From Port Neches to Winnie, West Brook to West Orange, national signing day continued to retain its special flavor, full of a few last-minute surprises and shakeups.

  If Arizona figured on securing East Chambers versatile Tramain Thomas' signature, those rootin-tootin Arkansas Razorbacks had other ideas. If McNeese State planned on bagging the signature of Ozen defensive back Chris Raggett, those Razorbacks swooped in and changed things there, too.

  Most of the area's major decisions remained consistent with the earlier plans, except for new Hogs head coach Bobby Petrino and recruiter extraordinaire Kirk Botkin. When Botkin finished selling Arkansas to Southeast Texas, the Porkers assistant had snagged two of this region's more enticing plums.

  The 36th annual News Super Team's Most Valuable Player, Thomas switched his commitment from Arizona to Arkansas on Super Bowl weekend after a visit to the Fayetteville, Ark., campus. Ozen's Raggett changed from McNeese to Arkansas when he notified Botkin on Monday night after baseball practice.

  And who assumed that there would not be any last-minute college football recruiting surprises in the Golden Triangle this winter? Well, this writer did, that's for sure.

  "I actually knew I wanted to be a Razorback when I took the visit (on Jan. 25)," EC's Thomas told reporters on Wednesday. "It felt like home to me... They expect me to come in and play corner. Hopefully, I will get a lot of playing time."

  Thomas ran for 3,551 yards and 50 TDs while throwing for 2,900 yards and 25 TDs in Winnie, but he really got more major college attention with his 105 tackles and 11 interceptions at corner. He may be joined in the Arkansas secondary by another less-heralded Golden Triangle export. Raggett had 94 tackles and four interceptions. The Ozen safety picked the Hogs after also receiving a late recruiting offer from Baylor.

  "It's a nice campus, and we went into the weight room and that weight room is something else," Raggett said.

  Judging by the size of Nebraska's extra-large linemen, Memorial defensive back David Whitmore probably will find the Cornhuskers' weight room to be something else, too.

  The first member of Nebraska's 2008 signup class, Whitmore also found there was no place like Nebraska.

  "I thought that I would fit in good," Whitmore said. "I wanted to be a part of their tradition."

  Whitmore said that he also considered Oklahoma State, Missouri and California but Nebraska really had everyone else in a distant second and third position. His mom, Pansy Whitmore, and grandmother, Ella Chambers could not argue with Whitmore's preference.

  "This is a real special day," he said. "It's a great opportunity for me and my family. I look at it as a blessing."

  With mom Brenda Posey at his side, Memorial's all-time leading receiver Freddie King did not want any part of a long-distance college trip. The short drive to Huntsville seemed quite comfy for King, who labeled his recruitment as "Sam Houston all the way."

  King believes Sam Houston wants to win and wants to win the right way.