Cliffs Notes: The Longhorn coaching staff received a big boost heading into the weekend when Eastern Hills (Fort Worth) 2018 linebacker Byron Hobbs announced his commitment to Texas. He is the second member of the 2018 class.
Rankings: Currently, Hobbs is rated as the No. 36 OLB nationally by Rivals.com, and the No. 72 prospect in Texas. He's rated as a three-star prospect.
Key offers: Oklahoma, Texas A&M, TCU, Baylor, Oklahoma State, Nebraska, Arkansas, and others have offered Hobbs.
Evaluation: Hobbs, listed at 6-5, 206 pounds, turned heads recently at the Adidas Dallas Camp, and some in attendance thought he made a great case for LB MVP of the camp. A basketball player that's also competed in track events this year, Hobbs boasts really intriguing athleticism to go with size and length. He also played some tight end/receiver last season, and was a red-zone threat on fade routes.
Right now, he's a long, big, athletic football player that makes a ton of plays on film. For a program that wants to utilize length and athleticism in multiple ways out of a 3-4, Hobbs seems like just the kind of guy Todd Orlando would want to work with. He's just scratching the surface of what he can become as a football player, but there's no denying there's a really intriguing skill-set. He can be seen on tape dropping into coverage, coming off the edge, catching passes, making special teams plays, and more. Where does he profile best? I'm not sure, to be honest because the body could still go a few ways, and he's a truly unique athlete. But it seems like 3-4 OLB is a good fit.
Simply put, he looks like a big, physical, athletic football player that you find a spot for. There's definitely a raw feel to his football level right now, but that's starting to change.
Why it matters: It's not a great year in Texas for linebackers, and Texas locking up one it likes early is a nice way to start the defensive side of the class.
