Pearland's Sherman named one of area's 'senior sleepers'

Pearland star linebacker Kvon Sherman isn’t a secret anymore.

Dubbed one of the area’s 22 “senior sleepers” going into the season by 247sports.com, Sherman has pledged to attend the University of New Mexico.

“Committed,” he recently posted on his Twitter page.

In the meantime, Coach Ricky Tullos is counting on the 6-foot-3-inch, 215-pound linebacker to be at the heart of a defense the Oilers hope will make all the difference in their quest for a third state finalist run in the last 12 seasons.

“At the end of the day, I feel like defense wins championships,” Tullos, who returns seven starters from last year’s juggernaut, told the Houston Chronicle. “If the weather’s not good come playoff time, the defense can be your mainstay."

With linemen Amari Deason and linebacker Dylan Dixson as returning starters, Sherman’s versatility is viewed by many as being just what the Oilers need to make it all work again.

“Sherman has a ton of versatility to his projection,” 247 added. “Sherman could play inside or on the edge and he shows the ability to play physically downhill. Sherman shows good ball skills and flashed several times in 7-on-7 during the spring, and he shows some ability as a pass rusher as well.”

With his team pitted in one of the most competitive districts in the state, Tullos said how fast his team matures could tell the story.

“Our success will depend on how fast we jell," he said.

To help the cause, the Oilers are also return six starters on offense.