Texas Recruiting Notes 2020

[Burt Macklin 19050]

21 minutes ago, SydneyCarton said:

If that’s the case it better be because they’re preparing to take legit studs after the end of a great season, or have real insight into some attrition we haven’t sniffed yet. Otherwise I’d fold up shop. But that’s just me. So far they haven’t processed players in the saban/Meyer mood as we expected each season. 

I think they have to know some grad transfers are likely after this season. There’s a few too many guys buried on the depth chart to not see some talent-related attrition. Whether or not that leads them to take more in 2020, idk, because spots will be limited in 2021 if we do. 

Some possibilities: imade, Utquidez, possibly Carson if he doesn’t see the field at all this year, Cummins (potential medical), Don. Duvernay, Boyce (because I hope we don’t end up needing him at all this year), Estell (I think he’s good but good luck seeing the field at safety the next two years). 

[NoName 16397]

14 hours ago, UDontKnow said:

No problem, Umanmielen will fall in Loochie's Top 44!

Current Looch 44 Info (will be checking back on this in a month to see what happens after he updates it)

1. Demas (A&M Commit)
2. Zach Evans
3. Drew Sanders (Bama)
4. Seth McGowan (OU)
5. JQJ (Texas Commit)
6. McClellan (OU)
7. Alfred Collins
8. Jaylon Jones (A&M Commit)
9. Troy Omeire (A&M Commit)
10. Chad Lindberg (UGA)

Spoiler

 

Other of Note:

12. Princely  (Texas Commit)
13. Ryan Watts  (OU)
14. Vernon Broughton (Texas Commit)
15. Haynes King (A&M Commit)
16. Kimber (UGA)
17. Chris Thompson Jr (Auburn)
18. Card (Texas Commit)
19. Kitan Crawford (Texas Commit)
20. Devon Achane
22. Jaylen Garth (Texas Commit)
24. Mickens (Clemson)
25. Aki Ogunbiyi (A&M Commit)
26. Josh Eaton
27. Malik Hornsby
31. Q Johnston
33. Xavion Alford
35. EJ Smith
37. Courtland Ford
38. Devin Price (A&M Commit)
40. Prince Dorbah
42. Josh White
44. Damieon George

 

 

[NoName 16397]

11 hours ago, bigco said:

https://n.rivals.com/news/rivals-rankings-week-the-updated-2020-top-10-revealed

from that link:

RIVALS RANKINGS WEEK:

Monday: Top 10 revealed

Tuesday: Rivals100 revealed

Wednesday: Rivals250 revealed

Thursday: Position rankings revealed

Edited August 13, 2019 by NoName

[texifornia 57091]

8 hours ago, Machinator said:

Roach: https://247sports.com/college/texas/Article/Texas-Longhorns-Football-Recruiting-Mike-at-Night-breaks-down-what-the-rest-of-the-summer-could-look-like-for-Texas-134405182/

 

Are there really 247 posters out there saying "oh no we took Princely that means Collins isn't coming"?

[SydneyCarton 48167]

11 minutes ago, texifornia said:

Are there really 247 posters out there saying "oh no we took Princely that means Collins isn't coming"?

Stanko’d

[NoName 16397]

47 minutes ago, SydneyCarton said:

If that’s the case it better be because they’re preparing to take legit studs after the end of a great season, or have real insight into some attrition we haven’t sniffed yet. Otherwise I’d fold up shop. But that’s just me. So far they haven’t processed players in the saban/Meyer mood as we expected each season. 

I am one million percent ok with taking the Dabo/Clemson direction of keeping guys around for 4 years vs the Saban/Bama direction of processing guys

the issue is selling the program/culture - then again winning does a really nice job of doing that for you.

[NoName 16397]

28 minutes ago, Burt Macklin said:

I think they have to know some grad transfers are likely after this season. There’s a few too many guys buried on the depth chart to not see some talent-related attrition. Whether or not that leads them to take more in 2020, idk, because spots will be limited in 2021 if we do. 

Some possibilities: imade, Utquidez, possibly Carson if he doesn’t see the field at all this year, Cummins (potential medical), Don. Duvernay, Boyce (because I hope we don’t end up needing him at all this year), Estell (I think he’s good but good luck seeing the field at safety the next two years). 

I think you can also throw in guys like Leitao, Danny Young potentially?, Woodard, some level of turnover at Safety (going into next year the odds of keeping all of Brown, Estell, Foster, Overshown, Sterns, Adimora, Owens can't be super super high - even if it is just Brown grad transferring), potentially some turnover at OL (have 4 RS FR and 3 true freshmen, can't imagine 100% of them stay with the portal in play) and potentially someone like Casey Thompson (in the era of the portal, have to imagine that there is going to be continued movement of QBs, depending on what happens with snaps and Roschon J)

 

[Fud 9553]

1 hour ago, NoName said:

no offense, but Holton Hill was a top 100 national guy (76 in composite, #8 CB and #11 in TX) who at this point in this Sr season was #83 in the country and came in pretty decently ready to go and play. Per Texassports, Hill played in all 12 games, started 8 as a true freshman and was honorable mention all B12. 

Eaton is currently #335, #28 CB and #51 in TX, he is a late riser (currently at his highest ranking ever, was in the 500s in May) but he clearly needs S&C and some work as he is pretty damn raw. 

I get what you are saying, but they are the same in that they are both long, fast dudes who play CB (Hill was 6'2", 184 in HS and Eaton is 6'2", 175) but outside of that they really aren't that comparable at all...

Right. At this point, Eaton isn't near the football player that Hill was, either in coverage or in the run game, and Hill was probably both longer and faster as well. At the time, I thought Hill should have been a 5*. Eaton is more of a flyer you take because you feel good about Kenyatta, Crawford, and Pouncey, and probably Imbraheem as well. 

[Fud 9553]

1 hour ago, SydneyCarton said:

I understand that. And normally I’m with you in that it will work itself out wagon. But the 2021 class is so good and we’re so well positioned it is worth at least some level of pause. Its fucking loaded. I’m not sure taking another meh WR after QJ is worth it, or a safety not named Washington or CTJ. 

There's a decent chance we stumble into a loaded three WR class, depending on whether or not LVBS qualifies and picks Texas. I'd be disappointed in taking Hester, although I know some are a fan.  

[Reynolds Woodcock 4801]

15 minutes ago, Fud said:

Right. At this point, Eaton isn't near the football player that Hill was, either in coverage or in the run game, and Hill was probably both longer and faster as well. At the time, I thought Hill should have been a 5*. Eaton is more of a flyer you take because you feel good about Kenyatta, Crawford, and Pouncey, and probably Imbraheem as well. 

I think Eaton is more like a Davante Davis take. Maybe he never breaks through, or maybe ends up being our starting corner in 2023 or 2024 after spending several years in the program and learning how to play the position. 

And yes, I get that Davis played significant snaps early, but that was only because we were in the middle of the talent black hole created by Mack and Charlie.

[Burt Macklin 19050]

3 minutes ago, Fud said:

There's a decent chance we stumble into a loaded three WR class, depending on whether or not LVBS qualifies and picks Texas. I'd be disappointed in taking Hester, although I know some are a fan.  

Yeah, I don’t really care who WR3 is, whether it’s Heston, someone else, or no one, if we get QJ and LVBS. 

I know QJ is highly rated, but I’m not sure people are excited enough about him. His combo of size, speed, hands is absolutely rare. He also gets in and out of his breaks extremely well for his height. If we get him, I think he’d be the second best WR Herman’s landed behind Smith and above Bru. 

[SydneyCarton 48167]

2 minutes ago, Burt Macklin said:

Yeah, I don’t really care who WR3 is, whether it’s Heston, someone else, or no one, if we get QJ and LVBS. 

I know QJ is highly rated, but I’m not sure people are excited enough about him. His combo of size, speed, hands is absolutely rare. He also gets in and out of his breaks extremely well for his height. If we get him, I think he’d be the second best WR Herman’s landed behind Smith and above Bru. 

 

I think QJ has been ranked appropriately by most services. I'm extremely excited to get him. I think he flies under the radar because he hasn't been a public or hotly contested recruitment. I'm not sure I like him more than Whittingham or Smith, but he's definitely a stud. 

[Burt Macklin 19050]

4 minutes ago, Reynolds Woodcock said:

I think Eaton is more like a Davante Davis take. Maybe he never breaks through, or maybe ends up being our starting corner in 2023 or 2024 after spending several years in the program and learning how to play the position. 

And yes, I get that Davis played significant snaps early, but that was only because we were in the middle of the talent black hole created by Mack and Charlie.

I’m not sure what you mean by this. Maybe you’re just trying to say neither were ready to play early (even though Davis was really solid his TR FR year and Eaton would be nowhere near that his first year).

the two are nothing alike as players. Davis was a big CB who was great in the run game and good at press but couldn’t stick in man coverage. Eaton is long, but won’t fill out like Davis and his potential is a guy you can leave on an island if his technique improves because he’s got the height and speed. 

[elguapo 4586]

1 minute ago, Burt Macklin said:

Yeah, I don’t really care who WR3 is, whether it’s Heston, someone else, or no one, if we get QJ and LVBS. 

I know QJ is highly rated, but I’m not sure people are excited enough about him. His combo of size, speed, hands is absolutely rare. He also gets in and out of his breaks extremely well for his height. If we get him, I think he’d be the second best WR Herman’s landed behind Smith and above Bru. 

QJ is a raw explosive athlete, can't wait to see how he develops if/when McKnight gets hold of him.

[Burt Macklin 19050]

1 minute ago, SydneyCarton said:

 

I think QJ has been ranked appropriately by most services. I'm extremely excited to get him. I think he flies under the radar because he hasn't been a public or hotly contested recruitment. I'm not sure I like him more than Whittingham or Smith, but he's definitely a stud. 

I wasn’t counting Whittington as a WR prospect. 

[SydneyCarton 48167]

2 minutes ago, Burt Macklin said:

I wasn’t counting Whittington as a WR prospect. 

Well, you know you should, since that's what he was recruited as until he got on campus.

 

Typing at home on my laptop with a sick kid trying real fucking hard to hit the power key. My typos today should be even worse than usual, so everyone can hold onto their butts.  IsSuchAThingEvenPossible.gif.

Edited August 13, 2019 by SydneyCarton

[Fud 9553]

10 minutes ago, Burt Macklin said:

Yeah, I don’t really care who WR3 is, whether it’s Heston, someone else, or no one, if we get QJ and LVBS. 

I know QJ is highly rated, but I’m not sure people are excited enough about him. His combo of size, speed, hands is absolutely rare. He also gets in and out of his breaks extremely well for his height. If we get him, I think he’d be the second best WR Herman’s landed behind Smith and above Bru. 

If the 3rd (or second if we miss on LVBS) is a stud, then I'll really care. And I think it'll be. 

[satyanash 14624]

11 minutes ago, SydneyCarton said:

Typing at home on my laptop with a sick kid trying real fucking hard to hit the power key. My typos today should be even worse than usual, so everyone can hold onto their butts.  IsSuchAThingEvenPossible.gif.

Control Panel > Hardware and Sound > Power Options > System Settings (Choose what the power buttons do)

Set the "When I press the power button" dropdown to 'Do nothing'.

Edited August 13, 2019 by satyanash

[Katfid54 8635]

1 minute ago, satyanash said:

Control Panel > Hardware and Sound > Power Options > System Settings

Set the "When I press the power button" dropdown to 'Do nothing'.

*dont make a joke about satya being fucking awesome at IT*

*dont make a joke about satya being fucking awesome at IT*

[closetojumping 62848]

18 minutes ago, Burt Macklin said:

I’m not sure what you mean by this. Maybe you’re just trying to say neither were ready to play early (even though Davis was really solid his TR FR year and Eaton would be nowhere near that his first year).

the two are nothing alike as players. Davis was a big CB who was great in the run game and good at press but couldn’t stick in man coverage. Eaton is long, but won’t fill out like Davis and his potential is a guy you can leave on an island if his technique improves because he’s got the height and speed. 

We don’t know how Eaton is going to fill out unless you got a chance to measure his wrists, ankles, and wing span after chloroforming him. Even then it’s a crap shoot. Let’s just leave it at the reality that Eaton is a stretchy take and seems highly likely to not pan out. At least, that might be how some of this board sees it. 

12 minutes ago, Fud said:

If the 3rd (or second if we miss on LVBS) is a stud, then I'll really care. And I think it'll be. 

You’ve hinted twice now that their is another standout WR that might be in play. If they finally woke up and decided to recruit the dude headed to Ohio State, feel free to say so.

3 minutes ago, satyanash said:

Control Panel > Hardware and Sound > Power Options > System Settings

Set the "When I press the power button" dropdown to 'Do nothing'.

Why in the fuck would you want to arm SydneyCarton with the ability to avoid disconnecting himself?

[KYHorn 17154]

7 minutes ago, satyanash said:

Control Panel > Hardware and Sound > Power Options > System Settings (Choose what the power buttons do)

Set the "When I press the power button" dropdown to 'Do nothing'.

Wow, this is gonna save me so much lost time having to restart my laptop. But what do you do if it freezes and you need to hold the power down too force shutdown? 

[Bob Lives! 921]

Could the Eaton recruitment just be a ploy to press Ringo into showing his hand? I doubt this staff has really just conceded him to UGa.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[Hiphopopotamos 20884]

8 minutes ago, closetojumping said:

You’ve hinted twice now that their is another standout WR that might be in play. If they finally woke up and decided to recruit the dude headed to Ohio State, feel free to say so.

Had to look him up - that kid has a 3.91 shuttle and a 37 inch vertical at 6'1" and 200 pounds.   Have to assume the lack of a Texas offer is not because of skill/potential?

 

[satyanash 14624]

13 minutes ago, KYHorn said:

Wow, this is gonna save me so much lost time having to restart my laptop. But what do you do if it freezes and you need to hold the power down too force shutdown? 

Holding down the power button for ~5 seconds will still work. That forcibly cuts power to the system, so no setting will be able to modify that behaviour.

Edited August 13, 2019 by satyanash

[NoName 16397]

30 minutes ago, SydneyCarton said:

 

I think QJ has been ranked appropriately by most services. I'm extremely excited to get him. I think he flies under the radar because he hasn't been a public or hotly contested recruitment. I'm not sure I like him more than Whittingham or Smith, but he's definitely a stud. 

people just forget about him because he doesn't do crazy shit. 

dude is #61 overall in the composite, #11 WR and #9 in Texas.

[Burt Macklin 19050]

32 minutes ago, Fud said:

If the 3rd (or second if we miss on LVBS) is a stud, then I'll really care. And I think it'll be. 

Oh shit! If we get the tOSU kid, that would be huge. I guess I’ll amend my earlier post. If we get him as 2nd/3rd, then yeah, I’ll definitely care about that.

14 minutes ago, closetojumping said:

We don’t know how Eaton is going to fill out unless you got a chance to measure his wrists, ankles, and wing span after chloroforming him. Even then it’s a crap shoot. Let’s just leave it at the reality that Eaton is a stretchy take and seems highly likely to not pan out. At least, that might be how some of this board sees it. 

You’ve hinted twice now that their is another standout WR that might be in play. If they finally woke up and decided to recruit the dude headed to Ohio State, feel free to say so.

Why in the fuck would you want to arm SydneyCarton with the ability to avoid disconnecting himself?

I really doubt Eaton is gaining 30-40 pounds but he even then he still wouldnt be similar in play style to Davante Davis even if they weigh the same, which was the point. 

But I agree it’s a sketchy take. Washington has been good on evals and development, so I’ll give him the benefit of the doubt. CB1 and 2 are studs, so I guess we can take a flyer on a high ceiling third.

3 minutes ago, NoName said:

people just forget about him because he doesn't do crazy shit. 

dude is #61 overall in the composite, #11 WR and #9 in Texas.

Not only that, but gems been really good in HS with still a bunch of room for improvement on technical aspects, which o view as a huge positive. He’s like a Tommy Bush/Tall Bama kid from two or three cycles ago, except he has a way, way higher floor than either of them. He’s also a great fit at both Z and X. 

[satyanash 14624]

9 minutes ago, Hiphopopotamos said:

Had to look him up - that kid has a 3.91 shuttle and a 37 inch vertical at 6'1" and 200 pounds.   Have to assume the lack of a Texas offer is not because of skill/potential?

Well, he committed to Ohio State pretty early (back in 2018). Nahlin wrote a blurb about him around that time, saying he was in the 2nd or 3rd tier of in-state receivers for 2020.

Edited August 13, 2019 by satyanash

[GRHorn 105]

Johnston’s film to me looks like a faster Limas Sweed. 

[golfclap 6903]

2 hours ago, SydneyCarton said:

If that’s the case it better be because they’re preparing to take legit studs after the end of a great season, or have real insight into some attrition we haven’t sniffed yet. Otherwise I’d fold up shop. But that’s just me. So far they haven’t processed players in the saban/Meyer mood as we expected each season. 

Never forget the 2 late-riser jumbo athletes, knowing this staff.

We haven't seen the processing yet because the depth wasn't there. Hell, there were marginal guys that this staff wouldn't even recruit that were starting last year because the roster hasn't been turned over enough. I think we'll see more names get into the portal over the next year because the guys will see that they don't have a path to the field and that a new batch of bigger, faster, and more talented guys are coming in right behind them. 

[Reynolds Woodcock 4801]

13 minutes ago, Burt Macklin said:

 

I really doubt Eaton is gaining 30-40 pounds but he even then he still wouldnt be similar in play style to Davante Davis even if they weigh the same, which was the point. 

That wasn’t the point. The point was that he is at best a stash and develop player, which Davante Davis also would have been in a properly run program, in my opinion.  

[Fud 9553]

4 minutes ago, golfclap said:

Never forget the 2 late-riser jumbo athletes, knowing this staff.

We haven't seen the processing yet because the depth wasn't there. Hell, there were marginal guys that this staff wouldn't even recruit that were starting last year because the roster hasn't been turned over enough. I think we'll see more names get into the portal over the next year because the guys will see that they don't have a path to the field and that a new batch of bigger, faster, and more talented guys are coming in right behind them. 

Some guys who I figured they'd nudge out or try not to talk into staying a long time ago the staff instead worked hard on their bodies to make them into something useful. Adeoye comes to mind, but there are others as well. 

[satyanash 14624]

 

[Burt Macklin 19050]

 

18 hours ago, Fud said:

I like him more than most here, mostly because I think his lack of athleticism is overstated. He's a safety who can cover inside guys in man (Omeire is slow, but he blanketed him in camps), and is a cerebral and technical player who should be where he's supposed to be when playing deeper; I think speed can be made up for at safety by being a quick processer, and it's not like he's really slow like O'Neal.

The biggest question for me is holding up in the run game against elite teams. If Yancy thinks he can bulk him up without him losing athleticism, then I don't see taking him as an issue. 

Get him in the program and have him learn boundary, field, and nickel, and maybe he'll start as an upperclassman. He's not Foster, Sterns, Owens, etc, but apparently you can't land some of the nations best safety classes every single year. 

 

17 minutes ago, golfclap said:

Never forget the 2 late-riser jumbo athletes, knowing this staff.

We haven't seen the processing yet because the depth wasn't there. Hell, there were marginal guys that this staff wouldn't even recruit that were starting last year because the roster hasn't been turned over enough. I think we'll see more names get into the portal over the next year because the guys will see that they don't have a path to the field and that a new batch of bigger, faster, and more talented guys are coming in right behind them. 

I thought Herman would process guys out too, but it's not looking like that's how he'll operate, which I think can work well for him due to his emphasis on culture and Yancy's work as a strength coach. A lot of guys who seem like potential busts could end up contributing meaningfully.

[Bodacious Bevo 3602]

Suchomel thinks we add a couple more commitments in the next week or so

[Hiphopopotamos 20884]

Just now, Bodacious Bevo said:

Suchomel thinks we add a couple more commitments in the next week or so

Spots are filling up - better make your reservation.

[RGBIII 22840]

1 minute ago, Bodacious Bevo said:

Suchomel thinks we add a couple more commitments in the next week or so

Jordan and Johnston

[BabaYaga 15313]

26 minutes ago, Burt Macklin said:

I thought Herman would process guys out too, but it's not looking like that's how he'll operate, which I think can work well for him due to his emphasis on culture and Yancy's work as a strength coach. A lot of guys who seem like potential busts could end up contributing meaningfully.

Mack came in and instantly targeted the HS coaching ranks in TX.  Even going so far as to hire one to his staff (Chambers from Dallas Carter).  This paid dividends for years.  Herman has the same opportunity and seems to be making strides here.  Engendering relationships and developing local talent goes a long, long way.  We forget all too often many of these "busts" were talented, highly rated players.  Doing all that we can to keep them in the pipeline keeps those HS doors open for the next round of young players.  

[UncleBuck 6455]

Just now, RGBIII said:

Jordan and Johnston

Evans and George

[Harry Ellis 445]

1 minute ago, UncleBuck said:

Evans and George

Gary and Waddle

[C-Man 27261]

Somebody please reset the Jumbo/Volleyball story -- I missed that along the way.

[Machinator 32099]

Just now, C-Man said:

Somebody please reset the Jumbo/Volleyball story -- I missed that along the way.

 

[Scholz 11958]

11 minutes ago, RGBIII said:

Jordan and Johnston

Would not suck 

[Chili dog 1787]

16 minutes ago, UncleBuck said:

Evans and George

Pos rep to get you off of 666.

[Machinator 32099]

IT dropped a few more hints that they think we can flip Smith-Njigba if we have a good season.

[satyanash 14624]

IT Recruiting Notebook

This week's Notebook starts in central Texas with a long-striding receiver, then heads over to DFW for a built-to-last tailback and an Ohio State WR commit, and finishes in Oklahoma with another field-stretching pass-catcher. Get some Recruiting Notebook.

Quentin Johnston, WR - Temple (2020)

How he fits at Texas: Tall, smooth, and fast, Johnston projects at Z. Out there to the field he'd find a lot of space to use to get up to speed and to run the curl and snag routes he currently uses to find space coming back to the QB. Overall the routes where he's best are ones in which he has time and space to execute a move and then to find open grass to get the ball, either by blasting by the corner or cutting into open space. That'd make the Z the best spot for him. - Ian Boyd

Coach Says: Strengths - Tall and slender with room to add bulk. Long arms. Athletic, quick off the line with good explosion. Usually with a good release. Looks to have a great vertical which isn’t surprising given basketball and high jumping background. He is a long-strider with good top end speed on his highlights. Tracks the ball well and competes for it. Areas for Improvement - Will fight the ball at times. Only shows 2-3 routes on film. Needs to learn that no one falls for the spin move and it’s just a free hit to the kidneys. Has only played one season of football as best I can tell. Would like to see him more physical coming off the line as college corners aren’t going to let him off so cleanly.

How does this affect Texas: In UT's pursuit of 2020 wideouts, Quentin Johnston is near the top of the big board. He adds almost every component you look for in Division I wide receiver. He looks like an X, plays like a Z. After his dunk contest exploits at Stars at Night, this recruitment was nearing its end. Texas wants 3-4 pass-catchers in this class and Johnston would be an ideal fit. The Temple-to-Austin hashtag isn't near as popular as it should be; just ask Ta'Quon Graham and Jared Wiley. - Justin Wells

Ty Jordan, RB - West Mesquite (2020)

How he fits at Texas: Jordan reminds me of Deandre Washington, he's really successful right now inside playing with a fantastic OL because he's lightning quick with breakaway speed. It's really easy for him to turn any crease they generate on inside zone (and they generate a lot) into all the space he needs to get loose. If he can get to 200 pounds he'll be sturdy enough to keep this up at Texas. When defenders get a hold of him now they can lift him off his feet and get him on the ground, but they don't get their hands on him too often or too easily. He also has the hands to line up outside and blow by defenders on routes and could easily handle getting back and forth if they played him at the H. If you just get this guy in any amount of space he becomes a real problem, his leg turnover at 5-foot-9 gives him elite change of direction and then he also has the top end speed with a 10.5 100m track time. - IB

Coach Says: Strengths - Low-center of gravity with exceptional balance and athleticism. Very good acceleration with a consistently good first step. Shows very strong and explosive lower body as highlights show him hurdling and powering through defenders. A patient runner who shows very good vision. Appears effective in both zone and gap run schemes. Remarkably effective stutter and will break ankles with deceleration. Keeps pads low and square and gets upfield in a hurry. Keeps legs moving on contact and consistently gains YAC. Looks fast in pads. Soft hands out of the backfield. Sells the screen well. Seems secure with ball. A more than willing and effective blocker in both pass and run game. Won’t stay a 3-star. Scored about once every 10 touches. Areas for Improvement - May lose a little speed on change of direction. Not sure there’s much room to add bulk at this height. Needs to block with his head up.

How does this affect Texas: When you've got a Bijan Robinson in your class, finding the other RB take in the cycle can be fun. Jordan fits the bill for UT's offense of his versatility. While Robinson is your typical every down back, Jordan offers explosiveness in the passing and return game. He's one of the fastest kids in TX and has the mold of a bowling ball, already at 190. You could say each class needs a Ty Jordan. USC and Tennessee have been pushing lately, but I could see a decision very soon. 86%. - JW

JJ Hester, WR - Booker T. Washington (Tulsa, OK)

How he fits at Texas: Hester's size and explosiveness would ideally translate at the X, but there's a lot of competition for that role on the 40 Acres. At the least, his ability to stretch the field and go up for jump balls could also translate at the Z. His testing numbers don't look great except for his high vertical, which suggests that he'll end up being pretty fast when he fills out and capable of winning down the field. He already plays fast and has outstanding hands to bring the ball in from different angles. - IB

Coach Says: Strengths - Α tall athlete with great height for the outside but also shows effectiveness working inside. Room to add bulk. Long strider who gets behind defenses despite average timed speed. Measured shuttle outstanding for a man this size. Quick off the line with good acceleration. Explosive lower body. Long arms with sure hands. Catches the ball away from his body and secures it. Efficient getting upfield after the catch. Seems willing to take on contact. Uses all of his height. In an interview, isn’t too fixated on 'coach speak'. Not interested in his own stats. Areas for Improvement - May take some time to develop this body as he needs a good amount of bulk added. I’d like to see more of the short part of the route tree on film.

How does this affect Texas: It jives with the Notebook's current theme; finding WRs in 2020. At 6-foot-4, Hester fits the X spot for the Horns. Hester has big offers - Georgia, Ohio State, OU - but Texas might be the spot. For Hester, timing will be the key. He told me he'd like to announce at Week 2's pep rally at school. I wonder what this class looks like by then. He better be watching. - JW

Jaxon Smith-Njigba, WR - Rockwall (2020) (Ohio State)

Eric Says: Insanely productive receiver in the highest classification. With over 180 career receptions and 3200 receiving yards, he's going to garner plenty of attention from defenses but he still delivers time and time again. Smith-Njigba has both subtle nuance to his game as well as exceptional athletic measurables. His verified 4.59 is his most pedestrian mark and it's still really good. A 37" vertical is quite good and his 3.91 shuttle is elite, right there with Zach Evans. All of this comes in a 6-foot-1, 200 pound frame that will muscle up to 215 over time. What to do with it all? That's the beauty of his game, his versatility could find him a home at any of the three positions or you can move him around as needed. His ability to get off the line and open down field makes him a possible XWR. His initial quickness, sure hands, and tackle-breaking strength make him a possibility for the slot. Finally, his route running, ability to match physicality, and a well-rounded game to threaten all three levels of the field make him a potential X. I liken him to Sloan Thomas, another player I was quite fond of. Knocks would be long-speed versus above average corners, average length, and he doesn't quite play as explosively as he tests. He would be an excellent fit for the current class if the staff can somehow make it happen. Looking into the crystal ball, I would see him as an X or H if he signed with UT. - Eric Nahlin

How this affect Texas: The 2020 class has been filling fast and furious aside from one position; wide receiver. With the number take looking like 3-4 dudes, Smith-Njigba is a no-brainer. For a solid year, the IT staff couldn't figure out why UT wasn't pushing for the talented pass-catcher and Ohio State pledge. The beauty here is that Smith-Njigba may want to stay closer to home. And if so, Texas could be his primary destination. Watching this recruitment unfold over the next few months will be interesting. Watching Collin Johnson and Devin Duverany blow the top off some of the Big 12 defenses might be just enough for a flip. Starting to like this kid a little more- JW

[BigBenBamboozle 1957]

8 minutes ago, Machinator said:

IT dropped a few more hints that they think we can flip Smith-Njigba if we have a good season.

JW’s “starting to like this kid a bit more” means there’s definitely something happening behind the scenes.. 

[irishtexan 11522]

Adding Collins, Jordan, Johnston, Eaton, Alford, and flipping Jaxon Smith-Njigba would put us at 290.3, which will likely be somewhere around 6 or 7 this year (but would have been higher than our 3rd-ranked class last year). Right now a 290 puts us in 5th just ahead of Georgia, but they only have 16 commits and 3 5-stars and are in on Evans and a lot of other studs so I don't see us catching them in the end. So most optimistically we hold tight at 6 assuming we flip Jaxon Smith-whatever, which I'm not expecting, but am only using him as a placeholder assuming we find/sign someone equally rated.

Assuming we only have room to take 22, this is why I'm not really in favor of bringing both Eaton and Alford on board. Especially when you consider how well-positioned we are in the absolutely loaded 21 class. Taking Alford and Eaton means we likely have two less takes in 21. They seem like luxury takes at the expense of a late riser at a position of need (linebackers, anyone?) The DB room is stacked and neither seem likely to crack the 2-deep anytime soon. And if we're following the Clemson model and not the Bama model, then every single take has to be someone you envision being capable of making a contribution. There are no luxury takes. You can't afford it. But, hey, who needs linebackers when you play a 3-1-7, amIright?

[NoName 16397]

2 minutes ago, irishtexan said:

Adding Collins, Jordan, Johnston, Eaton, Alford, and flipping Jaxon Smith-Njigba would put us at 290.3, which will likely be somewhere around 6 or 7 this year (but would have been higher than our 3rd-ranked class last year). Right now a 290 puts us in 5th just ahead of Georgia, but they only have 16 commits and 3 5-stars and are in on Evans and a lot of other studs so I don't see us catching them in the end. So most optimistically we hold tight at 6 assuming we flip Jaxon Smith-whatever, which I'm not expecting, but am only using him as a placeholder assuming we find/sign someone equally rated.

Assuming we only have room to take 22, this is why I'm not really in favor of bringing both Eaton and Alford on board. Especially when you consider how well-positioned we are in the absolutely loaded 21 class. Taking Alford and Eaton means we likely have two less takes in 21. They seem like luxury takes at the expense of a late riser at a position of need (linebackers, anyone?) The DB room is stacked and neither seem likely to crack the 2-deep anytime soon. And if we're following the Clemson model and not the Bama model, then every single take has to be someone you envision being capable of making a contribution. There are no luxury takes. You can't afford it. But, hey, who needs linebackers when you play a 3-1-7, amIright?

Orlando wants to be the guy who first uses the 3-0-8 setup as a base defense heh

[Burt Macklin 19050]

54 minutes ago, longhornmatt said:

This being a small class around 20 never made sense to me.  I think that was probably either never true to begin with, or the staff was far too optimistic about potential attrition and are now rethinking after summer practice.   With normal attrition I think 23-25 should be quite attainable in this class.

The question has never been if 23 – 25 is attainable. It’s about whether it’s worth it to take that many in a class that may not have 25 really good realistic targets while also severely limiting the loaded 2021 class, in which we’re currently killing it on the trail.

The 2017 class will be the outgoing class, which only took 18 players. About 5 of those have either already transferred or were JUCOs so they’ve already left. Meaning you’ll have at most 13 open roster spots from that class, so then you need 5^th year guys, attrition, and early entrants to get the number up to 23 – 25 for 2021.  Not likely, even with a good number of 2018 guys declaring early.

So it’s not about how many can we get in 2020. It’s about how many spots in 2021 are we willing to sacrifice in order to take more than 20 or so in 2020. The answer is probably not that many.

[Fud 9553]

1 minute ago, irishtexan said:

Adding Collins, Jordan, Johnston, Eaton, Alford, and flipping Jaxon Smith-Njigba would put us at 290.3, which will likely be somewhere around 6 or 7 this year (but would have been higher than our 3rd-ranked class last year). Right now a 290 puts us in 5th just ahead of Georgia, but they only have 16 commits and 3 5-stars and are in on Evans and a lot of other studs so I don't see us catching them in the end. So most optimistically we hold tight at 6 assuming we flip Jaxon Smith-whatever, which I'm not expecting, but am only using him as a placeholder assuming we find/sign someone equally rated.

Assuming we only have room to take 22, this is why I'm not really in favor of bringing both Eaton and Alford on board. Especially when you consider how well-positioned we are in the absolutely loaded 21 class. Taking Alford and Eaton means we likely have two less takes in 21. They seem like luxury takes at the expense of a late riser at a position of need (linebackers, anyone?) The DB room is stacked and neither seem likely to crack the 2-deep anytime soon. And if we're following the Clemson model and not the Bama model, then every single take has to be someone you envision being capable of making a contribution. There are no luxury takes. You can't afford it. But, hey, who needs linebackers when you play a 3-1-7, amIright?

I think Eaton is a luxury take. They might be worried about losing all of Cook, Green, and Jamison early, and think Caldwell is a nickel or safety, but I think Kenyatta, Pouncey, and Crawford are good enough to hold down the fort for now. If we're taking a third corner, I'd prefer it be someone of a higher caliber, like Rogers, although I do get where the staff is coming from based on Eaton's physical upside. 

I don't think Alford is a luxury take. We need at least two safeties in this class for roster upkeep reasoning, and he gives us two. 

The problem is, to get Alford we probably have to get Eaton.

The other option is hanging around and trying to flip Washington, CTJ, and/or Ransom, but it appears that they'd rather go ahead and try and land Alford and Eaton first, rather than missing out on everyone.