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Large crop of FBS recruits will take the field at this week’s state championships

Pro Football Hall of Famers Earl Campbell (Tyler John Tyler) and Eric Dickerson (Sealy) won state championships in Texas. So did current NFL stars Drew Brees (Austin Westlake) and Matthew Stafford (Highland Park).

Just last season, Gatorade National Football Player of the Year Johnathan Gray broke the national record for career touchdowns on the same day he led Aledo to a third consecutive state title.

This year, none of the top 32 players in Rivals.com’s Texas Top 100 recruiting rankings will be playing in a state championship game. But there will still be plenty of players at Cowboys Stadium this week who could become a big name in college or beyond.

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Saturday’s Class 5A Division II final will have a lot of star power, as Cedar Hill and Katy both have four players committed to Football Bowl Subdivision schools. That game will feature Katy running back Adam Taylor — a Nebraska pledge who is the top-ranked recruit among those playing in a title game — as well as three players committed to Big 12 schools and two to an SEC program.

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Class 4A Division I finalist Denton Guyer also has four FBS commitments. And Saturday’s 5A Division I championship game will feature four FBS pledges, two each for Allen and Houston Lamar.

In all, 22 players on this year’s state finalists have committed to FBS schools. The Big 12 leads the way with seven commitments, followed by the SEC (four), Conference USA (four), Big Ten (three), Pac-12 (two) and Sun Belt (two).

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But it doesn’t always take big stars to win it all. Nine schools playing for a state title don’t have any players currently committed to an FBS school.

Class 1A Division II

Munday vs. Tenaha

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Noon Thursday

No players from either team are committed to an FBS school.

Class 1A Division I

Stamford vs. Mart

4 p.m. Thursday

No players from either team are committed to an FBS school.

Class 2A Division II

Corsicana Mildred vs. East Bernard

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8 p.m. Thursday

QB Nic Shimonek

Mildred, 6-4, 190

Commitment: Iowa

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Notable: Iowa offensive coordinator Greg Davis, a former longtime Texas offensive coordinator, recruited Shimonek.

Statistics: 160-of-252 passing (63.5%), 2,555 yards, 33 TDs, 6 INTs; 126 rushing attempts, 842 yards, 16 TDs

QB/DB Ty Slanina

East Bernard, 6-0, 185

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Commitment: TCU

Notable: Ranked No. 66 in Rivals.com’s Texas top-100 recruiting rankings

Statistics: 20-of-42 passing (47.6%), 501 yards, 7 TDs, 2 INTs; 71 rushing attempts, 1,048 yards, 22 TDs

Class 2A Division I

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Daingerfield vs. Cameron Yoe

Noon Friday

No players from either team are committed to an FBS school.

Class 3A Division II

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Gilmer vs. Navasota

4 p.m. Friday

DB/WR Trey Washington

Gilmer, 6-1, 175

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Commitment: SMU

Statistics: 49 tackles, 13 assists, 7 passes knocked down, 1 fumble recovery, 3 interceptions; 31 receptions, 332 yards, 2 TDs

LB/RB Josh Walker

Gilmer, junior, 6-1, 220

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Commitment: Texas A&M

Statistics: 66 tackles, 58 assists, 33 QB pressures, 8 sacks, 3 forced fumbles, 2 fumbles recovered, 1 TD return; 87 rushing attempts, 611 yards, 15 TDs; 19 receptions, 275 yards, 3 TDs

Note: Navasota has no players committed to FBS schools. Several, including QB Kadarius Baker, WR Solomon McGinty, WR Austin Collins, LB Jaylyin Minor and DB/RB Xavier Creeks, are waiting to announce their commitments after the season, coach Lee Fedora said.

Class 4A Division II

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Lancaster vs. Cedar Park

8 p.m. Friday

DE Daeshon Hall

Lancaster, 6-6, 230

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Commitment: Washington

Notable: Ranked No. 39 in Rivals.com’s Texas top-100 recruiting list

Statistics: 83 tackles, 24 tackles for loss, 18 sacks, 2 forced fumbles, 4 pass breakups, 3 blocked kicks, 20 QB pressures

QB Demarcus Ayers

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Lancaster, 5-11, 170

Commitment: Decommitted from Washington State; has offers from about 20 FBS schools

Statistics: 114-of-203 passing (56.2%), 1,697 yards, 22 TDs, 10 INTs; 171 rushing attempts, 1,304 yards, 15 TDs; 6 receptions, 180 yards, 3 TDs

DB Nick Harvey

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Lancaster, junior, 5-11, 175

Commitment: Texas A&M

Statistics: 50 tackles, 2 forced fumbles, 6 INTs, 15 pass breakups in regular season

Note: Cedar Park has no players committed to FBS schools but has several players with FCS offers and interest, including RT Riley Mayfield, LT Austin Hisler and WR/RB/QB Ethan Fry, assistant coach Tim Smith said.

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Class 4A Division I

Denton Guyer vs. Georgetown

Noon Saturday

OT Patrick Morris

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Guyer, 6-3 280

Commitment: TCU

Notable: Ranked No. 75 in Rivals.com’s Texas top-100 recruiting list

Quotable: “Patrick is a freak in the weight room (385-pound power clean), and it transfers on the field. He brings an intense nastiness to our team.” — Guyer coach John Walsh

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WR Ellis Jefferson

Guyer, 6-4, 200

Commitment: Arizona State

Statistics: 47 receptions, 725 yards, 8 TDs

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QB Jerrod Heard

Guyer, junior, 6-3, 200

Commitment: Texas

Statistics: 147-of-237 passing (62%), 1,901 yards, 15 TDs, 7 INTs; 226 carries, 1,995 yards, 30 TDs

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S John Schilleci

Guyer, 6-1, 190

Commitment: UNT

Quotable: “John is very fast and a physical presence in the secondary.” — Walsh

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*Georgetown has no players committed to FBS schools.

Class 5A Division II

Cedar Hill vs. Katy

4 p.m. Saturday

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WR Quincy Adeboyejo

Cedar Hill, 6-3, 185

Commitment: Texas A&M

Notable: Ranked No. 90 in Rivals.com’s Texas top-100 recruiting rankings

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Statistics: 87 receptions, 1,230 yards, 17 TDs

RB/WR Laquvionte Gonzalez

Cedar Hill, 5-10, 170

Commitment: Texas A&M

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Notable: Ranked No. 60 in Rivals.com’s Texas top-100 recruiting rankings

Statistics: 171 carries, 1,415 yards, 20 TDs; 32 receptions, 324 yards, 4 TDs

WR Brandon Harris

Cedar Hill, 6-1, 190

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Commitment: Iowa State

Statistics: 33 receptions, 401 yards, 2 TDs

QB Damion Hobbs

Cedar Hill, 6-3, 225

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Commitment: Arkansas State

Notable: Ranked No. 100 in Rivals.com’s Texas top-100 recruiting rankings

Statistics: 198-of-296 passing (66.9%), 2,569 yards, 27 TDs, 7 INTs

RB Adam Taylor

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Katy, 6-1, 210

Commitment: Nebraska

Notable: Ranked No. 33 in Rivals.com’s Texas top-100 recruiting rankings

Statistics: 303 attempts, 2,473 yards, 37 TDs

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DE Matt Dimon

Katy, 6-3, 250

Commitment: Oklahoma

Notable: Ranked No. 67 in Rivals.com’s Texas top-100 recruiting rankings

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Statistics: 44 solo tackles, 26 assisted tackles, 12 sacks, 31 tackles for loss, 57 QB pressures, 1 forced fumble, 1 INT, 3 pass breakups

DB Isaiah Brown

Katy, 5-11, 175

Commitment: Tulsa

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Statistics: 39 solo tackles, 5 assisted tackles, 4 tackles for loss, 2 fumble recoveries, 10 INTs, 10 pass breakups

DB/WR Kyle Fulks

Katy, 5-8, 165

Commitment: Baylor

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Statistics: DB: 17 solo tackles, 8 assisted tackles, 2 INTs, 2 pass breakups; WR: 20 receptions, 448 yards, 5 TDs; 8 rushing attempts, 103 yards

Class 5A, Division I

Allen vs. Houston Lamar

8 p.m. Saturday

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OL Brad North

Allen, 6-2, 275

Commitment: Northwestern

Notable: Ranked No. 78 in Rivals.com’s Texas top-100 recruiting rankings

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Quotable: “Brad has been a 3 year starter and a great leader.” — Allen coach Tom Westerberg

DL Byron Bonds

Allen, 6-1, 270

Commitment: Baylor

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Quotable: “Bryon is relentless in work ethic on and off the field.” — Westerberg

DB Cedric Lancaster

Lamar, 5-9, 170

Commitment: SMU

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Statistics: 7 INTs, 4 TDs (2 kickoff returns, receiving TD, INT return)

DL Zelt Minor

Lamar, 6-2, 240

Commitment: SMU

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Statistics: 1.5 sacks, 2 fumble recoveries, 2 TDs (fumble return for TD, fumble recovery in end zone)

Players committed to FBS schools was supplied from a survey of coaches of teams playing for state championships this week. Players are seniors, unless noted. Statistics from SportsDayHS.com and MaxPreps.com

Kyle Whitfield and Greg Riddle contributed to this report