Henderson’s Trestan Ebner + Lakendrick VanZandt Commit To TCU

Trestan Ebner and Lakendrick VanZandt help make up an important core group at Henderson High School, but they might garner the same reputations at TCU someday.

The two teammates nearly simultaneously announced through their personal Twitter accounts Wednesday that they verbally committed to the Horned Frogs program. They intend to be teammates for at least the next five seasons, including their senior years at Henderson, and possibly six if they both redshirt in Fort Worth.

Ebner (5-11, 180), primarily a receiver who was briefly committed to SMU in the winter months, chose TCU in favor of 17 other Division I FBS universities. The list included at least one school from each power five conference.

Among Big 12 Conference competitors, Ebner picked TCU in favor of Kansas.

VanZandt (6-1, 196), a running back and defensive back, enjoyed a meteoric rise Saturday. Six FBS schools, including TCU and Big 12 rival Oklahoma State, reached out to him on that date and SMU offered him Sunday.

Arkansas State offered VanZandt a few hours after the athlete committed to TCU.

VanZandt did not own any FBS offers prior to Saturday.

Combined, the two players led Henderson to a 7-3 record last season. Unfortunately, the team lost the wrong combination of games in District 9-4A Division I and missed the postseason.

Henderson's year ended on a high note, however, with a win against Kilgore.

Kilgore clinched a majority share of the district title a week before meeting Henderson.

TCU posted a 10-2 regular season record last year on the heels of tying for first place in the Big 12 in 2014 toward a third-place finish in the Associated Press poll. It posted a 7-2 league record in 2015 and finished the regular season tied for second in the conference standings alongside Oklahoma State.

The Horned Frogs ended the most recent campaign with a triple overtime win against Oregon in the Alamo Bowl and finished the season ranked seventh in the AP poll.

Gary Patterson will be in Fort Worth for a 16th year as head coach beginning in September. He owns a 147-43 record with the school.

Ebner and VanZandt will become eligible to sign with TCU or any other school that offers them in February.

2017 East Texas Football Players With Division I FBS Offers

• Tristan Allen, Atlanta, LB, 6-3, 206 — offer from UTEP (1)
• 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 — offer from Memphis (1)
• 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 — offers from Louisiana Tech, 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 — offers from Arkansas State, Colorado State, Houston, Indiana, Louisiana Tech, Memphis, New Mexico State, Oklahoma 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 — offers from North Texas, Wyoming (2)
• Dhailon Phillips, Lufkin, WR, 6-3, 195 — offer from Texas State (1)
• Kordell Rodgers, Lufkin, QB/ATH, 5-10, 165 — offers from Arkansas State, Texas 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 — offers from Arkansas State, Colorado State, Fresno State, Houston, Indiana, Kansas, Kansas State, Louisiana Tech, Minnesota, Missouri, North Texas, Ohio, Oklahoma State, SMU, TCU, 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)