Who are all the early enrollees?
QB Roschon Johnson
WR Jordan Whittington
TE Jared Wiley
OL Tyler Johnson
DE Jacoby Jones
DE Peter Mpagi
LB Caleb Johnson
LB Marcus Tillman
LB De’Gabriel Floyd
How strongly are we pursuing Deondrick Glass?
Glad you asked. I checked around on this one on Wednesday morning and the short answer is that it doesn’t look like Glass and Texas is going to happen, barring a last-minute change. Texas has one running back signed in Derrian Brown and unless someone else pops up that’s just too good to pass up, it looks like Brown will be the only back signed in this year’s class.
Is Stan Drayton a liability on the staff? We seem to be missing on a lot of our RB targets.
Man, I’m not sure it’s fair to call Drayton a liability. That’s a pretty harsh way of looking at things.
I get it … Texas did miss on Noah Cain and Trey Sanders, but the truth of the matter is that the Longhorns had no business being a factor in the Sanders race at all but Drayton did a good enough job that Texas stayed in the mix until the end. And no matter how much Sanders liked Texas (he did, a lot), the Longhorns weren’t winning that SEC recruitment in the end.
On Cain, that’s a tough pill to swallow but Texas just got edged out in what was one of the closer races of this cycle. Sure, it would have been nice if Texas and Drayton had closed the deal there, but sometimes you also have to give credit to the opponent, in this instance Penn State. The Nittany Lions did a really good job in this one, including winning over Cain’s mother.
Texas does have a Rivals250 member signed in Derrian Brown. In last year’s class, Drayton landed the only running back he really targeted in Keaontay Ingram, so it's not like he hasn't had some success.
NSD1 wasn’t kind to Texas with Sanders and Cain opting for other schools, and that’s what is fresh on everyone’s mind, but you also have to be careful to not completely discount the guys Drayton has landed in the last two classes.
Get Zachary Evans in the 2020 class and all is fine. Miss on him and then Drayton will feel some real pressure, deservedly so. Texas and Drayton have to win out in that race, and the Longhorns are in a good spot at this early stage.
Are we looking to add a second QB to the 2020 class?
Hard to say right now and those things are always pretty flexible depending on the roster numbers. I would think adding a second is a strong possibility under any circumstance, but if Texas loses one (or more) of the QBS on its current roster, going for a second quarterback to pair with Hudson Card would seem like a smart bet.
Best remaining prospect on the board for the SUGGGA BOWL CHAMPS..
That’s a good question. If you look at UT’s offer list, there really aren’t a lot of outstanding offers left on the table for Texas.
Safety Jalen Catalon would probably be the biggest name and while Texas is still very much in the mix there, Arkansas and TCU are big threats and the Longhorns would have to make up some ground down the stretch to close that one out.
Texas does continue to have needs along the offensive line, so a guy like Dawand Jones, though only a three star, is an intriguing option with a long offer sheet. I’m expecting some new names to surface soon but it’s going to be hard to jump in the mix this late with a player the staff hasn’t built a relationship with previously. If a new name surfaces on the radar, the guess here is that it will be someone with whom Texas had communicated early in the process and the staff was able to rekindle the flame.
Thoughts on the staff being a little stingy on remaining 19 offers to allow for a larger 20 class.
I’m fine with that philosophy, if that’s the direction the staff decides to go.
There’s no need to force the issue with a prospect if Texas doesn’t feel the player is genuinely someone who can help the team compete at a championship level. Texas will have a lot of momentum with the 2020 class after the season it just turned in, so saving some scholarships for that group would seem like a wise call.
Remember, in the 2017 class, it was Director of Player Personnel Derek Chang who mentioned to Herman that there was no need to force the issue in the staff’s transition year. Herman listened to that advice and it paid off with a 27-man class in 2018 that ranked among the nation’s best.
Does Chad Lindberg commit to Texas before April?
I’ve always liked Texas’ position with 2020 OL Chad Lindberg but he’s never given me any indication that he wants to rush into a decision. I doubt he’ll be a guy that drags the process on too long, but having him commit before April might be a bit of a stretch. He’s a guy I need to follow up with.
Way too early, name three 5-star recruits that will be Longhorns in the 2020 class.
Man, that’s tough this early but if I’m forced to pick three, give me Zachary Evans, Kelee Ringo and Demond Demas.
Demas is currently ranked as a four-star prospect and committed to Texas A&M, but I could certainly see a scenario where Texas flips him.
When are Junior Days?
I haven’t inquired about exact dates but those are usually mid to late February, so keep an eye on the weekends of February 19 and/or 26.
Outside of Evans, who is the must-get for 2020?
Evans, to me, is in a league of his own in terms of being a “must-get” but there are several other big-time in-state guys that Texas is off to a good start with, and closing on them would be huge for 2020 recruiting success. Guys like Ja’Quinden Jackson, Chris Thompson, Chad Lindberg and Bryson Washington would be really good starting points. You could throw in another couple OL/DL guys as well.
Does our WR class coming in make LJH easier to overcome than we should expect?
There’s no way to sugarcoat it ... losing Lil’Jordan Humphrey is a big hit to the Texas offense for next year. You simply can’t have a guy like that leave your roster and expect to not take at least a small step back at that position. The best you can hope for is someone is able to step in and fill his spot at a solid level, and others at different positions will need to take the next step to mitigate the loss of Humphrey.
That being said, Texas does have two dynamic players coming in who can make plays out of the slot – Jordan Whittington and Jake Smith – and having Joshua Moore healthy is another strong option. All three of those guys could factor into the offense next year, but expecting them to play at or near the level Humphrey would have played it isn’t realistic.
If an OV actually happens, what chance is there for Lakia Henry to UT? IIRC Caleb Johnson has 4 years to play 3. Basically, what is Henry's eligibility situation?
I haven’t heard much from Henry of late. He told me several weeks ago that Texas had been in contact but he’s gone quiet since then. Texas was happy with its linebacker group when it added Caleb Johnson to the mix late so I’m not sure the need to pursue Henry is that great. If the staff pursues him, and if he decides to visit, you have to figure the Longhorns will get a close look since he’s had UT on his radar for so long but I haven’t heard anything yet indicating Texas is heavily involved. I’ve got a message into Henry and am hoping to have more from him soon.
Someone has to do it....how long before we see Bru’s name in the transfer portal
Nope … not touching this one.
Will the staff have a plan to keep in-state recruits from committing to A&M early this year? Jimbo likes early commits and the short game, where Tom likes the long game. We can’t afford to lose out on TX recruits this winter and spring like last year.
Herman’s great at the long game, but let’s not pretend that he and UT wouldn’t take early commitments from all of the top targets in the state if guys wanted to commit early. As far is if there’s a plan, I don’t know that there’s anything specific in place but the staff certainly knows it has to get back to winning the majority of the in-state recruiting battles for Texas to consistently haul in top classes. The 2019 group was heavy with top out-of-state talent, but I’m not sure that’s a recipe Texas wants to repeat year after year.
Bottom line … keep winning games, keep building relationships and Texas will be just fine in the 2020 class. The Longhorns took a huge step towards solidifying its foundation with that group by playing in the Big 12 Championship game and winning the Sugar Bowl.
Name five uncommitted players that Texas is likely to sign in the 2020 class.
I’ll go with Chad Lindberg, Jaylen Garth, Jakob Majors, Alfred Collins and Bryson Washington … throw in Mookie Cooper for good measure.
When in the hell are we gonna offer Haynes freaking King?!
Not sure, but if Texas decides to pursue a second quarterback in the 2020 class, he’d be a strong candidate.
Who do we finish with in 2019?
I wish I knew. With only a few spots remaining, it’s tough to predict right now.
Why not look at Eagles as a replacement for Beck. He has the size (6'3" 230), appears to be physical and has exceptional speed for that position. This gets Eagles, CJ, Durveny(??) and Moore or Smith on the field all at the same time not to mention Whit if he plays some RB. A hard group to cover with plenty of big play potential. After CJ moves on, Eagles could potentially move to CJ position.
I don’t think that’s a realistic option. When Eagles was being recruited, he was thought of as a Roy Williams-type of player by some on the staff. He’s not the right type of tight end that Texas wants (someone who can be on the field and be effective as a receiver and a blocker) and with Texas having recruiting the position well over the last couple years, I think the position will be fine as guys continue to develop.
QB Roschon Johnson
WR Jordan Whittington
TE Jared Wiley
OL Tyler Johnson
DE Jacoby Jones
DE Peter Mpagi
LB Caleb Johnson
LB Marcus Tillman
LB De’Gabriel Floyd
How strongly are we pursuing Deondrick Glass?
Glad you asked. I checked around on this one on Wednesday morning and the short answer is that it doesn’t look like Glass and Texas is going to happen, barring a last-minute change. Texas has one running back signed in Derrian Brown and unless someone else pops up that’s just too good to pass up, it looks like Brown will be the only back signed in this year’s class.
Is Stan Drayton a liability on the staff? We seem to be missing on a lot of our RB targets.
Man, I’m not sure it’s fair to call Drayton a liability. That’s a pretty harsh way of looking at things.
I get it … Texas did miss on Noah Cain and Trey Sanders, but the truth of the matter is that the Longhorns had no business being a factor in the Sanders race at all but Drayton did a good enough job that Texas stayed in the mix until the end. And no matter how much Sanders liked Texas (he did, a lot), the Longhorns weren’t winning that SEC recruitment in the end.
On Cain, that’s a tough pill to swallow but Texas just got edged out in what was one of the closer races of this cycle. Sure, it would have been nice if Texas and Drayton had closed the deal there, but sometimes you also have to give credit to the opponent, in this instance Penn State. The Nittany Lions did a really good job in this one, including winning over Cain’s mother.
Texas does have a Rivals250 member signed in Derrian Brown. In last year’s class, Drayton landed the only running back he really targeted in Keaontay Ingram, so it's not like he hasn't had some success.
NSD1 wasn’t kind to Texas with Sanders and Cain opting for other schools, and that’s what is fresh on everyone’s mind, but you also have to be careful to not completely discount the guys Drayton has landed in the last two classes.
Get Zachary Evans in the 2020 class and all is fine. Miss on him and then Drayton will feel some real pressure, deservedly so. Texas and Drayton have to win out in that race, and the Longhorns are in a good spot at this early stage.
Are we looking to add a second QB to the 2020 class?
Hard to say right now and those things are always pretty flexible depending on the roster numbers. I would think adding a second is a strong possibility under any circumstance, but if Texas loses one (or more) of the QBS on its current roster, going for a second quarterback to pair with Hudson Card would seem like a smart bet.
Best remaining prospect on the board for the SUGGGA BOWL CHAMPS..
That’s a good question. If you look at UT’s offer list, there really aren’t a lot of outstanding offers left on the table for Texas.
Safety Jalen Catalon would probably be the biggest name and while Texas is still very much in the mix there, Arkansas and TCU are big threats and the Longhorns would have to make up some ground down the stretch to close that one out.
Texas does continue to have needs along the offensive line, so a guy like Dawand Jones, though only a three star, is an intriguing option with a long offer sheet. I’m expecting some new names to surface soon but it’s going to be hard to jump in the mix this late with a player the staff hasn’t built a relationship with previously. If a new name surfaces on the radar, the guess here is that it will be someone with whom Texas had communicated early in the process and the staff was able to rekindle the flame.
Thoughts on the staff being a little stingy on remaining 19 offers to allow for a larger 20 class.
I’m fine with that philosophy, if that’s the direction the staff decides to go.
There’s no need to force the issue with a prospect if Texas doesn’t feel the player is genuinely someone who can help the team compete at a championship level. Texas will have a lot of momentum with the 2020 class after the season it just turned in, so saving some scholarships for that group would seem like a wise call.
Remember, in the 2017 class, it was Director of Player Personnel Derek Chang who mentioned to Herman that there was no need to force the issue in the staff’s transition year. Herman listened to that advice and it paid off with a 27-man class in 2018 that ranked among the nation’s best.
Does Chad Lindberg commit to Texas before April?
I’ve always liked Texas’ position with 2020 OL Chad Lindberg but he’s never given me any indication that he wants to rush into a decision. I doubt he’ll be a guy that drags the process on too long, but having him commit before April might be a bit of a stretch. He’s a guy I need to follow up with.
Way too early, name three 5-star recruits that will be Longhorns in the 2020 class.
Man, that’s tough this early but if I’m forced to pick three, give me Zachary Evans, Kelee Ringo and Demond Demas.
Demas is currently ranked as a four-star prospect and committed to Texas A&M, but I could certainly see a scenario where Texas flips him.
When are Junior Days?
I haven’t inquired about exact dates but those are usually mid to late February, so keep an eye on the weekends of February 19 and/or 26.
Outside of Evans, who is the must-get for 2020?
Evans, to me, is in a league of his own in terms of being a “must-get” but there are several other big-time in-state guys that Texas is off to a good start with, and closing on them would be huge for 2020 recruiting success. Guys like Ja’Quinden Jackson, Chris Thompson, Chad Lindberg and Bryson Washington would be really good starting points. You could throw in another couple OL/DL guys as well.
Does our WR class coming in make LJH easier to overcome than we should expect?
There’s no way to sugarcoat it ... losing Lil’Jordan Humphrey is a big hit to the Texas offense for next year. You simply can’t have a guy like that leave your roster and expect to not take at least a small step back at that position. The best you can hope for is someone is able to step in and fill his spot at a solid level, and others at different positions will need to take the next step to mitigate the loss of Humphrey.
That being said, Texas does have two dynamic players coming in who can make plays out of the slot – Jordan Whittington and Jake Smith – and having Joshua Moore healthy is another strong option. All three of those guys could factor into the offense next year, but expecting them to play at or near the level Humphrey would have played it isn’t realistic.
If an OV actually happens, what chance is there for Lakia Henry to UT? IIRC Caleb Johnson has 4 years to play 3. Basically, what is Henry's eligibility situation?
I haven’t heard much from Henry of late. He told me several weeks ago that Texas had been in contact but he’s gone quiet since then. Texas was happy with its linebacker group when it added Caleb Johnson to the mix late so I’m not sure the need to pursue Henry is that great. If the staff pursues him, and if he decides to visit, you have to figure the Longhorns will get a close look since he’s had UT on his radar for so long but I haven’t heard anything yet indicating Texas is heavily involved. I’ve got a message into Henry and am hoping to have more from him soon.
Someone has to do it....how long before we see Bru’s name in the transfer portal
Nope … not touching this one.
Will the staff have a plan to keep in-state recruits from committing to A&M early this year? Jimbo likes early commits and the short game, where Tom likes the long game. We can’t afford to lose out on TX recruits this winter and spring like last year.
Herman’s great at the long game, but let’s not pretend that he and UT wouldn’t take early commitments from all of the top targets in the state if guys wanted to commit early. As far is if there’s a plan, I don’t know that there’s anything specific in place but the staff certainly knows it has to get back to winning the majority of the in-state recruiting battles for Texas to consistently haul in top classes. The 2019 group was heavy with top out-of-state talent, but I’m not sure that’s a recipe Texas wants to repeat year after year.
Bottom line … keep winning games, keep building relationships and Texas will be just fine in the 2020 class. The Longhorns took a huge step towards solidifying its foundation with that group by playing in the Big 12 Championship game and winning the Sugar Bowl.
Name five uncommitted players that Texas is likely to sign in the 2020 class.
I’ll go with Chad Lindberg, Jaylen Garth, Jakob Majors, Alfred Collins and Bryson Washington … throw in Mookie Cooper for good measure.
When in the hell are we gonna offer Haynes freaking King?!
Not sure, but if Texas decides to pursue a second quarterback in the 2020 class, he’d be a strong candidate.
Who do we finish with in 2019?
I wish I knew. With only a few spots remaining, it’s tough to predict right now.
Why not look at Eagles as a replacement for Beck. He has the size (6'3" 230), appears to be physical and has exceptional speed for that position. This gets Eagles, CJ, Durveny(??) and Moore or Smith on the field all at the same time not to mention Whit if he plays some RB. A hard group to cover with plenty of big play potential. After CJ moves on, Eagles could potentially move to CJ position.
I don’t think that’s a realistic option. When Eagles was being recruited, he was thought of as a Roy Williams-type of player by some on the staff. He’s not the right type of tight end that Texas wants (someone who can be on the field and be effective as a receiver and a blocker) and with Texas having recruiting the position well over the last couple years, I think the position will be fine as guys continue to develop.
