There may not be a more consistent recruiting theme in the Big 12 than the Sun Devils' track record in the state of Texas. 2026 Robinson, Tex. defensive lineman Ronald (Ro) Derrick committed to Arizona State and is the second pledge from that group of visitors to commit to the team during his official visit, joining Garden City (Kan.) Community College offensive lineman Siosaia Lapuaho. The Waco University High School standout is now the eighth pledge from the Lone Star State to join that group of commits, as 50% of those commits hail from one of the most fertile recruiting grounds in the country.
“To be honest, I thought I might commit before I visited there,” Derrick said. “I've seen videos on YouTube, and I've also researched the program. I want to major in business, and I did my research on the business college and also did my research on the Barrett Honors College and it's really nice. Also, all of my dual enrollment credits from high school transferred into there (ASU).
“This was my first time on campus, and I really liked the facilities. I wasn't expecting the scenery with the mountains to be nice, and I just liked how everything was set up and spread out. “I know (current defensive lineman) Roman Pitre, who came from Purdue, and he said when he came here, he started to enjoy it better. Nobody promoted him to say that; it was a straightforward answer. I didn’t know that half of the commits (in the 2026 class) are from Texas, but that will definitely make me socialize with them more, knowing that they're from Texas. Seeing them win the Big 12, it was pretty cool watching that.”
ASU's Football Recruiting Coordinator Isaiah 'Zek' Williams and defensive line coach Diron Reynolds were some of the main individuals recruiting the lineman, and Derrick stated that he appreciated the manner in which they conducted themselves during the recruiting process, as well as their pedigree.
"Zek was calm, cool, collected, and he went straight to the point. He didn't sugarcoat anything, but he did it respectfully, too. Coach Reynolds sees me at defensive tackle and he said he can really mold me into a very good player, and I trust him on that. He likes, in his words, how I shoot off the ball and that I have good mobility. I played both end and tackle because one of our starters got injured last year, and they moved me inside, so I played a little bit of both.”
In eight games during his junior season, Derrick posted 31 tackles, three tackles for a loss, and a sack for the 7-4 Trojans. He is the second defensive lineman to commit to ASU in the 2026 class, joining his fellow Texan Julian Hugo, and will arrive on campus in January. This role is one of the highest priorities left for the Sun Devils in this recruiting cycle.
Derrick visited Northwestern and also had an offer from Arizona, among others.
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