Texas + Alabama Give Liberty-Eylau’s LaGaryonn Carson First Offers

If the initial offers to local prospects in the Class of 2017 are any indication, East Texas will continue to make a heavy-handed mark on the collegiate football ranks through the end of the decade.

Texas and Alabama offered rising junior Liberty-Eylau defensive end LaGaryonn Carson on Wednesday, the Leopards coaching staff confirmed to ETSN.fm.

Carson (6-5, 255) is the fourth current sophomore in the region to earn at least one college football scholarship opportunity. Texas Tech previously offered the other three prospects to give all members on the list a potential future at the power five conference level.

The Longhorns and Crimson Tide reached out to the defender on the heels of Carson's impressive sophomore campaign. He recorded 94 tackles, including five sacks, on the way to an appearance in the Class 4A Division I state quarterfinals.

Newly acquired Texas tight ends coach Jeff Traylor saw the Liberty-Eylau standout last season while serving as the head coach of Gilmer. The Buckeyes ran away with the season-opening game, but Carson was a disruption against the passing unit Traylor oversaw.

Alabama had the better 2014 season between the two early suitors with a 12-2 overall record. It won the SEC championship and reached the inaugural College Football Playoff semifinal round where it bowed out to ultimate national champion Ohio State.

The Crimson Tide program has three national championships under eighth-year head coach Nick Saban. ESPN's Mark Schlabach ranked Alabama No. 10 in his Way-Too-Early Top 25 for the 2015 season.

There's a lot of optimism at Texas, however, following Charlie Strong's first year with the program. The Longhorns finished the regular season 6-6 in their first transitional year away from the Mack Brown era and accepted an invitation to the Texas Bowl against Arkansas.

Liberty-Eylau appears poised for a solid 2015 season, especially on the defensive side of the ball.

Carson is the second player on the current Leopards' roster with college football interest. Rising senior linebacker Andre Wiley Jr. is committed to Arkansas State.

Liberty-Eylau fell a field goal shy of eliminating Argyle in the Class 4A Division I, Region II championship game. Argyle went on to the state championship game and lost in double overtime to Navasota.

Carson and Wiley will be in Tyler on Sunday to attend the 2015 ETSN.fm + APEC Football Recruiting Combine. The invitation-only event, presented by Azalea Orthopedics, has more than 100 confirmed participants from the East Texas area.

The Leopards will kick off the season season Aug. 27 against Gilmer.

2017 East Texas Football Players With Division I FBS Offers

• LaGaryonn Carson, DE, Liberty-Eylau, 6-5, 255 — offers from Alabama, Texas (2)
• Octavius Evans, WR, Center, 6-2, 180 — offers from Louisiana Tech, Texas Tech (2)
• Damion Miller, WR, John Tyler, 6-2, 185 — offers from Kansas, Texas Tech (2)
• Major Tennison, TE, Bullard, 6-4, 220 — offer from Texas Tech (1)