(From Suchomel)
A very quick note on WR Micah Hudson before we jump into our preview of another huge Texas recruiting weekend ...
If you were paying attention to social media clues on Wednesday, it looks like this one is all but a done deal for Texas Tech. In fact, we had heard that Hudson would be announcing his decision that night, but he instead decided to wait things out for a bit. Look for an announcement to go down over the weekend.
The question … will Texas still be able to get him on campus for a visit in the fall if Hudson does choose Tech? He insinuated on a Twitter response that he’d still take a Texas visit at some point and I’d probably expect that to happen, but I’ll try to touch base with Hudson at the State 7v7 Tournament on Friday to get some more information.
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This weekend’s visit list has had some changes this week, with guys like Tyanthony Smith and Micah Hudson deciding to not take their Texas visits after all. Still, it’ll be an action-packed weekend in Austin, perhaps even bigger than last weekend. Will the results be similar, with the Longhorns snagging a couple public commitments and positioning themselves well for a few more upcoming pledges? We’ll see.
Let’s take a look at the prospects expected to be in town …
QB Trey Owens – Cy-Fair – The only QB Texas will take in this class, Owens seems about as locked in with his commitment as one could be. He’s an active recruiter for Texas both on social media and behind the scenes, and I’d expect more of the same this weekend.
RB Jerrick Gibson – IMG Academy – I was told by a source close to Gibson after his spring game visit to not be surprised if the Rivals100 back shuts down his recruitment during his Texas official visit. That’s still in play but visits to Georgia, Miami and Tennessee this month have clouded the picture just a little. Miami is believed to be UT’s biggest threat but the ‘Canes added Rivals250 RB Kevin Riley on Monday of this week. I fully expect Tashard Choice to reestablish momentum in this one and my FutureCast has comfortably been on Texas since February.
WR Parker Livingstone – Lovejoy – He’s a major priority for the Texas staff and is a guy that sits near the top of their board. He canceled a couple of his visits but did go see South Carolina in early June. This one feels like it’s a race Texas should win and Chris Jackson will try to slam the door shut this weekend before Livingstone announces on July 1.
OL Daniel Cruz – Richland – He’s visited some schools this month that might normally make you sweat a little (Ohio State, Texas A&M and OU) but this one still feels like it’s Texas’s to lose, and I just don’t let Kyle Flood letting this one slip away. I’ve had my FutureCast in for Texas since March and still feel good about that prediction.
OL Daniel Calhoun – Marietta (GA) Walton – This will be Calhoun’s third trip to Texas and after speaking to his father following their last visit, it’s pretty obvious that Texas is a legitimate contender in this one. Still, getting him away from Georgia (or even Bama), where he’s visited a ton, is going to be difficult.
OL Makai Saina – Arlington Martin – This guy’s a bit of a ghost in terms of talking to the media so it’s hard to predict what he might do. He has visited Texas A&M and USC earlier this month, and those two are believed to be the Longhorns’ primary competition.
DE Colin Simmons – Duncanville – I expect Texas to stay squarely in the race for Simmons until the day he announces. LSU has always been a major threat and he did just visit Alabama last weekend. This one feels like it’s a long way from having a conclusion but Texas should be able to continue to build some momentum this weekend if things go well.
DE TJ Lindsey – IMG Academy – He’s new to IMG Academy so I’m not sure how much impact it’ll have bringing him in with some of his teammates, but it probably can’t hurt. A&M was believed to be the leader at one point but there’s been some buzz behind the scenes about Texas really making a move of late. Auburn and Miami also involved.
DE Zina Umeozulu – Allen – He’s visited A&M. He’s visited Oklahoma. Now it’s the Longhorns’ chance to impress. The decision will almost certainly come from one of those three. Umeozulu has been pretty quiet lately about what he’s thinking, but a good visit from Texas this weekend (with some help from his brother) should have the Longhorns in a good position.
DL Jayden Jackson – IMG Academy – He’s taken official visits to Florida, Miami, Ohio State and OU so it’s been an active month for Jackson. Bringing him in with two teammates who are Longhorn leans could work out well for Texas.
DL Dominick McKinley – Lafayette (LA) Acadiana – Common sense here would seem to indicate that LSU will be tough to beat, but McKinley has taken four official visits this month, none of which have been to the in-state Tigers. McKinley has been to Ohio State, Texas A&M and OU, in order. Texas gets its chance this week to swing for the fences with the Rivals250 member.
DT Alex January – Duncanville – He’s been to Texas Tech, LSU and Florida State so far this month. The Longhorns are in a really good spot here, with LSU running a closer second than many realize.
DT Terrance Hibbler – Lexington (MS) Holmes County – This one comes as a bit of a surprise after Hibbler committed to in-state Mississippi State on June 1. Pulling him away from that pledge probably won’t be easy, but Hibbler will have now taken multiple visits to UT so there’s clearly a genuine interest. How hard will Texas push and how receptive will Hibbler be? We’ll have a better handle to both of those questions after this weekend’s visit. When we spoke with McKinley last month, he mentioned that Texas feels like home and how much he likes the coaches … still feels like a bit of a longshot.
CB Kobe Black – Waco Connally – He’s taken official visits to Oklahoma and Ohio State and will make a return visit to Austin after taking a handful of unofficial visits to the Forty Acres. Texas is in a really good spot here but Black has said he doesn’t have a firm timeline for a decision. He could take some fall visits, or he could shut it down in the near future. The timing of this one is tough to pin down but Texas just needs to stay the course.
CB Wardell Mack – Marrero (LA) John Ehret – LSU is the logical choice here but Mack hasn’t taken an official visit there. Not yet anyway. He hit Florida State and Florida prior to this weekend’s stop in Austin. The in-state Tigers are the heavy favorites but we’ll see if Terry Joseph can work some magic here.
CB Selman Bridges – Lake Belton – Micah Hudson cancelled his Texas visit but Bridges will go ahead and take his after finishing up with the State 7v7 Tournament. He’s already visited TCU and Arkansas but Texas is in a good spot. Steve Sarkisian has taken it upon himself to make Bridges a priority and while Bridges isn’t planning on announcing until late in the process, the Longhorns are the team to beat right now.
S Jordon Johnson-Rubell – IMG Academy – Texas is in a great spot here, and having him in town this weekend with two IMG teammates can’t be a bad thing. The competition is tough with him having taken OVs to Michigan, TCU and Ohio State but Texas still feels like it’s playing with the lead in this one. If Texas can land Johnson-Rubell, who I expect will announce very soon, it’ll carry a lot of weight with Corian Gipson.
DB Corian Gipson – Lancaster – This one’s interesting. For a long time, Texas looked to be in a good spot. But once Clemson entered the picture with an offer and Gipson taking multiple visits there, the thought was that he might go ahead and shut it down early in favor of the Tigers. Texas has weathered that storm, and now gets its chance to recapture some momentum. Getting him and Johnson-Rubell on campus together, where the coaches can pitch them the idea of being a package deal, is huge.
ATH Terry Bussey – Timpson School – He likes Texas, but the Longhorns are playing from behind in this one. He was at LSU this week on an unofficial visit and hit OU on an official visit last weekend. Those programs are obviously involved but A&M feels like it might have a slight edge.
*****
With updates to both the 2024 and 2025 versions of the LSR Top 100s this week, I thought an overview of the top 15 prospects on both lists with the very latest on all of the summer developments with each prospect would be a good idea.
Therefore, settle in. This is going to be a lot to digest.
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2024 Top 15
1. Edge - Colin Simmons - Duncanville
Has Texas Offered: Yes
Things to Know: Simmons continues to do his homework, as evidenced by recent official visits to Alabama, Miami and SMU, but what once looked like a Texas/LSU showdown months ago kind of feels the same way today. The Tigers represent the betting favorite, but the Longhorns have a chance to change that this weekend.
Key Quotes: (1/9) “LSU feels like home. It feels like Texas honestly, it’s just a smaller place with the same diversity, same this and that. It clicks with me. That’s why I love it so much. Mr. Cain is going to coach you for real. He’s going to make sure you’re straight, you’re right. When you’re on the field, he’s going to push you to higher lengths.”
“Texas is coming at me hard. They’re trying to get me to come down there on the 21st and I’m considering it. I like Texas. It’s Texas. It’s a great place to vibe at.”
(Via OB in late May): "I just want to see what they want me to see. I've been to Texas so many times that it's only so much more that they can show me," Simmons said. "But they said they're going to bring it out, so I want to see what they got."
“They need me. They want to develop me. They just want me real bad,. That’s been their message. The whole coaching staff has really been saying that.”
From Rivals a few weeks ago: "LSU and Texas have been at the top of his recruitment for months now, and those are the two still generating the most steam. However, Simmons is in no rush to make a commitment and is more than willing to take his recruitment to the finish line. Official visits will go a long way in determining which program wins out. This recruitment could very well go all the way to signing day, but I like where the Longhorns and Tigers sit entering the summer."
2. WR - Micah Hudson - Lake Belton
Has Texas Offered: Yes
Things to Know: There's no need to dwell on this one too much after all of the updates from the last week. The expectation is that he will commit to Texas Tech very soon and that the Longhorns will continue to recruit him heavily. It might be best that the Longhorns have the official visit in their hip pocket for the fall once they've been able to crack some of the walls in the Tech lead.
3. RB Caden Durham - Duncanville
Has Texas Offered: Yes
Things to Know: LSU had made a dent in OU's lead in the last few months, but it feels like the Sooners are back in the driver's seat after his official visit to Norman last weekend. The Longhorns did offer Durham this spring, but it's just never happened between the two parties.
4. Kobe Black - CB - Waco Connally
Has Texas Offered: Yes
Things to Know: Black will visit the 40 Acres this weekend for his official visit and the general consensus is that the Longhorns remain the team to beat. For instance, this is his new profile pic on social media.
Key Quotes: (Via OB on 1/26) “What stood out was just building a bond with the coaches. I liked everything, really. They showed me a lot and I learned a lot also. (And) just the family atmosphere. It’s like everybody (at Texas) is family. Everybody’s cool. You build great bonds with them because everything's great.”
5. WR - Bryant Wesco - Midlothian
Has Texas Offered: Yes
Things to Know: Once thought to be a heavy OU lean, Clemson came in this spring and stole OU's future WR toy away from them, much like people stole land in the Sooner State almost 200 years ago.
6. D.J. Lagway - QB - Willis
Has Texas Offered: No
Things to Know: Lagway impressed while competing at the Elite 11 Finals last week and there's still some speculation that he could end up being a 5 star prospect when the dust clears.
7. Justin Williams - LB - Conroe Oak Ridge
Has Texas Offered: Yes
Things to Know: The Longhorns haven't given up on Williams, but this recruitment seems to be an Oregon/Georgia showdown at this stage of things.
Key Quote from the Rivals UGA site on June 13th: "(UGA's linebacker tradition) doesn't lie. I mean, it just proves that, like, Georgia's Linebacker U, honestly. I mean, it really plays a factor in where you want to go, honestly. Because it's a development process. So you see that those guys have developed into great linebackers so you know as a linebacker you want to be great."
8. Ath - Terry Bussey - Timpson
Has Texas Offered: Yes
Things to Know: Although OU made a strong impression on his official visit to Normal last weekend, this continues to have the appearance of a Texas vs. Texas A&M battle, with the Aggies holding the lead going into his Texas official visit this weekend.
9. DB - Xavier Filsaime - McKinney
Has Texas Offered: No
Things to Know: The Longhorns have never been involved with Filsaime and he hasn't look like a guy that's shaky on his commitment to the Gators.
10. DE - Dealyn Evans - Longview Pine Tree
Has Texas Offered: Yes
Things to Know: Evans is a soft A&M commit, but the Longhorns really aren't strongly in the mix at this point.
From Rivals analyst Adam Gordney last week: "The four-star defensive end from Longview (Texas) Pine Tree has been committed to Texas A&M since late last July, but he basically has a top four again and is considering other programs, especially after some recent visits. The Aggies are definitely still right there, but now Florida has made a big push. TCU and Alabama round out the favorites."
11. Nigel Smith - DE - Melissa
Has Texas Offered: Yes
Things to Know: The Sooners continue to be the team that is the betting favorite, while things seem to have hit a bit of a lull in his recruitment in the last month. If we had to guess an order of favorites at this point for Smith it might look like this: 1. Oklahoma 2. Ohio State 3. Penn State 4. Texas A&M 5. Texas
Key Quote (via the Ohui State Ricals site 2 weeks ago): "(The OV to Ohio State) was amazing, I really enjoyed it. It was different, getting to hang out with players and get the real, inside scoop on the school and campus. I can’t really talk about what I learned but they are all great things and it was good to have a host who didn't BS and just told things how they were.
"I plan to commit on Senior Night for my football season," he said. "The biggest factors are development on, and off, the field in football and as a young man. And I need the school and team to feel like a family away from my family along with the business opportunities I will gain during and after my college career."
12. DE - Joseph Jonah-Ajonye
Has Texas Offered: Yes
Things to Know: The Longhorns seemed to be at the front of the pack a few months ago, but things have changed quite a bit and it's tough to know just how seriously the Longhorns are still being considered.
Key Quote Via Rivals last week: "It's really because of that (Georgia) defense, You know, when I first started playing football, I used to watch a lot of Georgia film. So naturally just became my dream school because the defense was so dominant."
Rivals Update From A Week Ago: "Jonah-Ajonye is the biggest riser among defensive linemen in the latest update to the Rivals250 and his rise as a national prospect on the recruiting trail seems to have coincided with his rise in the rankings. Oklahoma has been on him for a while and so have Georgia Tech and Texas Tech but it seems like Georgia could have momentum."
13. Taylor Tatum - RB - Longview
Has Texas Offered: Yes
Things to Know: Michigan looked like the team to beat right up until he took a visit to his dream school... USC, just when you thought USC was about to take it down, OU has stepped into the fray and potentially taken control.
14. Corian Gipson - S - Lancaster
Has Texas Offered: Yes
Things to Know: Texas looked like the team to beat until Clemson offered this spring, but as he heads into his official visit to Texas this weekend, the Longhorns look to have regained its status as the betting favorite.
15. Selman Bridges - CB - Lake Belton
Has Texas Offered: Yes
Things to Know: The Longhorns remain the betting favorite with the likes of USC and Alabama in a trailing position. The Longhorns could have a.chance to close the deal this weekend when they host Bridges on his official visit.
2025 Top 15
1. WR Dakorien Moore - Duncanville
Has Texas Offered: Yes
Things to Know: The Longhorns continue to add to its foundation in the recruitment of Moore and have to be regarded as the clear front-runner in June. After participating in the OT7 Nationals in Oregon last week, Moore returned to Oregon this week to visit the Ducks. Still, it can't be a bad thing that when you go to his Twitter page, four of the six most recent images he's posted are Texas-related.
Key Quote: Via OB this week “It just feels like home. It’s normal. All my family has been down here, they welcome me, show me around and show me why I should come here. And me being cool and really close with some of the players that are here, really close with them, they can show me around too so I can get the feel of everything,” Moore said.
From Rivals analyst Adam Gorney this week: "The high four-star went up both times over defensive backs - good ones, too - to come down with incredible grabs and his Trillion Boys coaches have talked him up heavily as the best receiver in the whole class. After seeing those two receptions and others during this tournament, a case is being made as Texas, Oklahoma and others are involved."
2. CB Devin Sanchez - North Shore
Has Texas Offered: Yes
Things to Know: The Longhorns were once the betting favorite, now sit outside of his top 5, behind the likes of LSU, Ohio State, Alabama, Texas A&M and OU.
Key Quote: Via Rivals this week: On his top 5 schools...
LSU: “They’ve been there but they haven’t been with those top schools. They’re there because I like coach [Robert] Steeples and I like what he’s doing with the DBs down there at LSU so I feel like right now it’s probably not one of my tops but who knows, I have two years, that could change.”
Ohio State: “Just the relationships I have with coach [Perry] Eliano and coach [Tim] Walton and what they’ve done. Coach Eliano put out Sauce Gardner and coach Walton has been doing this for a long time, he’s been in the league, he coached some guys, he coached [Jalen Ramsey] arguably one of the top corners in the league.
“Just the stuff I’ve seen with their DBs in practice and the stuff they send me, I like it and that’s somewhere I can see myself.”
Alabama: “It’s just because it’s ‘Bama and then the DBs they’ve had in the league and then the careers those DBs have had. And it’s Nick Saban. Who doesn’t want to get coached by Nick Saban?”
Texas A&M: “I want to see what they’re going to do when I get closer to picking a school and see if they’re going to come out and show me something.”
Oklahoma: Coach [Jay] Valai. That’s a dude. The relationship I have with him out of all coaches, I’ve been telling people this all week, outside of being a coach and outside of talking about the school, him in general, that’s a real dude right there. You’d want to be coached by someone like that and the energy he has, no coach has that. That’s why I really like Oklahoma.”
From Rivals analyst Adam Gorney this week: "Ohio State, Alabama, Oklahoma and Texas A&M round out the top four for the 2025 five-star cornerback but a new team could be creeping into that top list. LSU has piqued Sanchez’s interest for a while and the Houston (Texas) North Shore standout really likes the program's staff."
3. OT Lamont Rogers - Mesquite Horn
Has Texas Offered: Yes
Things to Know: The Longhorns made an early impression on the Mississippi-native back in March when he came in for an unofficial visit, but his eyes are spread out all over the nation as he heads takes a number of visits this summer. Visited Oklahoma this week and plans to visit Florida State, USC and Ohio State before the end of the summer. LSU, and TCU also seem to really have his attention at the moment.
4. WR Andrew Marsh - Katy Jordan
Has Texas Offered: Yes
Things to Know: The Longhorns continue to do a great job in the early stages of his recruitment, as he's made multiple trips to Texas in 2023. If there's a school that the Longhorns are going to duke it out with for his signature, it might be Ohio State, but he's already been to Austin several times, while the Buckeyes have yet to receive a visit. Has visited Texas, OU and Michigan in the last few weeks. Yet there's no mistaking that the Longhorns have his attention. Even the commitment of 2025 quarterback K.J. Lacey caught his eye:
“I really like KJ. He can spin the ball well and seems like a great, natural leader,” Marsh told OB. “I think it’s important that they have a QB commit so they can build a relationship with each other and start learning the offense.”
Key Quote: Via OB in May: “I’ve gotten to know him a lot more. I’ve spoken to him a few times, and every time that we talk, it’s a really good convo,” Marsh said of Texas WR coach Chris Jackson. “He’s really cool. He’s really personable and easy to talk to."
“(I want to go) somewhere that I can play as a freshman."
From Rivals analyst Adam Gorney in May: "A new offer from Ohio State is definitely one ot watch for the elite 2025 receiver from Katy (Texas) Jordan as it’s “Wide Receiver U.” and “every receiver’s dream school” so the Buckeyes should definitely make an impact in his recruitment. Distance might be a factor, though, as Texas is going to be a major player for Marsh along with Oklahoma, LSU and others."
5. OL - Michael Fasusi - Lewisville
Has Texas Offered: Yes
Things to Know: The Longhorns are in fantastic shape. The Longhorns have been able to get him on campus multiple times in the last few months. The Longhorns are the early betting favorite, although he is taking a number of visits this summer and his recruitment is really just beginning in earnest.
Key Quote: Via OB last month: “What I liked the most, they didn’t just care about football. They really care about my academics,” Fasusi said. “I saw the facilities, everything that keeps the players intact, what my schedule would be, the dorms, the medical facilities.
“He said it’s a school he could see me playing at,” Fasusi said.
From Rivals analyst Adam Gorney this monthk:"One of the top offensive linemen in the 2025 class, Fasusi took another visit to Texas this weekend not to get the heavy recruiting pitch but to spend time with the players, and it really worked out well. Seeing position coach Kyle Flood was incredibly valuable, but Fasusi’s interactions with the players stood out most. The Lewisville, Texas, standout also has a new top list with the Longhorns, Oklahoma, USC, Oregon, Michigan, Baylor and Alabama taking the lead."
6. DE - Michael Riles - Port Arthur Memorial
Has Texas Offered: Yes
Things to Know: The cousin of Texas defensive back Jaylon Guilbeau, Riles recently made his first visit to the 40 Acres and the Longhorns did a great job in their initial salvo of his recruitment. There's a long way to go before anything is final, though. A&M and USC are two schools to watch in his recruitment, but it's still really early.
7. DB - Jonah Williams - Galveston Ball
Has Texas Offered: Yes
Things to Know: Williams visited Texas in late March, but it's been kind of quiet on that front since. Texas A&M might be the early betting favorite, although OU is right there in the thick of things.
From Adam Gorney this week: "Staying closer to home will be a major draw for the 2025 four-star safety so that could give Texas A&M a major edge in Williams’ recruitment although the Galveston (Texas) Ball standout has Oklahoma and Ohio State high on the list as well. The idea of having his family drive to games is a big consideration so the Aggies might have the edge."
8. Edge - Malcolm Simpson - Galveston Ball
Has Texas Offered: No
Things to Know: Simpson hasn't been doing camps and is largely laying low off the radar, which means his recruitment hasn't really taken off yet, but he's the freakiest edge athlete that the state has possibly produced since Myles Garrett a decade ago.
9. CB - Deyjhon Pettaway - Katy Paetow
Has Texas Offered: No
Things to Know: Texas A&M is the big early favorite, although he has taken visits to Georgia and Alabama in the last few weeks/months. It's quite possible that the Alabama offer will change his recruitment going forward, but the Aggies remain the smart bet.
Key Quote via Rivals this month: “I’ve always had Alabama towards the top of my list.”
10. DT - D.J. Sanders - Bellville
Has Texas Offered: Yes
Things to Know: Sanders visited the 40 Acres back in March and has the Longhorns right at the top of an early favorites list with Texas A&M, but things have been fairly quiet over the course of the late spring/early summer. His recruitment hasn't really taken off like it eventually will.
11. WR - Kaliq Lockett - Sasche
Has Texas Offered: No
Things to Know: The Longhorns have other priorities at the wide receiver position in the 2025 class, so even though Lockett visit Texas in January, it's been very quiet on his recruiting front as it relates to the Longhorns. If there's an obvious betting favorite at the moment, it might be Michigan, as he visited Ann Arbor there earlier this month and seems to have a growing fixation with the Big 10 power.
Key Quote Via Rivals last month: "My relationship with the coaches plays a role, a big role, in my decision. Another thing is that I’m looking to make a big impact on the field early."
12. DE - Lance Jackson - Texarkana Pleasant Grive
Has Texas Offered: Yes
Things to Know: Arkansas is probably the betting favorite with his brother on campus after transferring from LSU, but the Longhorns are definitely in the mix, especially after his visit to Austin earlier this month. Like so many of the other players that were in town, the camp and post-camp activities in Austin really seemed to have made a really positive impression.
13. DE Landon Rink - Cy Fair
Has Texas Offered: Yes
Things to Know: The Texas legacy has been all over the place in recent months and if there's a team to watch out for in his recruitment, it might just be... gasp... Texas A&M. Rink visited College Station earlier this month and is scheduled to do the same in Norman, but the Longhorns remain the betting favorite.
14. DE - Chad Woodfork - Humble Summer Creek
Has Texas Offered: Yes
Things to Know: Brace yourselves... the Longhorns are the dream school/childhood favorite. Joining the Longhorns at the top of his early list of favorites is Texas Tech.
15. QB - Roy Thomas Jenkins - Beaumont Westbrook
Has Texas Offered: No
Things to Know: Jenkins was hoping for a Texas offer, but with the commitment of K.J. Lacey earlier this month, it looks like the Longhorns already have their quarterback for this class.
*****
(Aaron/Zach)
Even though a few teams are still battling it out in Omaha, transfer portal season is in full swing. The UT coaching staff stayed true to past tendencies and grabbed a 6’6 RHP from Baylor in Will Rigney. Rigney had a 4.18 ERA in 32.1 innings this past season for the Bears. Notably, one of Rigney’s best outings this year came against the Horns when he posted a line of: 5 IP, 3 ER, 6 H, 9 K, 2 BB.
Here is what Rigney messaged @ZachattheDisch after the transfer news broke, “I chose Texas because of the rich tradition they had and I wanted to be on a competitive, winning team with great coaches and teammates. The staff is getting a hard-working dude who is all about the team and winning. Doesn’t matter my role or how I perform, I want to impact the people around me and help the team in any way I can. I am not playing summer ball, I will just be working in Austin this summer and working out and getting ready for the fall.”
In addition, the Longhorns added a transfer from Notre Dame in LHP Will Mercer. Mercer is a graduate transfer, originally hailing from Houston, Texas where he attended Strake Jesuit College Prep. In fact, former Horn Zach Zubia and current Longhorn Dylan Campbell helped Texas in landing Mercer.
Will Mercer comes to Texas being familiar with the Longhorns as he got to see them in person last season in Omaha, though he did not pitch against them. Mercer did pitch against Texas A&M, going 3.2 innings, giving up just 1 hit and 1 walk, while striking out 4.
During the 2023 season, Mercer was one of the most consistent and reliable arms out of the Notre Dame bullpen, ending the season with a 3-1 record and 2.43 ERA in 17 appearances. His 14 walk to 37 strikeout is very solid as well and he will certainly come in as one of the most trusted and productive bullpen arms for the 2024 season.
Texas added another LHP from the portal recently in Duke transfer Oliver Santos. Santos was a highly ranked arm in the 2022 class out of California. Eric Borba coached Santos is high school and had this to say about the lefty - "Santos is a big physical left-hander with huge upside. He transferred into Orange Lutheran for his senior season after being home schooled. He has the makings of a front line starter if/when he puts it together. His ceiling is very high. He was a potential top five round draft pick out of high school before deciding to attend Duke. He fought some minor arm injuries at Duke and did not pitch for them this season."
Here are a few names in the portal to keep an eye on…
]
Cannon Peebles
- Peebles was a freshman catcher at NC State
- Probably a long shot for the Horns, but they are not going down without a fight. For the 2nd year in a row, the Wolfpack loses their most talented player to the portal.
Payton Green
- Green was a sophomore MIF at NC State
James Gladden
- Gladden was a Freshman RHP at VCU who led the team in IP, ERA and wins.
- Gladden will have 3 years remaining
- Fastball is not overly powerful at 91mph, but has a spin rate ~2,400
- Low to mid 80’s slider with a good changeup
Jakob Christian
- 1B/OF sophomore from Point Loma (Division 2)
- Named D2 CCA National Player of the Year
- Advanced bat who has played 1B during his career
Elijah Hainline
- Hainline was a sophomore SS at Washington State
- Highly regarded IF who is 2024 draft eligible
- Offensive force for Washington State since arrival
- Has played both SS and 2B, but is best suited for 2B long term
- Biggest strength is not chasing pitches outside of the zone
One last nugget - The MLB Draft starts on July 9th. Of the big names from the 2023 roster, Tanner Witt is currently seen as the most attainable piece for Texas to retain, while the likes of Lucas Gordon and Lebarron Johnson Jr are almost surely headed to the Pros. Dylan Campbell continues to work through the pre-draft process, but is not participating in the MLB draft combine or other similar events. While publicly, it has been stated that he would run it back, the feeling is that if he gets anywhere near the number he is looking for, he will make the jump. Lastly, based on conversations with those close to him, Garret Guillemette’s heart is set on the MLB Draft, but if he does not go high enough, he will elect to return to school as he has absolutely loved his time at Texas.
*****
(Womack)
HIGH SCHOOL RECRUITING
I reported on several guys that Rodney Terry and his staff have communicated with over the last few weeks.
The most recent? Five-star Tounde Yessoufou, a five-star ranked 10th overall in the 2025 Class.
An incredibly athletic force on the court, Yessoufou is also extremely strong, notable for breaking a backboard during a high school game. He’s a power player, using his strength and athleticism to attack the rim, almost playing a form of bully ball.
He is one of the best players in the class and projected as a likely lottery pick after being most likely a one-and-done. Yessoufou has off-the-charts ability, and would be an excellent pickup.
• • • • •
TRANSFER PORTAL
I’ve kept you guys updated on the fluid Chris Johnson situation, whose final list dropped, containing the two schools I initially reported (Texas and Arkansas), as well as a new player in the recruitment: the Washington Huskies.
I broke the story so early and assumed things would move faster regarding a commitment timeline, but haven’t heard anything official about that yet.
I still believe that CJ commits to Texas. I really like the Longhorns’ odds in this particular battle – he’s just a guy that will get immediate playing time, as he has the size and skills to play some wing spot, at which the Texas roster is incredibly thin.
Other than CJ, I’m still trying to find out who the last player they’re pursuing is. I can tell you that it will almost certainly be a grad transfer, as (A) maturity in college basketball is paramount to success and (B) grad transfer players are still entering the portal.
Last year’s grad transfer Sir’Jabari Rice (who I expect to get drafted late in the second round tonight) had an incredibly important impact on last year’s Elite Eight team. Texas already added one of the best grad transfers in the country in star scoring guard Max Abmas (pronounced AZE-miss).
Should they add Johnson AND another effective piece, I’m pretty bullish on this team. Whether they can match last year’s result of course remains to be seen, but I am really impressed with the job Rodney Terry has done so far.
For all of the crap he began to catch as he took over, RT has defied expectations in building a legitimate conference contender this season, even in an absolutely loaded BXII conference.
