Texas Turns Up Recruiting Trail Heat Flipping 2017 OT Derek Kerstetter from OSU
Written by Ryan Wright
Twitter: @HogManInLA
The Longhorns have been steamrolling through the month of December adding five commitments to their 2017 class. The latest addition was a win-win flipping in-state offensive tackle Derek Kerstetter away from Big 12 foe Oklahoma State.
Kerstetter was a big part of Reagan High School’s dominating 2016 regular season. The Rattlers rolled through their regular season with just one loss, a 27-24 thriller against United (Laredo). The San Antonio area squad went 9-2 outscoring the opposition with an average of 32 points per game this year. The Rattlers were a run-heavy team with Kerstetter helping anchor a line that highlighted class of 2017 running back Marquis Duncan. Duncan ran for 1,444 yards with 22 touchdowns in 2016.
Texas head coach Tom Herman has been interested in landing Kerstetter since early May when he extended an offer while being the head coach at Houston. The 6-5, 280 pound, talent committed to Oklahoma State on June 12 staying solid with the Cowboys until the Longhorns came around in mid-December. Texas offered on Dec. 16 leading to a decommitment with OSU on Dec. 26.
The U.S. Army All-American posted his decision on Twitter Monday afternoon:
The Longhorns have picked up Joshua Rowland, Toneil Carter, Daniel Young, Cade Brewer, and Kerstetter thus far in December. Carter is the highest rated of the group being a consensus four-star. Kerstetter’s other offers included Minnesota, Kansas, Bowling Green, New Mexico, Toledo, Illinois, North Texas, Colorado State, UTSA, and Texas Tech.
247Sports rates the Longhorns’ 2017 class No. 26 in the nation, No. 2 in the Big 12. With 12 total recruits, Rivals may have a little more realistic ranking for Texas’ class at this time with six four-star players and six three-star talents at No. 42 in the country.
Texas Longhorns 2017 Verbal Commitment List (12)
CB Kobe Boyce, 6-0, 163, Lake Dallas HS, Lake Dallas, TX
CB Josh Thompson, 6-0, 182, Nacogdoches HS, Nacogdoches, TX
DE Lagaryonn Carson, 6-4, 260, Liberty-Eylau HS, Texarkana, TX
DE Taquon Graham, 6-3, 255, Temple HS, Temple, TX
OT Derek Kerstetter, 6-5, 280, Reagan HS, San Antonio, TX
TE Cade Brewer, 6-3, 223, Lake Travis HS, Austin, TX
RB Toneil Carter, 5-10.5, 197, Langham Creek HS, Houston, TX
RB Daniel Young, 6-0, 210, Westfield HS, Houston, TX
QB Sam Ehlinger, 6-1.5, 215, Westlake HS, Austin, TX
WR Damion Miller, 6-1, 193, John Tyler HS, Tyler, TX
ATH Montrell Estell, 6-2, 180, Hooks HS, Hooks, TX
K Josh Rowland, 5-10, 185, Mississippi Gulf Coast C.C., Perkinston, MS
Photo credit: Diamondbacker Sports Association; No. 17 Derek Kerstetter.