North Texas has been the team to beat in East Texas up to this point in college football's recruiting battle for 2015 prospects.

The program will try to gain at least a fifth commitment from a local player. Tatum linebacker and safety hybrid Kyshaun Smith announced via his Twitter account the Mean Green offered him a scholarship Sunday.

Smith (6-1, 185) joins Lufkin offensive lineman Erik McCoy as players on the North Texas recruiting board that are currently uncommitted.

It's offer No. 4 for Smith. His other scholarship opportunities are from Houston, Texas State and Memphis.

North Texas is 2-6 overall and 0-4 in Conference USA, but it has built an impressive recruiting class of 14 verbal commitments from within the state. John Tyler receiver Rodney Bendy, Whitehouse cornerback Nate Brooks, Canton defensive end Sam Miller and Marshall offensive tackle Chett Munden are all part of the class.

The Mean Green's offer broke a long period of inactivity in Smith's college options. His third offer arrived on May 14.

Smith, the son of former Oklahoma and Oakland Raiders linebacker Travian Smith, is a quick and physically imposing defender. He performs well in outside containment, has a history of beating offensive linemen through their gaps for fast tackles and plays very disciplined in his special teams roles.

Tatum's defensive standout has recorded 82 tackles through eight games, including two tackles for loss.

The Eagles are 4-4 overall and 2-1 in District 6-4A Division II. The squad is in a tie for second place with Atlanta in District 6-4A Division II and already played league leading Gladewater.

Smith's team will visit Atlanta on Friday at 7:30 p.m. and then closes the regular season with a Pleasant Grove squad that is currently pushing for a playoff spot.

Smith can sign with any of the four schools that have offered him on Feb. 4, 2015. In the meantime, with college prospects across the country settling on their future homes, other programs could turn to Smith with freshly available scholarships.

2015 East Texas Football Players With Division I FBS Offers

  • Jarion Anderson, WR, Texas High, 5-11, 165 – committed to Tulsa (1)
  • Rodney Bendy, WR, John Tyler, 6-4, 180 – committed to North Texas; additional offer from ULM (2)
  • William Brown, DL, Texas High, 6-3, 259 – offers from Arkansas State, Texas State (2)
  • Kris Boyd, ATH, Gilmer, 6-0, 180 — offers from Alabama, Arkansas, Baylor, Cal, Florida State, LSU, Mississippi State, Missouri, Oklahoma, Oklahoma State, TCU, Texas, Texas A&M, Texas Tech (14)
  • Nate Brooks, DB, Whitehouse, 6-0, 150 — committed to North Texas; additional offer from Louisiana Tech (2)
  • Nick Cain, ATH, John Tyler, 5-10, 165 — offer from ULM (1)
  • Key’Vantanie “KeKe” Coutee, ATH, Lufkin, 5-10, 160 — offers from Louisville, Oklahoma, Texas, Texas Tech, Tulsa (5)
  • Justin Dunning, S, Whitehouse, 6-4, 200 — committed to Texas A&M; additional offers from Arizona State, Baylor, Florida State, LSU, Notre Dame, Oklahoma, Oklahoma State, Texas, Texas Tech, Vanderbilt (11)
  • Brandon Durman, LB, Tyler Lee, 6-2, 230 – committed to Louisiana Tech (1)
  • Chandler Eiland, QB, Canton, 6-0, 178 – committed to ULM (1)
  • Roney Elam, CB/S, Newton, 6-3, 175 — committed to Texas A&M; additional offers from Alabama, Arkansas, Baylor, LSU, Mississippi State, Nebraska, Oklahoma, Texas, Texas Tech (10)
  • Jeff Gladney, ATH, New Boston, 6-0, 174 – committed to TCU; additional offers from North Texas, Northern Illinois, Rice, Texas State, Tulsa, UTSA (7)
  • JaMycal Hasty, RB, Longview, 5-9, 181 — committed to Baylor; additional offers from Houston, Mississippi State, Oklahoma State, Oregon, TCU, Texas, Texas A&M, Texas Tech (9)
  • Tyrone Hunt, DE, Arp, 6-4, 230 – committed to UTSA (1)
  • Marcalas Johnson, Arp, 5-10, 181 – offer from Colorado State (1)
  • Kevrin Justice, RB, Kilgore, 6-0, 177 — committed to Houston (1)
  • Jaylon Lane, CB, Nacogdoches, 6-2, 185 — committed to Oklahoma State; additional offers from Arizona State, Arkansas, Arkansas State, Boise State, Florida, Florida State, Georgia, Georgia State, Houston, Kentucky, Louisiana Tech, Louisville, LSU, Miami, Michigan, Michigan State, Mississippi State, Missouri, Northern Illinois, Notre Dame, Ohio State, Oklahoma, Ole Miss, Penn State, Purdue, South Alabama, Syracuse, TCU, Tennessee, Texas A&M, Texas State, Texas Tech, UCLA, ULL, Utah State, Wake Forest, Washington State (38)
  • Blake Lynch, ATH, Gilmer, 6-3, 193 — committed to Baylor; additional offers from Clemson, Mississippi State, Nebraska, Oklahoma State, TCU (6)
  • Daylon Mack, DT, Gladewater, 6-1, 330 – committed to Texas A&M; additional offers from Alabama, Arkansas, Auburn, Baylor, Clemson, Florida, Florida State, LSU, Miami, Notre Dame, Ohio State, Oklahoma, Ole Miss, Oregon, SMU, Stanford, TCU, Texas, Texas Tech, USC (21)
  • Terry Mark, WR, Lufkin, 6-1, 180 — committed to Houston (1)
  • Erik McCoy, OL, Lufkin, 6-4, 297 — offers from Arkansas State, Houston, Kansas, New Mexico State, North Texas, Oklahoma State, ULL (7)
  • Samuel Miller, DE, Canton, 6-3, 220 – committed to North Texas; additional offers from Arkansas State, Houston, Kansas State, Memphis, Nevada, Oregon State, Texas State, ULM, UTEP, UTSA (11)
  • Chett Munden, OL, Marshall, 6-6, 303 — committed to North Texas; additional offer from ULM (2)
  • Larry Pryor, S, Sulphur Springs, 6-1, 185 — committed to Texas A&M; additional offers from Arkansas, Baylor, LSU, Notre Dame, Oklahoma, Oklahoma State, TCU, Texas, Texas Tech (10)
  • Kyshaun Smith, S/LB, Tatum, 6-2, 178 — offers from Houston, Memphis, North Texas, Texas State (4)
  • Chris Spikes, WR, Jasper, 6-3, 175 — offer from Houston (1)
  • Javon Thomas, RB, Texas High, 6-3, 211 – committed to Tulsa; additional offers from Navy, New Mexico, Rice, Toledo, ULM (6)
  • Jackson Tyner, QB, Edgewood, 6-5, 220 – committed to Rice (1)
  • Isaac Warren, DB, John Tyler, 6-1, 189 — committed to Purdue; additional offers from Arizona State, UTEP (3)
  • Broderick Washington, OL/DL, Longview, 6-3, 285 — committed to Texas Tech; additional offers from Arkansas State, Houston, Louisiana Tech, New Mexico, North Texas, ULL, UTSA (8)
  • Matthew Weeks, OT, Tyler Lee, 6-6, 274 — offer from SMU (1)

 

More From East Texas Sports Network