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THREE THINGS WE LEARNED
1. Several Texas commitments made strong impressions at Under Armour practices?
We caught up with Rivals.com’s Adam Gorney to get his thoughts on the Longhorn commitments that are down in Orlando for the Under Armour All-American Game, which will be played on Tuesday at 4 p.m. CST in Orlando.
DT Sydir Mitchell –He’s massive. That’s the first thing that stands out. He’s just a huge human being. I wish he was a little more aggressive at the line of scrimmage. He can take that size and really become an unstoppable force. I was surprised at how easily he was handled by interior offensive linemen. He won reps, but at that size he should be winning a lot more.
DB Derek Williams – Derek Williams was sort of anonymous all week. He didn’t do a ton, which to me could be good or bad. Defensive backs, a lot of times, don’t want to be seen. They’re picking on the other side of the field because there’s nothing over there. I think he’s more of a gametime decision in the sense of what can he do in games because he wasn’t doing a lot during the week.
DB Malik Muhammad – Malik Muhammad is definitely under consideration to move up even higher. He doesn’t have the length of Cormani McClain or even (Javien) Toviano, but his instincts and playmaking ability and competitive level are off the charts and that’s what I love about him.
RB Cedric Baxter – In practice, running backs didn’t do a whole lot. But he’s a great-looking kid. I think the thing that stands out the most about Baxter during the week is just how much he wants to be in this class. He’s excited to get there. He’s going after Duce Robinson. This isn’t a kid that just settled on Texas over Florida State. He basically picked Texas over his dream school so it means a lot for him to get there and do well.
WR Johntay Cook – Love him. Absolutely love him. If Zach Branch is the most dynamic receiver in the class, Johntay Cook is just a tick lower, if not the same, and he’s two inches taller. I love how he plays the position. He has an attitude, wants the ball. Sometimes that can be tricky if he doesn’t get it, but he’s a guy that wants the ball in his hands to make things happen and he has the talent to do it.
2. Texas is making it interesting with 2024 Peyton Woodyard down the stretch
2024 safety Peyton Woodyard, the nation’s top-ranked safety in his class, is set to announce his decision on Saturday while in San Antonio for All-American Bowl festivities. Woodyard, who ranks No. 16 in the 2024 Rivals100, released a top seven in late November that didn’t include Texas (Georgia, Ohio State, Oregon, Michigan, Southern Cal, Florida and Notre Dame were the finalists at the time).
The 6-2, 188-pound Woodyard told OB over the weekend that the Longhorns are very much in play for his commitment as he closes in on a decision. Woodyard, out of St. John Bosco, is a teammate of Texas wide receiver signee Deandre Moore. Having Moore in his ear can only help UT’s stance and it’s helped the Longhorns surge in this one, but we’re told that Woodyard will ultimately make what he feels is the best decision for himself. Ohio State and Georgia are expected to be the Longhorns’ main competitors, per one West Coast source. We should have a better handle on this one later in the week.
3. We could start to see more action from Texas in filling its Portal needs
The Longhorns have currently added two players from the portal in punter Ryan Sanborn and cornerback Gavin Holmes, two players that should have an opportunity to come in and play right away (Sanborn seems like a given to start).
What’s left for Texas? We continue to monitor the staff’s chase to add a safety, a couple of receivers and potentially find one more defensive player in the coming days and week.
We know that former Arkansas safety Jalen Catalon is a target after it initially appeared Texas and Catalon wouldn’t happen. The talented but oft-injured Catalon has been given a clean bill of health, which has opened the door for him and Texas and Catalon will be on campus this weekend for an official visit. Barring a quick change of course, this one feels like it should wrap up pretty quickly with Catalon set to enroll in January and Texas seems to be the logical choice.
At receiver, Texas did add three terrific prospects to the mix in the 2023 class, but there’s still a need for experience to add depth. We’re eyeing a couple players as potential targets if (or when) they officially enter their name into the Portal, which could happen as seasons come to a close.
The names of linebacker targets have been surprisingly quiet. Some of that was probably to not upset the apple cart with the incoming 2023 signees, but the position clearly is not as big of a priority as some other spots. This could be a situation where the Texas staff waits to see what the position group looks like coming out of the spring before deciding what to do. Obviously, if a talented edge rusher becomes available and looks to be a legitimate option, that’s a spot that will always be a priority.
TWO QUESTIONS
1. What will be worth watching at the All-American Bowl practices?
The first practices of the All-American Bowl in San Antonio will take place on Tuesday morning, with a handful of Texas commitments and targets set to participate.
Tausili Akana – Really excited to see how Akana looks matched up against some of the best talent in the country, and I’m curious to talk to him about the backstory of how he came to his decision to commit to Texas since he was so quiet during his recruitment.
Anthony Hill – These games are usually set up more for skill guys to thrive, but Hill is always worth the price of admission.
Jelani McDonald – You all know the score here. He’ll announce on Saturday out of Texas, TCU and Oklahoma State. We’ve had our pick on UT for a while and nothing has changed.
Deandre Moore – I don’t expect Moore will dive too deep into the process of his recruitment, but I do want to ask him about the last 48 hours before he signed, and I want to see how his speed matches up against top talent.
Ryan Niblett – He feels like a guy who could really see his stock jump up with a strong week.
Mikal Harrison-Pilot – Probably not reason to pay close attention to this one at this point, but we’ll get an update from Harrison-Pilot directly.
Payton Kirkland – He’s on the East squad so I won’t see him as much since most of my focus will be on the West team, but I want to see the big fella in action for at least one workout.
Tyler Scott – He’s already signed and while Texas gave it a good run, most of the chatter is focused on Auburn.
2. What’s left in the 2023 recruiting cycle?
As has been the case in recent years, there’s not a ton of mystery left in the recruiting cycle following the conclusion of the early signing window. There are still some targets we’ll continue to monitor in the 2023 class, including a couple that will announce at the game on Saturday, but like last year, when Texas add two “commitments” after the early period, we’re not expecting a ton of fireworks.
A quick overview …
LB/S Jelani McDonald – McDonald confirmed with OB during the early window that he had signed but was still planning to announce his decision at the All-American Bowl on January 7. Texas, TCU and Oklahoma State, where he was previously committed, are all in play. OB hasn’t expected TCU to be an option for a couple weeks, Oklahoma State would be an unexpected outcome and Texas has looked good in this one ever since McDonald re-opened his recruitment. McDonald has been a priority target for the UT staff down the stretch and we like UT’s chances to close on this one.
CB Tyler Scott – As mentioned above, Auburn seems to be the team with the highest likelihood of landing the talented corner. The Tigers had most of the buzz over the last couple months of his recruitment, and that remains true as he closes in on a Saturday announcement.
TE Duce Robinson – This one looks to be a three-team race between Georgia, Texas and USC, but with Robinson there’s always a chance for a late switcheroo. It’s been well-documented that Texas landing Arch Manning is helping the Longhorns’ chances, and the Texas baseball coaches are also involved here. Will it be enough in the end? Hard to say right now but most “educated” guesses have Georgia as the team to beat. Gorney’s thoughts on Robinson’s skill set after watching him in Orlando … “Duce is Duce every time I see him. He can line up at tight end if need be. He's probably more comfortable lining up split out in the slot or even outside as a receiver. He’s a great-looking kid. In pads he looks even better. He has all the length and size in the world. He's never going to be a guy that's going to be an inline blocker or do that. That's just not who he is as a receiver/tight end. But Sark is smart enough to realize that and not force him to do that and get him the ball in other ways. He is special. He catches everything and he's really, really good.”
ONE PREDICTION – Your national champions will be …
Consider me surprised that TCU was able to beat Michigan, but not completely shocked. TCU made some huge plays that you can’t normally count on and while I thought Michigan was very good when playing at its best, I was never completely sold on Michigan’s offense enough that I thought the Wolverines were a lock to win that game.
In the other semifinal game, I picked Georgia to win but I thought if there was any team in the final four that could take down the Dawgs, it would be Ohio State if the Buckeyes could get their best version of CJ Stroud. Stroud was fantastic but it still wasn’t enough, with Georgia escaping with a little help from lady luck.
Can TCU shock everyone yet again? Not seeing it. Georgia will come in focused and won’t take the Horned Frogs lightly. Much respect for Sonny Dykes and his team for what they’ve been able to accomplish, but Georgia is in a different class.
Georgia 38, TCU 21
******
THREE THINGS WE LEARNED
1. Several Texas commitments made strong impressions at Under Armour practices?
We caught up with Rivals.com’s Adam Gorney to get his thoughts on the Longhorn commitments that are down in Orlando for the Under Armour All-American Game, which will be played on Tuesday at 4 p.m. CST in Orlando.
DT Sydir Mitchell –He’s massive. That’s the first thing that stands out. He’s just a huge human being. I wish he was a little more aggressive at the line of scrimmage. He can take that size and really become an unstoppable force. I was surprised at how easily he was handled by interior offensive linemen. He won reps, but at that size he should be winning a lot more.
DB Derek Williams – Derek Williams was sort of anonymous all week. He didn’t do a ton, which to me could be good or bad. Defensive backs, a lot of times, don’t want to be seen. They’re picking on the other side of the field because there’s nothing over there. I think he’s more of a gametime decision in the sense of what can he do in games because he wasn’t doing a lot during the week.
DB Malik Muhammad – Malik Muhammad is definitely under consideration to move up even higher. He doesn’t have the length of Cormani McClain or even (Javien) Toviano, but his instincts and playmaking ability and competitive level are off the charts and that’s what I love about him.
RB Cedric Baxter – In practice, running backs didn’t do a whole lot. But he’s a great-looking kid. I think the thing that stands out the most about Baxter during the week is just how much he wants to be in this class. He’s excited to get there. He’s going after Duce Robinson. This isn’t a kid that just settled on Texas over Florida State. He basically picked Texas over his dream school so it means a lot for him to get there and do well.
WR Johntay Cook – Love him. Absolutely love him. If Zach Branch is the most dynamic receiver in the class, Johntay Cook is just a tick lower, if not the same, and he’s two inches taller. I love how he plays the position. He has an attitude, wants the ball. Sometimes that can be tricky if he doesn’t get it, but he’s a guy that wants the ball in his hands to make things happen and he has the talent to do it.
2. Texas is making it interesting with 2024 Peyton Woodyard down the stretch
2024 safety Peyton Woodyard, the nation’s top-ranked safety in his class, is set to announce his decision on Saturday while in San Antonio for All-American Bowl festivities. Woodyard, who ranks No. 16 in the 2024 Rivals100, released a top seven in late November that didn’t include Texas (Georgia, Ohio State, Oregon, Michigan, Southern Cal, Florida and Notre Dame were the finalists at the time).
The 6-2, 188-pound Woodyard told OB over the weekend that the Longhorns are very much in play for his commitment as he closes in on a decision. Woodyard, out of St. John Bosco, is a teammate of Texas wide receiver signee Deandre Moore. Having Moore in his ear can only help UT’s stance and it’s helped the Longhorns surge in this one, but we’re told that Woodyard will ultimately make what he feels is the best decision for himself. Ohio State and Georgia are expected to be the Longhorns’ main competitors, per one West Coast source. We should have a better handle on this one later in the week.
3. We could start to see more action from Texas in filling its Portal needs
The Longhorns have currently added two players from the portal in punter Ryan Sanborn and cornerback Gavin Holmes, two players that should have an opportunity to come in and play right away (Sanborn seems like a given to start).
What’s left for Texas? We continue to monitor the staff’s chase to add a safety, a couple of receivers and potentially find one more defensive player in the coming days and week.
We know that former Arkansas safety Jalen Catalon is a target after it initially appeared Texas and Catalon wouldn’t happen. The talented but oft-injured Catalon has been given a clean bill of health, which has opened the door for him and Texas and Catalon will be on campus this weekend for an official visit. Barring a quick change of course, this one feels like it should wrap up pretty quickly with Catalon set to enroll in January and Texas seems to be the logical choice.
At receiver, Texas did add three terrific prospects to the mix in the 2023 class, but there’s still a need for experience to add depth. We’re eyeing a couple players as potential targets if (or when) they officially enter their name into the Portal, which could happen as seasons come to a close.
The names of linebacker targets have been surprisingly quiet. Some of that was probably to not upset the apple cart with the incoming 2023 signees, but the position clearly is not as big of a priority as some other spots. This could be a situation where the Texas staff waits to see what the position group looks like coming out of the spring before deciding what to do. Obviously, if a talented edge rusher becomes available and looks to be a legitimate option, that’s a spot that will always be a priority.
******
TWO QUESTIONS
1. What will be worth watching at the All-American Bowl practices?
The first practices of the All-American Bowl in San Antonio will take place on Tuesday morning, with a handful of Texas commitments and targets set to participate.
Tausili Akana – Really excited to see how Akana looks matched up against some of the best talent in the country, and I’m curious to talk to him about the backstory of how he came to his decision to commit to Texas since he was so quiet during his recruitment.
Anthony Hill – These games are usually set up more for skill guys to thrive, but Hill is always worth the price of admission.
Jelani McDonald – You all know the score here. He’ll announce on Saturday out of Texas, TCU and Oklahoma State. We’ve had our pick on UT for a while and nothing has changed.
Deandre Moore – I don’t expect Moore will dive too deep into the process of his recruitment, but I do want to ask him about the last 48 hours before he signed, and I want to see how his speed matches up against top talent.
Ryan Niblett – He feels like a guy who could really see his stock jump up with a strong week.
Mikal Harrison-Pilot – Probably not reason to pay close attention to this one at this point, but we’ll get an update from Harrison-Pilot directly.
Payton Kirkland – He’s on the East squad so I won’t see him as much since most of my focus will be on the West team, but I want to see the big fella in action for at least one workout.
Tyler Scott – He’s already signed and while Texas gave it a good run, most of the chatter is focused on Auburn.
2. What’s left in the 2023 recruiting cycle?
As has been the case in recent years, there’s not a ton of mystery left in the recruiting cycle following the conclusion of the early signing window. There are still some targets we’ll continue to monitor in the 2023 class, including a couple that will announce at the game on Saturday, but like last year, when Texas add two “commitments” after the early period, we’re not expecting a ton of fireworks.
A quick overview …
LB/S Jelani McDonald – McDonald confirmed with OB during the early window that he had signed but was still planning to announce his decision at the All-American Bowl on January 7. Texas, TCU and Oklahoma State, where he was previously committed, are all in play. OB hasn’t expected TCU to be an option for a couple weeks, Oklahoma State would be an unexpected outcome and Texas has looked good in this one ever since McDonald re-opened his recruitment. McDonald has been a priority target for the UT staff down the stretch and we like UT’s chances to close on this one.
CB Tyler Scott – As mentioned above, Auburn seems to be the team with the highest likelihood of landing the talented corner. The Tigers had most of the buzz over the last couple months of his recruitment, and that remains true as he closes in on a Saturday announcement.
TE Duce Robinson – This one looks to be a three-team race between Georgia, Texas and USC, but with Robinson there’s always a chance for a late switcheroo. It’s been well-documented that Texas landing Arch Manning is helping the Longhorns’ chances, and the Texas baseball coaches are also involved here. Will it be enough in the end? Hard to say right now but most “educated” guesses have Georgia as the team to beat. Gorney’s thoughts on Robinson’s skill set after watching him in Orlando … “Duce is Duce every time I see him. He can line up at tight end if need be. He's probably more comfortable lining up split out in the slot or even outside as a receiver. He’s a great-looking kid. In pads he looks even better. He has all the length and size in the world. He's never going to be a guy that's going to be an inline blocker or do that. That's just not who he is as a receiver/tight end. But Sark is smart enough to realize that and not force him to do that and get him the ball in other ways. He is special. He catches everything and he's really, really good.”
******
ONE PREDICTION – Your national champions will be …
Consider me surprised that TCU was able to beat Michigan, but not completely shocked. TCU made some huge plays that you can’t normally count on and while I thought Michigan was very good when playing at its best, I was never completely sold on Michigan’s offense enough that I thought the Wolverines were a lock to win that game.
In the other semifinal game, I picked Georgia to win but I thought if there was any team in the final four that could take down the Dawgs, it would be Ohio State if the Buckeyes could get their best version of CJ Stroud. Stroud was fantastic but it still wasn’t enough, with Georgia escaping with a little help from lady luck.
Can TCU shock everyone yet again? Not seeing it. Georgia will come in focused and won’t take the Horned Frogs lightly. Much respect for Sonny Dykes and his team for what they’ve been able to accomplish, but Georgia is in a different class.
Georgia 38, TCU 21
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