clock menu more-arrow no yes mobile

Filed under:

Lakendrick Van Zandt Signs with TCU: National Signing Day 2017

There are a myriad of options for Gary Patterson when it comes to where to play this explosive athlete.

NCAA Football: West Virginia at Texas Christian Ray Carlin-USA TODAY Sports

East Texas has been good to TCU, and Gary Patterson is one of the best in the business when it comes to mining oil country for top talent. The Class of 2017 is no exception, led by talented RB/S Lakendrick Van Zandt out of Henderson.

TCU was the first major offer for Van Zandt, who had heard only from Incarnate Word and Northeastern State before GP and Jarrett Anderson identified him as a kid they had to have in June of last year after seeing him at their East Texas camp. Eventually other schools would catch up, with offers from Baylor, Houston, Memphis, Oklahoma State, SMU, Southern Miss, SFA, Tulsa, and Tulane coming in over the course of his senior year.

After initially committing with Henderson teammate, and good friend, Trestan Ebner, there was some concern LVZ would also open his commitment after Ebner did the same in search of a guaranteed shot on offense. But he never wavered, and even when Ebner chose to go to Waco, there was no doubt Lakendrick would be a Frog. For these two, who refer to each other as brother, the next four years could be the best kind of Civil War.

Van Zandt is a super interesting prospect, as he has the kind of speed (4.5) that the Frogs desire on offense, but the physicality and size (6’1”, 196) to be a difference maker on defense. He likely projects out at safety, where he can wreak havoc in pass defense, as a blitzer, or making big hits in the secondary. Wherever he lines up, he will be a ton of fun to watch, judging by the highlights below.