For the third time in as many days this week, an East Texas recruit has made their college decision.

Whitehouse 2018 defensive end Trevor Lawrence announced his commitment to Texas State via Twitter on Wednesday afternoon.

Lawrence (6-4, 245) followed in the footsteps of Pleasant Grove LB Xavier Benson and Center WR JaTerious Evans, who committed to Texas Tech and Stephen F. Austin, respectively, earlier this week.

There are now 18 area recruits in the 2018 class who have announced commitments. Texas State holds three of them. In addition to Lawrence, the Bobcats have also secured pledges from Tatum OL Drake Centers and Liberty-Eylau OL Kylar Cooks.

Lawrence chose Texas State over his other Division I FBS offer, Louisiana-Monroe.

Last season, Lawrence was part of a stingy Whitehouse defense, which averaged about 22 points against per game. The team gave Whitehouse its first playoff appearance since newly drafted Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes II was its signal-caller in 2013.

The end made 46 tackles as a junior — including 10 tackles for loss and 2.5 sacks — in eight personal games played as Whitehouse worked its way to a final record of 6-5.

Lawrence was one of 11 defensive linemen to compete at the fifth annual ETSN Combine at APEC in Tyler in May. Personal highlights included a laser-timed 5.19-second 40-yard dash and seven bench press reps of 225 pounds.

Texas State went 2-10 last season under first-year coach Everett Withers.

Withers joined the program after two seasons at James Madison. James Madison won the FCS national championship this past season mostly with players Withers and his staff recruited.

The Bobcats successfully landed Lufkin quarterback Kordell Rodgers in the past recruiting cycle. A second East Texan committed, but he subsequently opted to play at the junior college level.

Three older East Texans will be on Texas State’s 2017 roster in Pine Tree receiver Mason Hayes, Liberty-Eylau receiver Thurman Morbley and Wills Point offensive lineman Jacob Rowland.

Lawrence will first become eligible to sign with any Division I school that offers him in December.

2018 East Texas Football Players With Division I FBS Offers

  • Tre Allison, John Tyler, OLB, 6-2, 211 — committed to SMU; additional offers from Arkansas State, Louisiana Tech, Mississippi State, Texas State, Tulane, ULL (7)
  • Chance Amie, Tyler Lee, QB, 6-3, 190 — committed to Houston; additional offers from Arkansas State, Bowling Green, Central Florida, Cincinnati, Colorado State, Florida Atlantic, Georgia State, Iowa State, New Mexico, North Carolina, North Texas, Rutgers, Southern Miss, Syracuse, Tulane, ULL, Virginia (18)
  • Xavier Benson, Pleasant Grove, LB, 6-3, 200 — committed to Texas Tech; additional offers from Arkansas State, Army, Memphis, North Texas, Rice, SMU, Southern Miss, Texas State, Tulane, ULL, ULM, Wyoming (13)
  • Hunter Brabham, Hughes Springs, DE, 6-3, 235 — committed to Army (1)
  • Drake Centers, Tatum, OL, 6-3, 296 — committed to Texas State; additional offers from SMU, Southern Miss, ULM (4)
  • Kylar Cooks, Liberty-Eylau, OL, 6-5, 252 — committed to Texas State; additional offers from Arkansas State, North Texas, ULL (4)
  • Jeremiah Davis, Lufkin, CB, 5-10, 194 — committed to ULL (1)
  • Kris Dike, Van, OL, 6-6, 283 — committed to TCU; additional offers from Colorado, Houston, Memphis, North Texas, Oklahoma State, SMU, Tulane (8)
  • Dekalen Goodson, John Tyler, DE/OLB, 6-2, 209 — committed to Houston; additional offers from Mississippi State, SMU, Texas State, Tulane, ULL (6)
  • Trae Hall, Henderson, QB/ATH, 6-3, 185 — offers from Florida Atlantic, New Mexico State, Tulane, ULL, ULM (5)
  • Conner Henson, Harmony, OL, 6-3, 243 — offers from ULL, ULM (2)
  • Chasen Hines, Marshall, OL, 6-3, 353 — committed to LSU; additional offers from Arizona, Baylor, Louisiana Tech, Minnesota, North Texas, Oklahoma, Oklahoma State, Oregon, Rice, Southern Miss, TCU, Texas, Texas A&M, Texas State, Texas Tech (16)
  • Tevailance Hunt, Texas High, WR, 6-2, 180 — committed to Kansas; additional offers from Arkansas State, Bowling Green, Colorado State, Florida Atlantic, Houston, Indiana, Iowa State, Louisiana Tech, Marshall, Memphis, Nevada, North Texas, Oklahoma State, Southern Miss, TCU, Tulsa (17)
  • Dewaylon Ingram, Carthage, WR, 6-0, 160 — offer from Arkansas State (1)
  • Keaontay Ingram, Carthage, RB, 6-0, 198 — committed to Texas; additional offers from Arkansas, Baylor, Colorado, Florida State, Houston, Iowa State, Kansas, LSU, Memphis, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, Notre Dame, Ohio State, Oklahoma, Oklahoma State, Ole Miss, Oregon, Oregon State, TCU, Texas A&M, Texas Tech, UCLA, USC, UTSA (27)
  • Malik Jackson, Lufkin, WR, 5-8, 163 — committed to Houston; additional offers from Arkansas State, Texas State (3)
  • Chris Kessler, Longview, K, 5-9, 150 — offer from Army (1)
  • Kameron King, Marshall, OL, 6-2, 275 — offers from Memphis, North Texas, Tulane, ULM, Southern Miss (5)
  • Trevor Lawrence, Whitehouse, DE, 6-4, 245 — committed to Texas State; additional offer from ULM (2)
  • DeMarvion Overshown, Arp, S, 6-4, 196 — committed to Texas; additional offers from Alabama, Arizona State, Arkansas, Auburn, Baylor, Clemson, Colorado, Florida, Florida State, Georgia, Houston, Kansas, Kansas State, LSU, Missouri, Nebraska, Ohio State, Oklahoma, Oklahoma State, Ole Miss, SMU, South Carolina, Southern Miss, Stanford, TCU, Texas A&M, UCLA, USC, UTSA (30)
  • Leonard Parks, Texas High, DE, 6-5, 230 — offers from SMU, ULM (2)
  • Michael Sanchez, Gladewater, TE/OL, 6-5, 327 — offer from Houston (1)
  • Jonathan Shepherd, Kilgore, WR, 6-3, 196 — committed to Oklahoma State; additional offers from Colorado State, Florida Atlantic, Houston, Kansas State, ULM, Missouri, New Mexico, Memphis, North Texas, Oregon State, Southern Miss, TCU, Texas State, Texas Tech (15)
  • Marje Smith, Marshall, DE, 6-6, 210 — committed to Baylor (1)
  • DaRyan Williams, Nacogdoches, S, 5-10,199 — offer from Texas State (1)
  • Tyree Wilson, West Rusk, LB, 6-5, 225 — committed to Texas A&M; additional offers from Houston, Kansas, Memphis, Mississippi State, New Mexico, Oklahoma State, SMU, Southern Miss, TCU, Texas State, Tulane, ULL, ULM, Washington State, Wyoming (16)

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