By Jerry Hill

Tribune-Herald assistant sports editor

Even with the alarming prices at the gas pump, Joe Wilborn made his six-hour drive from Lubbock pay off in a big way.

The 6-foot-2, 300-pound defensive tackle from Monterey High School went through Friday’s three-hour mini-camp at Baylor and walked away with a scholarship offer that he accepted Tuesday.

“I’m excited,” said Wilborn, a first-team pick on the all-District 2-5A team last year when he had 78 tackles despite missing five games with two broken fingers. “(Defensive tackles coach Chris Achuff) said I need to start working with my hand. I’m like a bull rusher, but I have to put my hands to use. But he thinks I’m a heckuva player.”

Wilborn, who picked the Bears over interest from Iowa State, Kansas and Purdue, gives the Bears six commitments out of Friday’s camp and 11 total for the 2009 recruiting class.

“Most big kids that we see in our program don’t have the feet that Joe does,” said Monterey coach James Morton. “He’s a big kid that runs well, he’s got good strength and just gets off the ball well. The thing he’s got to improve on is being more consistent for four quarters.”

Wilborn came away impressed with the Baylor coaches, especially Achuff, defensive coordinator Brian Norwood and head coach Art Briles.

“(Achuff) reminds me of one of my coaches in Montery, the way he was working with me,” Wilborn said. “I felt like I did a pretty good job (at the camp). They said I’ve got good quickness off the ball, and they like my strength.”

One of just two juniors on the all-district team, Wilborn also was a first-team pick on the Lubbock Avalanche-Journal’s All-South Plains team.

Following through with his promise to beef up the lines through recruiting, Briles now has commitments from three offensive and two defensive linemen. Wilborn joins Dallas Adamson defensive end Kelvin Palmer.

jhill@wacotrib.com

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