So the Houston Cougars clearly aren't quite in the rarefied air of Texas-Austin or Texas A&M, where they'll have a dozen verbal commitments for next year's football recruiting class a week after signing day. But on Saturday, the Cougars did get on the board with a pair of commitments from impressive-looking 2013 recruits.
Rivals now lists running back Denzell Evans (Bellaire High) and offensive lineman Josh Thomas (Shreveport, LA) as verbal commits to head coach Tony Levine and the Cougars.
Both Evans and Thomas are listed as three-star recruits by Rivals, and both had multiple other BCS-conference offers. (Yes, soak it in, Cougar fans. 2013 recruits that sign with UH are officially BCS-conference recruits.)
Evans reportedly had offers from Arizona State, Colorado, Kansas State, Michigan State, Minnesota and SMU. Thomas, who checks in at a staggering 6'7", 336 lbs, had scholarship offers from Mississippi State, North Texas and Vanderbilt.
If not getting a verbal commitment until the end of March seems like a long wait, it is, by comparison. Houston got its first verbal commitment on March 9th of last year, and had four verbals by the end of March a year ago. However, Evans and Thomas compare very favorably to anyone (non-Greenberry division) out of last year's class, in terms of the resumes they will take with them to Cullen Boulevard, assuming their minds aren't swayed between now and signing day.
So bottom line, the 2013 Cougar signing class is off to a great start.