With the Longhorns in the midst of the bye week and us nearly approaching the half-way mark in the season, I thought we might take a look at how the top true freshmen in the 2024 recruiting class from the state of Texas are doing. Here's a look at my Top 25 prospects in the class, along with how all of the national services ranked them by comparison.
I don't know why no one listened to me about Caden Durham.
1. (5-star) Edge Collin Simmons (Texas)
Rivals: 2
247: 5
On3: 6
ESPN: 3
Is emerging as UT's best freshman defensive player in a generation, as he leads the team in sacks (4), tackles for loss (6) and forced fumbles (1) on one of the top 10 defenses in America.
2. (5-star) WR Micah Hudson (Texas Tech)
Rivals: 1
247: 4
On3: 4
ESPN: 6
Has played in three games this season as a back-up, catching 5 passes for 47 yards in the process. A few weeks ago Tech coach Joey McGuire hinted that he didn't trust his young receivers on the team and true to his word, Hudson didn't have a snap in Tech's win over Cincinnati on Saturday.
3. (5-star) LB Justin Williams (Georgia)
Rivals: 3
247: 2
On3: 2
ESPN: 1
Has two tackles and a tackle for loss in two games for the Dawgs.
4. (5-star) QB D.J. Lagway (Florida)
Rivals: 7
247: 1
On3: 1
ESPN: 2
Has completed 34 of 51 passes (66.7%) for 617 yards, 4 touchdowns and 3 interceptions (182.4 rating) in four games with the Gators.
5. (5-star) CB Kobe Black (Texas)
Rivals: 8
247: 9
On3: 14
ESPN: 4
Has played in all 5 games for the No.1 Longhorns this season, recording 2 tackles.
6. (5-star) Ath Terry Bussey (Texas A&M)
Rivals: 4
247: 3
On3: 3
ESPN: 5
Bussey has 2 catches for 10 yards in 6 games, while adding 74 yards and a touchdown on five carries. Scored on a 65-yard touchdown run against Bowling Green.
7. (5-star) RB Caden Durham (LSU)
Rivals: 15
247: 20
On3: 20
ESPN: 23
Durham has 244 yards and 3 touchdowns for the Tigers on 29 carries (8.3 YPC) and is coming off of his first 100-yard game of his career (128 vs. South Alabama). Has also caught 6 passes for 130 yards (21.7 YPC) and 2 touchdowns.
8. (High 4 star) WR Bryant Wesco (Clemson)
Rivals: 11
247: 8
On3: 17
ESPN: 8
Wesco has 7 receptions for 238 yards (34.0 YPC) and 2 touchdowns for the Tigers.
9. (High 4-star) DB Xavier Filsaime (Texas)
Rivals: 6
247: 10
On3: 13
ESPN: 10
Hasn't recorded a stat in the two games that he has played in this season.
10. (High 4-star) DB Aaron Flowers (Oregon)
Rivals: 10
247: 14
On3: 10
ESPN: 18
Flowers has yet to play a snap this season for the Ducks.
11. (High 4-star) RB Taylor Tatum (Oklahoma)
Rivals: 9
247: 6
On3: 12
ESPN: 9
Has rushed for 116 yards on 18 carries (6.4 YPC) in four games played for the Sooners.
12. (High 4-star) DE Joseph Jonah-Ajonye (Georgia)
Rivals: 5
247: 7
On3: 7
ESPN: 7
Has recorded one tackle this season in his first three games of action.
13. (High 4-star) Dealyn Evans (Texas A&M)
Rivals: 32
247: 11
On3: 54
ESPN: 26
Evans has only played in one game this season and has yet to record a stat.
14. (Mid 4-star) Edge Nigel Smith (Oklahoma)
Rivals: 17
247: 29
On3: 46
ESPN: 21
Smith has only played in one game this season and has yet to record a stat.
15. (Mid 4-star) CB Corian Gipson (Clemson)
Rivals: 12
247: 36
On3: 11
ESPN: 14
Has only played 6 snaps in 2 of the first 4 games of the season thus far for the Tigers.
16. (Mid 4-star) QB Michael Hawkins (Oklahoma)
Rivals: 28
247: 81
On3: 40
ESPN: 48
Hawkins has emerged as the starter for the Sooners going into the Texas game, having completed 23 of 37 passes for 310 yards, 1 TD and 0 INT (141.5 rating) in three gams. Has also rushed 28 times for 101 yards and a touchdown.
17. (Mid 4-star) WR GeKyle Baker (TCU)
Rivals: 43
247: 22
On3: 28
ESPN: 31
Hasn't played a single snap this season.
18. (Mid 4-star) OL Blake Frazier (Michigan)
Rivals: 13
247: 35
On3: 34
ESPN: 45
Hasn't played a single snap this season.
19. (Mid 4-star) DT Alex January (Texas)
Rivals: 91
247: 101
On3: 47
ESPN: 122
Has only recorded 1 tackle in four games played this season, but is getting on the field earlier and earlier each week.
20. (Low 4-star) OL Weston Davis (LSU)
Rivals: 16
247: 25
On3: 5
ESPN: 58
Davis has seen snaps in 2 games this season as a reserve offensive lineman.
21. (Low 4-star) OL Daniel Cruz (Texas)
Rivals: 29
247: 71
On3: 58
ESPN: 44
Hasn't played a single snap this season.
22. (Low 4-star) CB Selman Bridges (Arkansas)
Rivals: 22
247: 18
On3: 74
ESPN: 17
Has played in 4 games this season and the only stat he has recorded is a pass break-up.
23. (Low 4-star) WR Zion Kearney (Oklahoma)
Rivals: 23
247: 23
On3: 23
ESPN: 12
Kearney has only caught 1 pass for 12 yards this season.
24. (Low 4-star) OL Michael Uini (Georgia)
Rivals: 24
247: 17
On3: 27
ESPN: 15
Has played as a reserve lineman in one game this season.
25. (Low 4-star) OL Ellis Davis (Texas Tech)
Rivals: 58
247: 31
On3: 22
ESPN: 43
Has not played in any games this season.
I don't know why no one listened to me about Caden Durham.
1. (5-star) Edge Collin Simmons (Texas)
Rivals: 2
247: 5
On3: 6
ESPN: 3
Is emerging as UT's best freshman defensive player in a generation, as he leads the team in sacks (4), tackles for loss (6) and forced fumbles (1) on one of the top 10 defenses in America.
2. (5-star) WR Micah Hudson (Texas Tech)
Rivals: 1
247: 4
On3: 4
ESPN: 6
Has played in three games this season as a back-up, catching 5 passes for 47 yards in the process. A few weeks ago Tech coach Joey McGuire hinted that he didn't trust his young receivers on the team and true to his word, Hudson didn't have a snap in Tech's win over Cincinnati on Saturday.
3. (5-star) LB Justin Williams (Georgia)
Rivals: 3
247: 2
On3: 2
ESPN: 1
Has two tackles and a tackle for loss in two games for the Dawgs.
4. (5-star) QB D.J. Lagway (Florida)
Rivals: 7
247: 1
On3: 1
ESPN: 2
Has completed 34 of 51 passes (66.7%) for 617 yards, 4 touchdowns and 3 interceptions (182.4 rating) in four games with the Gators.
5. (5-star) CB Kobe Black (Texas)
Rivals: 8
247: 9
On3: 14
ESPN: 4
Has played in all 5 games for the No.1 Longhorns this season, recording 2 tackles.
6. (5-star) Ath Terry Bussey (Texas A&M)
Rivals: 4
247: 3
On3: 3
ESPN: 5
Bussey has 2 catches for 10 yards in 6 games, while adding 74 yards and a touchdown on five carries. Scored on a 65-yard touchdown run against Bowling Green.
7. (5-star) RB Caden Durham (LSU)
Rivals: 15
247: 20
On3: 20
ESPN: 23
Durham has 244 yards and 3 touchdowns for the Tigers on 29 carries (8.3 YPC) and is coming off of his first 100-yard game of his career (128 vs. South Alabama). Has also caught 6 passes for 130 yards (21.7 YPC) and 2 touchdowns.
8. (High 4 star) WR Bryant Wesco (Clemson)
Rivals: 11
247: 8
On3: 17
ESPN: 8
Wesco has 7 receptions for 238 yards (34.0 YPC) and 2 touchdowns for the Tigers.
9. (High 4-star) DB Xavier Filsaime (Texas)
Rivals: 6
247: 10
On3: 13
ESPN: 10
Hasn't recorded a stat in the two games that he has played in this season.
10. (High 4-star) DB Aaron Flowers (Oregon)
Rivals: 10
247: 14
On3: 10
ESPN: 18
Flowers has yet to play a snap this season for the Ducks.
11. (High 4-star) RB Taylor Tatum (Oklahoma)
Rivals: 9
247: 6
On3: 12
ESPN: 9
Has rushed for 116 yards on 18 carries (6.4 YPC) in four games played for the Sooners.
12. (High 4-star) DE Joseph Jonah-Ajonye (Georgia)
Rivals: 5
247: 7
On3: 7
ESPN: 7
Has recorded one tackle this season in his first three games of action.
13. (High 4-star) Dealyn Evans (Texas A&M)
Rivals: 32
247: 11
On3: 54
ESPN: 26
Evans has only played in one game this season and has yet to record a stat.
14. (Mid 4-star) Edge Nigel Smith (Oklahoma)
Rivals: 17
247: 29
On3: 46
ESPN: 21
Smith has only played in one game this season and has yet to record a stat.
15. (Mid 4-star) CB Corian Gipson (Clemson)
Rivals: 12
247: 36
On3: 11
ESPN: 14
Has only played 6 snaps in 2 of the first 4 games of the season thus far for the Tigers.
16. (Mid 4-star) QB Michael Hawkins (Oklahoma)
Rivals: 28
247: 81
On3: 40
ESPN: 48
Hawkins has emerged as the starter for the Sooners going into the Texas game, having completed 23 of 37 passes for 310 yards, 1 TD and 0 INT (141.5 rating) in three gams. Has also rushed 28 times for 101 yards and a touchdown.
17. (Mid 4-star) WR GeKyle Baker (TCU)
Rivals: 43
247: 22
On3: 28
ESPN: 31
Hasn't played a single snap this season.
18. (Mid 4-star) OL Blake Frazier (Michigan)
Rivals: 13
247: 35
On3: 34
ESPN: 45
Hasn't played a single snap this season.
19. (Mid 4-star) DT Alex January (Texas)
Rivals: 91
247: 101
On3: 47
ESPN: 122
Has only recorded 1 tackle in four games played this season, but is getting on the field earlier and earlier each week.
20. (Low 4-star) OL Weston Davis (LSU)
Rivals: 16
247: 25
On3: 5
ESPN: 58
Davis has seen snaps in 2 games this season as a reserve offensive lineman.
21. (Low 4-star) OL Daniel Cruz (Texas)
Rivals: 29
247: 71
On3: 58
ESPN: 44
Hasn't played a single snap this season.
22. (Low 4-star) CB Selman Bridges (Arkansas)
Rivals: 22
247: 18
On3: 74
ESPN: 17
Has played in 4 games this season and the only stat he has recorded is a pass break-up.
23. (Low 4-star) WR Zion Kearney (Oklahoma)
Rivals: 23
247: 23
On3: 23
ESPN: 12
Kearney has only caught 1 pass for 12 yards this season.
24. (Low 4-star) OL Michael Uini (Georgia)
Rivals: 24
247: 17
On3: 27
ESPN: 15
Has played as a reserve lineman in one game this season.
25. (Low 4-star) OL Ellis Davis (Texas Tech)
Rivals: 58
247: 31
On3: 22
ESPN: 43
Has not played in any games this season.
