Tag: Cedric Baxter Jr.

Highlights, 2 standouts and 4 commitments from the 2023 Under Armour All-America Game

On Tuesday in Orlando over 100 of the top Senior football players from around the country played in the 2023 Under Armour All-America Game.

On Tuesday in Orlando, over 100 of the top Senior football players from around the country played in the 2023 Under Armour All-America Game.

The game was interesting not just because of the action on the field, but some notable recruiting news also happened while it was going on. Here are some highlights, two standouts and four notable commitments during the game.

Edgewater (Fla.) 5-star RB Cedric Baxter Jr.

This matchup was mostly a defensive slugfest, with Team Phantom beating out Team Speed 14-7. Nevertheless, a few offensive skill players did manage to stand out. The first of them to make an impression was Edgewater (Fla.) five-star running back Cedric Baxter Jr., who scored the first touchdown of the game by bouncing this 13-yard run outside and into the end zone.

Baxter is the composite ranking No. 1 running back in the class of 2023 and has signed his letter of intent with Texas.

Bishop Gorman (Nev.) 5-star WR/KR Zachariah Branch

The play of the day was this thrilling 93-yard punt return from Bishop Gorman (Nev.) wide receiver/kick returner Zachariah Branch.

Branch is ranked as the No. 1 wide receiver in this class and was named MVP for his efforts. He has signed his letter of intent with USC.

Oklahoma QB Jackson Arnold, Texas A&M DL David Hicks and unsigned Athlete Nyckoles Harbor were among the other players who drew recognition for their performance during the week leading up to the game.

In the recruiting department, four prospects made their college decisions:

Cy Ranch (Texas) 4-star DL Ashton Porter: Signed with Oregon

Porter (6-foot-3, 255 pounds) joins a strong 2023 class for the Ducks, which ranks just outside the top 10 in the country. He had offers from 33 other programs, including Michigan State, Northwestern and Texas.

St. Frances Academy (Md.) 3-star RB Durrell Robinson: Committed to Charlotte

Robinson (6-foot-0, 195 pounds) committed to the Charlotte 49ers. He is ranked No. 51 at his position and No. 12 overall in the state of Maryland. He had 22 offers, including one from the Terrapins.

IMG Academy (Fla.) 4-star EDGE Cameron Lenhardt: Signed with Nebraska

The biggest prize of the night went to the Cornhuskers in the form of Lenhardt (6-foot-3, 250 pounds), who is ranked No. 56 overall in Florida and No. 37 at his position. Lenhardt chose Nebraska over 16 other schools.

Roswell (Ga.) 3-star CB Ethan Nation: Signed with Nebraska

New head coach Matt Rhule got another recruiting win by signing Nation (5-foot-10, 165 pounds). Nation had a remarkable 50 other offers to choose from, including one from Alabama.

With these two on board, Nebraska’s 2023 recruiting class is now up to No. 31 in the country.

More recruiting stories

Texas A&M flips 4-star WR from Georgia

Basha’s 4-star QB commits to Ole Miss

Cedric Baxter Jr. on Cormani McClain: ‘Nobody knows what he’s gonna do but him’

However, McClain did confirm that he is still committed to Miami.

Cormani McClain committed to Miami two months ago. However, when he was expected to sign McClain pulled a no-show, leading to speculation that he’s headed elsewhere.

A cornerback from Lakeland (Fla.), McClain is ranked the No. 2 overall prospect in the class of 2023 behind Texas quarterback Arch Manning, who signed last week. According to one of Manning’s new teammates, nobody knows what McClain is going to do but him. Here’s what Edgewater (Fla.) running back Cedric Baxter Jr. had to say about McClain’s status, per Drew Schott at On3.

“We (were) just telling him, ‘Do what’s best for you… Nobody knows what he’s gonna do but him, literally. That’s the way I look at it.”

McClain himself has declined to comment on his recruitment at the All-America Game. However, he did confirm that he is still committed to Miami.

Alabama, Florida, Ohio State and Florida State were also among McClain’s original top-five finalists. Another potential contender has emerged in Colorado, where new head coach Deion Sanders is leading a red-hot recruiting and transfer streak. They have reportedly been in contact.

More recruiting stories

Cranking up Texas part of the appeal for Arch Manning

Watch: CB Jaylen Thompson commits to Michigan State

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Texas commit Cedric Baxter Jr. has another dominant game

Longhorns fans should love seeing this!

Texas has one of the top recruiting classes of 2023. Quarterback Arch Manning will get most of the attention over the coming months as he closes out his high school career, but he won’t be the only superstar in the Longhorns’ backfield.

Edgewater (Fla.) running back Cedric Baxter Jr. is ranked the No. 2 RB in the country, and he committed to Texas on August 10. Since then, he’s had several dominant performances showcasing his awesome potential. On Friday, he had another in a 28-19 victory, posting over 200 rushing yards and scoring three touchdowns. Baxter shared one of his best runs on Twitter:

He has totaled over 1,000 rushing yards in just five games this season.

More Stories:

5-star DL David Hicks picks Texas A&M over Oklahoma

USA TODAY Sports Super 25 high school football rankings: Week 5

Live-Stream High School Football:

NFHS Network

This 4-star Texas RB commit is visiting Florida over the weekend

The Gators are getting a big week one visitor in four-star Texas running back commit Cedric Baxter Jr., who previously named the Gators to his top five.

Florida is still pursuing four-star running back [autotag]Cedric Baxter Jr[/autotag]., a class of 2023 commit to the University of Texas. According to 247Sports, Baxter will be in town this weekend for Florida’s season opener against Utah. He’ll join many of the nation’s top recruits on a busy recruiting weekend for the Gators, but most are still uncommitted.

Swamp 247Sports spoke with Baxter’s father about his son’s continued recruitment despite locking in a decision earlier this month. Florida was one of five finalists on the table that day, and Baxter still thinks fondly of the program

“Florida was high up there. He likes Napier. He likes Coach (Jabbar) Juluke and he likes how they use two, three backs. They all get their fair share of carries. Like every high school kid ranked like he is, that dream is the NFL and that will definitely save his body a little bit.”

Napier’s staff will see what they can do to get Baxter to flip, but his father said that he thinks his son is locked in with Texas. Although there was talk of making this an official visit, leaving the door open for one down the line could be a good omen for the Gators.

Baxter could also end up taking trips to Miami and Texas A&M to get all five official visits used up.

The 247Sports composite ranks Baxter as the No. 50 overall recruit in the class of 2023 and No. 4 among running backs. On3 is extremely high on him, ranking him No. 28 nationally and No. 1 at his position.

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Friday Night Notes: Texas rising in recruiting rankings, Who’s the next star QB and more

Breathe easy. The 2022 High School Football season has finally arrived!

USA TODAY High School Sports‘ Friday Night Notes is a weekly high school football recruiting recap that looks at the latest news from around the country—from the Class of 2023 to ’24 and beyond.

Breathe easy. The 2022 High School Football season has finally arrived!

In our first edition of Friday Night Notes for the new campaign, we will touch on a college program that’s rapidly rising up the recruiting rankings. Next, we will examine some of the top quarterbacks from the class of 2023 and ask which, if any of them, might be the next big star to arrive on a national level. Then we’ll take a look at the best of the projected schools as the season begins. Finally, we’ll wrap with other recruiting notes from around the network.

First things first: Another big commitment for Texas backfield

BRYAN TERRY/THE OKLAHOMAN / USA TODAY NETWORK

The splashiest recruitment of the week came in Orlando, where the nation’s second-ranked running back made an official commitment. Edgewater (Fla.) RB Cedric Baxter Jr. announced he will be playing for Steve Sarkisian at Texas. Other schools that were in the running included Texas A&M, Miami, Florida and the late-riser UCF. Baxter is coming off a breakout 2021 season, having averaged over eight yards per carry and scoring 22 touchdowns.

Baxter’s commitment is the latest good news for the Longhorns, who stepped over both Ohio State and Georgia by securing his services. Texas is now ranked No. 3 nationally on the strength of its 2023 recruiting class, trailing only Alabama and Notre Dame.

Cedric Baxter Jr., nation’s No. 2 RB announces he’s committed to Texas

Cedric Baxter Jr. has committed to play his college football at Texas.

Cedric Baxter Jr. has committed to playing his college football at Texas. It’s another great get for the Longhorns, who leapfrog Georgia and Ohio State in the 2023 recruiting class rankings for 247Sports thanks to this news. Other top college programs that had hats on the table included Miami, Florida, UCF, and Texas A&M.

This addition improves Texas’ recruiting score for the year to 285.93, which puts them third in the country, trailing only Alabama and Notre Dame. Baxter is the fifth top-50 prospect to join the school, highlighted by the nation’s No. 1 overall recruit, quarterback Arch Manning.

A four-star recruit himself, Baxter (6-foot-1, 215 pounds) says he made his decision weeks ago but only made the announcement moments ago in a ceremony at his high school in Orlando. He went down the line, touting the virtues of each of the college programs he was considering. When it came to Texas, Baxter referenced head coach Steve Sarkisian’s experience at Alabama and his knowing how to win.

At the big reveal, Baxter put on a cowboy hat and made it official.

Some of the more lofty player comps that Baxter has gotten include Najee Harris and Le’Veon Bell. Here is a look at his highlight reel from his breakout 2021 season.

Baxter played his first three years at Edgewater in Orlando but only became a full-time starter last season. He totaled 1,651 rushing yards on 199 attempts (averaging 8.3 yards per carry) and scored 22 rushing touchdowns.

He is ranked the No. 31 overall recruit and the second-best running back in the country behind Rueben Owens II, according to 247Sports.

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2023 Elite Running back Cedric Baxter Jr. sets commitment date

We’re only days away from one of the most sought-after recruits making his decision

Around the recruiting bend, we go, as some of the top prospects in the 2023 class continue finalizing their plans in announcing the next step in their football future, and the college of their choosing. Recently, top 2023 running back and Florida native Cedric Baxter Jr. announced his commitment date, which will take place on Wednesday, August 10th, with his final school list consisting of Florida, Miami, Texas, and Texas A&M.

Cedric Baxter Jr. has been on quite the recruiting path receiving over 50 offers while taking three unofficial visits to Miami, 4 trips to Florida, a June 10th official visit to Texas, and two unofficial visits to Texas A&M. According to recruiting sites 247Sports and On3, Baxter Jr. is a favorite to land with the Texas Longhorns.

In a scouting report written by On3, his skills on the gridiron were analyzed, describing how they might translate to the collegiate level:

Big-framed runner with home run ability. Went from a versatile athlete to a bell cow back in his junior season. Has the largest frame of top running backs in the 2023 cycle, checking in at over 6-foot-1 and around 205 pounds prior to his senior season. Gets downhill quickly. Shows the ability to make cuts at full speed in tight quarters. Efficient in his cuts with little wasted movement. Has the stride and on-field play speed to pull away once in the open field. Received a heavy workload as a junior. Capable of running with power and has shown signs of a dangerous stiff arm. Productive in Florida’s top classification as a junior, rushing for 1,651 yards and 22 touchdowns. Draws on his background as a wide receiver as a pass catcher out of the backfield. A natural pass catcher with quickness in his routes. Among the better pass-catching running backs in the 2023 cycle.

The good news? The Aggies are still in contention for one of the best running back prospects to come out of the high school ranks in the last decade, adding that one of Baxter Jr.’s last visits was to College Station, Texas on June 24th. Either way, we’ll all be on our toes on August 10th as he makes one of the most important decisions of his young career.

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Florida football in top 4 for elite RB, August commitment date set

One of the best running back recruits in the country has set a commitment date and narrowed things down to four schools, including Florida.

One of the nation’s top running backs, [autotag]Cedric Baxter Jr[/autotag] out of Edgewater High in Orlando, Florida, took a major step forward in their recruitment on Tuesday. Baxter named the Gators to his top four along with Miami, Texas and Texas A&M, according to a report from On3’s Hayes Fawcett, and he set a commitment date for August 10.

That’s some significant movement for a player ranked No. 1 among running backs by On3, and he must be close to a decision if he’s setting a five-week timeline for himself. Speaking to Fawcett, Baxter touched on each of his four finalists. Texas is the current leader on the site’s Recruiting Prediction Machine at 75.9%, but that’s likely because it’s the only program to have hosted him on an official visit so far.

“Coach Napier and Juluke want me bad,” Baxter said. “They feel like I can be a program changer. I love how they rotate their backs and don’t put wear and tear on your body. They want to win as well. The whole staff is genuine people and don’t fake it.”

The Gators have hosted him six times overall and four times since the year began. With recruiting being in a dead period until July 25, Florida will have to do its best to drive home the pitch over the phone. The final week of the month is a quiet period, but recruits in the class of 2023 (Baxter) aren’t able to make official visits at that point.

Fortunately, the Gators have a solid relationship with Baxter and could work out an unofficial visit or plan an official for after his commitment. He’s supposed to visit Miami on Nov. 5, and Billy Napier and Co. have made it clear that they want to get the last word with the blue-chip recruit.

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Aggies make Final Four for top Running back prospect, Cedric Baxter Jr.

Aggies make Final Four for top Running back prospect, Cedric Baxter Jr.

The Aggies have officially made the final four list of school choices for the No.1 running back prospect in the 2023 recruiting class, Cedric Baxter Jr. He recently announced his final four teams via social media today, while also announcing his commitment date, which is set for August 10th. Baxter Jr.’s final four teams are Texas A&M, Texas, Florida, and Miami.

His list began to take shape in the last couple of months, as he took unofficial visits to Miami on April 7th and Florida on April 9th. After an official visit to Texas on June 10th, and an unofficial visit to the Aggies two weeks later on June 24th, it looks like the two arch-rivals will be fighting for the young talent till the final month.

From my recent evaluation of Cedric Baxter Jr., I described his ability at the running back position:

Cedric Baxter Jr. has the chance to develop into an every-down back at the next level, standing at an impressive 6’1″ 215 lbs, with the potential to add more weight down the line. From a skillset standpoint, he isn’t afraid of contact and isn’t just your average downhill runner while possessing some cutting ability, and could develop as a consistent pass-catching option out of the backfield, which is vital if a future in the NFL is on the horizon.

As the roster currently stands for the Aggies at the running back position, adding a versatile talent as Cedric Baxter Jr. would further bolster depth at the position, and prepare for the future as graduation and the transfer portal will naturally take their toll down the line. The important thing is that the Aggies are squarely at the finish line as it stands, and after a rumored “amazing time” during his visit to College Station, they are certainly trending in the right direction.

Contact/Follow us @AggiesWire on Twitter, and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Texas A&M news, notes, and opinions.
Follow Cameron on Twitter: @CameronOhnysty

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This top-3 2023 running back recruit just scheduled another UF visit

Hopefully Cedric Baxter Jr likes what he sees in Gainesville.

Head coach [autotag]Billy Napier[/autotag] and his staff have a huge hill to climb when it comes to getting Florida football’s recruiting back on track but nobody can doubt that the program is pushing hard for the best prep prospects in the nation. Among the blue-chippers the Gators are vying for during Napier’s debut is four-star running back [autotag]Cedric Baxter Jr[/autotag]. out of Orlando (Florida) Edgewater, who has not been a stranger to the university’s campus.

The 6-foot-1-inch, 215-pound ball-carrier has made several trips up to Gainesville during his recruitment and recently decided to drop in for an unofficial visit this weekend, according to Swamp247. There appears to be a growing mutual fondness between the prep prospect and the Gators as running backs coach [autotag]Jabbar Juluke[/autotag]’s philosophies seem to jibe well with the in-state target.

“With Florida, I like the way they use their running backs,” Baxter told Swamp247. “They are going to use at least three back a game and they are all going to get at least 10 carries, minimum. That saves your body for the next level. So, it’s that and then I feel like a priority for them.”

The four other schools vying for the coveted running back are the Alabama Crimson Tide, Miami Hurricanes, Texas Longhorns and Texas A&M Aggies. He has only used one of his official visits so far, stopping in Austin to see the Longhorns on June 10 and is not expected to make any more in the near future, likely saving them for after the fall football season.

Baxter is currently ranked No. 46 overall and No. 3 nationally at his position according to the 247Sports composite, while the On3 consensus him at Nos. 43 and 3, respectively. On3’s Recruiting Prediction Machine currently has Florida out in front of the other suitors with a 54% chance of signing him, while Texas and Miami follow at 13% and 10.5%, respectively.

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