The TCU Horned Frogs will have some depth at running back again heading into the 2013 season with the addition of transfer Aaron Green and Arlington (Texas) Martin standout Kyle Hicks, who signed his letter of intent on Wednesday.
Kyle Hicks signs with TCU over Texas
The Horned Frogs don’t steal many commits from the Longhorns, but stole a highly-considered prospect from the 2013 class.
A consensus four-star prospect, Hicks is rated as the no. 29 player in the state of Texas by the 247Sports composite ranking and the no. 14 running back nationally. Hicks held offers from Arkansas, Baylor, Michigan, Notre Dame, Texas A&M, and Utah State.
Here’s the evaluation of Hicks when he committed to Texas:
Listed at 5-10 and about 190 pounds, it’s tempting to list Hicks as an all-purpose back because of his size and the fact that he has proven ability to catch the ball out of the backfield. Combined with his strong play at cornerback for Martin as a sophomore, it could even be conceivable to list Hicks as an athlete.
However, the most impressive thing about watching Hicks on film is that he shows some serious running back skills, particularly his ability to break tackles and still maintain his balance. After losing to Euless Trinity in the playoffs for what must have seemed like an eternity to Warrior fans (or four of the last five seasons, to be exact), Hicks was a major factor in finally helping overcome the Metroplex power in the 2011 playoffs, recording 113 yards on the ground on 20 carries.
Most impressive was his game-clinching run for the final margin (watch here at just before the 3:00 mark). From 19 yards out, Hicks showed his speed to take the edge, then made a slide cut through multiple defenders before spinning out of the tackle of a defensive lineman and keeping his balance on the way to the endzone and a monumental playoff victory.
As always with a prospect, there are certain plays, especially in the biggest of moments, that cement a player as one of the best and that run against Trinity was that play for Hicks.
If there’s a bit of a concern with Hicks, it’s that he’s suffered two different foot injuries in the last several years, raising some questions about his durability. The hope for TCU head coach Gary Patterson is that Hicks just suffered from some bad luck.
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Recruitment timeline: Hicks committed to Texas in late February after visiting for a Junior Day, but opted to flip to TCU in early December in order to stay closer to home and play with close friend and former teammate Devonte Fields, the star defensive end who was dominant as a freshman.
Highlight video:
#22 Kyle Hicks Arlington Martin YouTube sharing (via gridironfilmspro)
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