Baylor-commit Urquidez named to USA Today All-USA Texas team
By TJ MAXWELL
Cove Leader-Press
Four-star recruit and state champion are just two phrases associated with Copperas Cove standout lineman J.P. Urquidez. The Baylor-commit can now add USA Today All-USA Texas Team selection to that growing list of accomplishments.
“It’s a blessing,” said Urquidez during the annual Bulldawg football banquet where he received another honor as Copperas Cove Lineman of the Year. “All-State is saying a lot. There are a lot of great linemen out there. It’s an elite group. We’re all Division I athletes and we’re all good players. There are 10 linemen on there and I’m one of them. It’s a great accomplishment.”
Urquidez was named to the Second Team along with fellow linemen Austin Anderson (6-4, 290, Sr. Mineola), Riley Anderson (6-5, 280, Sr. Mineola), Austin Myers (6-5, 300, Sr. Manvel), and Denzel Okafor (6-3, 285, Sr. Lewisville).
He joins 12-6A rivals Kendell Jones and Rasshan Thornton of Shoemaker, who were named to the First Team Defense at Defensive line and Linebacker, respectively.
Urquidez began his high school football career in Copperas Cove before transferring to DeMatha High School where the junior earned a Maryland state championship.
Although it was a bittersweet situation for Urquidez - leaving DeMatha after earning a state title - but returning to Cove was a dream for the senior.
“It was a lot of different emotions,” he said. “I was happy I was coming back but sad that I was leaving a fantastic team. They won another state championship this year. They’re a nationally-ranked powerhouse but I love this team so much. When I came back, they welcomed me and there were no hard feelings about leaving them. It was a great season with them.”
Urquidez committed to play for Baylor in a signing ceremony back in April but can’t officially sign to play for the Bears until National Signing Day in February. He wishes his team would have had a little more success on the field this year but is happy he was able to conclude his high school career in Cove.
“I feels pretty good,” he said. “I committed back in April. Once I did that, everything went pretty smoothly. It was a tough season but it was fun to lead this group. There was a lot of character and a lot of kids that just had a great time together. I wouldn’t have rather been anywhere else than with this team.”
Urquidez is the 155th ranked player in the ESPN 300 and had offers from 22 different schools, including Clemson who played last night for the National title. Urquidez is in the top 30 national offensive tackles and in the top five Texas offensive tackles on Scout.com and 247sports. He is also No. 73 overall in the Rivals.com Lone Star Recruiting’s Top 100.
He was a consensus four-star prospect, was the No. 227 prospect, the No. 20 offensive tackle, the No. 33 player in Texas and held 26 total offers at the time of his commitment in April.
“It’s fantastic,” he said of his accomplishments and accolades. “In my freshman year in small town Texas, I didn’t think it would end like that but I listened to my coaches and I worked hard and that’s what happened.
“It felt to finish off as a four-star athlete and the No. 12 player in the state of Texas so that’s pretty good for me.”