Players making their verbal commitments always outshines the postseason high school football All-Star games. Thursday, six players made their announcements at the Under Armour All-America game, about two weeks after the early signing period end.
Maybe the biggest announcement was the non-announcement from 5-star running back Zach Evans of North Shore High School in Texas. Evans had a star-crossed senior season with discipline problems that included him not playing in the team’s championship game before Christmas.
He was expected to make his highly-anticipated announcement at the UA game, but he didn’t.
Then came the rumor from 247Sports’ Bobby Burton that Evans had actually signed his Letter of Intent with Georgia during the early signing period, but the university decided not to turn-in his LOI.
I’m told that RB Zach Evans signed with UGa in early signing period but #Dawgs elected not to submit his LOI.
— Bobby Burton (@BobbyBurton247) January 4, 2020
That tweet was followed a day later by this tweet by Burton.
Correction: UGa has submitted Evans’ paperwork to the NCAA per two 247Sports sources. As a reminder, LOI’s bind a player to the school, not the school to the player. And he has signed with UGa.
— Bobby Burton (@BobbyBurton247) January 4, 2020
As far as the game itself, the No. 1 running back prospect was named Most Valuable Player.
Reservations for SIX!
— All-America Game (@AllAmericaGame) January 3, 2020
Five-star RB @Runzekerun01 gives Team Pressure a 17-3 lead.#UAALLAMERICA pic.twitter.com/XKYNAkaj3f
5-star tight end prospect Darnell Washington of Desert Pines High School in Nevada announced he’s headed to Georgia.
Arizona State picked-up two four-star prospects and both come from the same high school program. Folsom 4-star receiver Elijhah Badger and running back Daniyel Ngata both chose the Sun Devils during the game.
4-star quarterback Chandler Morris, who de-commited from his verbal to Arkansas after his father Chad Morris was fired as the Razorbacks head coach, chose Oklahoma.
Oregon picked-up cornerback Dontae Manning of Raytown High in Missouri.
The Ducks just got themselves a BALLHAWK!
— All-America Game (@AllAmericaGame) January 3, 2020
Dontae Manning commits to @oregonfootball at the 2020 Under Armour All-America Game!#UAALLAMERICA pic.twitter.com/5L6e5HgfK0
The fourth player choosing a PAC-12 team was defensive end Jason Harris of Arizona’s Higley High School.
BTW, Team Pressure, coached by Deion Sanders, beat Team Savage, coached by Ed Reed, 30-24.