Austin Area Combine Brings Out Top Prospects, Star Coaches

By Jeff Howe, Inside Texas Recruiting Analyst
Posted Apr 26, 2010
Copyright © 2010 InsideTexas.com

 

Aaron Williams and Blake Gideon (Jeff Howe/Inside Texas)

ROUND ROCK, Tex. -- It isn’t the most recognizable combine – at least not yet. Sunday’s Texas Showcase Combine at the Kelly Reeves Athletic Complex had it all – good competition, top notch coaching, and a little star power thanks to some current Texas Longhorns who showed up as coaches for the event.

The combine is, in part, the brainchild of Anthony Williams – a former college linebacker at San Francisco State and the father of Texas cornerback Aaron Williams. For Williams the combine is about offering kids a chance to showcase their skills on a big stage and using the knowledge and experience gained from the combine to further educate themselves on the recruiting process.

On hand to provide some extra guidance throughout the day were current Longhorn players Tray Allen, Blake Gideon, Garrett Gilbert, James Kirkendoll and Aaron Williams. The Texas players provided a lot of encouragement and gave tips to the combine participants throughout the day and before the end of the day had a question and answer session covering everything just about every aspect of the life of a student athlete at big-time university.

Anthony Williams said having the five current Longhorns on hand helped in a big way to give the kids a better look at the reality today’s student athlete faces.

“At the end of the day, those kids don’t want to hear from me or even the great coaches we have helping out,” Williams said. “(The Texas players) were in their shoes a few years ago and still playing and a lot of these kids look up to them and want to be where they’re at now.”

Gideon noted that an event like a combine can be stressful for a prospect and he went into the day wanting to put the participants at ease to allow them to perform at their best.

“All of us went through the same process and to these guys this is a game day,” Gideon said. “We remember the anxiety that comes with it and we just out here to calm guys down and say, ‘Hey, it’s possible to make it through.’

“I wish we would have had some older guys when I was going through it to calm me down, but if anything I hope we did that.”

Aaron Williams used a slightly different approach than his teammate as he could be seen chest bumping someone after a successful 40-yard dash or high-fiving a defensive back for making a great play in 7-on-7 drills. Williams also relished the opportunity to share his experiences as a prospect with the combine participants.

“I wish I had guys at that level to talk to me and give tips and show me technique and things like that,” Williams said. “We were once that kid wishing we could be a D-I player and we worked hard to get there. It’s great to give back to those who are where we used to be.”

Gideon and Williams, as well as Gilbert and Kirkendoll, are products of Central Texas high schools. While many people look to Dallas, Houston and East Texas for the state’s best talent, the I-35 corridor from Waco to San Antonio has seen a talent boom over the past decade and the Texas Showcase Combine is as good of a stage as any for Central Texas prospects to get their name out.

While the combine roster featured participants mainly from Austin and the surrounding areas, Williams said the combine is open to any athlete who just wants to platform to show what they can do.

“This is for kids all over the state,” Williams said. “We want kids from all over the state who want a chance to showcase their ability and character and put a little fire in their recruiting. We’re trying to help them out.”

Sunday’s combine did that and gave the athletes on hand a chance to compete against some top-notch competition. Texas commits Marcus Hutchins and Mykkele Thompson along with Texas Tech-bound linebacker Devon Hocutt and ESPNU 150 Watch List offensive lineman Spencer Drango headlined the 2011 prospects on hand.

DeSoto offensive lineman Curtis Riser, Lake Travis receiver Griffin Gilbert and fast-rising defensive backs Zach Espinosa of Cedar Park and Zach Kuhn on Round Rock McNeil were among the talented 2012 prospects participating at Sunday’s event.

With a solid talent roster and coaches like Leander’s Steve Gideon, Round Rock McNeil’s Lee Penland, Round Rock’s Lanny Wilson and Round Rock Westwood’s Anthony Wood giving instruction, the combine went off without a hitch and had a highly-competitive feel throughout the day.

“I’m glad with how it went today,” Williams said. “I want the parents to feel like they got their money’s worth and I want the kids to leave feeling like this a combine they want to go to every year. From that standpoint, I think we met our goal.”

Combine participants were tested in the 40-yard dash, short shuttle, powerball throw and vertical jump but Williams said the competition in the position drills is what he hopes will separate the Texas Showcase Combine from other events.

“No doubt the football,” Williams said. “What differentiates our combine is that if you aren’t a 4.3 40 guy or a fast shuttle guy – if you’re just a football player – you can showcase that out here and get some visibility. We’re going to do the one-on-ones and the 7-on-7s and you’ll get enough reps to be able to showcase what you can do.”

With the testing done, the competition wrapped up, the pep talks given and the camp awards handed out things came to a close on what was a solid all-around day in Williamson County. Williams again thanked his son and his Longhorn teammates for taking the time effort to help out.

“I’m proud of Aaron and my Longhorn sons because they didn’t have to be here today,” Williams said. “They could have been in the dorm studying or getting ready for the season, but they wanted to come out here and give back to the community.

“I’m really proud of the Texas players and what they gave,” Williams added. “They weren’t just out here to sign autographs – they were out there really coaching these guys and I applaud them for that.”

 

Texas Showcase Combine Awards

 

Leadership Awards (by position):

QB – Ben Johnson (2012, Round Rock Westwood)

RB – David Cobb (2011, Killeen Ellison)

TE – Jared Raiford (2011, Round Rock), Michael Starts (2012, Waco La Vega)

WR – Joshua Williams (2011, Round Rock McNeil), Grant Peterson (2011, Round Rock Westwood)

OL – Zach Crawford (2011, Round Rock Westwood), Spencer Drango (2011, Cedar Park)

LB – Devon Hocutt (2011, Killeen Ellison), Zach Vaughn (2013, Round Rock McNeil)

DB – Tristan Eche (2011, Waco High), Erick Kinney (2012, San Antonio MacArthur)

 

MVP Awards:

Attitude, Behavior and Character (ABC) Award: Griffin Gilbert, 2012 WR/TE, Lake Travis

Defensive MVP: Victor Irokansi, 2012 DE, Pflugerville Hendrickson

Offensive MVP: Mykkele Thompson, 2011 ATH, San Antonio Stevens

Offensive Line MVP: Curtis Riser, 2012, DeSoto

Overall MVP: Zed Woerner, 2012 QB, Marble Falls