THREE THINGS WE LEARNED
1. KJ Lacey’s commitment to Texas seems as firm as it’s ever been
When KJ Lacey committed to Texas back in June of last year, it felt like a pledge that (A) Lacey felt very good about and (B) Texas would have to fend off other suitors. As an elite national prospect and an out-of-state quarterback commitment, it was pretty much common sense that other colleges weren’t going to just throw in the towel on Lacey’s recruitment.
Over the course of the fall, Lacey would wind up making multiple stops to the Alabama and Auburn campuses, which made for some nervous moments for Texas fans despite Lacey’s continued assurances that he was still solid with his UT commitment. After seeing Lacey last weekend, and Lacey taking a Texas practice on Monday, it feels like this one is on solid footing as far as Texas is concerned.
Lacey, out of Saraland (AL), visited UT this week. He’ll be back on campus April 6, again for the Orange-White game on April 20 and in late June for an official visit. As of now, those are the only college visits on Lacey’s calendar.
“I’m feeling great about it still,” Lacey said about his Texas commitment. “That’s where I want to be at and that’s where I’m going.”
Lacey’s first Texas visit was a group trip with his 7-on-7 team. He fell in love with the UT program on that stop and his mind was pretty much made up at that point. He notified his parents of his desire to give UT a commitment, they were fully on board and Lacey committed on his second trip to Austin last June.
“After my first trip, I went with my 7 on 7 team, I visited and I told (my parents) all about it. They were like, ‘Okay, you like Texas a lot.’ After I told them I wanted to commit they were all for it,” Lacey said. “They let me make my decisions on where I wanted to go and they’ve supported me all the way through.”
And what has Lacey so happy with his decision nine months later?
“Just knowing that Texas is going uphill from here. Knowing as soon as I get there they’ll develop me to my best self until I get to the next level after that,” Lacey said. “And knowing all my teammates around me, the people before and after I get there, it’s just going to keep on going uphill.”
Schools like Auburn, Ole Miss and Oregon continue to hit Lacey up but he says he’s “still with Texas.” He doesn’t rule out the possibility of seeing some other campuses next fall because he’s a fan of college football and likes to go see lively gameday atmospheres, but Lacey says he feels great about his decision to commit to Texas.
Lacey, who will graduate in December, is busy recruiting a number of receivers to try to get them to join him in Austin. He mentioned players like Dakorien Moore, Marcus Harris, Jaime Ffrench and Kalig Lockett as receivers he’s been in touch with. He’s also working on current high school teammate and Alabama defensive line commitment Antonio Coleman.
“He’s definitely going to officially visit (Texas),” Lacey said. “I think when he comes out here he’s going to change his mind.”
2. The picture is starting to come into focus for WR Kelshaun Johnson
Hitchcock wide receiver Kelshaun Johnson is about to embark on a key round of visits that will ultimately lead him to a college choice. The speedy wide receiver will be in Austin on April 6. He’s working to schedule unofficial visits to Texas A&M and USC. Looking further down the road, he has official visits locked in to Arkansas, Texas Tech, Texas and Southern Cal. Following that round of official visits, Johnson plans to come to a fairly quick decision.
“That will be a huge part and then I’ll probably commit before my senior year,” Johnson said of the upcoming visits.
The Longhorns have always been a team that’s been high on Johnson’s list and that’s not likely to change. USC is a team to watch, although Johnson has yet to visit the West Coast.
“I like how they develop their players, how they build their people up to compete,” Johnson said of the Trojans. “And there’s a chance to play early.”
At Texas, wide receivers coach Chris Jackson is a draw for Johnson, especially the fact that Jackson has played and coached in the NFL.
“I like coach Jackson, how he develops his players,” Johnson said. “He’s coached at different places, so he knows and he just wants the best for me. And I know he’s going to push me.”
3. There’s a long way to go in the Andrew Marsh recruitment, but getting him on campus on Monday can’t hurt
Katy Jordan wide receiver Andrew Marsh is no stranger to college visits. The Rivals100 member has taken near double-digit Texas visits and he was back on campus on Monday to watch the Longhorns’ spring practice. For Marsh, who doesn’t plan to commit until November, there will be plenty of other visits to be taken over the course of his recruitment, but getting him in town for a spring practice is another positive step for the Longhorns.
Along with Monday’s UT visit, Marsh has spring plans to get out to the campuses of Oklahoma, Texas A&M, USC, Michigan, Oregon, Louisville and Kentucky. As for official visits, he has trips locked in with A&M, Oklahoma, USC and Michigan. For Marsh, the numerous trips are helping him find out which schools he best meshes with.
“I’m really just taking it day by day, just trying to build relationships with all the coaches, kind of get to know them all better, really find out what they bring to the table and what they can offer me,” Marsh said.
It’ll be a hotly-contested recruitment for Marsh. Proximity won’t be a huge factor, but staying close to his family could be something that matters in the long run.
“Texas, they definitely have that home factor for me, just staying home. And I would say the people there, they’re all really good people,” Marsh said. “Coach Sark, coach Jackson, I talk to them quite a bit. I would say the relationship there is pretty well built. They’ve been recruiting me for a long time.”
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TWO QUESTIONS
1. Will Texas take two quarterbacks in the 2025 cycle?
The guess here is that Texas will stick with just one quarterback in the 2025 recruiting class but the UT coaches are keeping all options on the table. Texas has been in touch with current SMU pledge Keelon Russell, and the Duncanville product is planning to visit Texas for the first time for the Longhorns’ spring game next month. Russell is hopeful that an offer could be extended during that visit.
“I think the first time I talked to coach Sark was at one of our games. He actually came out to see Dakorien (Moore), Colin (Simmons) and (Alex) January, but that was the first time I shook his hand. He really liked me. He said around the staff that when he came to the game, he saw everything. When the Texas coaches called me the other day, they were saying all the boxes were checked for me,” Russell said. “The only thing is they want me to do is come in person so they can see the type of guy I am, my character, my leadership.”
The 6-4, 181-pound Russell participated in last weekend’s Elite 11 Regional in Austin and performed well enough to earn an invitation to the Elite 11 Finals in California. He’ll take an official visit to Ole Miss this coming weekend. Should he pick up an offer from Texas at some point, he said it could really change his recruitment.
“Texas was one of my dream schools. I feel like them (offering), is going to set me a feeling like ‘Oh my God, I got Texas now,’” Russell said.
Oregon and Alabama are other programs that have been in touch. As for Texas, Russell said he wouldn’t mind coming in as part of a two-quarterback class, but he also knows he has to look at his recruitment as a business decision for his long-term future.
“I want to compete, for sure. I’ll do it. But at the same time, there’s other schools out there who are just willing to take me as the number one guy, start me, play me,” Russell said.
A four-star prospect, Russell checks in at No. 242 on the Rivals250.
2. What’s the latest with 2026 OL JJ Mays?
2026 offensive lineman Jerald “JJ” Mays has yet to pick up a Texas offer, but he’s been on the UT campus multiple times as an invited guest and he’s hoping to return next month for the Orange-White game. Mays, out of Pflugerville Weiss, recently visited LSU and he’ll be at Arkansas later this month.
The 6-4, 280-pound interior offensive lineman last visited UT for the Longhorns’ junior day in Austin and he stays in contact with Texas offensive line coach Kyle Flood.
“I love Texas. Obviously it’s close to home, being in Austin,” Mays said. “I never grew up watching football but always grew up around football and Texas was everywhere for me. So I’ve always loved Texas. Coach Flood, I love the way he coaches. I love all the coaches up there. Coach Sark, really a stand-up guy.”
Though he’s visited Texas a few times, Mays is still waiting for the Longhorns to offer. Flood has told Mays to be patient and that an offer could be on the horizon.
“I’ve talked to them about it. He’s told me I’m young” Mays said. “He said don’t worry about getting the offer now, we’re definitely looking at you.”
Last weekend, Mays took part in the ALL22 camp in Austin, where he finished behind 2025 Rivals100 member Lamont Rogers for offensive line MVP.
“I definitely showed everybody I can move well. I had a new PR in the vertical so I was happy with that. Coach even told me ‘We could have had three MVPs today. The person that got MVP, you were right behind him.’ So I feel like I showed that I can move really well,” Mays said. “I feel that’s what really makes me stand out as an o-lineman, that I can move really well.”
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ONE PREDICTION – Final Four teams …
No big recruiting predictions this week. Let’s talk some March Madness. To my surprise, my men’s bracket is faring much better than my women’s bracket. My Final Four picks are all still alive …
Men’s … Iowa State, North Carolina, Houston, Purdue (Houston and Iowa State in the championship game).
Women’s … South Carolina, Stanford (shame on me), LSU, USC (South Carolina over USC in the championship game).
How’s everyone else’s brackets looking?
