1) Two ratings services rank Fillinger as a 4-star. The composite rank of 0.8884 puts him right at the top of the 3-star range. That begins at 0.8903.
2) He's a multi-sport star, which Coach Herman values very highly for demonstrated athleticism.
3) Absurd measurables - Tons of upside for Fillinger.
4) Impressive offer list - suggests that Texas isn't the only team that thinks he's a good player
5) Ranking trend - Fillinger's recruiting stock has been rising steadily this year. As more information has come in, his ranking has moved up considerably. No reason to believe he won't be a consensus 4-star soon.
6) Location - much more likely to be overlooked in Utah which isn't exactly saturated with scouts. May help to explain #5 as well.
7) Work ethic: He's a guy that will fit right into and reinforce the culture that Texas Football is building.
8 ) Staff evaluation - Demonstrated well above the norm in the past. With higher rates players still on the board this suggest to me that the staff has Fillinger rated above some of those players or at a minimum quite close in ability so taking the bird in the hand is more than worthwhile.
9) Commitment - Fillinger sought out Texas, not vice versa. He really wants to be here and the staff won't have to commit a lot of precious time and effort to keeping him in the fold. Considering how much work still has to be done to fill the 2020 class that's important. It's especially true when measured against so many teams with 16-20 commits already.