Skyline safety Keanon Cooper said Monday night that he wanted to stay in state and help build a top defense at Texas Tech.

That's why he orally committed to the Red Raiders on Monday, picking Tech over Minnesota and Kansas.

"They [Texas Tech] have the best offense in the nation," said Cooper, a SportsDay first-team All-Area selection. "All they need is a couple of guys to stop a couple of guys and they can have a good defense."

Oral commitments are nonbinding. The first day a recruit can sign a national letter of intent is Feb. 6.

Cooper, No. 13 on SportsDay's Area Top 100, broke out of line with Skyline teammates Spencer Reeves (linebacker) and Troy Stoudermire (athlete), who have already committed to Minnesota.

■ SMU's Jones brings in first haul: SMU and new coach June Jones have added seven commitments to the four left from the Phil Bennett regime.

The new commitments include two Texans, Lufkin OL Josh Emshoff (6-4, 270) and Cuero RB Quincy Whittington (5-7, 165).

SMU also got pledges from five out-of-state recruits: Chesapeake (Va.) Atlantic Shores Christian WR E.J. Drewery (6-6, 210), Anaheim (Calif.) Servite OL Evan Huahulu (6-1, 330), Ridgeland (Miss.) RB B.J. Lee (5-5, 160), Sheridan (Ark.) athlete Bryce Lunday (5-8, 176), and Atco (N.J.) Winslow Township RB Keith Robinson (5-9, 170)

■ Briefly: Bishop Lynch center Evan Epstein (6-4, 285), No. 79 on SportsDay's Area Top 100, has orally committed to Air Force. ... Frisco tight end Jackson Anderson (6-4½, 240) said he committed to Duke. ... Baylor snagged commitments from Mansfield Timberview defensive end Jared Edwards (6-4, 250) and Carthage defensive back Rodney Chatwick (6-2, 189).