WR Davion Curtis (Nov 7)(Nov 19 COMMIT)

Davion Curtis ..... Temple (Temple, TX)
-horn ..... WR ..... 5-11/180 ..... Georgia TEXAS​

In his junior year, Curtis scored 13 TDs while accumulating 996 yards with an average of 22.6 yards per catch and helped Temple capture the 5A Division I state title. He has his team back in the playoffs this season.

Why is Texas interested in Curtis? For the same three reasons many other schools are:

1. Speed
2. Swiftness
3. Rapidness

He's also fast. Hudl lists him with a 4.38/40 and a 10.4/100M.

Per HD:
Curtis is a versatile receiver prospect with good production playing against quality HS competition. Gets off quickly at snap to beat DB's at the LOS. Dangerous vertical threat whose speed translates to special teams play. A bit small for outside WR, on bigger side for slot, capable of playing both roles, but more of a natural outside WR. Knack for gaining a lot of yards after catch. Shows athleticism by winning jump-balls in red zone.

Strengths: downfield threat, quickness off the line, and running ability.

Per TFB:
Curtis visited Texas last weekend [Kansas game Nov 7] and calling him a soft Georgia commit would be generous to the Bulldogs. With Dickson’s decommitment, Curtis could very well be next in line for an offer. If that were to happen, it would be very smart to put your money on Texas as Curtis has stated he loves everything about UT.

I talked to a source close to Curtis last night asking if Curtis were to commit is there a shot RB Devwah Whaley could join him in Austin, and the source replied “Heck yes”. In fact, Whaley was trying to get to Temple on Saturday afternoon [Nov 7] so he could visit Texas with Curtis and Taquon Graham.

Texas lost an absolute stud playmaker in Tren’Davion but could add a speedy WR in Davion Curtis and a big-time RB in Whaley in response to that. Landing Curtis would also help Texas’ chances even more with 2017 DE Graham.

 

Committed today.

 

Per Horns247:
Davion Curtis always wanted to be a Texas Longhorn.

The three-star wide receiver did everything he could to earn an offer this summer, including camping with Texas on back-to-back weekends. But on both occasions Texas wide receivers coach Jay Norvell simply told him to keep working hard.

But that all changed Thursday when Curtis made a verbal commitment to Texas just days after decommitting to Georgia.

“I wanted to be a Longhorn for as far back as I can remember,” Curtis said. “I always dreamed of it when I played Pop Warner. My family loves Texas, so I loved Texas growing up. Making the commitment means so much to me and my family.”

Curtis actually picked up an offer from Texas on his unofficial visit for the Kansas game on Nov. 7, but he wanted to keep things under wraps as he figured out a way to respectfully back out of his commitment to Georgia.

That day is one Curtis will always remember. He met with head coach Charlie Strong and linebackers coach Brian Jean-Mary, and they delivered the good news before he left campus.

“I got a chance to go in and talk to them, and they let me know that I had an offer,” Curtis said. “They told me that they want to use me a lot and that they loved my speed. I didn’t even know how to react. I was so happy. I wanted to cry.”

 

Per BON:
Curtis had a breakout season as a junior in 2014 with 40 receptions for 901 yards and eight touchdowns. As a senior, he's continued to solidify his reputation as a vertical threat, showing off his ability to deep open deep on go routes and post routes by consistently separating from high school defensive backs who don't have the speed to slow him down.

Seeing a more developed ability to run precise routes like out cuts or in cuts would be an ideal addition to his senior film, but there's no question that Curtis is a game-changing player at the high school level when asked to go long, in large part due to his 10.72 100m speed. He also participates on the Temple 4x100 and 4x200 relay teams. And in the end, it's hard to blame an offense for showcasing the ability that makes Curtis so special.

 

Welcome to Texas, Davion!

 

Congratulations and welcome.

 

Shorter version of John Burt? I can live with that.

 

Per HornSports:
Film Analysis

If you are on defense, do not get parallel with Davion. If you do get into a foot race with this track star not only will he burn you with his speed, but he is also dangerous with his swift, clean route running. This long limbed 6 foot 180lb speedster... is a guy who can outrun a ball that any quarterback throws. On top of this he has very good quickness off the line at the snap of the ball and he’ll go from 0 to 60 in full pads in a heartbeat. He uses his speed to create separation from his defenders making him a very dangerous vertical threat. He shows great short area burst and quickness and transitions smoothly like the sprinter he is. Curtis tracks the ball well in the air and shows the ability to make contested catches with a very nice set of hands. After the catch his speed is on display along with his change of direction skills as he shows the ability to make quick jukes and elude defenders in the open field. He can line up wide or in the slot, and is a threat on jet sweeps and kick returns. His elite speed gives him the ability to take a screen the distance from any spot on the field. One thing he lacks is crisp cuts on some of his routes. They are still pretty good, but like most high school receivers there is room for improvement. He also has very good size for a slot receiver, and better speed than anyone the Longhorns are currently recruiting at the position. He will also need to improve downfield blocking once he gets to campus, but he shows that he is a high effort player who should have no problem with that.

Final Verdict

As I said above, I think Davion Curtis has been overlooked by the recruiting services. Even though Curtis was gained at the loss of Tren’Davian Dickson, I think Curtis will more than make up for it with his incredible work ethic and his track speed which is something the Longhorns currently do not have in their 2016 recruiting class. The commitment of Curtis also helps with Beaumont Central running back Devwah Whaley and 2017 Temple defensive end Taquon Graham. Overall, Curtis shows a set of tools that could be featured in a wide open offense if Texas chooses to go that direction. His ceiling at this point is probably that of a multi year starter who's speed will play up at the next level.

 

Can you explain the connection with Whaley and Graham? I don't know the story there. Thanks.

 

See the article on Curtis posted on his other thread.

 

They're close friends. Whaley was even "considering" joining him at Georgia.

 

Solid pick up!

 

One day after backing off of his commitment to the Georgia Bulldogs and flipping to the Longhorns, Temple High (11-1) speedster, Davion Curtis, produced the decisive touchdown for his Wildcats in their 14-6 victory over Houston Stratford (10-2). Much of the game featured defensive stands. But with his speed, Curtis caught 6 balls for 102 yards and touchdown. The Wildcats will now face off with Richmond Foster (10-2) at the Berry Center in Cypress on Friday.

[Full Horns247 article]

 

Friends from Temple say he is the real deal. I good get for the Horns. If he does help bring in Whaley, he is even a bigger get.

 

Curtis earned first team all-district honors for District 17-5A at wide receiver.

 

Per TFB:
Coach Gilbert spent a lot time with Curtis. Gilbert talked to Curtis and Reggie Hemphill about hand signals and where they would be used (Curtis will be used outside and inside). He told Curtis and his family that if he had arrived at Texas and Curtis hadn’t had a Texas offer, he would’ve been the first wide receiver to be offered.

Gilbert is a huge fan of Davion Curtis. He recruited Curtis at Bowling Green and at Tulsa. It was meant to be.

 

Per TFB:
WR commit Davion Curtis officially visited Texas last weekend and it apparently exceeded his expectations. He told me, “I just thought they’d show us around the school and stuff and that would be it, but it was a lot more than that.” Curtis said he loved getting to go to the Texas-Oklahoma State basketball game, eating breakfast at the stadium, but the coolest thing they did was go to Charlie Strong’s house on Saturday night. Curtis called it “a dream house” and saying Strong had everything you could imagine there.

Curtis also did some recruiting over the weekend and his main target, like many other recruits, was OL Zach Shackelford. Curtis must have done a good job as Shackelford flipped to Texas and is now enrolled in Austin. One of Curtis’ new targets in George Ranch (TX) RB Darius Anderson, who is going to officially visit Texas next weekend.

Curtis feels like he will be able to hit the ground running because the offense he ran at Temple is similar to Coach Gilbert’s offense, as Gilbert is the former HC of Temple HS.