SAN ANTONIO, Tex. — The 2019 All-American events are over. First, it was the Under Armour All-America Game in Orlando and then it was out to Texas for the 2019 All-American Bowl.

The trips offered DawgNation the chance to interact with all the Southeast-based signees and see an elite target announce that he will enroll early in South Florida’s Tyrique Stevenson.

Xavier Truss-UGA recruiting-Georgia recruiting” width=”400″ height=”267″ /> Xavier Truss is very likely the biggest (literally and figuratively) recruit in/Dawgnation)

But the trip also afforded the chance to spend some extended time with 4-star OT signee Xavier Truss. The 6-foot-7, 315-pound prospect from Bishop Hendricken played on a state title team in 2018.

The 247Sports composite ratings have him as the nation’s No. 15 OT prospect for this class. That will also slot him in at No. 139 overall nationally.

A case can be made that Truss is the biggest prospect in that state’s history, especially since the establishment of modern college recruiting coverage and the star system.

Will Blackmon, a 4-star recruit in 2002, rated No. 174 overall at that time. Blackmon logged 11 seasons in pro football.

Here’s where Rhode Island’s top prospect charted on the 247Sports composite since 2000:

  • 2019: No. 139 overall (4-star Xavier Truss)
  • 2018: No. 1,478 overall (3-star)
  • 2017:  No. 486 overall (3-star signee to Michigan)
  • 2016: No. 2,217 overall (3-star)
  • 2015: No. 2,578 overall (2-star)
  • 2014: Did not chart
  • 2013: No. 1,163 overall
  • 2012: Did not chart
  • 2011:  Did not chart
  • 2010: Did not chart
  • 2009: Did not chart
  • 2008: Did not chart
  • 2007: Did not chart
  • 2006: Did not chart
  • 2005: Did not chart
  • 2004: No. 2028 overall
  • 2003: No. 1241 overall
  • 2002: No. 174 overall (4-star Will Blackmon)
  • 2001: Did not chart
  • 2000: Did not chart

Based on his offer sheet (30-plus offers) and the blue blood programs that were wooing him, it is a safe conclusion to state the Bulldogs likely signed the most heavily-recruited prospect in Rhode Island history with Truss.

“In terms of his recruitment, I don’t think there’s been any high school football player in Rhode Island history that’s been more recruited than him,” Bishop Hendricken coach Keith Croft said.

Of that, there is very little debate.

“There is really no discussion at all about that,” Croft said. “No discussion whatsoever. There has never been a high school football player in Rhode Island history with more offers than him. More big-time offers as well.”

Check out the DawgNation conversation with Xavier Truss

Want to know more about Truss? Check out the video interview above for his thoughts on…

  • The Bulldogs he got to know in the 2019 class out in Texas
  • Does he have any recruiting targets left in mind? (This interview was conducted prior to the Stevenson news drop)
  • What does he think about Ohio State commit Doug Nester?
  • Why did he want to drop those 35-something pounds to get ready for his senior year?
  • How bad was his ankle injury at the 2019 All-American Bowl?
  • What was it like for him watching the UGA-Texas game last week?
  • Why did he choose Georgia?
  • Did he ever waver in his pledge?
  • What was the biggest reason he chose the Bulldogs?
  • What is his playing style?

A few quick things to know about Xavier Truss

  • Grew about five inches in high school. Then he played on a state title team in 2018
  • Was expected to choose Penn State for the longest time by the recruiting industry, but went against that grain of 100% Crystal Balls to that program to choose UGA.
  • Once he committed to UGA, he never wavered in that pledge
  • Lost about 35-40 pounds in preparation for his senior season. Dropped down from 355-plus pounds.
  • Showed toughness last week in Texas bouncing back from an ankle injury
  • He’s athletic enough to jump off two feet and grab the rim on a basketball hoop. He could do that at 340-350 pounds
  • Bishop needed to outfit him in a size 3XL jersey. He also steps into a size-18 cleat

Coachspeak: Bishop Hendricken’s Keith Croft on Xavier Truss

Truss will not enroll early this week. That’s something that his school does not have much experience with.

He arrives in late May or early June.

Sam Pittman was a big factor here. As usual.

“I spoke to coach Pittman a number of times,” Croft said. “I can’t say enough great things about him and the job he did recruiting Xavier. He was phenomenal.”

He distilled Pittman’s recruiting method into two simple things: 1) The veteran recruiter seems to be able to make people feel pretty much instantly comfortable around him and 2) He asks the right questions about these players. The type of fact-finding questions that most recruiters rarely ever ask.

Truss is seen as an athlete by the high school coaches who know him best.

“He’s athletic and he can move and he can run,” Croft said. “He plays defense for us. Georgia is getting an athlete who just happens to be really big.”

There are only about 40 high school football teams in Rhode Island. That’s pretty noteworthy given that there are only a mere 240 teams that now qualify for the playoffs in the Georgia High School Association alone.

Check out the DawgNation All-American coverage

It is a busy time for the recruiting beat here at DawgNation. We’ve stacked up coverage in the can from Orlando and San Antonio as this blog posts.

Here is what is on the site so far from the 2019 Under Armour All-America week and the 2019 All-American Bowl events in San Antonio.

Expect much much more to come this week.