Let's start things off with a little football talk in what has been a pretty slow week for actual team news.
Here I've taken all of the random information the OB staff has gathered from a bunch of different folks around the program in recent weeks (post-spring game) and projected what I believe will be the starting three-deep at each position on the team once fall camp gets here. It's an a-little-bit-too-early projected initial depth chart:
OFFENSE:
QB
Shane Buechele (true FR)
Tyrone Swoopes (SR)
Jerrod Heard (SO)
- Very easy to project.
RB
D'Onta Foreman (JR)
Chris Warren (SO)
Kirk Johnson (SO)
- Again, very easy to project.
WR (right split end)
John Burt (SO)
Dorian Leonard (JR)
Lorenzo Joe (JR)
- Outside of Leonard and Burt, Joe is the only WR on the current roster who took snaps at the split end either last season or in the spring game.
WR (left split end)
Collin Johnson (true FR)
OR
Armanti Foreman (JR)
Davion Curtis (true FR)
- Everyone is penciling in Collin Johnson to start on this side and he likely will, but Armanti Foreman was the starter for the spring game and very effective on the outside while incoming freshman Davion Curtis is a speed-threat who can beat you vertically with the 9-route.
SLOT WR
Armanti Foreman (JR)
OR
Lorenzo Joe (JR)
Jacorey Warrick (SR)
- The pecking order here will largely have to do with how things are sorted out at the left split end position in relation to Foreman and Johnson.
WR4
Jake Oliver (JR)
Deandre McNeal (SO)
Ryan Newsome (SO)
- The WR4 should be in line to get around 35% of snaps in 2016 and Anwar Richardson says that Jake Oliver should be listed ahead of Deandre McNeal at this time.
TE/FB
Caleb Bluiett (SR)
Andrew Beck (JR)
Blake Whiteley (JR)
- Peyton Aucoin is likely to factor into the mix if Whiteley is unable to be ready for camp, but we've heard that Whiteley was running routes, catching the football and hitting the sled to end spring ball.
LT
Connor Williams (SO)
Tristan Nickelson (JR)
Buck Major (RS FR)
- Texas doesn't want to have an injury here.
LG
Brandon Hodges (JR)
Denzel Okafor (true FR)
Jake McMillon (SO)
- The most "open and up-for-grabs" position on the entire Texas offense in 2013 as Brandon Hodges did nothing in the spring game or in spring practices to inspire anything more than minimal confidence.
C
Zach Shackelford (true FR)
Elijah Rodriguez (SO)
Terrell Cuney (SO)
- The Elijah Rodriguez experiment at left tackle for the spring game did not have promising results and it seems like a move back to center (as Rodriguez practiced for most of the spring) is probable as Texas cannot have a walk-on backing up Shackelford.
RG
Patrick Vahe (SO)
Alex Anderson (SO)
OR
Tope Imade (true FR)
- Alex Anderson has been one of the bigger disappointments of the last few years in recruiting while Vahe has been one of the biggest positive surprises; Imade should be able to push Anderson for a spot on the two-deep.
RT
Kent Perkins (SR)
Tristan Nickelson (JR)
OR
Jean Delance (true FR)
- The best thing for Texas fans that could conceivably hope will happen is Jean Delance coming in and setting the world on fire and taking over at RT, bumping Kent Perkins down to RG and Patrick Vahe over to LG; all of the sudden, that line seems to have the makings of one that's very salty.
- - -
DEFENSE
SDE
Charles Omenihu (SO)
OR
Bryce Cottrell (SR)
Andrew Fitzgerald (true FR)
- The job seems like it's close to being Charles O's to lose at the top but a healthy Cottrell will mean a camp battle; as for the freshman depth, Fitzgerald seems to represent the best immediate option.
NT
Paul Boyette (SR)
Chris Nelson (SO)
Jordan Elliott (true FR)
- Very easy to project.
DT
Poona Ford (JR)
D'Andre Christmas-Giles (true FR)
Chris Daniels (true FR)
- Chris Daniels has been told he'll play "90%" of his snaps at the end position, but I have a feeling it'll likely be lining up as a sub-package tackle that looks like an end in odd-front, at least for now.
FOX
Naashon Hughes (JR)
OR
Breckyn Hager (SO)
Erick Fowler (true FR)
- Fowler will get to camp possibly a little later than the others so it's hard to pencil him in as pushing to start right off; while Hager on the other hand has gained the admiration of the staff in a big way with a very productive spring.
MIKE LB
Malik Jefferson (SO)
Tim Cole (SR)
OR
Cameron Townsend (RS FR)
- If Texas ever goes to a base 4-3 package including a sam LB (they didn't show this once in the spring game) Townsend would like be the starter at sam.
WILL LB
Anthony Wheeler (SO)
Jeffery McCulloch (true FR)
OR
Edwin Freeman (SO)
- It seems like there should be a camp battle between McCulloch and Wheeler to take over this spot, but Wheeler, by all sources close to the program, had has a fantastic spring; McCulloch would have to have a huge camp to overtake him.
NICKEL
PJ Locke (SO)
John Bonney (SO)
Antwuan Davis (JR)
- This one seems easy to project, as Anwar said - "Bonney will be in the mix, because for some reason the staff likes Bonney."
RIGHT CB
Holton Hill (SO)
Kris Boyd (SO)
Eric Cuffee (true FR)
- Could Kris Boyd push either Holton Hill or Davante Davis for the starting job?
LEFT CB
Davante Davis (SO)
Sheroid Evans (SR)
OR
Antwuan Davis (JR)
- See sentence above.
SAFETY ("free")
Jason Hall (JR)
OR
Brandon Jones (true FR)
Chris Brown (true FR)
- The staff has been openly calling for more from Jason Hall for nearly two seasons while Jones comes in as a possible instant contributor; a likely camp battle to monitor.
SAFETY ("strong")
Dylan Haines (SR)
OR
Deshon Elliott (SO)
Kevin Vaccaro (SR)
- In an ongoing theme, the other biggest camp battle will occur at the safeties as Deshon Elliott is a player who'll be hard to hold off for too much longer; maybe he'll have the benefit of a full summer of practices this year.
PR/KR
Ryan Newsome (SO)
Jacorey Warrick (SR)
Roderick Bernard (JR)
(Dunlap)
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There are times when a picture says 1,000 words.
In the case of Texas quarterback Jerrod Heard, one image did not say much.
Heard was recently working out with his teammates and decided to post a video of him doing a backflip. For those of us who may not be able to do a cartwheel, Heard’s athleticism was very impressive. His teammates definitely approved of the move. He did not kick a field goal during the backflip, but everybody cannot be Nick Rose.
The majority of Longhorn fans noticed Heard was wearing receiver’s gloves, which led to a lot of speculation about a possible position switch. Shane Buechele will likely start against Notre Dame this season, and Tyrone Swoopes will probably be the No. 2 quarterback. Texas has not officially given Buechele the job, but it is seemingly just a matter of time. Regardless, Heard is the No. 3 quarterback, narrowing his odds of seeing playing time this season. A switch to receiver makes sense.
However, Heard’s switch is not imminent.
From what I was told, nobody in the building suggested to Heard he should work out as a receiver this offseason and prepare for position switch. In reality, that was his choice.
Heard is still viewed as a possible candidate to play quarterback this season. There are people who want to give Heard a chance to win the quarterback job this fall. In addition, Heard’s presence is still needed to push Swoopes and Buechele. Nobody is interested in having a two-man race, and Heard might be a better backup option than Swoopes if Buechele was injured.
That being said, the thought of Heard playing receiver is enticing.
Heard is a great athlete with speed. Texas needs playmakers, and Heard showed an ability to make plays with his feet at times last season. If Heard was in the rotation with John Burt, Collin Johnson and the rest of Texas’ talented receivers, he could have an immediate impact. It would be impossible to focus on one receiver when the Longhorns had so many options.
Kai Locksley is the most likely quarterback to switch positions as some point. Locksley is hesitant to make the move, and from what I was told, is still optimistic he might have a chance to play quarterback at Texas. Even if Buechele is named the starter, the freshman needs to prove he can handle the job. If Buechele excels, then Locksley will consider switching positions. Of course, Locksley could decide to make the move before that occurs. So far, he still seems committed to playing quarterback.
If Heard moved to wide receiver, the best opportunity would be after Sam Ehlinger hit campus. If the staff hit a point where it was confident with Buechele and Ehlinger, there is a chance people inside the building would be comfortable with Heard making the move. Since Ehlinger is not on campus, the likelihood of a switch this season appears unlikely.
For now, just enjoy the backflips. (Richardson)
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One of the most interesting positions we're tracking in the 2017 recruiting class is wide receiver, where the state of Texas is loaded with a number of talented prospects.
Perhaps the most sought-after of the group is Lewisville's Tyrell Shavers, the 6-6 freakish athlete who has seen his stock shoot through the roof this spring. It all started after Shavers clocked a 4.38 at The Opening Houston regional in mid-March.
Shavers' offer list has blown up over the last two months, including a scholarship offer from Texas. This week, Texas OC Sterlin Gilbert and WR coach Charlie Williams stopped by to check on Shavers at his school and a person close to Shavers said the dual-sport standout (he also excels at baseball) also had a good phone conversation with Williams earlier in the week.
Shavers has yet to formally list any favorites, but in talking to two people this week with knowledge of his recruitment, the Longhorns are in a very good spot. In fact, it may not be a stretch to say Texas is the early leader.
We're hearing Shavers could be an early enrollee, meaning his decision will probably come down this fall. And though we can't get into specifics right now, we did hear a couple things behind the scenes this week that could weigh in the Longhorns' favor. (Suchomel)
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Cedar Hill wide receiver Camron Buckley holds a Texas offer and has talked about making a decision this summer, but Texas isn't necessarily trying to rush Buckley into a decision.
As mentioned above, it's a deep year for wide receiver talent and the UT staff has its eye on a number of other prospects, meaning there's not a strong push to get Buckley to commit at this time. The Cedar Hill product could take his decision into the fall, which might actually be beneficial for Texas. (Suchomel)
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Port Arthur Memorial DB Kary Vincent will run in the UIL State Track meet on Saturday (4X100 and 200M). He came in to Austin on Thursday to swing by the football offices with his father and get some time with Charlie Strong.
"It was actually really great," Vincent said. "It was my first time meeting coach Strong. I got to see a lot of the campus I'd never seen before. We went in depth about me, not as much about Texas, we just talked about me as a player, the recruiting process. Coach Strong is a great guy to talk to and a mentor. I hope to get back there soon."
Vincent's father, who played wide receiver at Texas A&M, also enjoyed the visit, according to Kary.
"They had a great conversation. That was great for me with them being able to connect like that. It was great for me to see," Vincent said.
Vincent will visit LSU next weekend. This weekend, Vincent will have a date set to release his list of favorites, likely a top 10. Expect Texas to make the cut. On his way out of the football fieldhouse, Vincent saw WR Mannie Netherly coming in for his visit with Strong (Netherly is also running in the state meet).
More on Vincent later in the weekend. (Suchomel)
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Speaking of Mannie Netherly, we've been reporting for a while that he was far from solid in his commitment to Texas A&M, despite what some A&M websites were reporting. Last week, Netherly officially decommitted from the Aggies, and everything we've been hearing is that the Longhorns are right there within striking distance.
One person we spoke with this week who has knowledge of Netherly's recruitment said he felt like it was a very close race at the top with LSU holding a slight edge over Texas. However, this person also thought Netherly was ready to slow things down and would take his visits in the fall while evaluating programs and offenses, which could play in Texas' favor.
We're hoping to catch up with Netherly about his UT visit during this weekend's state track meet. (Suchomel)
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It was a newsworthy week for Texas CB commitment Kobe Boyce, who picked up an offer from Oklahoma and an invitation to The Opening in a matter of hours on Wednesday.
Boyce talked about the honor of getting an invitation to The Opening, a national recruiting event put on by Nike where he'll be matched up with other top national talents.
"I don't think people have seen me on a big stage. This is the first big stage, so I'm going to try to show out, show people that I'm Texas made. I'm ready," Boyce said.
The more pressing news for Longhorn fans is the continued interest from other programs despite Boyce's commitment to Texas. Boyce seems solid with his decision and really loves the Longhorns, but he does plan on taking some other visits.
"Alabama wanted me to come down so I'll probably check them out," Boyce said. "Ole Miss wanted me to come down. So I'm going to do some visits since I haven't taken that many."
Boyce did say the Oklahoma offer caught his attention.
"That was pretty huge. They were like the first one to actually talk to me. We've been talking for a while, it was just a matter of them seeing me first," Boyce said. "That's what they really wanted me to do, but I never had a chance to go up there this spring."
That being said, Boyce said Texas fans have nothing to worry about with his commitment.
"I'm still committed. Nothing's changing. There's no need to worry," Boyce said.
The Lake Dallas Corinth product said he'll likely come to Austin for a UT camp in June. (Suchomel)
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A couple quick-hitter notes ...
- Top UT offensive line target Walker Little is expected to visit Stanford this weekend. That will be a story worth following. Stanford, along with Ole Miss, is believed to be Texas' top threat. I like where the Longhorns sit at this point, but you have to figure that Stanford will make a very strong impression during the upcoming visit. This one isn't expected to end anytime soon though, so all programs will have several opportunities to win Little over.
- Lancaster WR Omar Manning hasn't named any favorites and there's been a lot of speculation about TCU being the team to beat, but we continue to hear good things about where UT sits. That's not to say Manning is leaning to the Longhorns, but there are people close to him that really like Texas, including new defensive backs coach Clay Jennings, who has recruited Lancaster for several years. (Suchomel)
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Richmond Travis OL Will Farrar told me on Thursday that he'll be making a return visit to UT over Memorial Day weekend. Farrar previously came to Austin for an unofficial visit in mid-May, just before the Orange-White game.
Farrar said he's not looking to make a decision any time soon and wants to take his official visits, but he did tell me the Longhorns are very high on his list. (Suchomel)
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Most observers have OL Chuck Filiaga pegged to eventually commit to Southern Cal, but with Filiaga's upcoming move to Aledo, that could certainly shake things up.
As it stands right now though, everyone is chasing USC, despite the fact that Filiaga hasn't publicly declared any leaders.
"USC, it's just a great school," Filiaga said when I asked where the talk of USC leading is originating. "They have been recruiting me a while. But I'm still open to all my options and any future options that come my way."
The Rivals250 member said he'll be narrowing his options down fairly soon, likely in the summer, and he does plan to get to Austin this summer for his second UT visit.
As one source in California told us for last week's War Room, Filiaga's future is really too tough to predict. If he loves his time in the state of Texas, the Longhorns should remain in the mix all the way until the very end. If Filiaga still feels drawn to California even after he moves, Southern Cal will almost certainly be the decision. The next few months could be very telling in this one. (Suchomel)
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While I work on the debut of the 2018 LSR Top 100 for next week, I thought it would be a good time to give everyone a crash course on where things stand as the class starts to take on greater importance this spring.
Below is a breakdown of the top players in the state of Texas by position based on four-star rankings from the initial Rivals.com rankings
Quarterbacks
Jalen Mayden (Sachse)
Current recruiting grades: Rivals (Four-stars/5.9/No.1 QB in Texas)
Sophomore Highlights
Current offers: Ohio State, Houston, Louisville, Mississippi State and Oregon State
Where UT Stands: The Longhorns are right at the top of his list after multiple visits, including a Junior Day and spring game trips in the last couple of months. It would appear that he’s doing his due diligence by visiting other schools like Ohio State and Smu, but the Longhorns are viewed as the likely team to beat in his recruitment.
Running backs
Stanley Hackett (Pasadena Rayburn)
Current recruiting grades: Rivals (Four-stars/5.9/No.1 RB in Texas)
Sophomore Highlights
Current offers: Tulsa
Where UT Stands: Hackett’s recruitment is in its initial stages and I’m not sure anyone has done an update on him this spring outside of reporting his first offer from Tulsa. We’ll mark him as a guy to get in touch with the next week or two.
Wide receivers
Jalen Preston (Manvel)[/B]
Current recruiting grades: Rivals (Four-stars/5.9/Top 3 WR in Texas)
Sophomore Highlights
Current offers: Texas, Baylor, LSU, Michigan, Ole Miss, Oklahoma and Texas A&M
Where UT Stands: Preston visited the 40 Acres last month for the spring game and has the Longhorns in his top group of schools, but he’ll be as highly recruited as any player in the state and his recruitment is likely in its infancy stage.
Quandree White (College Station)
Current recruiting grades: Rivals (Four-stars/5.9/Top 3 WR in Texas)
Sophomore Highlights
Current offers: None
Where UT Stands: White camped in Austin last summer, but the smart money in his recruitment has to be with Texas A&M, as the local product has been to the A&M campus quite a bit in the last few months.
Al’Vonte Woodard (Houston Lamar)
Current recruiting grades: Rivals (Four-stars/5.9/Top 3 WR in Texas)
Sophomore Highlights
Current offers: Houston, Kansas, UTSA, Texas Tech, Tulsa and West Virginia
Where UT Stands: Woodard mentioned the Longhorns as a school of interest in an interview with Rivals two months ago, but he’s a guy the coaches hope will camp next month. Per Woodard, it’s too early to discuss favorites, but he has listed A&M as a school that has his interest.
Tight Ends
Mustapha Muhammad (Missouri City Ridge Point)
Current recruiting grades: Rivals (Four-stars/6.0/No.1 TE in Texas)
Sophomore Highlights
Current offers: Texas, Baylor, Clemson, Florida State, Georgia, LSU, Michigan, Notre Dame, Ohio State and Texas A&M, among many others.
Where UT Stands: Rated as one of the top tight ends in the 2018 class, Muhammad’s mother is a Texas grad and the Longhorns are thought to be positioned well going into a recruitment that will likely go all the way to National Signing Day in February of 2018. Attended A&M’s Junior Day in February.
Quotable (Via Rivals this month) “It’s a blessing to have so many great opportunities to further my athletic career and to know that all of my hard work is paying off. I am amazed by the development of my recruitment so far. Things have been moving fast and some of the best colleges in the country want me.”
Malcolm Epps (Spring Dekaney)
Current recruiting grades: Rivals (Four-stars/5.9/No.2 TE in Texas)
Sophomore Highlights
Current offers: Texas, Alabama (committed), FSU, LSU and Texas A&M
Where UT Stands: There’s a long way to go in his recruitment, but he visited Alabama in February and committed on the spot and seems locked in on his decision… at this point.
Quotable (Via Rivals in February) "They are at the top of the food chain. It doesn't get any better than Bama."
Offensive Linemen
Barton Clement (Fort Bend Marshall)
Current recruiting grades: Rivals (Four-stars/5.9/Top 4 OL in Texas)
Sophomore Highlights
Current offers: Auburn, Michigan, Oklahoma, TCU, Texas A&M and UCLA
Where UT Stands: Texas has some work to do, as Clement has listed A&M as an early leader for his signature after the Aggies offered last month.
Luke Matthews (Missouri City Elkins)
Current recruiting grades: Rivals (Four-stars/5.9/Top 4 OL in Texas)
Sophomore Highlights
Current offers: Texas A&M (committed)
Where UT Stands: The next in the line of linemen in the Matthews family appears set on following past family members into College Station.
Trace Oldner (Katy)
Current recruiting grades: Rivals (Four-stars/5.9/Top 4 OL in Texas)
Sophomore Highlights
Current offers: None
Where UT Stands: Still waiting on his first offer, but A&M is the school to watch in his recruitment.
Darrell Simpson (Justin Northwest)
Current recruiting grades: Rivals (Four-stars/5.9/Top 4 OL in Texas)
Sophomore Highlights
Current offers: Baylor, Georgia, Michigan, Ohio State, Oklahoma, TCU and Texas A&M
Where UT Stands: The Longhorns haven’t really jumped into the picture yet, which has allowed A&M to position itself as an early favorite in his recruitment.
Quotable (Via Rivals this week) “The SEC is just a good thing, because you know any time you’re playing against somebody, it’s good talent. You know you’re competing against someone who’s looking for a spot in the NFL, just like you.”
Defensive tackles
Calvin Avery (Dallas Bishop Dunne)
Current recruiting grades: Rivals (Four-stars/5.9/No.1 DT in Texas)
Sophomore Highlights
Current offers: Baylor, Colorado, Illinois, Nebraska, Oklahoma State and Rice
Where UT Stands: It’s probably a little too early to know, as I haven’t seen any updates that would seem to indicate he has an early favorite. His summer schedule should give an early indication of things.
Defensive ends
Max Wright (Katy Taylor)
Current recruiting grades: Rivals (Four-stars/5.9/No.1 DE in Texas)
Sophomore Highlights
Current offers: Texas, Baylor, Georgia, Houston, Missouri, Ohio State, Stanford and Texas A&M
Where UT Stands: Wright has listed the Longhorns as a team he has interest in, but as his offer list continues to explode, his recruitment has probably opened up even more. The goal for the coaches at this point is to get him on campus again and go from there.
Defensive backs
B.J. Foster (Angleton)
Current recruiting grades: Rivals (Four-stars/6.0/No.1 DB in Texas)
Sophomore Highlights
Current offers: Texas, Baylor, Georgia, Michigan, Michigan State, TCU and Texas A&M
Where UT Stands: The Longhorns offered in the last month and they are in his top three per a conversation this month, along with TCU and Oklahoma.
Quotable (Via OB this month) Texas - "I like their style of defense."
TCU - "Their coaching staff is awesome, cool to be around."
OU - "Their coach came by the other day, was awesome to talk to. They have nice facilities and area around there."
Anthony Cook (Houston Lamar)
Current recruiting grades: Rivals (Four-stars/5.9/Top 3 DB in Texas)
Sophomore Highlights
Current offers: Alabama, Clemson, Baylor, Georgia, LSU, Michigan, Oklahoma, TCU and Texas A&M, among others.
Where UT Stands: The Longhorns haven’t offered yet, but the school is among a large group of programs he is showing early interest in.
Quotable (Via Rivals this week) "I have been on visits to Texas A&M, Oklahoma, TCU, Oklahoma State, and Baylor already," Cook said. "I'm going to LSU on the 28th of this month and will be visiting Georgia sometime in the summer. There are other schools and camps that I'm planning to attend, but those are the two other visits that I know are happening."
(Via Rivals in March) “I like Texas because Charlie Strong is bringing that DBU attitude back,” he said. “Plus my cousin, Eric Cuffee, is committed to play there next season.”
Verone McKinley III (Plano Prestonwood)
Current recruiting grades: Rivals (Four-stars/5.9/Top3 DB in Texas)
Sophomore Highlights
Current offers: Baylor, Florida, Georgia, Nebraska, Oklahoma, Oklahoma State and Texas A&M, among others.
Where UT Stands: Everyone might be trailing Oklahoma at this point, although Texas A&M and Mississippi State are also heavily in the mix. Not much mention of Texas at this point.
Quotable (Via Rivals this spring) “My family is about an hour away from Starkville,” he said. “I know that (Mississippi State) has a great fan base, the state is really behind them and the Egg Bowl is real big.”
Athletes
Kirby Bennett (Allen)
Current recruiting grades: Rivals (Four-stars/5.9/No.1 Ath in Texas)
Sophomore Highlights
Current offers: Colorado, Ole Miss and SMU
Where UT Stands: This is a recruitment still in lift-off mode. Stay tuned in the coming weeks and months as more form to his future starts to take shape. (Ketchum)
Here I've taken all of the random information the OB staff has gathered from a bunch of different folks around the program in recent weeks (post-spring game) and projected what I believe will be the starting three-deep at each position on the team once fall camp gets here. It's an a-little-bit-too-early projected initial depth chart:
OFFENSE:
QB
Shane Buechele (true FR)
Tyrone Swoopes (SR)
Jerrod Heard (SO)
- Very easy to project.
RB
D'Onta Foreman (JR)
Chris Warren (SO)
Kirk Johnson (SO)
- Again, very easy to project.
WR (right split end)
John Burt (SO)
Dorian Leonard (JR)
Lorenzo Joe (JR)
- Outside of Leonard and Burt, Joe is the only WR on the current roster who took snaps at the split end either last season or in the spring game.
WR (left split end)
Collin Johnson (true FR)
OR
Armanti Foreman (JR)
Davion Curtis (true FR)
- Everyone is penciling in Collin Johnson to start on this side and he likely will, but Armanti Foreman was the starter for the spring game and very effective on the outside while incoming freshman Davion Curtis is a speed-threat who can beat you vertically with the 9-route.
SLOT WR
Armanti Foreman (JR)
OR
Lorenzo Joe (JR)
Jacorey Warrick (SR)
- The pecking order here will largely have to do with how things are sorted out at the left split end position in relation to Foreman and Johnson.
WR4
Jake Oliver (JR)
Deandre McNeal (SO)
Ryan Newsome (SO)
- The WR4 should be in line to get around 35% of snaps in 2016 and Anwar Richardson says that Jake Oliver should be listed ahead of Deandre McNeal at this time.
TE/FB
Caleb Bluiett (SR)
Andrew Beck (JR)
Blake Whiteley (JR)
- Peyton Aucoin is likely to factor into the mix if Whiteley is unable to be ready for camp, but we've heard that Whiteley was running routes, catching the football and hitting the sled to end spring ball.
LT
Connor Williams (SO)
Tristan Nickelson (JR)
Buck Major (RS FR)
- Texas doesn't want to have an injury here.
LG
Brandon Hodges (JR)
Denzel Okafor (true FR)
Jake McMillon (SO)
- The most "open and up-for-grabs" position on the entire Texas offense in 2013 as Brandon Hodges did nothing in the spring game or in spring practices to inspire anything more than minimal confidence.
C
Zach Shackelford (true FR)
Elijah Rodriguez (SO)
Terrell Cuney (SO)
- The Elijah Rodriguez experiment at left tackle for the spring game did not have promising results and it seems like a move back to center (as Rodriguez practiced for most of the spring) is probable as Texas cannot have a walk-on backing up Shackelford.
RG
Patrick Vahe (SO)
Alex Anderson (SO)
OR
Tope Imade (true FR)
- Alex Anderson has been one of the bigger disappointments of the last few years in recruiting while Vahe has been one of the biggest positive surprises; Imade should be able to push Anderson for a spot on the two-deep.
RT
Kent Perkins (SR)
Tristan Nickelson (JR)
OR
Jean Delance (true FR)
- The best thing for Texas fans that could conceivably hope will happen is Jean Delance coming in and setting the world on fire and taking over at RT, bumping Kent Perkins down to RG and Patrick Vahe over to LG; all of the sudden, that line seems to have the makings of one that's very salty.
- - -
DEFENSE
SDE
Charles Omenihu (SO)
OR
Bryce Cottrell (SR)
Andrew Fitzgerald (true FR)
- The job seems like it's close to being Charles O's to lose at the top but a healthy Cottrell will mean a camp battle; as for the freshman depth, Fitzgerald seems to represent the best immediate option.
NT
Paul Boyette (SR)
Chris Nelson (SO)
Jordan Elliott (true FR)
- Very easy to project.
DT
Poona Ford (JR)
D'Andre Christmas-Giles (true FR)
Chris Daniels (true FR)
- Chris Daniels has been told he'll play "90%" of his snaps at the end position, but I have a feeling it'll likely be lining up as a sub-package tackle that looks like an end in odd-front, at least for now.
FOX
Naashon Hughes (JR)
OR
Breckyn Hager (SO)
Erick Fowler (true FR)
- Fowler will get to camp possibly a little later than the others so it's hard to pencil him in as pushing to start right off; while Hager on the other hand has gained the admiration of the staff in a big way with a very productive spring.
MIKE LB
Malik Jefferson (SO)
Tim Cole (SR)
OR
Cameron Townsend (RS FR)
- If Texas ever goes to a base 4-3 package including a sam LB (they didn't show this once in the spring game) Townsend would like be the starter at sam.
WILL LB
Anthony Wheeler (SO)
Jeffery McCulloch (true FR)
OR
Edwin Freeman (SO)
- It seems like there should be a camp battle between McCulloch and Wheeler to take over this spot, but Wheeler, by all sources close to the program, had has a fantastic spring; McCulloch would have to have a huge camp to overtake him.
NICKEL
PJ Locke (SO)
John Bonney (SO)
Antwuan Davis (JR)
- This one seems easy to project, as Anwar said - "Bonney will be in the mix, because for some reason the staff likes Bonney."
RIGHT CB
Holton Hill (SO)
Kris Boyd (SO)
Eric Cuffee (true FR)
- Could Kris Boyd push either Holton Hill or Davante Davis for the starting job?
LEFT CB
Davante Davis (SO)
Sheroid Evans (SR)
OR
Antwuan Davis (JR)
- See sentence above.
SAFETY ("free")
Jason Hall (JR)
OR
Brandon Jones (true FR)
Chris Brown (true FR)
- The staff has been openly calling for more from Jason Hall for nearly two seasons while Jones comes in as a possible instant contributor; a likely camp battle to monitor.
SAFETY ("strong")
Dylan Haines (SR)
OR
Deshon Elliott (SO)
Kevin Vaccaro (SR)
- In an ongoing theme, the other biggest camp battle will occur at the safeties as Deshon Elliott is a player who'll be hard to hold off for too much longer; maybe he'll have the benefit of a full summer of practices this year.
PR/KR
Ryan Newsome (SO)
Jacorey Warrick (SR)
Roderick Bernard (JR)
(Dunlap)
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There are times when a picture says 1,000 words.
In the case of Texas quarterback Jerrod Heard, one image did not say much.
Heard was recently working out with his teammates and decided to post a video of him doing a backflip. For those of us who may not be able to do a cartwheel, Heard’s athleticism was very impressive. His teammates definitely approved of the move. He did not kick a field goal during the backflip, but everybody cannot be Nick Rose.
The majority of Longhorn fans noticed Heard was wearing receiver’s gloves, which led to a lot of speculation about a possible position switch. Shane Buechele will likely start against Notre Dame this season, and Tyrone Swoopes will probably be the No. 2 quarterback. Texas has not officially given Buechele the job, but it is seemingly just a matter of time. Regardless, Heard is the No. 3 quarterback, narrowing his odds of seeing playing time this season. A switch to receiver makes sense.
However, Heard’s switch is not imminent.
From what I was told, nobody in the building suggested to Heard he should work out as a receiver this offseason and prepare for position switch. In reality, that was his choice.
Heard is still viewed as a possible candidate to play quarterback this season. There are people who want to give Heard a chance to win the quarterback job this fall. In addition, Heard’s presence is still needed to push Swoopes and Buechele. Nobody is interested in having a two-man race, and Heard might be a better backup option than Swoopes if Buechele was injured.
That being said, the thought of Heard playing receiver is enticing.
Heard is a great athlete with speed. Texas needs playmakers, and Heard showed an ability to make plays with his feet at times last season. If Heard was in the rotation with John Burt, Collin Johnson and the rest of Texas’ talented receivers, he could have an immediate impact. It would be impossible to focus on one receiver when the Longhorns had so many options.
Kai Locksley is the most likely quarterback to switch positions as some point. Locksley is hesitant to make the move, and from what I was told, is still optimistic he might have a chance to play quarterback at Texas. Even if Buechele is named the starter, the freshman needs to prove he can handle the job. If Buechele excels, then Locksley will consider switching positions. Of course, Locksley could decide to make the move before that occurs. So far, he still seems committed to playing quarterback.
If Heard moved to wide receiver, the best opportunity would be after Sam Ehlinger hit campus. If the staff hit a point where it was confident with Buechele and Ehlinger, there is a chance people inside the building would be comfortable with Heard making the move. Since Ehlinger is not on campus, the likelihood of a switch this season appears unlikely.
For now, just enjoy the backflips. (Richardson)
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One of the most interesting positions we're tracking in the 2017 recruiting class is wide receiver, where the state of Texas is loaded with a number of talented prospects.
Perhaps the most sought-after of the group is Lewisville's Tyrell Shavers, the 6-6 freakish athlete who has seen his stock shoot through the roof this spring. It all started after Shavers clocked a 4.38 at The Opening Houston regional in mid-March.
Shavers' offer list has blown up over the last two months, including a scholarship offer from Texas. This week, Texas OC Sterlin Gilbert and WR coach Charlie Williams stopped by to check on Shavers at his school and a person close to Shavers said the dual-sport standout (he also excels at baseball) also had a good phone conversation with Williams earlier in the week.
Shavers has yet to formally list any favorites, but in talking to two people this week with knowledge of his recruitment, the Longhorns are in a very good spot. In fact, it may not be a stretch to say Texas is the early leader.
We're hearing Shavers could be an early enrollee, meaning his decision will probably come down this fall. And though we can't get into specifics right now, we did hear a couple things behind the scenes this week that could weigh in the Longhorns' favor. (Suchomel)
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Cedar Hill wide receiver Camron Buckley holds a Texas offer and has talked about making a decision this summer, but Texas isn't necessarily trying to rush Buckley into a decision.
As mentioned above, it's a deep year for wide receiver talent and the UT staff has its eye on a number of other prospects, meaning there's not a strong push to get Buckley to commit at this time. The Cedar Hill product could take his decision into the fall, which might actually be beneficial for Texas. (Suchomel)
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Port Arthur Memorial DB Kary Vincent will run in the UIL State Track meet on Saturday (4X100 and 200M). He came in to Austin on Thursday to swing by the football offices with his father and get some time with Charlie Strong.
"It was actually really great," Vincent said. "It was my first time meeting coach Strong. I got to see a lot of the campus I'd never seen before. We went in depth about me, not as much about Texas, we just talked about me as a player, the recruiting process. Coach Strong is a great guy to talk to and a mentor. I hope to get back there soon."
Vincent's father, who played wide receiver at Texas A&M, also enjoyed the visit, according to Kary.
"They had a great conversation. That was great for me with them being able to connect like that. It was great for me to see," Vincent said.
Vincent will visit LSU next weekend. This weekend, Vincent will have a date set to release his list of favorites, likely a top 10. Expect Texas to make the cut. On his way out of the football fieldhouse, Vincent saw WR Mannie Netherly coming in for his visit with Strong (Netherly is also running in the state meet).
More on Vincent later in the weekend. (Suchomel)
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Speaking of Mannie Netherly, we've been reporting for a while that he was far from solid in his commitment to Texas A&M, despite what some A&M websites were reporting. Last week, Netherly officially decommitted from the Aggies, and everything we've been hearing is that the Longhorns are right there within striking distance.
One person we spoke with this week who has knowledge of Netherly's recruitment said he felt like it was a very close race at the top with LSU holding a slight edge over Texas. However, this person also thought Netherly was ready to slow things down and would take his visits in the fall while evaluating programs and offenses, which could play in Texas' favor.
We're hoping to catch up with Netherly about his UT visit during this weekend's state track meet. (Suchomel)
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It was a newsworthy week for Texas CB commitment Kobe Boyce, who picked up an offer from Oklahoma and an invitation to The Opening in a matter of hours on Wednesday.
Boyce talked about the honor of getting an invitation to The Opening, a national recruiting event put on by Nike where he'll be matched up with other top national talents.
"I don't think people have seen me on a big stage. This is the first big stage, so I'm going to try to show out, show people that I'm Texas made. I'm ready," Boyce said.
The more pressing news for Longhorn fans is the continued interest from other programs despite Boyce's commitment to Texas. Boyce seems solid with his decision and really loves the Longhorns, but he does plan on taking some other visits.
"Alabama wanted me to come down so I'll probably check them out," Boyce said. "Ole Miss wanted me to come down. So I'm going to do some visits since I haven't taken that many."
Boyce did say the Oklahoma offer caught his attention.
"That was pretty huge. They were like the first one to actually talk to me. We've been talking for a while, it was just a matter of them seeing me first," Boyce said. "That's what they really wanted me to do, but I never had a chance to go up there this spring."
That being said, Boyce said Texas fans have nothing to worry about with his commitment.
"I'm still committed. Nothing's changing. There's no need to worry," Boyce said.
The Lake Dallas Corinth product said he'll likely come to Austin for a UT camp in June. (Suchomel)
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A couple quick-hitter notes ...
- Top UT offensive line target Walker Little is expected to visit Stanford this weekend. That will be a story worth following. Stanford, along with Ole Miss, is believed to be Texas' top threat. I like where the Longhorns sit at this point, but you have to figure that Stanford will make a very strong impression during the upcoming visit. This one isn't expected to end anytime soon though, so all programs will have several opportunities to win Little over.
- Lancaster WR Omar Manning hasn't named any favorites and there's been a lot of speculation about TCU being the team to beat, but we continue to hear good things about where UT sits. That's not to say Manning is leaning to the Longhorns, but there are people close to him that really like Texas, including new defensive backs coach Clay Jennings, who has recruited Lancaster for several years. (Suchomel)
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Richmond Travis OL Will Farrar told me on Thursday that he'll be making a return visit to UT over Memorial Day weekend. Farrar previously came to Austin for an unofficial visit in mid-May, just before the Orange-White game.
Farrar said he's not looking to make a decision any time soon and wants to take his official visits, but he did tell me the Longhorns are very high on his list. (Suchomel)
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Most observers have OL Chuck Filiaga pegged to eventually commit to Southern Cal, but with Filiaga's upcoming move to Aledo, that could certainly shake things up.
As it stands right now though, everyone is chasing USC, despite the fact that Filiaga hasn't publicly declared any leaders.
"USC, it's just a great school," Filiaga said when I asked where the talk of USC leading is originating. "They have been recruiting me a while. But I'm still open to all my options and any future options that come my way."
The Rivals250 member said he'll be narrowing his options down fairly soon, likely in the summer, and he does plan to get to Austin this summer for his second UT visit.
As one source in California told us for last week's War Room, Filiaga's future is really too tough to predict. If he loves his time in the state of Texas, the Longhorns should remain in the mix all the way until the very end. If Filiaga still feels drawn to California even after he moves, Southern Cal will almost certainly be the decision. The next few months could be very telling in this one. (Suchomel)
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While I work on the debut of the 2018 LSR Top 100 for next week, I thought it would be a good time to give everyone a crash course on where things stand as the class starts to take on greater importance this spring.
Below is a breakdown of the top players in the state of Texas by position based on four-star rankings from the initial Rivals.com rankings
Quarterbacks
Jalen Mayden (Sachse)
Current recruiting grades: Rivals (Four-stars/5.9/No.1 QB in Texas)
Sophomore Highlights
Current offers: Ohio State, Houston, Louisville, Mississippi State and Oregon State
Where UT Stands: The Longhorns are right at the top of his list after multiple visits, including a Junior Day and spring game trips in the last couple of months. It would appear that he’s doing his due diligence by visiting other schools like Ohio State and Smu, but the Longhorns are viewed as the likely team to beat in his recruitment.
Running backs
Stanley Hackett (Pasadena Rayburn)
Current recruiting grades: Rivals (Four-stars/5.9/No.1 RB in Texas)
Sophomore Highlights
Current offers: Tulsa
Where UT Stands: Hackett’s recruitment is in its initial stages and I’m not sure anyone has done an update on him this spring outside of reporting his first offer from Tulsa. We’ll mark him as a guy to get in touch with the next week or two.
Wide receivers
Jalen Preston (Manvel)[/B]
Current recruiting grades: Rivals (Four-stars/5.9/Top 3 WR in Texas)
Sophomore Highlights
Current offers: Texas, Baylor, LSU, Michigan, Ole Miss, Oklahoma and Texas A&M
Where UT Stands: Preston visited the 40 Acres last month for the spring game and has the Longhorns in his top group of schools, but he’ll be as highly recruited as any player in the state and his recruitment is likely in its infancy stage.
Quandree White (College Station)
Current recruiting grades: Rivals (Four-stars/5.9/Top 3 WR in Texas)
Sophomore Highlights
Current offers: None
Where UT Stands: White camped in Austin last summer, but the smart money in his recruitment has to be with Texas A&M, as the local product has been to the A&M campus quite a bit in the last few months.
Al’Vonte Woodard (Houston Lamar)
Current recruiting grades: Rivals (Four-stars/5.9/Top 3 WR in Texas)
Sophomore Highlights
Current offers: Houston, Kansas, UTSA, Texas Tech, Tulsa and West Virginia
Where UT Stands: Woodard mentioned the Longhorns as a school of interest in an interview with Rivals two months ago, but he’s a guy the coaches hope will camp next month. Per Woodard, it’s too early to discuss favorites, but he has listed A&M as a school that has his interest.
Tight Ends
Mustapha Muhammad (Missouri City Ridge Point)
Current recruiting grades: Rivals (Four-stars/6.0/No.1 TE in Texas)
Sophomore Highlights
Current offers: Texas, Baylor, Clemson, Florida State, Georgia, LSU, Michigan, Notre Dame, Ohio State and Texas A&M, among many others.
Where UT Stands: Rated as one of the top tight ends in the 2018 class, Muhammad’s mother is a Texas grad and the Longhorns are thought to be positioned well going into a recruitment that will likely go all the way to National Signing Day in February of 2018. Attended A&M’s Junior Day in February.
Quotable (Via Rivals this month) “It’s a blessing to have so many great opportunities to further my athletic career and to know that all of my hard work is paying off. I am amazed by the development of my recruitment so far. Things have been moving fast and some of the best colleges in the country want me.”
Malcolm Epps (Spring Dekaney)
Current recruiting grades: Rivals (Four-stars/5.9/No.2 TE in Texas)
Sophomore Highlights
Current offers: Texas, Alabama (committed), FSU, LSU and Texas A&M
Where UT Stands: There’s a long way to go in his recruitment, but he visited Alabama in February and committed on the spot and seems locked in on his decision… at this point.
Quotable (Via Rivals in February) "They are at the top of the food chain. It doesn't get any better than Bama."
Offensive Linemen
Barton Clement (Fort Bend Marshall)
Current recruiting grades: Rivals (Four-stars/5.9/Top 4 OL in Texas)
Sophomore Highlights
Current offers: Auburn, Michigan, Oklahoma, TCU, Texas A&M and UCLA
Where UT Stands: Texas has some work to do, as Clement has listed A&M as an early leader for his signature after the Aggies offered last month.
Luke Matthews (Missouri City Elkins)
Current recruiting grades: Rivals (Four-stars/5.9/Top 4 OL in Texas)
Sophomore Highlights
Current offers: Texas A&M (committed)
Where UT Stands: The next in the line of linemen in the Matthews family appears set on following past family members into College Station.
Trace Oldner (Katy)
Current recruiting grades: Rivals (Four-stars/5.9/Top 4 OL in Texas)
Sophomore Highlights
Current offers: None
Where UT Stands: Still waiting on his first offer, but A&M is the school to watch in his recruitment.
Darrell Simpson (Justin Northwest)
Current recruiting grades: Rivals (Four-stars/5.9/Top 4 OL in Texas)
Sophomore Highlights
Current offers: Baylor, Georgia, Michigan, Ohio State, Oklahoma, TCU and Texas A&M
Where UT Stands: The Longhorns haven’t really jumped into the picture yet, which has allowed A&M to position itself as an early favorite in his recruitment.
Quotable (Via Rivals this week) “The SEC is just a good thing, because you know any time you’re playing against somebody, it’s good talent. You know you’re competing against someone who’s looking for a spot in the NFL, just like you.”
Defensive tackles
Calvin Avery (Dallas Bishop Dunne)
Current recruiting grades: Rivals (Four-stars/5.9/No.1 DT in Texas)
Sophomore Highlights
Current offers: Baylor, Colorado, Illinois, Nebraska, Oklahoma State and Rice
Where UT Stands: It’s probably a little too early to know, as I haven’t seen any updates that would seem to indicate he has an early favorite. His summer schedule should give an early indication of things.
Defensive ends
Max Wright (Katy Taylor)
Current recruiting grades: Rivals (Four-stars/5.9/No.1 DE in Texas)
Sophomore Highlights
Current offers: Texas, Baylor, Georgia, Houston, Missouri, Ohio State, Stanford and Texas A&M
Where UT Stands: Wright has listed the Longhorns as a team he has interest in, but as his offer list continues to explode, his recruitment has probably opened up even more. The goal for the coaches at this point is to get him on campus again and go from there.
Defensive backs
B.J. Foster (Angleton)
Current recruiting grades: Rivals (Four-stars/6.0/No.1 DB in Texas)
Sophomore Highlights
Current offers: Texas, Baylor, Georgia, Michigan, Michigan State, TCU and Texas A&M
Where UT Stands: The Longhorns offered in the last month and they are in his top three per a conversation this month, along with TCU and Oklahoma.
Quotable (Via OB this month) Texas - "I like their style of defense."
TCU - "Their coaching staff is awesome, cool to be around."
OU - "Their coach came by the other day, was awesome to talk to. They have nice facilities and area around there."
Anthony Cook (Houston Lamar)
Current recruiting grades: Rivals (Four-stars/5.9/Top 3 DB in Texas)
Sophomore Highlights
Current offers: Alabama, Clemson, Baylor, Georgia, LSU, Michigan, Oklahoma, TCU and Texas A&M, among others.
Where UT Stands: The Longhorns haven’t offered yet, but the school is among a large group of programs he is showing early interest in.
Quotable (Via Rivals this week) "I have been on visits to Texas A&M, Oklahoma, TCU, Oklahoma State, and Baylor already," Cook said. "I'm going to LSU on the 28th of this month and will be visiting Georgia sometime in the summer. There are other schools and camps that I'm planning to attend, but those are the two other visits that I know are happening."
(Via Rivals in March) “I like Texas because Charlie Strong is bringing that DBU attitude back,” he said. “Plus my cousin, Eric Cuffee, is committed to play there next season.”
Verone McKinley III (Plano Prestonwood)
Current recruiting grades: Rivals (Four-stars/5.9/Top3 DB in Texas)
Sophomore Highlights
Current offers: Baylor, Florida, Georgia, Nebraska, Oklahoma, Oklahoma State and Texas A&M, among others.
Where UT Stands: Everyone might be trailing Oklahoma at this point, although Texas A&M and Mississippi State are also heavily in the mix. Not much mention of Texas at this point.
Quotable (Via Rivals this spring) “My family is about an hour away from Starkville,” he said. “I know that (Mississippi State) has a great fan base, the state is really behind them and the Egg Bowl is real big.”
Athletes
Kirby Bennett (Allen)
Current recruiting grades: Rivals (Four-stars/5.9/No.1 Ath in Texas)
Sophomore Highlights
Current offers: Colorado, Ole Miss and SMU
Where UT Stands: This is a recruitment still in lift-off mode. Stay tuned in the coming weeks and months as more form to his future starts to take shape. (Ketchum)
