Raycine Guillory recruiting update: Recent Ohio State offer 'was my spark for this season'

After decommitting from Texas, Aledo (Texas) 4-star running back talking most to Buckeyes, Michigan, Texas, others on eve of junior high school season

Aledo hoists the UIL (Texas) 5A Division I state championship trophy at AT&T Stadium in Dec. 2023. / Photo by Tommy Hays, SBLive

After elevating to one of the top prospects in Texas for a bonafide Texas high school football powerhouse, Raycine Guillory is clear-eyed about his goals — even if he's nowhere close to making a college decision.

The star Aledo High School running back, who committed to Texas in January then decommitted in June, has the kind of time afforded to those who show what he did as an underclassman.

Guillory's recruitment is wide open. He's surpassed 30 offers, most recently from Ohio State and Michigan in early August. Now, as nation's No. 13 running back and No. 97 overall prospect in 2026 (On3), he's feeling out how much of a priority he is for the schools he's talking to.

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"If I’m not the No. 1 in your list, I probably won’t put time in my top 10 for something like that," Guillory said. "I’m going where I’m wanted."

After a breakout freshman season at Mansfield Lake Ridge (769 yards, 6.15 yards per carry, 9 TDs), Guillory transferred to Aledo and led the Texas powerhouse in rushing as it won its second straight UIL state championship — 11th in 15 years.

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Guillory rushed for a team-high 1,236 rushing yards and 17 TDs despite missing the 5A Division I state semifinals and championship with an injury. He credits coaches who encouraged him to "let me go out there and be me."

"I was 14 (years old) scoring touchdowns on 18-year-olds," whose best rating (On3) is the . "I believe in myself and the work I put in ... playing against people older than me ain't going to do nothing but motivate me more."

Now, he's the upperclassman, and he's carved out bigger goals. Guillory is intent on taking that rating — and his game — to the next level as Aledo seeks a UIL state championship three-peat.

Written in a note in his phone are his personal goals: 2,000 rushing yards, 30 TDs, state MVP as well as 40 offers and a fifth star rating by season's end.

SBLive caught up with Guillory, the No. 43 most impactful player in Texas entering 2024, as he and Aledo, the state's No. 7 ranked team, prepare to open the 2024 Texas high school football season on Friday at home against Denton Guyer.

Raycine Guillory (No. 9) gives a postgame interview with Aledo teammates on Sept. 8, 2023. / Photo by Buck Ringgold, SBLive

SBLIVE: You decommitted from Texas on June 20. How do you reflect on that decision?

GUILLORY: "The decommitment was one of the best things I could do for myself and my family because I was missing a lot of opportunities being committed to Texas. I know I have a lot of time, and I can build relationships with a lot of coaches. I don’t know what the future will hold. Texas’ running backs coach could leave. Something could happen and I’ll be out of luck because I didn’t build relationships with other coaches and other coaches didn’t build relationships with me because I already committed, because they feel like they don’t even have a chance. I’m already in Texas, I’m committed to Texas, I don’t think somebody’s going to take a shot at a kid like that. 

I’ve still got a relationship with Texas, ain’t no bad blood between us. I just knew doing that was going to open up more opportunities for me. And that’s exactly what it did."

SBLIVE: Are you and (Texas running backs coach Tashard) Choice still in touch?

GUILLORY: "Yeah, me and coach Choice still talk and we’re still locked in. He understood it all the way and he respected it. He still calls and checks on me so it’s cool."

SBLIVE: Your coaches contact window opened on June 15 — five days before you decommitted. How did your recruitment change after that?

GUILLORY: "Oh, it changed. I talked to a lot of coaches. And I haven’t heard from some coaches. Some coaches already got their top backs and really that’s what I’m going off of. I’m trying to feel out where I’m at on these coaches’ lists. And if I’m not the No. 1 in your list, I probably won’t put you in my top 10 for something like that. I’m going where I’m wanted."

SBLIVE: Who are you talking to most right now?

GUILLORY: "Ohio State, Michigan, Arkansas, Texas, Auburn and Ole Miss. That’s really who I’ve been hearing from recently. And it’s a few more texting me."

SBLIVE: What are you looking for in a program?

GUILLORY: "I’m looking for someone who can take of me and the fam so we’re straight, and take me to the next level, turn me into a man because that’s where I’m going to be at for the next four years. Somewhere I can grow ... and the football’s good — I get a chance to play as a freshman to get on the field to show my talent early, not just sitting behind some guy."

SBLIVE: Ohio State offers you in early August. What did that offer mean to you?

GUILLORY: "Man, that offer was crazy. I’ve been waiting for it for so long, and when it happens I was low-key like coming back from an injury, and I wasn’t motivated. Once I talked to Coach Locklyn and he told me … that was my spark for this season. I have to realize I am a good player, I still am that dude. Once I got that (offer), I was like alright, now it’s time to work. Now I’ve got Ohio State coming for me. Ohio State is one of the best running back schools in the nation and one of the best programs. 

I knew Coach Locklyn at Oregon, he offered me at Oregon. He went to Ohio State but I was waiting for him to offer me at Ohio State but it was taking a minute. Once he offered, we got back where we left off."

SBLIVE: Then Michigan offers soon thereafter.

GUILLORY: "Michigan came three days later. Coach Tony over there at Michigan, that’s my dog. You see what I’m saying? All the coaches cool, but (Michigan running backs coach Tony Alford) is big cool. He’s the best running back coach, it’s proven on paper. We talk all the time on the phone, he checks on me, I check on him. It’s love there."

SBLIVE: Can't imagine that's a bad feeling getting an offer from the defending national champs. 

GUILLORY: "Man, that’s the offer I needed. That’s the one I was waiting for. I’m still waiting on like two more and after that I’m ready to go drop something."

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Stay withSBLive's preseason coverage in the lead up to the 2024 Texas high school football season and the start of games on Aug. 29.

• Who are the 25 best teams in Texas, regardless of classification or association? Here are the SBLive Preseason Texas Power 25 rankings, as well as the 20 winningest active coaches.

• Who are the 100 most important high school football players in Texas? We scoured the state and counted down from 100 to 1: Part 1 (100-51) | Part 2 (50-1)

• We're taking a position-by-position look at the top players returning in the Lone Star State this fall, starting with 50 quarterbacks, 70 running backs, 40 wide receivers, 25 tight ends, 25 offensive linemen, 30 cornerbacks, 25 safeties, 45 linebackers and 25 kickers/punters.

• Who are the most underrated teams in the Lone Star State entering the season? We're taking a look by region at the programs poised to out-perform expectations, starting with North Texas, Southeast Texas and Central Texas.

• We examined offseason player movement and the 12 transfers that will have the biggest impact in the fall.

-- Andy Buhler | andy@scorebooklive.com | @sblivetx