PONY UP! Duncanville WR Roderick Daniels commits to SMU

SMU's 2021 class added a big name Thursday, as Duncanville wide receiver Roderick Daniels verbally committed to SMU.

A former Baylor pledge, Daniels reopened his recruiting process last Sunday. He tweeted that he and his family wanted to "take a step back" and reanalyze his future.

While Daniels has accumulated more than 25 offers, SMU has been a longtime player in his recruitment. Daniels was recruited to SMU by running backs coach Ra'Shaad Samples -- the son of Duncanville head football coach Reginald Samples -- and a relationship has been strong for months, even after Daniels committed to Baylor on May 10.

Daniels is a 5-9, 173-pound receiver who will fit well as a slot in SMU's offensive attack. He has 33 receptions for 568 yards and six touchdowns through seven games this season.

Daniels' versatility is what makes him such an intriguing prospect. He caught 47 passes for 749 yards and seven touchdowns and also rushed 34 times for 557 yards and six scores as a junior. He was named the District 8-6A Offensive MVP last season and has helped Duncanville to back-to-back UIL Class 6A Division I state championship-game appearances.

During the spring, Daniels spoke to The HillTopics about what it was that made SMU so attractive.

"It's the school, mainly," he said. "It's a good education, a good football team, a good program. There are a lot of players on the team who have been good for my position.

"Plus, it's close to home, so I'd be able to play for my family and the city where I'm from. It would really fit well."

Rated a three-star athlete, Daniels chose SMU over Power 5 offers like Arkansas, TCU, Texas Tech, Colorado and Arizona State. He is the 15th commitment for Sonny Dykes and his staff in the 2021 class.