Ricky Seals-Jones to Announce Commitment on Wednesday

by Wescott Eberts (GoBR) on Feb 22, 2012 12:10 PM CST in Texas Longhorns Recruiting

2013 Texas commit Jake Raulerson had a message for Ricky Seals-Jones on Wednesday before his announcement (via @JakeRaulerson55).

[Update]: Despite some noise from RS-J on Tuesday night that he might not be ready to make his decision, it appears the announcement will go down at Sealy High School around 1:30 pm CST. All signs point to the Longhorns being the choice. Not sure if any sites are going to livestream the announcement. Use this as your open thread. --Wescott--

With the final minutes of Sunday ticking away, it appears that the Longhorns will break the streak of four consecutive days with a commitment in the 2013 class, but if there is a dry spell in the coming days, it may not last long. Family members of Ricky Seals-Jones, the Sealy wide receiver/tight end, notified the services on Sunday that the 6-5, 220-pound high school football and basketball star will make his college decision public in a ceremony at his high school just after 1 pm CST on Wednesday.

Given the Friday pledge of his friend Tyrone Swoopes, the highly-regarded Whitewright quarterback, and abundant message board rumors that RSJ had in fact notified the Longhorn coaching staff on Saturday evening of his commitment to Texas, the 'Horns appear to be in the pole position in his recruitment, with the LSU Tigers the only serious threat.

Basically, there's no new movement on this one -- if RSJ doesn't end up throwing his horns up with a Texas hat on his head on Wednesday afternoon, it would be an incredibly shocking upset, especially since the word is that his family would prefer him to stay in state and don the burnt orange in college.

0 recs | 79 comments

Comments

Would be great

Would be a heck of a start to the recruiting class to pull him in. 6 players, all top 150 guys…

If you include RSJ, that would be 5 guys in the top 70. Great start… and Hicks is no slouch either.

TxHorns989 - February 19, 2012 reply

Let's hope he doesn't pull a 'Shiro Davis

We steal one from LSU, they steal one from us? Fingers crossed that doesn’t happen.

BONation11 - February 19, 2012 reply

I'm a little foggy on RSJ

I’ve seen a lot of acclaim for him as a potential receiver or TE, but he was exclusively a QB (rushing) this past year, correct? I’m sure his sophomore year is why a lot of people are excited, but was he so good that year that he’s truly a top prospect at the position after not having played it?

burntorangehorn - February 19, 2012 reply

RSJ also played some WR and S last year.

It’s hardly uncommon for players to be considered a top prospect at a position they’ve rarely played, especially since so many schools put their best athlete at QB.

Wescott Eberts (GoBR) - February 19, 2012 reply

Quandre Diggs for example...

played QB in high school, and look at him now…

TowerPower - February 19, 2012 reply

This is worth the 12 minutes of awful music

RSJ Junior Year Highlight Film

Yeah. He’s a take. I see him as a TE but his instincts as a safety are quite impressive. You don’t find many 6’5 220 lbs 16 year old kids with that type of athleticism. Ever.

kriess - February 20, 2012 reply

Not sure.

The music is really truly awful.

Tackchevy - February 20, 2012 via mobile reply

Well played

Hilarious!

STLaw - February 22, 2012 reply

haha

ludashoeless - February 22, 2012 reply

It's not hard to see where he'd go on defense

Most guys that size or bigger aren’t going to work out at safety due to agility issues. He’s definitely agile, but even an elite talent is going to have agility and COD more suitable for linebacker than safety. There were some nice blitzes and moments when he diagnosed and made the play at or behind the LOS, so outside linebacker seems like it’d be a nice place. The pure frame looks kind of like an end, but obviously he’d be starting from scratch there.

TE does seem like the most likely destination. I’m not questioning whether he’s a take, but I was surprised to see him called a top WR prospect based on what appeared to be athleticism instead of positional skills. There’s the philosophy of just loading up on athleticism and letting the positions work themselves out, and I guess that can be okay, but so often that results in endless limbo for the athlete, with just occasional results like Melton.

burntorangehorn - February 20, 2012 reply

Seals-Jones

won’t have a problem finding the field at UT, wherever it ends up…. you can’t get is athleticism and size combination very often, there’s only a couple each class…

TxHorns989 - February 20, 2012 reply

Can he punt?

kriess - February 20, 2012 reply

Again, it's easy to say amazing athleticism is going to ensure a guy gets on the field

But there’s plenty of evidence that it’s not necessarily going to do that. It takes a lot more than athleticism or even a size/athleticism combination. It’s not size that has kept Hales off the field.

burntorangehorn - February 20, 2012 reply

True

But this guy could contribute offensively or even defensively if we needed to. I just watch his film and see few recruits that show more potential than him… to your point, I just said “potential” haha

TxHorns989 - February 20, 2012 reply

Were I a superstitious man, I might either cross my fingers or pray

burntorangehorn - February 21, 2012 reply

Hales?

hard to compare 5’11" and 6"5" and athletically gifted

codaxx - February 21, 2012 reply

He wants to play WR...

so we are going to let him…

TowerPower - February 20, 2012 reply

He Is Being Recrutied as a BLR

He is a baller – just get him in Burnt Orange and see which dominating type of player he develops into. Hell – he could end up at DE for all we know.

realmccoy - February 22, 2012 reply

There is something about this class

Maybe we’ve reached an age when, thanks to the Internet, kids are connected like never before. But I get a sense that these commits have worked it out amongst each other ahead of time.

This class, like the two that preceded it, have me very excited about the future of the program. They’re showing up on campus knowing each other, in many cases having played together, and with the intention of playing early at UT. I love it. Welcome Class of 2017.

windycityhorn - February 20, 2012 reply

I agree

At the very least they are coordinating it so 2 players don’t commit on the same day.

Horncasting - February 20, 2012 reply

It would seem each recruit wants the other to have his day in the sun

kcmorse - February 20, 2012 reply

Yeah but how cool was it when Jeffcoat & Hicks committed on the same day?!

I like it when they come in bunches too.

robthecob - February 22, 2012 reply

This guy...

looks like a freak of receiver…i don’t care if he plays WR or TE, he’s 6’5…with that height and hops, he will be a read zone dream for harsinwhite

ACnDaHorns - February 20, 2012 reply

Yep

With him, Jones, and Oliver, we’ve got some incredible red zone targets for thee future.

TxHorns989 - February 20, 2012 reply

Bigger meaner Justin Blackmon... Is it possible?

Crimson Fog - February 22, 2012 reply

RE: Raulerson's sign

The apostrophe does not go behind the “em” (em’) but .goes in front of the “em” (’em, short for them).

/pet peeve

bfaut86 - February 22, 2012 reply

You Tell Him for me

realmccoy - February 22, 2012 reply

I think most scouting reports said he needed help with his punctuation but

he showed good effort with font and color selection for a junior.

WreckerTex - February 22, 2012 reply

I'll go ahead and pay your funeral costs now

STLaw - February 22, 2012 reply

We don't need him to spell

just hit…hard.

Dawnpatrol - February 22, 2012 reply

He is not a UT grad yet.

Ohio Horn - February 22, 2012 reply

What kind of surgery did Jake just have?

Anyone know?

Darth Bevo - February 22, 2012 reply

from GoBR

Jake Raulerson, Celina OL/DL — The leader of the 2013 class won’t be able to make the Junior Day because he’s having surgery to repair a deviated septum that could help increase his stamina next season and take his mauling to the next level as a senior. Scary.

@JakeRaulerson55 Bennie call me I am ready

TowerPower - February 22, 2012 reply

to correct a deviated septum

plus, if he truly couldn’t breath at all through his nose, I assume they are doing a turbinectomy as well

UTLawGrad - February 22, 2012 reply

Thanks TP and UTLG

It’s an initial kinda day….
Hook’em RSJ!

Darth Bevo - February 22, 2012 reply

I'm going out on a limb on this prediction

I’m calling it now. We lose RS-J to Tulane.

No wait, that’s Aggie. Nevermind.

GoHorns - February 22, 2012 reply

TE? I'm not so sure, but would be awesome!

I think TE is always a stretch for a young talented QB/Safety/WR prospect. Does he want to block? Does he want to watch other guys get deep balls and run all over the field while he opens holes?

Dawnpatrol - February 22, 2012 reply

He's a violent player on defense

and he took out a couple defenders with their heads turned on his junior highlight film. So I wouldn’t worry about willingness too much, more about picking up the technique.

Wescott Eberts (GoBR) - February 22, 2012 reply

I say play him eveywhere!

Dawnpatrol - February 22, 2012 reply

you dont have to play te that way..

just get him on the field. split him out, put him in line…just put him on the field. he’s a beast that’s not afraid of getting into it with anyone out there.

mattw - February 22, 2012 reply

Let's break the 3 letter curse...

~~ASJ~~ ~~DBG~~ ~~MEJ~~

TowerPower - February 22, 2012 reply

Sounds like RSJ is in fact down to Texas and LSU.

He’ll speak with the press after making a phone call to the coaches. Doesn’t sound like there will be any hat games or anything. Pretty low key. Decision should be minutes away.

Wescott Eberts (GoBR) - February 22, 2012 reply