Texas Tech reached out to its fourth East Texas football prospect within the regional 2017 class Wednesday evening.

Gilmer receiver LaMarcus Morton, who announced the news through his personal Twitter account, is the Red Raiders' latest college football scholarship opportunity recipient. It's his first offer from a power five conference school.

Morton (6-2, 175) has other standing invitations from Arkansas State, Tulsa, ULL and ULM following a 589-yard and seven touchdown junior campaign.

Gilmer’s ball distribution was wild last season with 17 players on the team catching at least one pass. Of those 17 players, 10 of them caught for at least 100 yards while the offense put up an additional 3,158 rushing yards en route to the Class 4A Division II state semifinals.

Morton led all of Gilmer’s pass catchers by 118 yards.

Gilmer's loss one game shy of the state championship snapped a 31-game winning streak dating back to Week 1 of the 2014 season.

The Red Raiders are actively working to land Hooks athlete Montrell Estell and Center receiver Octavius Evans in addition to Morton. John Tyler receiver Damion Miller and Bullard tight end Major Tennison also hold offers from the program, but both are verbally committed to Texas.

Texas Tech failed to land a local prospect last season, but some of its most important players today came from the region in previous years.

Former Whitehouse quarterback Patrick Mahomes II is the headliner. He has been the Red Raiders' full-time starter under center since the midway mark of the 2014 season, his true freshman year.

Mahomes is just one of three Whitehouse players expected to be on the 2016 roster. Dylan Cantrell and Jake Parker will be receivers on the team.

Cantrell graduated from Whitehouse in 2012. Parker walked the stage at the same time as Mahomes and spent a year at Tyler Junior College before walking on in Lubbock.

Former Tenaha receiver Reginald Davis and former Lufkin receiver KeKe Coutee also are expected to be big parts of the receiver rotation.

Former Longview offensive lineman Broderick Washington will begin burning eligibility this season as a defensive lineman after redshirting last season.

Texas Tech posted a 7-5 regular season record last year, including a 4-5 mark in Big 12 Conference play. It was a three-win improvement compared to 2014 and allowed the program to enjoy a 13th bowl game appearance in 15 seasons.

LSU topped the Red Raiders in the Texas Bowl at the end of the campaign.

Morton, like all college football prospects currently in their junior year of high school, will become eligible to sign with any program that offers him 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, Houston, Kansas, Navy, North Texas, SMU, ULL, UTSA (8)
  • 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, Illinois, North Texas, Syracuse (6)
  • 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, UTSA (6)
  • 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, UTSA (9)
  • 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)

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