THREE THINGS WE LEARNED
1. Jalen Milroe is likely UT’s only QB commitment in the 2021 class
Now that Jalen Milroe has given Texas a commitment, there’s been a lot of discussion/questions on whether or not the Longhorns will try to take a second quarterback in the 2021 recruiting class. More specifically, people have wondered if there’s a chance Texas could land both Milroe and Preston Stone. Hey, it’s recruiting where people always want more … I get it.
In talking to Milroe, I asked if it was his understanding that he’d be the only quarterback taken in his class. I asked if that factored into his decision to give such an early commitment, knowing he could beat other quarterbacks (i.e. Stone) to the punch, especially those considering Texas. According to Milroe, it was a non-factor and it was more about him just falling in love with Texas.
“Not really,” Milroe said. “I just felt that was the best place to call home and there was no need to wait around.”
I understand why there are those wondering why Texas would be okay with only one quarterback in next year’s class – some feel in today’s college football world a team should always shoot for two – but it makes sense if you analyze the entire situation. Without any transfers, by the time Milroe makes it to campus, you’ll have Casey Thompson as a junior, Roschon Johnson as a redshirt sophomore (or junior), and guys like Hudson Card and Ja’Quinden Jackson will have just completed their first year in the program.
Taking two guys one year after signing Card and Jackson seems pretty far-fetched, unless one was more of an “athlete” or a project. If taking only one quarterback helped increase the likelihood of landing either Milroe or Stone, it feels like it was the smart play.
Not to mention, in Milroe, Texas landed a commitment from not just a terrific player, but a young man of high character who doesn’t feel like he’s the type that will waver. Texas locked him in early and he’s not a guy the coaches are really going to have to worry about or babysit for the next two years. I’ve said before that if you can land either of the two in-state studs (Milroe or Stone), you don’t hesitate and you don’t look back. It appears Texas will do just that and it feels like the right call.
2. Milroe could have an influence on other players
Milroe’s an extremely talented player who has obviously caught the eyes of the recruiting services and college coaches, but the guess here is that his star is going to shine much brighter over the next two years of his high school career, which could turn him into a bit of a recruiting ace up the sleeve for Texas.
Consider this … not only is Milroe extremely well-liked and personable, he helped transform Tompkins from an afterthought program in the Houston area to a legitimate force in District 19-6A, finishing second to only Katy last year. Tompkins finished with a 10-3 mark last year after going 0-9 in 2017 and 2-8 in 2016. Milroe is a winner and a leader, it showed on the field last year and those are the kinds of results that other prospects will notice.
Milroe has played some youth football with guys like Bryce Foster and Hayden Conner, and he and Tompkins teammate Tunmise Adeleye have expressed an interest in playing together in college.
“Me and Tunmise, I’m trying to get it together. I would love to play with him in college,” Milroe said. “Then I have some offensive linemen I’ve built some relationship with throughout the years. I would love to play with them in college too.”
With two years of high school ball left to be played, there’s plenty of time for Milroe to work his influence on other recruits, and I’d be surprised if his personality and reputation doesn’t help the Longhorns along the way.
3. Kudos to Tim Beck
Back in March, I wrote in this column that I felt Tim Beck was undervalued as a recruiter. Exactly four months later, those words look more true than ever.
From my column on March 23:
“@Anwar Richardson has reported through conversations with his sources that Beck is considered one of the best recruiters on the UT staff, and those same words were used by the person I spoke with. Beck was described as being an “elite” recruiter and maybe the best on the staff by a source I trust, and his work over the last couple years certainly backs that up.”
Since then, all we’ve seen Beck do is land two more quarterbacks in Ja’Quinden Jackson and Milroe, two of the more electric prospects in their respective classes. Obviously, it’s rarely one man who is solely responsible for a program landing a commitment, but Milroe specifically mentioned his relationship and confidence in Beck as a reason he wanted to commit to Texas so early.
“I felt I had that relationship throughout spring with coach Beck,” Milroe said on Sunday, shortly before he went public with his decision. “I went up there, saw his coaching style and liked my visit. I like how genuine coach Beck is.”
It’s no secret that the quarterback position at Texas had been a bit of a wasteland from 2010 until Tom Herman and Tim Beck arrived in Austin. With the development of Sam Ehlinger and the talent Beck has recruited, those days appear to be a thing of the past.
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TWO QUESTIONS
1. How big of a need is running back in the 2020 class?
Five months ago, when Texas put a bow on its 2019 recruiting class, the thought coming into this year’s class was that landing an elite running back would a top priority for the UT staff. In fact, there was a time when a guy like Zachary Evans was considered the runaway leader in terms of being the most important prospect in the 2020 recruiting cycle.
The situation with Evans has obviously changed – and will likely change again – but knowing what we know now, I’m not sure the need to sign a premier running back is as strong as what it was believed to be a few months ago.
Keaontay Ingram is entering his second year in the program and with some added mass and strength, big things are expected from the true sophomore. Everything we’ve heard about Jordan Whittington has been glowingly positive - from before he reported to as recently as this week - and he looks like his future is about as bright as any back Texas has signed in a long while. Pretty impressive considering when Whittington committed, most thought he’d be a wide receiver or defensive back. In those two players, you have what could be one of the more dynamic young backfields in all of college football if they’re able to come close to living up to the hype and expectations that have been set for the 2019 season. Daniel Young still has two years in the program and Stan Drayton said this week that Kirk Johnson looks like he has a chance to be a real factor in 2019.
Yes, in a perfect world, every program would love to sign at least one top-tier back in every single class, but with so much young talent expected to lead the way for the next two or three years, the importance of landing a guy like Evans, Bijan Robinson or Jase McClellan probably isn’t as high as it was six months ago. Would Texas love to have any of those three? Of course. Is it catastrophic if the Longhorns miss on all three? Not at all.
That’s not to say that Texas’ overall efforts in recruiting the running back position don’t need a bit of a shot in the arm. Ingram was a pretty easy land for Stan Drayton, and Whittington is basically found money at the position. It would serve Drayton well to flex some muscles and land an elite player, but if he isn’t able to do it this year, he could silence his critics by landing Camar Wheaton next year, a player who just may be as good as any back in the 2020 class.
2. What to make of the Under the Lights camp this weekend?
The recruiting dead period ends on Friday and the Longhorns will host their final recruiting event of the summer when a select group of recruits is brought in to participate in the program’s annual Under the Lights camp.
The days of programs picking up a wave of commitments during the summer camp circuit are long gone, but this will still be an important weekend for the Longhorns in spending some time with a few top 2020 targets, laying the foundation with some key 2021 players and potentially identifying some sleepers in both classes.
Remember, it was at this event last year when Texas really got a good luck at Tyler Owens, who received an offer shortly after and wound up being one of the best commitments in the Longhorns’ 2019 class.
Bastrop Cedar Creek defensive end Alfred Collins will be back on campus yet again, after also attending a camp in early June and the Heat Wave pool party in late June.
Cali wide receiver LV Bunkley-Shelton confirmed again on Monday that he’ll be in town for an unofficial visit, so Texas will have a chance to make a strong impression there.
Wide receiver J.J. Hester will be in town with his mother and sister. Hester, who has told OB on multiple occasions of late that Texas leads, reiterated that point on Monday.
New commitment Jalen Milroe may be on campus (if not, he’ll come on Monday) and a host of other top 2021 guys are expected to be in, including guys like tight end target Juan Davis.
I’ll work up a list of expected attendees as we get a bit closer to the event, but this should be another productive recruiting weekend for the Longhorns.
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One Prediction – Texas adds to its commitment list by the end of the week
The Longhorns started the week off with a bang with a pledge from Milroe on Sunday night. The guess here is that Texas adds at least one more before the week is over.
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