ORLANDO, Fla. -- The third-ranked running back in the ESPN 300, Devwah Whaley, committed to Arkansas before the 2016 Under Armour All-America game on Saturday. Whaley is one of five ESPN 300 prospects, all of whom are ranked in the top 10 at their respective positions, who are announcing their commitments at the Under Armour game.
The 6-foot, 195-pound running back from Beaumont (Texas) Central High School, who rushed for 3,392 yards and 38 touchdowns in his high school career, chose the Razorbacks over Georgia and Texas A&M.
Whaley had previously committed to Georgia on Thanksgiving night but backed off that pledge when coach Mark Richt was fired. Arkansas jumped to the top of Whaley's list after his official visit to Fayetteville on Nov. 20.
The 49th-ranked player in the country becomes the 17th verbal commitment for Arkansas, four of whom are ranked in the ESPN 300.
Terps get OL Davis: Offensive lineman Terrance Davis, ranked No. 125 in the ESPN 300, committed to Maryland over Florida and Michigan. Davis gives the Terps four ESPN 300 commitments in the 2016 class, the most the school has had in one class.
Davis is from Maryland but said Michigan was his leader until the Terps hired Wolverines defensive coordinator DJ Durkin as head coach. Durkin helped sway Davis to Maryland's side and could do the same for future prospects as well.
"Once they hired Coach Durkin, that's what did it for me," Davis said. "Me and my family noticed that he has an energy and a different vibe than the old staff."
Davis joins ESPN 300 commitments Dwayne Haskins Jr., Keandre Jones and Richard Merritt and gives Maryland 15 total commits in the class.
WR Davis chooses LSU: Drake Davis, the 10th-ranked wide receiver in the ESPN 300, continued the run of commitments by giving his pledge to LSU in the second quarter. The 6-4, 215-pound prospect from IMG Academy in Bradenton, Florida, chose the Tigers over Ole Miss and Texas A&M.
Davis, who did not play football as a junior in high school to focus on soccer, saw his recruitment skyrocket early in his senior year when he blocked an extra point by jumping over an offensive lineman and returning it for a two-point conversion. As a senior, Davis totaled seven receiving touchdowns, one rushing touchdown and two kick returns for a touchdown.
Davis becomes LSU's 19th ESPN 300 WR commit since 2006, the most of any program. The Tigers now have 18 verbal commitments, including 14 ranked in the ESPN 300. The four-star prospect Davis joins his high school teammate and fellow ESPN 300 prospect CB Saivion Smith as an LSU commit.
OT Delance commits to Texas: ESPN 300 offensive tackle Jean Delance committed to Texas, choosing the Longhorns over LSU and Michigan. Delance is the No. 8 offensive tackle in the country, the No. 90-ranked prospect overall and the third ESPN 300 commitment in the 2016 class for the Longhorns.
Delance's decision really came down to Texas and Michigan during the week of practice at the Under Armour All America game. The 6-5, 280-pound lineman said he was going back and forth on which school to choose.
Ultimately Delance went with the school closer to his Mesquite, Texas, home.
Delance fills a big need for Texas along the offensive line, as the Longhorns gave up a sack on 12.7 percent of pass attempts in 2015, second worst in the FBS. The commitment gives Texas its first ESPN 300 offensive tackle to commit since 2013.
Clemson snags LB Smith: Outside linebacker Rahshaun Smith of IMG Academy rounded out the group of UA Game commitments by announcing his pledge to Clemson during the fourth quarter.
A 6-3, 239-pound defender, the second-ranked outside linebacker in the ESPN 300 and the 26th-ranked prospect overall, Smith chose Clemson over Auburn and LSU. Smith originally committed to Clemson in March but decided to back off of that pledge in August so he could take his official visits.
Smith becomes the second-highest ranked LB (highest OLB) to commit to Clemson in ESPN 300 era (since 2006). The previous top two Clemson LB commits were both drafted in the 2015 NFL Draft (Tony Steward and Stephone Anthony).
With the addition of Smith, Clemson now has 14 commits including eight ranked in the ESPN 300.