Anthony Hines in Starkville - via @2017D1Prospect
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The decision came less than 24 hours after the Bulldogs allegedly pulled the offer of West Mesquite (Texas) quarterback Chason Virgil.
One of the most highly-recruited 2017 prospects in the country has reopened his recruitment. Plano (Texas) East linebacker
Anthony Hines is once again on the open market after decommitting from the
Mississippi State Bulldogs on Friday:
After speaking with my parents and coaches, I have decided to de-commit from Mississippi State and open up my recruitment.
— Anthony Hines III (@2017D1Prospect)
November 22, 2014
Hines is a four-star prospect by 247Sports ranked as the No. 113 player overall, the No. 6 player outside linebacker, and No. 1 player in the state of Texas. He pledged to the Bulldogs in October 2013 during a visit to Starkville when he was a freshman in high school.
The 6'2, 218-pounder holds over 50 offers, making him one of the most coveted recruits in the country regardless of class.
What caused the decision from Hines? It seemed like only a matter of time before he opened up his recruitment again, but the expectation on Thursday was that
Mississippi State head coach Dan Mullen allegedly pulling the offer of Chason Virgil would send ripples through the landscape of Texas high school football.
A longtime pledge, Virgil was informed by the staff that he no longer had a scholarship offer only days before he was set to graduate and enroll early at Mississippi State.
And so it has now sent a ripple through the landscape of Texas high school football with a quickness. Before making his decommitment official, Hines sent out the following tweet:
S/O: To my big bro!
@ChasonVirgil5 #TheQuarterBack
— Anthony Hines III (@2017D1Prospect)
November 21, 2014
While that reference is slightly oblique, Hines' father had the following to say to 247Sports:
Anthony Hines' father told
@robbiefaulk247 that what happened to Chason Virgil had "something to do with it."
— Riley Blevins (@Riley_Blevins)
November 22, 2014
So, there it is, with the takeaway being a simple one -- don't mess with Texas high school football.
Where will Hines end up?
He has an incredible number of options for such a young prospect, so he's not hurting on that front. Since the start of August, he's visited Oklahoma State, TCU, Texas A&M, Oklahoma and Texas. The Sooners are thought to be the favorite at this time -- all five of the predictions in the 247Sports Crystal Ball for Hines are for Oklahoma.
As for Mississippi State, Mullen and his coaching staff may find some rather frosty welcomes when they make their way into Texas once again.
