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FRESHMAN PHENOM: Klein Oak Rhodes becoming hottest name in Houston
It’s not often that you see a freshman playing varsity in 6A Texas high school football.
Klein Oak running back Micah Rhodes came into the 2024 season with aspirations of playing on varsity after picking up offers from Baylor, Oklahoma and Boise State before ever touching the field.
Since starting on varsity, the "Freshman Phenom" has picked up 14 offers from some of the biggest schools in college football.
The expectation were high for Rhodes coming into this fall and he has been nothing short of phenomenal. Though many may let the pressure of high expectations get to them, the young running back has never wavered.
“I didn’t see it as pressure at all,” Rhodes said. “I’ve been training and worked hard all offseason for this. I just want show everyone why I picked up my offers early.”
Micah has rushed for 786 yards on 153 carries and eight touchdowns in only nine games. The early playing time and trust by his team has helped make the transition from junior high football an easy transition.
“It means a lot to me that my team trusts me to go out there and play my game," he said. "I'm just staying composed and keeping the main thing, the main thing. Coach (Brandon) Carpenter’s play calls have made it easier for a smooth transition as well.”
His play on the field has garnered offers from some of the biggest D1 programs in the country like Oregon, Ole Miss, Texas A&M, Ohio State and Penn State to name a few.
“It has been a great experience,” he said. “My classmates and teammates have showed me a lot of love. I got the Ohio State, Penn State and Ole Miss offer during athletic period and it was crazy after I got the news. Then to top it off, it was it was game day!”
The recruiting process is starting early for Rhodes but it's always been apart of the plan.
"It has been great," Rhodes said. "I have been in contact with all the coaches that offered me and even the ones who haven’t offered me. Building relationships with the coaches has been exciting and interesting at the same time."
Micah Rhodes is becoming one of the hottest names in recruitment already as a freshman. He will be a player to keep an eye over the next three years.
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LATE TO THE PARTY: Mayde Creek’s Haastrup new to recruiting scene
Every year there always seems to be one prospect in the city of Houston who bursts onto the recruiting scene, late to the party.
This year, look no further than Mayde Creek’s Tobi Haastrup -- a 2025 DE who has picked up 21 offers in the past month -- and went from unknown to a 4-Star national recruit overnight.
How did he get here?
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Haastrup’s journey to football is more unique than most, starting with living ‘across the pond’ in London.
“I lived in London for nine years and the main sports over their were futbol and and track, so that’s what I played when I moved over to the US," he said. "I really was trying to get a track scholarship originally, but realized if you’re not running a 10.1 or 10.2, there aren’t many schools offering you for track.”
After some convincing from some coaches, Haastrup traded in his spikes for cleats.
“The football coaches came up to me over the offseason and convinced me to give football a shot," he said. "They told me I had the size and the speed, so I decided to give it a shot for my senior year.
“I went to SAC (speed and strength) camp all summer and trained non-stop. I really knew nothing about what I was doing other than getting off the ball, because it was similar to getting a good start out of the blocks in track.”
Many people who have only been playing football for three months might struggle or have a slow start, but Haastrup introduced himself to Texas High School football was a bang.
In his first game playing the sport, Haastrup finished the game with four sacks, seven tackles and two QB pressures, a stat line that even many high-level 5-star prospects might not eclipse in their high school careers.
“Before the first game I really was just leaving it up to God, praying for the confidence in myself to go out there and apply what I had learned so far,” he said.
After that first game stat line, Haastrup got his first taste of the recruiting process picking up 21 offers from some big-time Power 4 programs overnight.
“I always thought that I would get a scholarship to run track, so whenever they started to come in for football I just had to thank God. None of this would be possible without him.”
Haastrup will have a big decision coming around signing day and will be visiting LSU, Boston College, Missouri, Ole Miss and Florida State in the coming weeks.
Stay tuned.