Texas offers GA DE Antonneous Clayton

The Texas Longhorns didn't wait long following the commitment of Killeen Shoemaker defensive end Rahssan Thornton to the LSU Tigers to offer Vienna (Ga.) Dooly County's Antonneous Clayton on Wednesday, according to 247Sports.

The 6'4, 218-pounder is a consensus four-star prospect ranked as the No. 149 player overall, the No. 10 weakside defensive end, and the No. 14 player in Georgia. Currently holding close to 30 offers, Clayton's 247Sports profile lists a top group of Auburn, Clemson, Florida, Florida State, and Ole Miss. He recently took trips to Tallahassee and Clemson, though Auburn and Georgia currently hold his five Crystal Ball predictions.

At 218 pounds, Clayton is closer to the weight of a linebacker than a defensive end at this point, but he does have impressive agility -- he ran a 4.36 shuttle at the Nike Atlanta The Opening Regional this spring. Unsurprisingly, Clayton has a good first step off the ball and a knack for making it difficult for blockers to get their hands on him. The questions are whether he understands how to use his hands against the run and can develop a couple of pass-rushing moves.

However, his ability to re-direct and his top-end speed provide clear indications of the high-level athleticism that defines him as a prospect. It's never easy to pull recruits like Clayton out of the Southeast, but after missing on three in-state targets in recent weeks, the Horns don't really have a choice except to look into top prospects elsewhere or uncover an underrecruited gem somewhere.