon. He hasn’t yet decided on where he will use the other three visits, but he hopes to cut his list down and make a decision sooner rather than later. The talented lineman noted that he will be paying attention to how well the Longhorns perform, especially offensively, this fall.

Earning one of the three remaining official visits would be huge for Texas and could go a long way in his recruitment.

David Hicks, Jr. was recently named a 5-star prospect and the No. 3 overall player in the 2023 recruiting class by Rivals. Hicks transferred from Morton Ranch to Allen earlier this year and has already made a strong impression on Chad Morris and the Eagles staff. The talented defender has taken visits to Alabama, LSU, Ohio State, Texas, and Texas A&M this summer.

It appears that A&M, LSU, and Ohio State are the three programs that are in the lead for Hicks, though he has not officially named any leaders. The talented pass rusher pointed to his relationship with the coaches at the three when discussing his summer visits. Hicks did say that he knows that the Aggies and the Buckeyes would get official visits if he had to pick five today.

The Longhorns will continue to try to chip away, but things don’t look favorable for the Longhorns right now. Long way to go, though.

To no surprise, the Allen Eagles are loaded with young talent. That includes quarterback Michael Hawkins, Jr., defensive end Zina Umeozulu, and running back Kayvion Sibley. All three have P5 offers, and all three have opportunities to play important roles for the Eagles during the first season of the Chad Morris era as sophomores.

Hawkins, Jr. is the son of former NFL defensive back Michael Hawkins, Sr. and was offered by NC State earlier this summer. The young signal-caller impressed during Saturday's intrasquad scrimmage and showed why so many are excited about his potential. Expect more programs to offer the standout passer by the end of the upcoming season.

Umeozulu, as mentioned above, holds a USC offer in addition to Baylor and Oklahoma State. He looks the part and should be among the best players in his class. His frame, athletic ability, and explosiveness make him difficult to block and stay in front of.

Sibley is a speedy back that ran a 4.4 at a SMU camp, resulting in Minnesota offering. One source said that they believe that Sibley “is the next big one” in the program. The Allen backfield has some veteran talent, but it sounds like Sibley will find some kind of role in the offense this fall.

Not to be outdone by Allen, McKinney has a loaded sophomore class that features multiple FBS prospects. Wide receiver Xavier Filsaime and running back Bryan Jackson both hold multiple P5 offers ahead of their sophomore seasons.

Filsaime is a 6-foot, 170-pound athlete that plays both ways for the Lions. Kansas, UCF, and Utah have offered, while McKinney head coach Marcus Shavers said that TCU is looking at him as a defensive back. He appears to be in store for a breakout 2021 campaign after playing some varsity snaps as a freshman last fall.

Jackson is a player that already looks the part. He is one of the first guys that you notice when looking at the Lions team. He has a frame that could allow him to potentially grow into a linebacker, but he is playing running back for McKinney right now.

Baylor, Pittsburgh, and Utah have offered, and the Longhorns are another program that has expressed interest.

Two more McKinney Lions to keep an eye on include wide receiver Messiah Washington and linebacker Makhi Frazier. Washington is a transfer from Allen that the Lions staff is excited about. He should provide the Lions with another young weapon to go along with Filsaime.

Frazier is a prospect that, like Jackson, already has impressive size to go along with speed. The talented defender noted that Texas is his dream school and that he met linebackers coach Jeff Choate while at a prospect camp in Austin this summer. The two round out an impressive crop of sophomore talent at McKinney.