DeSoto DL Shemar Turner Remains Big Target for Texas Longhorns
In his first stint as DeSoto’s head coach 10 years ago, Claude Mathis began using local favorite Jeffrey Booker as his barber. Mathis would relax in the shop, listening to the regulars talk football and brag about the youngsters coming up in Pop Warner in this talent-laden town just a few miles south of Dallas.
Even after Mathis left Dallas to take a job in the East Texas town of Marshall, the stories kept coming. And in late 2018, when Mathis was pondering a return to DeSoto, he got a call from his friend and barber about yet another promising young football player named Shemar Turner.
“(Booker) said just ‘I miss you, I know what kind of coach your are. Come back and coach my nephew,’ ” Mathis said. “I didn’t now about Shemar until I left for Marshall.”
Everyone college scout across the country now knows about Turner, a 6-foot-4, 260-pound defensive lineman who is a top target for the Texas coaching staff for the 2021 cycle. Turner narrowed his choices down to Texas, Alabama, LSU, Georgia and Texas A&M earlier this summer and - like a lot of top recruits - wants to see how the NCAA rules on campus visits during the fall before making a final decision.
Turner earned a spot on varsity as a sophomore - not an easy feat for an underclassman at a program like DeSoto - as a standup outside linebacker/defensive end hybrid. When Mathis arrived back on campus in the 2019 offseason, he looked at Turner’s big frame and physical attributes and moved him to a more traditional defensive lineman spot with a three-point stance. Turner responded with 44 tackles, eight sacks and nine tackles for a loss as well as first-team, all-district honors.
“He had so much potential, and he really had a nose for the ball,”Mathis said. “Once we put him on the ground, he took off.”
The four-star recruit also brings high energy to every practice, according to his coach.
“I have to call him off in practice,” Mathis said. “I’m like ‘Dude, leave my quarterback alone!’ ”
Turner works hard on his craft, said Mathis. Donald Miller, DeSoto’s defensive line coach, has a black belt in karate and teaches Turner the importance of using his hands to help his get-off against blockers. Turner also works out with Brandon Tucker, one of the Dallas area’s top personal trainers who specializes in helping defensive linemen at the high school, collegiate and professional level.
That work ethic only grew this past spring before the coronavirus pandemic shut down schools in Texas and halted spring football, which is a usual stop for both college scouts and recruiting analysts.
“If we hadn’t had that break, he’s close to being a five-star,” Mathis said. “Spring would have been huge for him. He’s been on a tear in the weight room. I don’t think this virus will slow hom down at all. It won’t take him long to get right back where he was. I don’t expect a good season from him this year; I expect a dominant season.”
Turner's evaluation from SI All American:
Bottom Line: Turner is an interesting defensive line prospect, as he is capable of playing inside and on the edge. He’s physical at the point of attack and consistently finds the ball with quick eyes. Though he’s not a sizzling pass-rusher at this point, he does have a varied pass-rush toolbox for a young player. Turner could develop into a 1-gap defensive tackle or end, or fit fine in a 2-gap defensive scheme as well.
To get the latest Texas Longhorns Posts posts as they happen, join the Texas Longhorns Community by clicking “Follow” at the top right corner of the page (mobile users can click the notifications bell icon), and follow Texas Longhorns SI on Twitter @LonghornsSI
