The Texas Longhorn football recruiting staff continues to be full of surprises. Just one day after adding Michigan graduate transfer wide receiver in Tarik Black, the Longhorns have once again added to their roster, this time with a commitment from 2020 cornerback prospect Jahdae Barron, who announced his decision moments ago.
A Baylor signee in December of last year, Barron requested to be let out of his letter of intent last week and he was granted his full release a few days ago. Once he was back on the open market, things moved rapidly and Texas was able to secure a quick pledge.
Out of Pflugerville Connally, the 5-11, 178-pound Barron is tremendous addition for new Texas cornerbacks coach Jay Valai, who made quick work to add on to what was a one-man cornerback class (Kitan Crawford) prior to Barron’s announcement. A one-time TCU commitment before flipping to Baylor in July of last year, Baylor brings a valuable skill set and versatility to the Texas defensive backfield.
“Barron was a productive player on both sides of the ball for Pflugerville Connally as a senior, accounting for nearly 700 receiving yards and six touchdowns in 2019. He racked up 43 tackles, four pass breakups and three interceptions playing in the secondary and returned one punt to the house,” said Rivals.com recruiting analyst Sam Spiegelman. “Barron has verified 100-meter track times of 10.95 seconds (2019) and 11.09 seconds (2020). He plays largely off-ball coverage and is able to thrive in that position due to fantastic closing speed and play recognition. Barron is a reactive defensive back with exceptional short-area quickness, which helped with three interceptions last season.”
When word of his release became public this week, schools like Virginia Tech, Washington State and Ole Miss were quick to offer. Before he signed with Baylor, programs like Arizona, Oklahoma State, Tennessee and Texas Tech were among those in pursuit. A three-star prospect coming out of Connally, Baron’s versatility makes him an intriguing pick-up for the Longhorns.
“Barron saw a lot of snaps on offense, showing his downfield speed and ability to get vertical and challenge for 50-50 balls despite a 5-foot-10, 165-pound frame. Moving forward, expect Barron to slide into a hybrid nickel/safety role playing back deep where he can cover a ton of ground and also line up with quicker, shakier receivers in the slot,” Spiegelman said. “It’s also important to note Barron is an above-average tackler that can be counted on to make a stop in the open field. As a returner, he’s elusive with the ball in his hands with great balance and a slew of potential.”
The addition of Barron is the first big recruiting win for Valai, who has shown to be a very active and aggressive recruiter in his first few months in Austin. Barron becomes the Longhorns’ 20th commitment in the 2020 class, joining a group of 19 previous signees that had UT’s class ranked No. 13 nationally. He’ll be eligible to enroll at Texas when the campus is re-opened, presumably either this summer or next fall.
