Hooks’ Montrell Estell Becomes First Local Player With 10 Offers After Invitation From Texas

Montrell Estell received a college football scholarship opportunity from Texas and became East Texas' leader in sheer amount of offers Thursday.

With the Longhorns offer in hand, as the Hooks two-way athlete announced through his personal Twitter account, the receiver and defensive back became the first local football player in the Class of 2017 to reach double digits in the scholarship count.

Estell (6-2, 180) is the fourth regional player to hear from Texas. Liberty-Eylau defensive end Lagaryonn Carson, John Tyler receiver Damion Miller and Bullard tight end Major Tennison heard from the program earlier in the process and each ultimately picked the Longhorns.

As a receiver, Estell finished the 2015 season with 34 catches for 417 yards and five touchdowns. He also added 380 yards and four touchdowns on the ground in 11 games.

He simultaneously recorded 64 tackles with four sacks, six forced fumbles, two fumble recoveries and two blocked kicks as a defensive back.

Hooks posted a 9-1 regular season record and won the District 7-3A Division II championship before falling to Arp by a touchdown in the first round of the playoffs.

Texas was one of the most dominant college teams in the 2000s with a 2005 national championship win and another title game appearance in 2009. It finished inside the top 10 of the final Associated Press poll seven times during the decade.

The Longhorns have dropped off significantly since then, highlighted by missing a bowl game this past season, but things might be turning around. Particularly because of recent recruiting success.

The university enjoyed arguably the best national signing day across the country last month in terms of high-profile uncommitted players falling into its fold in the final hours, including blue chip Nacogdoches safety Brandon Jones.

But the 2017 class could be strongest indication of local optimism. Carson, Miller and Tennison's commitments alone ties what Texas pulled out of the region the past two cycles combined.

Former Gilmer athlete Kris Boyd signed with the program in 2015 and Gilmer athlete Demarco Boyd joined Jones in the fold last month. Recruiting rivals Baylor and Texas A&M received more local commitments during the span, although the schools sometimes went after different players.

Texas has a .712 winning percentage through 122 years of competition, claims four national championships, has produced two Heisman Trophy winners and has 32 conference championship banners. The school also has been home to 52 consensus All-Americans.

Estell, like all high school football players in their junior year, will become eligible to sign with any program that offers him on Feb. 1, 2017.

2017 East Texas Football Players With Division I FBS Offers

• Judah Bell, Tyler Bishop Gorman, WR, 6-3, 180 — offers from Bowling Green, Houston, SMU, ULL (4)
• 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 — committed to SMU; additional offers from Arkansas, Kansas (3)
• Montrell Estell, Hooks, WR, 6-2, 180 — offers from Arizona State, Arkansas, Kansas, Notre Dame, SMU, Texas, Texas A&M, Texas State, Texas Tech, Tulane (10)
• 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 — offer from Air Force (1)
• Kayce Medlock, Arp, ATH, 5-9, 186 — offers from SMU, Tulane, ULL (3)
• 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 Tulsa (1)
• Javontavius Mosley, John Tyler, CB, 6-1, 170 — offers from Houston, SMU, Texas State, ULL, UTSA (5)
• Bryson Smith, John Tyler, ATH, 5-11, 160 — offers from Bowling Green, Houston, New Mexico, North Texas, SMU, Texas State, ULL (7)
• Major Tennison, Bullard, TE, 6-6, 248 — committed to Texas; additional offers from Alabama, Michigan, Nebraska, Oklahoma State, SMU, Texas Tech (7)