Texas first baseman Brandon Belt from Lufkin Hudson has signed a contract with the San Francisco Giants organization.

Yahoo Sports first reported the signing on their website.

Belt, a first baseman, was selected in the fifth round of the MLB Amateur Draft in June.

His signing comes less than a week before the August 17th deadline for drafted players to sign a professional contract.

Stephen F. Austin linebacker Jabarra Williams, from Garrison, is on the Buck Buchanan Watch List for the 2009 season.

Williams, a junior, is the Southland Conference's top returning tackler and a 2009 Consensus Draft Report Pre-Season First-Team All-American selection.

The Buchanan Award is given annually to the most outstanding defensive player in the Division I Football Championship Subdivision, and presented by The Sports Network.

The trophy was named in honor of the late National Football League (NFL) player Junious "Buck" Buchanan, who starred at Grambling State University. Buchanan was an All-American defensive lineman and the first overall pick in the 1963 American Football League (AFL) Draft by the Kansas City Chiefs.[1]

Three former East Texas players were named to the 2009 Outland Trophy Watch List.

Trent Williams, Oklahoma (Longview)
Ciron Black, L.S.U. (Tyler Lee)
Brandon Carter, Texas Tech (Spring Hill)

The Outland Trophy will be rewarded to the nation's top interior lineman.

[url=http://www.sportswriters.net/fwaa/news/2009/outland090811.html] 2009 Outland

Longview quarterback Aaron Johnson has given his verbal commitment to Kevin Sumlin and the Houston Cougars.

Johnson led the Lobos to the Class 4-A Division One State Championship Game his junior season.

Craig Smoak

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