Henderson’s Lakendrick VanZandt Picks Up First FBS Offers From TCU, Tulsa + Oklahoma State

Two days after a reportedly dazzling performance at a satellite camp hosted by TCU in Kilgore, Henderson safety Lakendrick VanZandt has his first three Division I FBS offers.

VanZandt (6-1, 196) announced that TCU, Tulsa, and Oklahoma State all extended offers his way through his personal Twitter account Saturday afternoon.

The Henderson two-way star, who also holds an FCS opportunity from Incarnate Word and a Division II offer from Northeastern State, is now one of 27 East Texans in the 2017 recruiting class with at least one FBS scholarship offer.

TCU has officially targeted four local players in the current cycle -- VanZandt, Liberty-Eylau DE Lagaryonn Carson (Texas commit), Henderson WR Trestan Ebner, and Nacogdoches CB Josh Thompson.

The Horned Frogs have emerged as a national power under head coach Gary Patterson, who's led TCU since 2000. TCU played in two BCS bowl games prior to moving to the Big 12 in 2011, including a 21-19 Rose Bowl victory over Wisconsin at the end of the 2010 season.

TCU has qualified for bowls in four of the five seasons since joining the BIg 12, including a 42-3 Peach Bowl romp of Ole Miss in 2014 and last season's 47-41 comeback victory over Oregon in the Alamo Bowl.

The Frogs currently feature two native East Texans on their roster -- CB Jeff Gladney (New Boston) and LB Travin Howard (Longview).

VanZandt is the fourth 2017 East Texas recruit to receive an offer from Tulsa, joining Ebner, Gilmer WR LaMarcus Morton, and John Tyler QB/ATH Bryson Smith (Houston commit).

Tulsa competes in the American Athletic Conference, and will be entering its second season under head coach Phillip Montgomery, who has roots as a high school coach in Texas and previously served as a college assistant at both Houston and Baylor.

The Golden Hurricane finished 6-7 in 2015, including a 55-52 loss to Virginia Tech in the Independence Bowl.

VanZandt is not the only East Texan in the 2017 class to be targeted by Oklahoma State. Center WR Octavius Evans, John Tyler WR Damion Miller and Bullard TE Major Tennison (Texas commits), and Nacogdoches CB Josh Thompson all hold offers from OSU.

Oklahoma State has been a major player in the Big 12 under head coach Mike Gundy, who will be entering his 12th season on the Cowboys' sideline. OSU has qualified for bowl games in each of the last 10 years, and has put together four campaigns of 10 wins or more.

The Cowboys were 10-3 in 2015, losing 48-20 to Ole Miss in the Sugar Bowl.

VanZandt, who plays both running back and free safety, helped Henderson to a 7-3 finish in 2015, but his squad missed the playoffs due to the combination of games it lost within District 9-4A Division I. However, Henderson closed the year with a bang by defeating a Kilgore team that had already clinched the league championship.

Like all high school football prospects who will be entering their senior year, VanZandt will become eligible to sign with any school that offers him 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 -- offered by Memphis (1)
• Trestan Ebner, Henderson, WR, 5-11, 180 — offers from Arizona State, Arkansas, Arkansas State, Colorado State, Houston, Kansas, Illinois, Indiana, Mississippi State, Missouri, North Texas, Ole Miss, SMU, Syracuse, UTSA, TCU, 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 (2)
• 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, Texas Tech, Tulsa, ULL, ULM, UTSA (12)
• 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 — offer from Wyoming (1)
• 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 — offered by Arkansas State, Colorado 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 (22)
• Lakendrick VanZandt, Henderson, S, 6-1, 196 -- offered by Houston, Memphis, Oklahoma State, TCU, Tulane, Tulsa (6)
• Traveion Webster, Longview, S, 6-0, 197 — offered by ULM (1)