Texas HS Standouts Receive FCS Offers From Texas Southern & McNeese

Several Texas high school football players have picked up new FCS offers in recent days.

Mar. 29, 2026 at 5:19pm

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A fragmented, geometric painting depicting the chaotic movements and perspectives of a high school football game, rendered in a cubist style using rich, earthy tones.A cubist interpretation of the dynamic action and energy of high school football recruiting in Texas.St. Thomas Today

A number of Texas high school football players have received new offers from FCS programs in recent days, including Behrens from Northern Iowa, Thomas from Gardner-Webb, Nichols from Texas Southern, Gandolfo from McNeese, and Shannon from The Citadel.

Why it matters

These offers highlight the recruiting efforts of FCS programs to identify and attract top talent from the talent-rich state of Texas. As the 2026 season approaches, these players will continue to weigh their options and make decisions about their college football futures.

The details

Behrens received an offer from Northern Iowa after visiting the school and meeting with the coaching staff. Thomas picked up his first Division I offer from Gardner-Webb, while Nichols added an offer from Texas Southern to go along with several other FBS offers. Gandolfo earned an offer from McNeese State after visiting the campus, and Shannon received his first Division I offer from The Citadel.

  • Behrens received his offer from Northern Iowa on Wednesday after visiting the school.
  • Thomas picked up his offer from Gardner-Webb on Thursday.
  • Nichols received his offer from Texas Southern on Friday.
  • Gandolfo earned his offer from McNeese State on Saturday after visiting the campus.
  • Shannon received his offer from The Citadel on Friday.

The players

Behrens

A high school football player who received an offer from Northern Iowa after visiting the school and meeting with the coaching staff.

Thomas

A high school football player who picked up his first Division I offer from Gardner-Webb.

Nichols

A high school football player who added an offer from Texas Southern to go along with several other FBS offers.

Gandolfo

A high school football player who earned an offer from McNeese State after visiting the campus.

Shannon

A high school football player who received his first Division I offer from The Citadel.

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What they’re saying

“It was Coach Nelson who gave me the offer, and he said that it would bring me more attention from other colleges, but that he would love for me to be a Panther.”

— Behrens

“Coach Stout called and offered me after communicating with my head coach (Joey Thomas) and getting to know more about my background.”

— Thomas

“Coach Wilson called me and told me about the offer. He told me how much he liked my film and how he had heard great things about me.”

— Nichols

“Coach Bowser told me that he really liked my film and the way I played, including my motor, attitude, and effort. He ended by emphasizing that I would be a great asset to McNeese State football.”

— Gandolfo

“Coach Lewis called and offered me, and he told me I was a great player who had the ability to run after the ball and high-point the ball, and that I was a great fit for them.”

— Shannon

The takeaway

These FCS offers demonstrate the ongoing efforts of smaller programs to identify and recruit top talent from the state of Texas, which continues to be a hotbed for high school football. As these players weigh their options, it will be interesting to see where they ultimately decide to continue their collegiate careers.