The United States Air Force Academy is in on a fifth East Texan within the 2017 recruiting class.

Dhailon Phillips heard from the Falcons program Thursday evening, and the conversation ended with the Lufkin receiver possessing his second Division I FBS college football scholarship opportunity. Phillips reported the news directly to ETSN.fm.

It was a busy day at Lufkin High School.

Aside from Phillips (6-3, 195) earning an offer, quarterback Kordell Rodgers committed to Texas State.

The quarterback and receiver highlight what is expected to be a solid Lufkin team this season. Particularly on offense.

Phillips caught 43 passes from Rodgers last season for 645 yards and six touchdowns in 11 games. Lufkin's year ended with a loss to Longview in the Class 5A Division I bi-district round of the playoffs.

Those numbers earlier enticed Texas State to offer Phillips as well as FCS competitors in Lamar, McNeese State and Stephen F. Austin.

Lufkin got bumped by the University Interscholastic League to Class 6A in February due to a growing student population. It will compete in District 12-6A alongside Beaumont West Brook, Conroe, Conroe Oak Ridge, Montgomery, The Woodlands and The Woodlands College Park.

Air Force reached the Mountain West Conference championship game last year following an 8-4 regular season. A loss in the conference title game sent the team to the Armed Services Bowl in Fort Worth, where it fell to California.

A successful Falcons season is measured in part by how it does against the other Division I armed forces schools. Air Force defeated Army and lost to Navy in 2015.

Head coach Troy Calhoun will be in Colorado Springs for a 10th consecutive year. He has a 67-50 overall record with the program.

From the region, Calhoun and company have a commitment from Hooks athlete Jordan Johnson and are actively recruiting Athens linebacker Noah Bush and Tatum linebacker D'Torian Smith.

Air Force wanted John Tyler quarterback Bryson Smith. The signal caller verbally committed to Houston instead.

Phillips, like all high school football prospects in their senior year, will become eligible to sign with any university that offers him in February, 2017.

2017 East Texas Football Players With Division I FBS Offers

  • Tristan Allen, Atlanta, LB, 6-3, 206 — offer from Louisiana Tech, UTEP (2)
  • Judah Bell, Tyler Bishop Gorman, WR, 6-3, 180 — offers from Bowling Green, Coastal Carolina, Houston, Kansas, Memphis, Navy, New Mexico, North Texas, SMU, ULL, ULM, UTSA, Wyoming (13)
  • Noah Bush, Athens, LB, 6-1, 216 — offers from Air Force, Army (2)
  • Lagaryonn Carson, Liberty-Eylau, DE, 6-4, 261 — committed to Texas; additional offers from Alabama, Arkansas, Baylor, North Texas, Oklahoma, TCU, Tennessee, Texas A&M (9)
  • Terrell Cooper, Lindale, DE, 6-3, 240 — offers from Arkansas State, Memphis (2)
  • Trestan Ebner, Henderson, WR, 5-11, 180 — committed to TCU; additional offers from Arizona State, Arkansas, Arkansas State, Colorado State, Houston, Kansas, Illinois, Indiana, Mississippi State, Missouri, North Texas, Ole Miss, SMU, Syracuse, UTSA, Texas A&M, Tulsa (18)
  • Montrell Estell, Hooks, WR/DB, 6-2, 180 — committed to Texas; additional offers from Alabama, Arizona State, Arkansas, Baylor, Kansas, Notre Dame, SMU, Texas A&M, Texas State, Texas Tech, Tulane (12)
  • Octavius Evans, Center, WR, 6-2, 186 — offers from Indiana, Louisiana Tech, Mississippi State, Oklahoma State, Texas Tech, Texas State, ULL (7)
  • Ted Fuller, Harleton, RB, 5-11, 195 — offers from ULM, Wyoming (2)
  • Tre Gatlin, Carthage, DE, 6-6, 210 —offer from Wyoming (1)
  • Austin Hawley, Gladewater, DB, 6-1, 200 — offer from ULM (1)
  • Kollin Hurt, Gilmer, DB, 6-3, 175 — committed to Louisiana Tech; additional offers from ULM, UTSA (3)
  • Jordan Johnson, Hooks, ATH, 6-0, 195 — committed to Air Force (1)
  • Kayce Medlock, Arp, ATH, 5-10, 186 — offers from Army, Colorado, Navy, SMU, Tulane, ULL, UTSA (7)
  • Damion Miller, John Tyler, WR, 6-1, 189 — committed to Texas; additional offers from Baylor, Houston, Kansas, Missouri, North Texas, Oklahoma State, Ole Miss, SMU, Texas A&M, Texas Tech (11)
  • LaMarcus Morton, Gilmer, WR, 6-2, 175 — committed to Oklahoma State; additional offers from Arkansas State, Colorado State, Houston, Indiana, Louisiana Tech, Memphis, New Mexico State, Texas Tech, Tulsa, ULL, ULM, UTSA (13)
  • Javontavius Mosley, John Tyler, CB, 6-1, 170 — committed to UTSA; additional offers from Arkansas State, Houston, Memphis, North Texas, SMU, Southern Miss, Texas State, ULL, ULM (10)
  • Cade Pearson, Texas High, QB, 6-3, 193 — committed to North Texas; additional offer from Wyoming (2)
  • Dhailon Phillips, Lufkin, WR, 6-3, 195 — offers from Air Force, Texas State (2)
  • Dez Robinson, Atlanta, LB, 6-3, 210 — offers from UTEP, Wyoming (2)  
  • Kordell Rodgers, Lufkin, QB/ATH, 5-10, 165 — committed to Texas State; additional offers from Arkansas State, ULM (3)
  • Makyle Sanders, Tyler Lee, S, 6-1, 177 — offers from Memphis, Navy (2)
  • Bryson Smith, John Tyler, QB/ATH, 6-0, 170 — committed to Houston; additional offers from Air Force, Arkansas State, Bowling Green, Memphis, New Mexico, North Texas, Purdue, SMU, Southern Miss, Texas State, Tulane, Tulsa, ULL, ULM, UTSA (16)
  • D’Torian Smith, Tatum, LB, 6-3, 225 — offers from Air Force, ULM, UTEP (3)
  • Major Tennison, Bullard, TE, 6-6, 248 — committed to Texas; additional offers from Alabama, Arkansas, Colorado, Florida, Georgia, LSU, Michigan, Nebraska, Oklahoma State, Oregon, SMU, Texas Tech (13)
  • Josh Thompson, Nacogdoches, CB, 6-0, 182 — committed to TCU; additional offers from Arkansas State, Colorado State, Fresno State, Houston, Indiana, Kansas, Kansas State, Louisiana Tech, Minnesota, Missouri, North Texas, Ohio, Oklahoma State, SMU, Texas State, Texas Tech, Tulane, ULM, Utah, UTSA, Washington State, Wyoming (23)
  • Lakendrick VanZandt, Henderson, S, 6-1, 196 — committed to TCU; additional offers from Arkansas State, Houston, Memphis, Oklahoma State, SMU, TCU, Tulane, Tulsa (8)
  • Traveion Webster, Longview, S, 6-0, 197 — offer from ULM (1)

 

 

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