Texas finished the 2020 recruiting cycle with the number 9 overall class with the 5th highest average recruit ranking. The class is one of the smallest in the top 25 which we knew would be the case coming in due to limited scholarship numbers. Overall, Texas knocked it out of the park in some areas while having some key misses at other positions. I'll grade each position from 1-5 stars based on the results.
QB - 5 stars
Commits
Hudson Card (#2 DT-QB, #57 Overall)
Ja'Quinden Jackson (#3, #73)
Key misses
None
Texas did an impressive job at the QB position having the #2 and #3 DT-QBs sign on board. Both Card and Jackson will be key competitors in the 2021 QB race after Sam Ehlinger graduates. Both are also athletic enough to slot in at other positions if QB doesn't pan out.
RB - 5 stars
Commits
Bijan Robinson (#1 RB, #15 overall)
Key Misses
Ty Jordan, Kevontre Bradford
Signing the #1 RB in the nation is enough to earn 5 stars here despite missing on a complimentary back. Bijan is the most talented RB to step onto the 40 acres in years and is as good of a person as he is a football player. He will make an impact in year 1 and has potential to be one of UTs best all-time RBs.
WR - 3 stars
Commits
Troy Omeire (#42 WR, #239 Overall)
Kelvontay Dixon (#19 Ath, #342)
Dajon Harrison (#86 WR, #539)
Key Misses
Demond Demas, Jaxon Smith-Njigba, Quentin Johnston, Mookie Cooper, Johnny Wilson, Loic Fouonji, Javian Hester, Savion Williams
Texas also seemed to be scrambling at this position and I think that is a major reason Drew Mehringer no longer has a job in Texas. He had several big missed in his time including Garret Wilson last year and Demond Demas and Jaxon Smith-Njigba this year.
Texas does bring in some good players in this class but it lacks the elite talent level that could have been.
TE - Incomplete
Commits
Jaden Hullaby (#35 Ath, #617 Overall)
Key Misses
Jalin Conyers
Texas didn't push hard at the TE position this year with only 4 offers going out to the position. Hullaby could slot in as an H-back type but even that is unclear at this time. This was not a class where TE was a need with all the bodies on campus.
OL - 4 stars
Commits
Jake Majors (#5 C, #194 Overall)
Jaylen Garth (#20 OT, #259 Overall)
Logan Parr (#11 G, #275 Overall)
Andrej Karic (#25 OT, #359 Overall)
Key Misses
Chad Lindberg
While this class lacks any player ranked higher than 194 overall, it is a solid 4 player haul that addresses all OL positions. Coach Hand and Co. appeared to know which players they wanted and for the most part went out and secured commitments from them. Losing Lindberg to UGA hurt but such is life for a Texas program that has struggled in recent years.
DL - 4 stars
Commits
Alfred Collins (#2 DE, #62 Overall)
Vernon Broughton (#14 DT, #121 Overall)
Sawyer Goram-Welch (#94 DT, UR)
Key Misses
Van Fillinger, Princely Umanmielen
The duo of Collins and Broughton bring championship quality to this D-line haul. They are both uniquely talented athletes at the position and could be major impact players in the future. This class is limited in its depth with only Sawyer Goram-Welch joining these two upfront. Landing talents like Fillinger or Umanmielen would have added quality depth to this group and likely pushed my rating up to 5 stars.
LB - 3 stars
Prince Dorbah (#7 OLB, #126 Overall)
Jaylan Ford (#81 OLB, UR)
Key Misses
Josh White, Darius Snow, Jaqwondis Burns
Similar to the D-line, this group is carried by an absolute stud in Dorbah but lacks enough depth to be ranked higher. Dorbah will be a menace in space or coming of the edge in the 4-3 defense. Part of the small class here reflects the defensive move away from LBs in favor of DBs. Texas could have done more at the position but also didn't seem to be forcing the issue either.
DB - 4 stars
Commits
Kitan Crawford (#9 CB, #144 overall)
Xavion Alford (#8 S, #138 overall)
Jerrin Thompson (#14 S, #181 overall)
Key Misses
Kelee Ringo, Jahari Rogers, Jalen Kimber, Ethan Pouncey, Dwight McGlothern, Jahquez Robinson, Joshua Eaton, Ennis Rakestraw, Jaylon Jones, Lathan Ransom, Chris Thompson Jr, Bryson Washington
Texas lands 3 top 200 players for the defensive backfield but looking at the long list of misses, it isn't hard to see that they wanted more at the position. Elite national targets were pursued at both CB and S only to leave us disappointed and as Texas moved from target to target we struggled to seal the deal. Even on signing day 2, we couldn't wrestle 3 star CB Ennis Rakestraw from Missouri. This group gets 4 stars due to the quality of the 3 players coming to campus but Texas has work to do to avoid a gap at DB in the years to come.
QB - 5 stars
Commits
Hudson Card (#2 DT-QB, #57 Overall)
Ja'Quinden Jackson (#3, #73)
Key misses
None
Texas did an impressive job at the QB position having the #2 and #3 DT-QBs sign on board. Both Card and Jackson will be key competitors in the 2021 QB race after Sam Ehlinger graduates. Both are also athletic enough to slot in at other positions if QB doesn't pan out.
RB - 5 stars
Commits
Bijan Robinson (#1 RB, #15 overall)
Key Misses
Ty Jordan, Kevontre Bradford
Signing the #1 RB in the nation is enough to earn 5 stars here despite missing on a complimentary back. Bijan is the most talented RB to step onto the 40 acres in years and is as good of a person as he is a football player. He will make an impact in year 1 and has potential to be one of UTs best all-time RBs.
WR - 3 stars
Commits
Troy Omeire (#42 WR, #239 Overall)
Kelvontay Dixon (#19 Ath, #342)
Dajon Harrison (#86 WR, #539)
Key Misses
Demond Demas, Jaxon Smith-Njigba, Quentin Johnston, Mookie Cooper, Johnny Wilson, Loic Fouonji, Javian Hester, Savion Williams
Texas also seemed to be scrambling at this position and I think that is a major reason Drew Mehringer no longer has a job in Texas. He had several big missed in his time including Garret Wilson last year and Demond Demas and Jaxon Smith-Njigba this year.
Texas does bring in some good players in this class but it lacks the elite talent level that could have been.
TE - Incomplete
Commits
Jaden Hullaby (#35 Ath, #617 Overall)
Key Misses
Jalin Conyers
Texas didn't push hard at the TE position this year with only 4 offers going out to the position. Hullaby could slot in as an H-back type but even that is unclear at this time. This was not a class where TE was a need with all the bodies on campus.
OL - 4 stars
Commits
Jake Majors (#5 C, #194 Overall)
Jaylen Garth (#20 OT, #259 Overall)
Logan Parr (#11 G, #275 Overall)
Andrej Karic (#25 OT, #359 Overall)
Key Misses
Chad Lindberg
While this class lacks any player ranked higher than 194 overall, it is a solid 4 player haul that addresses all OL positions. Coach Hand and Co. appeared to know which players they wanted and for the most part went out and secured commitments from them. Losing Lindberg to UGA hurt but such is life for a Texas program that has struggled in recent years.
DL - 4 stars
Commits
Alfred Collins (#2 DE, #62 Overall)
Vernon Broughton (#14 DT, #121 Overall)
Sawyer Goram-Welch (#94 DT, UR)
Key Misses
Van Fillinger, Princely Umanmielen
The duo of Collins and Broughton bring championship quality to this D-line haul. They are both uniquely talented athletes at the position and could be major impact players in the future. This class is limited in its depth with only Sawyer Goram-Welch joining these two upfront. Landing talents like Fillinger or Umanmielen would have added quality depth to this group and likely pushed my rating up to 5 stars.
LB - 3 stars
Prince Dorbah (#7 OLB, #126 Overall)
Jaylan Ford (#81 OLB, UR)
Key Misses
Josh White, Darius Snow, Jaqwondis Burns
Similar to the D-line, this group is carried by an absolute stud in Dorbah but lacks enough depth to be ranked higher. Dorbah will be a menace in space or coming of the edge in the 4-3 defense. Part of the small class here reflects the defensive move away from LBs in favor of DBs. Texas could have done more at the position but also didn't seem to be forcing the issue either.
DB - 4 stars
Commits
Kitan Crawford (#9 CB, #144 overall)
Xavion Alford (#8 S, #138 overall)
Jerrin Thompson (#14 S, #181 overall)
Key Misses
Kelee Ringo, Jahari Rogers, Jalen Kimber, Ethan Pouncey, Dwight McGlothern, Jahquez Robinson, Joshua Eaton, Ennis Rakestraw, Jaylon Jones, Lathan Ransom, Chris Thompson Jr, Bryson Washington
Texas lands 3 top 200 players for the defensive backfield but looking at the long list of misses, it isn't hard to see that they wanted more at the position. Elite national targets were pursued at both CB and S only to leave us disappointed and as Texas moved from target to target we struggled to seal the deal. Even on signing day 2, we couldn't wrestle 3 star CB Ennis Rakestraw from Missouri. This group gets 4 stars due to the quality of the 3 players coming to campus but Texas has work to do to avoid a gap at DB in the years to come.
