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We have a suspected commit coming at the end of the month (24th?) Are there any other 50% and above that may commit before the months end? Or does it look like Wingo, Black, and others may let it play out longer?
Brandon Baker has set his announcement date for September 24 and that one continues to look good for Texas. Terry Bussey’s commitment date is set for September 28 but I don’t expect that one to go UT’s way. As for Ryan Wingo and Kobe Black, neither has set a firm timeline. There was chatter a couple weeks ago that Black could pop soon, but he continues to hold off. Wingo said on Sunday that he’ll probably still wait until December to announce, but there was talk from other sources on Sunday following his visit that his announcement could come much sooner than that. Ultimately, I would expect both to play out past this month but the timing is tough to predict.
What recruits attended the Wyoming game?
Some of the top guys that confirmed with OB they were there:
QB Trey Owens – Cy Fair
WR Parker Livingstone – Lovejoy
TE Jordan Washington – Langham Creek
DE Colin Simmons – Duncanville
DE Zina Umeozulu – Allen
DT D’antre Robinson – Orlando Jones
WR Ryan Wingo – St. Louis University
WR Dakorien Moore – Duncanville (LSU commitment)
WR Marcus Harris – Mater Dei
WR Taz Williams – Red Oak
WR Andrew Marsh – Katy Jordan
OL Michael Fasusi - Lewisville
LB Anthony Williams – Shadow Creek
DB Cobey Sellers – Shadow Creek
WR London Smith – Waco University
Who is the biggest flip you see for this class?
There are guys that make sense as possibilities (Myles Davis, Tyanthony Smith, Wardell Mack, Corian Gipson, Weston Davis) but I’m not necessarily predicting those guys to flip. Davis would seem to be the strongest possibility based on how back-and-forth his recruitment was before he committed to Texas A&M.
More likely, a flip would come from someone who jumps on the Texas radar late and is currently committed to a smaller school, similar to what happened with Savion Red in the 2022 cycle.
What recruit in the 2023 class who didn't commit to Texas do you think was the biggest miss?
A&M has recruited a lot of 5-stars, but a huge proportion were D-line. Why? Is their NIL weighted that way? Is the D-line coach a good recruiter?
In the 2023 class? There are quite a few to pull from in that group since so many offers were extended. If we’re talking guys that Texas had a legit shot at, guys like Jaquaize Pettaway, Jaden Greathouse and Jalen Hale, Ka’Morreun Pimpton, TJ Shanahan and DJ Hicks would have been nice additions.
If you meant 2024 class, I’ll go with Micah Hudson, Michael Uini, Dominick McKinley, Tyanthony Smith and Corian Gipson.
I don’t believe A&M’s NIL is weighted towards defensive linemen, but yes, the Aggies have done a tremendous job of recruiting that position. Some of their success can be attributed to the late Terry Price, but most around that program would tell you that Elijah Robinson is an elite recruiter.
Do we finish with a top 5 class in 23 and 24?
Texas finished at No. 3 in the 2023 class and as things stand now, I would put Texas right on the fringe of a top-five class in the 2024 cycle if things go the way I’m expecting them to. In order to get there, we’d probably need to see Brandon Baker and Kobe Black get their fifth stars, which is very possible or maybe even likely.
Quoting a story by the Hemingway of OB, “Harris spent time with fellow receivers Ryan Wingo, Taz Williams and Dakorien Moore during the game. As for his time with the Texas coaches, the staff told Harris he’d be a great fit in Austin.”
Which two do you want, and which two do we get?
Of that group, give me Dakorien Moore and then Ryan Wingo. I feel good about UT’s chances with Wingo, so pencil him in. I think the Longhorns have a strong shot with all the others, including Moore, but I’ll go with Marcus Harris as the second most likely to commit to Texas. That dude has been to Austin on his own dime three times and he really likes the staff.
Are there any receivers in 2024 we haven’t heard about that we are actively pursuing?
High school and portal?
Not really, to be honest. Not that I’m aware of anyway. We’re only three weeks into the season so the portal activity is pretty much non-existent right now. That stuff will heat up closer towards the end of the season.
How many scholarships will be saved for portal transfers in this class?
I’m not sure the coaches will actively “save” any sports for the portal, but yes, they will be involved in some portal shopping when the time comes. We heard very early on that this would be a full class, which traditionally means a 25-man class (even though the rules have now changed, that rule of thumb still applies). Texas is currently at 17 commitments with a few other players trending UT’s way. Getting to 25 might be tough unless multiple guys want to flip or some new targets emerge.
Can you update us on Ryan Williams in any way?
Are there any studs on the Michigan State team from the south?
2025 five-star wide receiver Ryan Williams remains committed to Alabama, and from people I’ve talked to, he seems pretty solid with that decision. That being said, he has told Texas commit KJ Lacey that he’ll visit UT at some point. We’ll see if that visit actually comes to fruition and if there’s any legitimate interest if/when that visit takes place. I don’t think there’s a whole lot of sexy news to report with him just yet.
A quick look at MSU’s roster shows four players from Texas. The only one UT recruited is former A&M transfer Adeleye Tunmise.
Are we planning on circling back to Selman Bridges?
I’m not expecting that right now but I did just reach out to Bridges to get an update on whether or not he’s still in touch with the UT staff. I’ll update once I hear back from him.
Is Texas recruiting any members of the 2025 Mater Dei team other than Davison and Harris?
As you said, running back Jordon Davison and receiver Marcus Harris are the main 2025 targets for Texas out of powerhouse Mater Dei, but the staff did offer a couple other players as well (LB Nasir Wyatt and CB Daryus Dixson) during their summer unofficial visits. UT has also offered a couple 2026 prospects from Mater Dei.
What’s our current number of recruits and how many do you believe we finish this class with including transfers?
What position are we currently falling a little short on this class from where we stand right now?
Texas is currently at 17 commitments. There are a few that are trending well for the Longhorns and then I’d expect a few surprises, so I’m putting this class in the 23-25 range with high school prospects. Transfers are always a little more difficult to predict because we don’t know yet who will leave the UT program and which players will be in the transfer portal.
As for where Texas is falling short, the Longhorns have only two offensive linemen but that could be changing as early as this weekend. Even if UT lands Brandon Baker, I think they could use a fourth lineman. Texas doesn’t have a single linebacker committed and that may not change. Personally, I would have liked to have seen them take two tight ends in this class but it looks like one will be the number. Adding another receiver is key as well.
What’s your best guess on these 3: Wingo, Baker and Black?
As we start to look ahead to 2025 what positions do you feel UT must prioritize given a) our move to the SEC and b) who we could lose to the draft this off-season?
Texas, Texas and Texas.
As for 2025 and moving to the SEC, being strong on the trenches is always going to be a priority so look for Texas to continue to load up on offensive and defensive linemen, especially if some of the young guys in the program now decide to transfer. Texas will lose a lot of veteran talent at wide receiver this year and next, so adding playmakers there will be important as well.
Is Texas still in on Hudson or are they all in on Wingo now (or still actively recruiting both).
Texas was still talking to Hudson prior to his commitment to Texas Tech but it wasn’t the type of aggressive, every-day contact that you’d expect from top targets. For the most part, the staff has put all of its chips in with Wingo and it appears to be a solid strategy.
What's the interest level on Romel Stevens and Mihael Terry? Both were visitors at the Wyoming game.
They’re on the radar, but down the pecking order right now. Both are 2025 guys and neither has an offer from Texas yet. They’d probably need to come to a camp in the summer and make a strong impression there to change that. Terry’s an interesting prospect with his size (6-3) and athleticism. He already holds some solid offers.
17 and 18 year olds have a more balanced view of games like Wyoming where many OB’s seem close to decommiting?
Yep. That’s pretty much always been the case. Frankly, it’s pretty surprising how difference fans and recruits view the results from any specific game.
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