RECRUITING : Razorbacks zero in on speedy cornerback from Jenks

OTIS KIRK

Posted on Sunday, September 28, 2008

URL: http://www.wholehogsports.com/adg/238630/

CLAREMORE, Okla. — Jenks (Okla. ) High School started slowly Friday night at Lantow Field, but finished strongly in a 35-0 victory over the Claremore Zebras.

Jenks cornerback Gabe Lynn, 6-0, 190, 4. 4 seconds in the 40-yard dash, had a tackle and one pass breakup, but was a force in that Claremore only passed in his direction once. Lynn is a four-star recruit with Rivals. com and is considered one of the three best cornerbacks in the nation by virtually all of the recruiting services.

The Trojans and Zebras were scoreless until Jenks’ junior tailback Cory Jones raced 49 yards for a touchdown with 5: 26 remaining in the first half. Jenks scored again with 13 seconds remaining before halftime and was never threatened in the second half.

“It was kind of on us,” Lynn said of the sluggish start. “We didn’t come out with a lot of juice. At the end of the first quarter, we started getting after it.”

Jenks (3-1 ) is always a force in Class AAAAAA in Oklahoma. Lynn is rated the state’s top player this year, but the Trojans also have junior offensive tackle Bob Graham, 6-5, 265, 5. 0, who is expected to be among the top recruits in Oklahoma next fall. Lynn would like to have more balls thrown his way, but he understands teams will go away from him as much as possible.

“I’m playing pretty good right now,” Lynn said. “I haven’t really gotten a lot of opportunities to make a lot of plays, but I’m staying ready because I know it’s going to come. I have just got to try to be a leader for the team and be ready.”

Lynn said he understands why teams throw and run away from him, but said it is frustrating even though it’s a compliment to his ability.

“It’s hard because you want to be making every play,” Lynn said. “I have just got to stay positive and ready to go.”

Arkansas’ Garrick McGee is recruiting six seniors in or around the Tulsa area and has oral commitments from two of them, Tulsa East Central cornerback David Gordon, 6- 0, 170, 4. 4, and Broken Arrow offensive lineman Alvin Bailey, 6-4, 300, 5. 3.

Lynn said he has received text messages from Gordon and Darius Winston, another Arkansas recruit from Helena-West Helena Central, trying to persuade him to be a Razorback.

“Arkansas is still in there,” said Lynn, who took an official visit to Nebraska two weeks ago. “They’re up there with the other schools as far as recruiting me hard. They have given me a lot of attention.”

Lynn said he has developed a good relationship with Mc-Gee, and the Razorbacks will get one of his four official visits he has left to take.

“He came and saw me the first week against Bixby,” Lynn said. “He’s a nice guy who is real cool and gets along with everybody. He can really relate to players since he’s kind of a younger coach. I like talking to him a lot.”

Lynn said that while the Trojans are a young team this year, he knows they will get the other team’s best shot each week because of their tradition and success they have enjoyed for so many years.

“We have got to be prepared,” Lynn said. “There’s no hiding it, we’re Jenks.... We have just got to come out ready to play and fight.”

Lynn’s size and speed make it easy to understand why Oklahoma, Oklahoma State, LSU, Texas, Arkansas, Nebraska and virtually everyone else has offered him a scholarship.

“At corner, I bring some physical play to the game,” Lynn said. “I know this year I have to work on being patient. I’m not getting a lot of stuff coming my way, but now I’m becoming a better leader and standing out.”

Lynn said feels that even with the loss to Tulsa Union in the second week of the season this team can make some noise later in the season and in the playoffs.

“We’re young,” Lynn said. “Our best weeks are definitely ahead of us. As long as we keep hooking up and working hard, we should be OK.”

McGee has also offered Muskogee defensive lineman Robert Thomas, 6-1, 295, 5. 0, Tulsa Union safety Terrell Williams, 6-4, 220, 4. 63, and Tulsa East Central defensive lineman Pearlie Graves, 6-3, 275, 4. 9. In addition, McGee has offered Tulsa Booker T. Washington junior athlete Eric Bennett, 5-10, 170, 4. 45.