ULM Offers John Tyler Standouts Bryson Smith + Javontavius Mosley

Bryson Smith might be one of the first guys off the tongue when discussing local players consistently pinged in the recruiting game, but the John Tyler quarterback quietly hit an empty period of 20 days.

Louisiana-Monroe ended the boring streak Monday, becoming the rising senior's 10th college football scholarship opportunity. John Tyler's football Twitter account, overseen by head coach Ricklan Holmes, first reported the news. 

John Tyler rising senior defensive back Javontavius Mosley also received an offer from the Warhawks program Monday. It's his seventh invitation from an FBS school and snapped a five-day newsless period.

ULM is currently transitioning between head coaches, the same situation Smith (5-11, 160) and Mosley's (6-1,170) find in shared offers from North Texas, Texas State and UTSA. The duo is also sought by Houston, SMU and Louisiana-Lafayette.

Smith's offer list branches out to include Bowling Green, New Mexico and Tulane.

Matt Viator joined the Warhawks program in December on the heels of guiding McNeese State to a 10-0 regular season record, a Southland Conference championship and an FCS playoffs appearance last season.

Viator posted an overall record of 78-33 in his 10 seasons at McNeese State — including a 54-18 mark in the Southland — and won the conference title a total of four times.

ULM, by contrast, has endured several rough years after a solid 2012 campaign. In that year, the team upset Arkansas and battled Auburn and Baylor tightly to open the year on the way to an Independence Bowl appearance under former head coach Todd Berry.

Berry was fired late last season after 6-6 and 4-8 followups to 2012 plus a 1-9 start to the 2015 season.

ULM joined the FBS ranks in 1994 as an independent and joined its current league, the Sunbelt Conference, in 2001. It is seeking a second bowl appearance in its 22nd season at the premiere level of college football.

Former Canton standouts Chandler Eiland and Sam Miller most recently signed with the Warhawks in 2015 as a quarterback and defensive end, respectively.

With Eiland and Miller in the fold, ULM’s 2016 non-conference schedule is headlined by road games to Auburn and Oklahoma. Future Warhawks can look forward to games at Auburn and at Texas A&M in upcoming seasons plus Sunbelt competition on a year-by-year basis.

Mosley and Smith alongside John Tyler receiver Damion Miller -- a Texas verbal commitment -- will be key pieces of the 2016 squad before departing to the collegiate game.

John Tyler lost 13 players to all levels of college football following the past season and a trip to the Class 5A Division I area round of the state playoffs. Many of those athletes also helped the 2014 team to the Class 5A Division I state semifinals.

More than that, John Tyler is transitioning away from Class 5A to Class 6A.

Smith threw for 2,416 yards and 20 touchdowns to six interceptions last year while simultaneously leading the team with 1,421 rushing yards and 21 scores. He started as a receiver his sophomore year.

Mosley recorded 60 tackles, two interceptions, broke up 12 passes and recovered a fumble in the team’s most recent season.

There might be more news coming out of John Tyler in the near future. Texas Tech visited the school Monday, a big development because neither Mosley or Smith have any opportunities from the power five conference schools.

Smith and Mosley, like all high school prospects currently in their junior year of high school, will become eligible to sign with any school that offers them in February.

2017 East Texas Football Players With Division I FBS Offers

• Judah Bell, Tyler Bishop Gorman, WR, 6-3, 180 — offers from Bowling Green, Coastal Carolina, Houston, Kansas, Navy, North Texas, SMU, ULL, UTSA (9)
• 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)
• Trestan Ebner, Henderson, WR, 5-11, 180 — offers from Arkansas, Kansas, Illinois, North Texas, SMU, Syracuse, Tulsa (7)
• Montrell Estell, Hooks, WR/DB, 6-2, 180 — offers from Alabama, Arizona State, Arkansas, Baylor, Kansas, Notre Dame, SMU, Texas, Texas A&M, Texas State, Texas Tech, Tulane (12)
• Octavius Evans, Center, WR, 6-2, 186 — offers from Louisiana Tech, Mississippi State, Oklahoma State, Texas Tech, Texas State, ULL (6)
• Jordan Johnson, Hooks, ATH, 6-0, 195 — committed to Air Force (1)
• Kayce Medlock, Arp, ATH, 5-9, 186 — offers from Army, Colorado, SMU, Tulane, ULL (5)
• Damion Miller, John Tyler, WR, 6-1, 189 — committed to Texas; additional offers from Houston, Kansas, North Texas, Oklahoma State; Ole Miss; SMU, Texas A&M, Texas Tech (9)
• LaMarcus Morton, Gilmer, WR, 6-2, 175 — offer from Arkansas State, Texas Tech, Tulsa, ULL, ULM (5)
• Javontavius Mosley, John Tyler, CB, 6-1, 170 — offers from Houston, North Texas, SMU, Texas State, ULL, ULM, UTSA (7)
• Dhailon Phillips, Lufkin, WR, 6-3, 195 — offer from Texas State (1)
• Kordell Rodgers, Lufkin, QB/ATH, 5-10, 165 — offer from Texas State (1)
• Bryson Smith, John Tyler, QB/ATH, 5-11, 160 — offers from Bowling Green, Houston, New Mexico, North Texas, SMU, Texas State, Tulane, ULL, ULM, UTSA (10)
• Major Tennison, Bullard, TE, 6-6, 248 — committed to Texas; additional offers from Alabama, Arkansas, Colorado, Florida, Georgia, Michigan, Nebraska, Oklahoma State, SMU, Texas Tech (11)
• Josh Thompson, Nacogdoches, CB, 6-0, 180 — offered by Louisiana Tech, Ohio, SMU, Tulane, UTSA (5)