Elite EDGE Derion Gullette leans on relationships, picks Texas over Texas A&M
Derion Gullette watched his older sister navigate her own recruiting process as a senior last season at Marlin (Texas) High School, so by the time he received his first offer from Baylor last year he was already well-accustomed to the ins and outs of making this arduous decision.
Gullette, On3’s No. 7-rated EDGE in the 2023 cycle, pledged to Texas on Friday. The Longhorns edged out Texas A&M as well as Ohio State for the four-star hybrid defender from Central Texas, who carefully went about evaluating his college fit from perspectives on and away from the field. As Gullette moved up his timeline, there were several critical factors under consideration. Ultimately, relationships paved the way for the Longhorns.
“It’s not just about football; it’s about becoming a man,” Lawrence Gullette, Derion’s father, told On3. “He stood firm in wanting to be at a school where he’d be developed as a person, as a man and academically. He wants to go to the NFL, and that’s hands down what he wants to do, but there’s also life after football. He wants to be set up for life after football.”
Gullette elected for development, relationships
Gullette was a small-school standout, but became a nationally sought-after recruit midway through his junior season at Marlin (Texas) High School. The Bears offered first and the Buckeyes were in the mix by the time his team was making a playoff run.
Unsurprisingly, the schools standing at the finish line for Gullette built relationships that could stand the test of time. From Steve Sarkisian to Jeff Choate to Chris Gilbert, the Longhorns never shied away from showing their feelings for one of the state’s best.
“It came down to relationships and having the opportunity to see the schools, it’s amazing to see many people on the staff knew who he was,” Gullette said. “They did their due diligence in getting to know him and were very welcoming. Coach Choate, Coach Gilbert, Coach Sark, they all reached out and they were instrumental in getting to know him and our family as well.”
Texas has been a mainstay in Gullette’s recruitment and surfaced toward the forefront beginning in the spring. By the time he was ready to reveal his decision, the staff made an impression with their persistence as well as their timing, and never missed a beat when the blue-chipper discovered he would miss his final season with a torn ACL.
“Texas A&M and Texas have been there the entire time. Texas built a better relationship with him, multiple relationships with him.” Marlin coach Ruben Torres, who played a large role in Gullette’s recruitment leading into his senior year, added. “When he had the injury, Texas was the one school that kept reaching out and never got the sense they wavered at all. He knew who was sticking with him and that left a good impression on him. Coach Sark is very personable. He stays in contact quite often, he calls a lot and he calls the coaches a lot. His staff, numbers-wise, from how many staff members have either come to Marlin or called. They’re a very visible group.”
Those close to Gullette believe it ultimately came down to the two in-state heavyweights for the four-star hybrid EDGE defender. It was close between the Horns and Aggies, and it was also calculated.
“He went above and beyond,” Torres said of how Gullette managed his recruitment. “When the process started a year ago when he got Baylor, then Texas A&M and then Texas, the one thing I always knew was that it was gonna be his decision. He was gonna decide the best place for him, for him to develop.”
“He’s done his research and he talks to the players currently there. Derion is very intuitive. He’s very smart, he doesn’t rush his decisions and he’s not sporadic or impulsive; he took his time to evaluate things and that’s his personality and times that by 10 when you talk about his maturity as a young man.”
On3’s No. 7 EDGE is a gifted multi-sport athlete
At 6-foot-3 and 225 pounds, Gullette brings unique athleticism to the EDGE position. In addition to a well-rounded skill-set on the field — the ability to cover in space, range roaming sideline to sideline, and the ability to pressure the quarterback, the newest Texas commitment is also a standout basketball player and accomplished track and field star.
Torres believes Gullette’s highlights on the hardwood are what propelled his recruitment to a national level. This past, he competed for three state track titles. He finished with personal bests in the 200-meter (22.63 seconds); shot put (53′-plus) and long jump (22′ 8.5).
“We were lucky to get a kid hungry to be coached,” Torres said. “He took to the coaching and he really developed well as a player. He showed his athleticism in track and his basketball caught the eye of a lot of coaches. It showed them he wasn’t just a small-school kid; he could play with the best in the country.”
Gullette is the nation’s No. 137 overall player in the country, according to the On3 Consensus, a complete and equally weighted industry-generated average that utilizes all four major recruiting media companies. The Industry Comparison shows On3 is significantly higher on Gullette than other recruiting services — tabbed as the nation’s No. 51 prospect and No. 8 player in Texas.