Interview: 2017 Texas 4-Star DE Ta’Quon Graham Talks Football and Recruiting

Written by Ryan Wright

Twitter: @HogManInLA

When college coaches start looking to fill a spot at defensive end out of the high school ranks they are looking for a player that is strong enough to hold the line against the run and quick enough to get pressure on the quarterback. Height and weight is a requirement, especially in a 4-3 front, and Temple High School’s Ta’Quon Graham fits all of the initial prerequisites.

Graham started making a name for himself during his sophomore season coming up with 37 tackles, seven tackles for a loss, four sacks, one forced fumble, and one fumble recovery. The now 6’3”, 250 pound, Texas product took his game to another level in 2015 securing 61 stops, 14.5 sacks, 23 tackles for a loss, forced three fumbles, and recovered one fumble.

The Wildcats went 12-2 in 2015 making a run through the playoffs beating Stratford 41-6 to end the season. The extra time on the field gave college coaches ample time to evaluate Graham leading to 22 scholarship offers to date. Among the hopefuls for Graham’s verbal commitment includes TCU, Texas, Cal, Georgia, Arkansas, Oklahoma State, Baylor, Michigan, Houston, Oregon, Kansas State, Miami, Nebraska, Missouri, USC, Ole Miss, and Oklahoma.

Graham has not publically listed his top teams yet but a decision is coming up quick with a previously announced May 27 commitment date. In a Recruiting News Guru exclusive interview, I caught up with the 4-star recruit going over his junior season, offseason workouts, and received a recruiting news update.

Interview

Ta’Quon, you’ve been on the field at the varsity level since your sophomore season. You’ve had a lot of time to develop as a defensive end. What are some of the things you have improved upon over the past two seasons?

“I’ve gotten better at being a smarter football player and actually listening to my coach. I watch a lot of film. That all helps out. I’ve gotten a lot better with my handwork too.”

Did you earn any individual honors at the end of your junior year?

“I was All-District MVP and first team All-State.”

Nice. What are you working in the offseason?

“I’m working on things to improve my pass rushing skills. I’m working on my moves in spring ball.”

Have you set any goals for offseason? Everyone wants to get bigger, stronger, and faster, but have you set any weight lifting goals, speed marks, or a weight goal you want to hit before your senior season?

“I want to stay at my current weight. I’m doing a lot of explosive drills. I’m running a lot more in the summer so I can have better quickness and agility for the season.”

Have you maxed out on bench, squat, or power clean this offseason?

“We don’t power clean, we do hand clean. But yes, my bench press max is 350, my squat is 500, and my hand clean is 315.”

Impressive. Have you ran a 40-yard dash this offseason?

“Yes, I ran a 4.7.”

What are your goals for the 2016 football season?

“I want to be a leader for the team and work on myself as a football player emotionally and mentally. That’s the main goal, just to lead the team.”

How will your role change this year compared to 2016? Will we see you on offense as a tight end, at fullback in goal line situations opening up holes for the running backs, or at the 3-technique on defense?

“We are talking about putting me in at tight end. I might play some 3-tech, I played there last season some too.”

You have 22 offers on the table, are there any teams pushing harder for your verbal commitment than the others?

“All the Texas teams like A&M (Texas A&M), Texas, TCU, Baylor, and Oklahoma as well.”

Which schools have you unofficially visited so far?

“TCU, A&M, Texas, and Baylor.”

How did your last visit to Texas go for you?

“It went well. I got to talk to some of the players, sat in the meetings, and I talked to other recruits. It went well.”

How did your visit to Texas A&M go?

“That place is pretty cool. I got to meet Myles Garrett (All-SEC defensive end) and I got to hang around the coaches the whole time. That was cool building up that relationship with the coaches.”

Do you have any other visits planned coming up?

“Not really. None set and planned. No, I don’t have any.”

Would you like to take some more visits before your verbal commitment?

“Yeah, I need to but I don’t know when.”

Have you put out a Top 10 or Top 5 list yet?

“No.”

You set your commitment date for Friday, May 27. Is that date still a go for your commitment day?

“Yes.”

How are you doing your announcement?

“I’m doing it at school right after our spring game.”

Have you thought about how you will make the announcement? Are you going to put a bunch of hats down or something along those lines?

“No hats. I’m just going to say it.”

When you make your announcement on which school you will attend, what will be some of the things that factor into that decision?

“At first – me and my family want a good vibe from a school. I don’t say much when I go to a school. I observe and talk to the coaches. If I see recruits from other places I will talk to them especially guys I already know. I’m not worried about a school that has top notch gadgets, a big weight room, or any of that. Wherever I go they will get you stronger. Even on the school side of it, I look at the information on the school. I look it up to see what I may be getting into, stuff like that.”

How is everything going in the classroom?

“I have a 3.2 GPA.”

What’s your favorite subject in school?

“My favorite subject is accounting. There is a little bit of math in accounting but not that much. Accounting is more organizing, assets and liabilities. I think it’s pretty easy.”

Do you know what you want to major in while in college?

“Business.”

Are you playing any other sports for Temple?

“No.”

What is your favorite part of playing football?

“There are not a lot of things that make me nervous. I still have not gotten over having butterflies – that tightness in your stomach before a game. That gets me every time. It balls me up and gets me excited. I love going out and playing. I just like playing the game of football.”

Ta’Quon, thanks for your time today and good luck with your May 27 commitment.

“Thank you.”

Photo credit: scout.com; No. 49 Ta’Quon Graham gets pressure on the quarterback (2014).

Photo credit: thefootballbrainiacs.com; Ta’Quon Graham pre-snap.

Photo credit: twitter.com; Ta’Quon Graham at Texas.