PurpleMenace.com - TCU legacy hopes to land offer

June 7, 2012

Chris Blake
PurpleMenace.com Associate Editor

Out of school for less than a week, Van Alstyne offensive tackle Alex Mayes picked up his hectic summer schedule Wednesday at Oklahoma State's camp at L.D. Bell in Hurst. He'll attend TCU's camp on Friday before going to Minnesota over the weekend.

In Fort Worth on Friday, Mayes said he wants to show Horned Frog coaches how much flexibility he has gained and that he's more explosive than a year ago. But mostly, just that he is healthy.

"I was going pretty good until I injured myself last year. I got a partially torn hamstring at their camp and that really set me back for the first part of my season," Mayes said. "I just want to prove to them that I'm 100 percent healthy and that I'm way better than I was at this time last year. Hopefully good things happen."

Though official offers have yet to come in from OSU and TCU, Mayes said he hopes that a good showing at each school's camp will help him close the deal. Arizona State and South Florida have also told him that if he visits their campuses over the summer, then they would offer as well.

With a number of offers expected to come in after he hits the camp circuit, the prospect of becoming a third-generation Horned Frog intrigues Mayes. His father and grandfather both played football for TCU and his dad is good friends with tight ends and special teams coach Dan Sharp.

Mayes is sitting on 10 offers, the most recent coming in from New Mexico, but Minnesota still sits atop his list.

"They were the first to offer me and I went up there and I really liked it, I was really blown away by what I saw," the 6-foot-6, 285 pound tackle said. "I wasn't expecting it at all. I really like [head] coach [Jerry] Kill and I think he's going to turn the program around."

One sticking point for Mayes has always been the opportunity to play on the offensive line with his younger brother, 2014 recruit Connor Mayes, in college. The two have played football together as long as the elder Mayes can remember.

"I mean we've always been on the same pee wee team and then playing in high school together has been a blast," Alex Mayes said. "I hope [playing together] works out because I think it brings the o-line that much closer together having that family bond between two players."

The brothers will work out together every day over the summer, Alex said. They'll start school workouts at Van Alstyne next week, work with a personal trainer most days and work with coaches on offensive line drills.

With all the working out they do, can big brother still push little brother around?

"I got him on power clean and squat and he's got me on the bench press and incline press, so I've got lower body and he's got upper body strength," Alex Mayes said.

Connor Mayes has been offered by Colorado, Colorado State, Connecticut, Kansas, Minnesota and Texas State, all schools that have already offered Alex. Alex said he would like to commit in August, just before the start of his senior season.

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