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Texas Recruiting Notes 2024: Bags Don't Beat Bankrolls

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RGBIII
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Finally can tell my aggy story.    Have a good insight into this kids recruitment and I’m still laughing about his visit to aggy. Dude gets his player host (I’ll let y’all find who that is) and

closetojumping
closetojumping

How do you think this is helpful? Not being a jerk, just asking y'all to keep your shit together and use common sense. In any event, I know for a fact that nothing ever happens with Texas until a

closetojumping
closetojumping

He could have if he isn't. Play devil's advocate and tell us why you feel about this guy's overall approach to his recruitment and how that either translates to the next level or doesn't matter.

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MuellerHorn

MuellerHorn 4,195

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1 hour ago, BigHorn'13 said:

Surly someone will have thots on the subject. 

That's just what we need right now to whip this place back into shape - the resurrection of Carl.

With On3's recent sources not looking so hot, we need some action straight from the player group group.

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satyanash

satyanash 14,281

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Bobby Burton: The importance of staying consistent in recruiting

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The first rule of recruiting a college football coach learns: never get too high or too low. No matter who commits or who doesn’t, there’s another player around the corner who is about to make a decision. I’d take that rule a step further and give it context of why that mentality matters. Football recruiting, unlike basketball recruiting where one or two players can change the trajectory of an entire program, is much more about the aggregate. Sure, there are a couple of football recruits each year who might be put into a different category. But largely speaking, football recruiting is about adding the most amount of proper pieces to a larger puzzle.

Don’t get me wrong. Lancaster defensive back Corian Gipson choosing Clemson hurt Texas. But it’s far from over at DB recruiting. In fact, two players remain on the board and are ranked higher than Gibson – Waco Connally’s Kobe Blake and Louisianan Wardell Mack. Losing Gipson isn’t going to kill this Texas class. Acting like it would is silly. Rather, it’s just time for the Texas coaches to get back to work.

 

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Sgt Hulk

Sgt Hulk 13,645

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8 hours ago, closetohumping said:

I’ve heard it is gorgeous and great food.  But also got that southern white supremacy vibe if you’re into that 

Cloak room. With the other losers is down the hall in the ladies room 

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Enchubben

Enchubben 5,509

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Guess I need to take the L on conjuring up the Charleston discussion. I agree there’s lots of hot ass there, and neither I or anyone else as far as I can tell is shitting on the city as a vacation or weekend spot.

This came from the Clemson takes care of their own after school etc. Their alumni are pretty spread out across the US outside of a couple SC cities that aren’t exactly meccas for fortune 500 companies. In comparison to Texas with Aus/Hou/Dal as major alumni cities.

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Hookem2147

Hookem2147 20,931

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Does anyone remember if we had many uncommitted 2023 targets at the pool party last July or focused mainly on 2024? I remember that picture of Arch and Vasek but other than not I don't recall many 2023 targets.

Seems like we are doing the same thing this year with mainly 2025 guys.

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Chuckie Finster

Chuckie Finster 22,598

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23 minutes ago, Hookem2147 said:

Does anyone remember if we had many uncommitted 2023 targets at the pool party last July or focused mainly on 2024? I remember that picture of Arch and Vasek but other than not I don't recall many 2023 targets.

Seems like we are doing the same thing this year with mainly 2025 guys.

Shut the fuck up with recruiting talk, this is the Charleston thread.

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texifornia

texifornia 56,509

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19 minutes ago, utexas8 said:

Never been to Charleston but been to 30A. Which is better?

To make this recruiting related, who is the next one to drop or no set date? And why is it Collin Simmons

Entirely different. Charleston's a beautiful walkable city with a lot of history, architecture, nightlife, internationally top-tier restaurants. The SC beach towns are lovely, but they don't have that Gulf coast white sand, so if all you want to do is sit on a chaise lounge and drink a margarita, do that.

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ousux

ousux 5,586

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Charleston talk not going away

I've visited or passed through (airport layovers don't count) 43 of 50 states including Hawai'i and Alaska, but with the exception of Louisiana, Georgia and Florida, I've avoided the deep south. You bastards are making me want to visit SC, and that has never been on any of my lists.

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RomaVicta

RomaVicta 29,779

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@closetojumping@texifornia

I'd add others in the know, but I'm not sure who they are.

What is the feeling about Texas recruiting as we come close to the end of July? For we the viewers, the buzz has worn off from the huge weekend, but I don't know it has with the recruits. I have no idea what impacts their moods and inclinations that coaches influence.

There was expectation of some big commitments by the end of July. Should that expectation remain?

Is there a school that is doing better against us than you expected? A&M is pulling in a few good ones, but I don't feel that they're critical losses to us.

Thanks

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Hookem2147

Hookem2147 20,931

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Updates on a few 2024's from IT

Brandon Baker, OT, Santa Ana (Calif.) Mater Dei

The Texas Longhorns continue to have a solid shot at the 6-foot-4.5, 300-pounder. There has been some late Sunday and early Monday chatter that Texas and Ohio State are right there with Oregon. Nebraska is working very diligently to get Baker on campus prior to a decision as well. Tennessee is also still working to try and get Baker on campus. Texas is doing well with Baker and family right now. 

Blake Ivy, IOL, League City (Texas) Clear Springs

Inside Texas stopped by Clear Springs on Monday morning to check in with the On3 Industry Ranking 4-star lineman. The 6-foot-3.5, 280-pounder told IT that he will be at both Texas A&M and LSU this weekend. Texas was/is trying to get him on campus this weekend, but as of Monday a.m. it’s not planned. Texas A&M continues to be the favorite over LSU and Texas with a decision expected in the first or second week of August. 

TJ Lindsey, DL, Bryant (Ark.) IMG Academy

Texas and Auburn remain the top two schools for the 6-foot-4, 268-pound EDGE. IT was told Sunday that the decision remains expected out of those two SEC programs. Lindsey and Texas continue to chat on a daily basis, and that includes family members. A decision could come at any time, but the colleges recruiting Lindsey haven’t been given a firm date. 

Ory Williams, OT, San Marcos (Texas) High

The very high-ceiling left tackle prospect continues to be a wildcard in covering recruiting. He could commit at any time, but has also been in talks with Texas as recently as last week about a fall visit. LSU is considered the most likely destination over Texas A&M right now. Even if Williams were to commit shortly, Texas would remain open to a fall visit. 

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closetojumping

closetojumping 62,229

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1 minute ago, RomaVicta said:

@closetojumping@texifornia

I'd add others in the know, but I'm not sure who they are.

What is the feeling about Texas recruiting as we come close to the end of July? For we the viewers, the buzz has worn off from the huge weekend, but I don't know it has with the recruits. I have no idea what impacts their moods and inclinations that coaches influence.

There was expectation of some big commitments by the end of July. Should that expectation remain?

Is there a school that is doing better against us than you expected? A&M is pulling in a few good ones, but I don't feel that they're critical losses to us.

Thanks

I don't feel like much has changed regarding ATM. They're going to concentrate spend in a few places and then be a general stalking horse for other guys. 

I think momentum undulates over the course of a recruiting cycle and Texas is currently more in the ebb part of the cycle than the flow part. Not landing Gipson was a surprise to staff and those they feed. 

Sarkisian and company have been pretty good at managing that in the prior cycles though. I think Texas still closes around the top 5, at least in the On3 rankings, but that almost completely depends on a very high closing rate with Black, Mack, Simmons, Baker, Wingo, and McKinley, so maybe I'm not being realistic. 

I don't think Texas will land Lindsey.

I don't think winning this season will play too big of a role with the 2024 guys. Losing will, though. That's true for LSU, ATM, OU, and UF as well. So if any of those schools have an ATM 2022 kind of season, some recruits may just be swayed by picking a school that isn't surprisingly weak. 

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Getafix

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(Leaving the 24/25/26 class stuff in the article.  Posting the whole thing.)

 

The Stampede: Previewing the final major visit weekend ahead of the 2023 season
Detailed recruiting notes on a plethora of commits and underclassmen set to visit Texas over the next week
Jordan Scruggs
 

Spoiler

 

The Stampede: Previewing the final major visit weekend ahead of the 2023 season
Detailed recruiting notes on a plethora of commits and underclassmen set to visit Texas over the next week
Jordan Scruggs
 


After a few weeks of downtime and vacations, Steve Sarkisian and Co. are prepping for the 2023 season as recruiting starts to crank up again.

Texas will begin to host visitors this week with a major recruiting event in Austin on Thursday. With the 2024 class steadily filling up, the Longhorns can begin to emphasize the future cycles with a strong group of 2025 and 2026 visitors set to see the Forty Acres this week. 

Who are some of the more important recruits in the 2025 and 2026 classes expected to make the trip to Austin this week?

In this week’s edition of The Stampede, Horns247’s weekly gathering of recruiting intel, we hit on the upcoming week of visits.

2024 COMMITS READY TO RETURN TO AUSTIN THIS WEEK
We’re still in the process of adding names to this week's visitor list, but we’ve already heard back from several of the Longhorns 2024 pledges as more than a handful have confirmed their attendance so far.

As of now six 2024 pledges will trip to Austin on Thursday.

*Trey Owens, QB, Cy-Fair

Freddie Dubose, WR, Smithson Valley

Parker Livingstone, WR, Lovejoy

*Jordan Washington, TE, Houston Langham Creek

Daniel Cruz, IOL, Richland

Nate Kibble, IOL, Humble Atascocita

Melvin Hills, DL, Lafayette Christian Academy

*Future quarterback and tight end duo and close friends Trey Owens and Jordan Washington will carpool to Austin together.


Alex January (Photo: Jordan Scruggs, 247Sports)
Duncanville three-star defensive lineman and Texas commit Alex January will miss the festivities on the 27th, as he’ll instead be in town for a two day unofficial visit starting Friday and ending Saturday. 

Texas 2025 quarterback commit KJ Lacey will also return to the Forty Acres for the first time since early June when he gave his commitment to Texas while in Austin for the Texas Elite Camp, making Lacey the first domino to fall in the Longhorns rising junior class. Lacey will arrive from Alabama on the 27th and is expected to help peer recruit the impressive group of 2025 prospects also on campus.

IMPRESSIVE GROUP OF MATER DEI UNDERCLASSMEN EXPECTED IN AUSTIN ON TUESDAY
Under Steve Sarkisian’s guidance, the Longhorns have been recruiting the California powerhouse Mater Dei High School as hard as any other school outside of California's state lines, landing former Monarch tight end Spencer Shannon in 2023 before finding themselves squarely in the mix for 247Sports No. 1 ranked offensive tackle and five-star Brandon Baker in this years cycle. 

Highlighted by a trio of 2025 players, Texas has already offered a plethora of prospects currently on the Monarchs roster and are set to host a handful of Mater Dei’s best underclassmen talent on Tuesday with 247Sports composite No. 1 ranked 2025 running back Jordon Davison, 247Sports composite No. 36 ranked overall prospect and four-star wide receiver Marcus Harris, and 247Sports composite No. 79 ranked overall prospect and four-star cornerback Daryus Dixson all set to see Texas on the 25th.

A pair of standout Mater Dei 2026 prospects in wide receiver Kayden Dixon-Wyatt and EDGE Shaun Scott are also expected on the Forty Acres on Tuesday. 

Up to this point Tashard Choice has prioritized Jordon Davison more than any other back in the 2025 class, and it’s paid off as the Longhorns are in pole position for 247Sports Composite’s No. 1 ranked running back.

Since joining the Longhorns staff in December of 2021, Choice has more than walked the walk and talked the talk, as in back to back classes he’s gone out-of-state to land his top targets in Cedric Baxter and Jerrick Gibson while also adding impressive complimentary pieces in Tre Wisner and Christian Clark.


Jordon Davison (Photo: Shotgun Spratling | USCfootball.com, 247Sports)
Choice is targeting Davison to be the guy in 2025 in the same way he targeted Baxter and Gibson in consecutive years, and the prioritization goes both ways as this week's trip to Austin will mark the fourth time Davison has been on campus.

At this point Ohio State and USC seem to be the main competitors to Texas, but you have to like the Longhorns chances with the California native as he heads into his junior year.

Since camping in Austin last summer when he earned his Texas offer, Davison’s teammate and fellow four-star Marcus Harris has been in contact with several Longhorns staffers.

Harris’ visit to Texas on Tuesday will mark his first time back in Austin since last summer, and his first time in Austin with Chris Jackson as the Longhorns receivers coach.

As one would expect, Jackson has led the charge for the Longhorns recruitment of Harris since joining the Texas staff in January and the two share a connection that other wide receiver coaches in Harris’ recruitment don’t in that Jackson attended, lettered, and graduated from Mater Dei in the early nineties. 

Texas four-star quarterback commit KJ Lacey and Harris play 7on7 for the same program and are close friends, and sources told Horns247 that the same day Lacey committed to Texas, Harris facetimed Lacey less than five minutes after Lacey’s commitment went public. The facetime was picked up by Lacey while he was still in Steve Sarkisian’s office with several other Longhorns offensive staffers, with Harris starting the conversation with “hey we need to talk”.

While it’s still early in Harris’ recruitment, it’s Georgia, Oregon, and Texas that appear to be setting the pace as the group of leaders for the four-star as he begins his junior campaign. 

I’m excited to dig for more info on the four-star and to find out where exactly Texas fits amongst Harris’ competitors after Tuesday’s visit. 

Less is known about where the Longhorns stand with the other three prospects coming into town from Mater Dei in top-50 overall 2025 cornerback Daryus Dixson and the pair of 2026 prospects in Kayden Dixon-Wyatt and Shaun Scott, as it’ll be the first time on the Forty Acres for all three of them.

Scott is the only Mater Dei product without a Texas offer that is expected on campus.

The group of Davison, Harris, Dixson, Dixon-Wyatt, and Scott will stick together one more day after visiting Texas in order to visit Oklahoma on Wednesday the 26th.

2025 AND 2026 PROSPECTS EXPECTED IN TOWN THIS WEEK

KJ Lacey (Photo: Jason Caldwell/Auburnundercover, 247Sports)
The majority of next week's visitors will be in Austin on Thursday for the pool party but there’s sure to be a handful of stragglers who will visit individually due to several other schools hosting large recruiting events the same day the Longhorns throw their pool party. 

One of the more intriguing names on the list is Pflugerville Weiss 2025 four-star wide receiver and TCU commit Adrian Wilson. Wilson committed to TCU on June 25 over offers from Oklahoma, Oregon, and Texas A&M amongst 15 others, but a source close to the Austin area standout has long maintained that a Texas offer would be big for Wilson and his recruitment. Wilson has already visited Texas twice in 2023 alone, the most recent visit coming in June when the four-star made it down to the Forty Acres to compete in the Texas Elite Camp. I’m expecting Wilson to have a breakout junior season for Weiss, which in turn should garner another major rise in his recruitment. Wilson is also close friends and 7on7 teammates with KJ Lacey and Marcus Harris. Click HERE for a more in-depth look at the type of athlete and football player Wilson is. 

Landon Rink
Landon Rink (Photo: Andrew Ivins, 247Sports)
Cy-Fair 2025 four-star defensive lineman and Texas legacy Landon Rink will make the drive from Houston to Austin on Thursday, making this week's visit his fourth time in Austin in 2023. I entered in a crystal ball prediction in favor of Texas last month, and still feel really strongly about the chances of Texas landing a player out of Cy-Fair in back to back classes. Rink will take his time with his process and currently has Notre Dame, Oklahoma, and Texas A&M standing out alongside Texas but ultimately the legacy factor, proximity to home, his close friend and Cy-Fair teammate Trey Owens being pledged to Texas, and everything Texas has to offer compared to other schools is what has me feeling so confident about the Longhorns chances with Rink.

We’re still in the process of adding more names to this week's visitor list, but here is the list of prospects that have confirmed their attendance with Horns247 so far.

KJ Lacey, QB, Saraland (AL.), 2025

Adrian Wilson, WR, Pflugerville Weiss, 2025

London Smith, WR, Waco University, 2025

David Sanders, OT, Charlotte (NC) Providence Day School, 2025

Tyler Thomas, OT, Dickinson, 2025

Jackson Christian, OT, Port Neches-Groves, 2025

Chad Woodfork, EDGE, Humble Summer Creek, 2025

Landon Rink, DL, Cy-Fair, 2025

Anthony Williams, LB, Shadow Creek, 2025

Jaboree Antoine, CB, Westgate (LA.), 2025

Cobey Sellers, CB, Shadow Creek, 2025

Javian Osborne, RB, Forney, 2026

Madden Morgan, LB, Bellaire Episcopal, 2026

Ashton Moore, LB, Alpharetta (GA.), 2026

 

 

 

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satyanash

satyanash 14,281

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Eric Nahlin: A closer look at Texas' 2023 Edge recruiting efforts

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On Sunday we learned Edge Solomon Williams from Tampa (Fla.) Carrollwood Day will be in Austin this upcoming weekend. Given the high priority of the position in this cycle, and Texas in heavy pursuit for more well known players, the natural inclination was to wonder what this development meant for Edge recruiting overall. At this point, not a whole lot.

Williams has been a target for Texas since the Spring and was originally going to take a midweek official visit in June. Once Tyanthony Smith canceled his midweek official visit, Texas canceled planned trips by Williams and linebacker Kamar Mothudi. Getting Williams on campus this Summer, in some capacity, was a goal. Keeping the official visit for the season was probably also preferred as Texas waits out other targets while getting to watch Williams’ senior year.

As a prospect, Williams would be a very good get. Jack outside linebackers are not the easiest to find. You can reference UT’s current roster to back that point up. The position covets interior D-lineman strength but outside linebacker ability to pass rush. Barryn Sorrell is a good one, though he’s better against the run. Williams has a stockier but stout build with long arms. He profiles to being quality versus the pass and run. Texas needs to sign three Edge prospects in the class. Including Williams, the staff only has four realistic targets at this point. They are Zina Umeozulu, Danny Okoye, and, of course, Colin Simmons.

Zina Umeozulu, Allen (Texas)
On3 Industry Ranking – 90.68. No. 242, Edge No. 15

The assumption has often been Zina would follow his brother Neto to Texas. It may in fact play out that way, but he has genuine interest in Oklahoma, A&M, and even Oregon, though distance will probably get the Ducks eliminated at some point. We had him on watch for a potential July decision, but things may play out into the season as he continues to work through his options. He could grow into a Jack, where he’d have good length and pass rushing traits. Unless he has an epiphany you can put this one on hold.

Danny Okoye, Tulsa (Okla.) NOAH Homeschool
On3 Industry Ranking – 91.56. No. 190, Edge No. 12

This is just an overall interesting recruitment. Okoye is older and more mature than most recruits which is probably why his mother doesn’t feel the need to take visits with him. Texas feels like it’s in a good place with but we’ve heard Tennessee is the team to beat. There’s a lot of emphasis from the Texas staff to win out with some unlikely people helping in the recruitment. At one point he dropped OU from consideration but the Sooners, along with LSU, are also in the mix. Okoye might visit OU this weekend and I do wonder if proximity helps get his mother to campus. She’s not a fan of traveling. Can anyone connect with Okoye’s mother? That could be the million dollar question. A decision before the season is very possible, if not likely.

Colin Simmons, Duncanville (Texas)
On3 Industry Ranking – 98.58. No. 5, Edge No. 1

The ranking plus UT’s massive need tells the story of how important this recruitment is for Texas. LSU was the early favorite for Simmons but Texas chopped away to the point the Horns took the lead. But as you know, the more important the recruit, the more spirited the game of tug-o-war becomes. Simmons will visit LSU this week and may visit A&M over the weekend. Texas feels it has done just about all it can to this point but with him taking visits there’s plenty of work left to do. I get the sentiment of Texas needing to lock this one up before Simmons takes more visits but leverage isn’t on the Horns’ side as Simmons is content to let his process play out a bit longer. It does, however, look like he’ll make a decision before Duncanville starts its defense of its state championship. While this is a battle of institutions every bit as much as football programs, it’s incumbent on the staff to keep hammering away and not let LSU, or A&M, close the daylight on its lead.

Justin Wells: Texas looking to plant a flag at high school powerhouses Duncanville, Mater Dei, and IMG Academy

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For Steve Sarkisian to thrive at the University of Texas, he must be able to go into a number of powerful high school programs and pluck prospects cycle to cycle. In years past, present, and future, the Longhorns have sought recruits from three of the top programs in the nation like Duncanville in the DFW Metroplex, Mater Dei in the Los Angeles area, and IMG Academy in Florida. Why is Texas looking for prospects from these programs? They are places where top talent is available in steady numbers. Here’s a look at Texas’ recruiting efforts at those three schools and prospects to know from each.

Santa Ana (Calif.) Mater Dei
Past: 2019 Bru McCoy, 2023 Spencer Shannon

Present: 2024 Brandon Baker, 2024 DeAndre Carter,

Future: 2025 Jordon Davison, 2025 Marcus Harris, 2025 Daryus Dixson, 2026 Shaun Scott, 2026 Kayden Dixon-Wyatt

Analysis: The Bru McCoy saga changed recruiting in several ways. A prospect signing, enrolling, and attending class at one school only to enter the NCAA Transfer Portal and transfer across the country all in one semester was groundbreaking. He’d make more more history and return to USC later in the Spring of 2019. McCoy eventually entered the portal one more time and now is a starter at Tennessee. Before then, Texas and Mater Dei rarely crossed paths. But these days with Sarkisian’s ties, Monarch alum Chris Jackson on staff, and other assistants with California connections like Jeff Banks and Pete Kwiatkowski, the Longhorns are pursuing some of the best from the program. With prospects Baker, Carter, Davison, and Harris, the Horns will continue to mine the school typically stocked full with college and NFL talent.

Duncanville (Texas)
Past: 2020 Ja’Quinden Jackson, 2022 Cameron Williams

Present: 2024 Alex January, 2024 Colin Simmons

Future: 2025 Dakorien Moore, 2025 Javion Holiday

Analysis: Texas hasn’t always had the best luck when recruiting Duncanville Panthers. Until Ra’Shaad Samples helped bring Jackson to Texas in the 2020 class, it was difficult to find the last Longhorn from Duncanville. After flipping Williams from Oregon late in the 2022 class, the tide began to turn. Then, January committed in early July and Texas has positioned itself nicely with elite prospects like Simmons and Moore. If Texas signs that duo, this pipeline from Duncanville to Austin could start operating at full capacity.

Bradenton (Fla.) IMG Academy
Past: 2018 Ayodele Adeoye

Present: 2024 Jordon Johnson-Rubell, 2024 Jerrick Gibson, 2024 TJ Lindsey

Future: 2025 Gavin Nix, 2025 Kaden Strayhorn, 2026 Keenyi Pepe

Analysis: If there’s one program where the Horns have seen very little success over the years, it’s the Florida-based private school that produces a large amount of college prospects. Texas recruited Adeoye out of his high school in Missouri before the linebacker transferred to IMG. He’s essentially the only IMG graduate who made the trek from Bradenton to Austin. In 2024, Texas dove into IMG waters and landed two of the top prospects in the country in Johnson-Rubell and Gibson. Plus, the Horns find themselves in a good position for Lindsey, but are fighting Auburn for his services.

Scipio Tex: A Global Snapshot Of The College Recruiting Landscape

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As of July 24, 2023 Anno Domini, this is the conference perspective in the 2024 national recruiting landscape:

SEC
The 2024 SEC (the Texas/OU bonus version) has 11 of the top 20 ranked schools. 68.8% of the league is recruiting at a good to excellent level. Of the five SEC schools not represented in the Top 20, they are Ole Miss (28th), Mississippi State (29th), Kentucky (35th), Vanderbilt (40th) and Missouri (59th). Ole Miss will finish in the 20s despite their portal heavy approach and Mississippi State and Kentucky should finish strong. Vandy has more or less committed their entire class while Eli Drinkwitz and Missouri are dog paddling in heavy surf, pivoting to Lane Kiffin style portal pursuits.

Big 10
The 2024 Big 10 (+USC and UCLA) represents 4 of the Top 20. But all 4 of those are in the Top 8. This is key. A quarter of the league is recruiting at an elite level. They also have a heavy representation between rankings 20-35 with 6 teams. The Big 10 is very strong at the top and has an expansive middle class. 10/16 teams are landing talent somewhere between above average to great. So the Big 10 is a strong #2 with considerable distance from Conference #3.

In total, the SEC and Big 10 combined represent 80% of the Top 15, 75% of the top 20 and 69% of the Top 35. So ends our time with the top line talent acquiring conferences… all two of them.

The Rest
Should I have broken out the remainder by leagues also? Nope. That would imply that the remainder of relevant schools are conference-related rather than individual one-offs. The rest of college football makes up 5 of the remaining Top 20: Notre Dame, Miami, Clemson, Oregon, Florida State. Though the top three in the ACC look good, the remaining 11 of the league are struggling to accumulate talent. They are also on a collision course for their own Haves/Have Nots break up like the Big 12 unless the non-revenue producers consent to roll over completely on unequal conference television contract sharing and admit their place in the hierarchy. Also, the bottom half of the ACC is some pretty bad football.

Funny that we don’t read any Florida State, UNC and Clemson are greedy articles when they aggressively advocate for an unequal ACC revenue split while Texas was greedy for consenting to an equal Big 12 split that saved the league and enriched other conference members beyond their individual pull.

As for other one-offs: Notre Dame is Notre Dame and Oregon and Nike have made the unequivocal decision that football is important to them. The Pac 12 is a disaster with only two schools represented in the current Top 40 (Oregon, Stanford – go get ’em Troy Taylor).

As for the Big 12, none of the leftover programs are in the 2024 Top 20. Only two schools (Texas Tech, UCF) appear between 20-35. The highest ranked Big 12 school would be 12th in the SEC.

Conclusions:
From a conference perspective, there are now two leagues of consequence with respect to total talent acquisition: the SEC and Big 10. The remainder of the elite are best understood as one offs, not leagues. Expressing any other conference as #3 doesn’t convey the true order of magnitude in separation. This is Usain Bolt and Ben Johnson running at a high school boy’s track meet in Iowa. If third place isn’t in your sight line, suggesting a top 3 is mendacious. The 2024 Big 12 is trending to be the weakest of the major conferences in talent acquisition, though it looks like UCF and a school or two in Texas should be okay.

The full implications of the SEC dominating Texas 29 million televisions and mindshare (if you want to fully understand this, it’s explained here) have not even been felt for Big 12 schools yet. Beyond Texas and the Aggies delivering all key Lone Star markets, the SEC Game of the Week featuring non-Texas teams will be the third most watched game in the state of Texas. Not Houston/Cincy or Texas Tech/Okie State. Tier 2 and Tier 3 state of Texas recruits with NFL aspirations and “test against the best” mentalities will start to understand that playing their ball at Arkansas, Ole Miss and Kentucky is more appealing than playing at Kansas State or Baylor. In short, the bifurcation is already here and it will only increase.

 

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SamMan

SamMan 1,347

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1 hour ago, Getafix said:

(Leaving the 24/25/26 class stuff in the article.  Posting the whole thing.)

 

The Stampede: Previewing the final major visit weekend ahead of the 2023 season
Detailed recruiting notes on a plethora of commits and underclassmen set to visit Texas over the next week
Jordan Scruggs
 

  Hide contents

 

The Stampede: Previewing the final major visit weekend ahead of the 2023 season
Detailed recruiting notes on a plethora of commits and underclassmen set to visit Texas over the next week
Jordan Scruggs
 


After a few weeks of downtime and vacations, Steve Sarkisian and Co. are prepping for the 2023 season as recruiting starts to crank up again.

Texas will begin to host visitors this week with a major recruiting event in Austin on Thursday. With the 2024 class steadily filling up, the Longhorns can begin to emphasize the future cycles with a strong group of 2025 and 2026 visitors set to see the Forty Acres this week. 

Who are some of the more important recruits in the 2025 and 2026 classes expected to make the trip to Austin this week?

In this week’s edition of The Stampede, Horns247’s weekly gathering of recruiting intel, we hit on the upcoming week of visits.

2024 COMMITS READY TO RETURN TO AUSTIN THIS WEEK
We’re still in the process of adding names to this week's visitor list, but we’ve already heard back from several of the Longhorns 2024 pledges as more than a handful have confirmed their attendance so far.

As of now six 2024 pledges will trip to Austin on Thursday.

*Trey Owens, QB, Cy-Fair

Freddie Dubose, WR, Smithson Valley

Parker Livingstone, WR, Lovejoy

*Jordan Washington, TE, Houston Langham Creek

Daniel Cruz, IOL, Richland

Nate Kibble, IOL, Humble Atascocita

Melvin Hills, DL, Lafayette Christian Academy

*Future quarterback and tight end duo and close friends Trey Owens and Jordan Washington will carpool to Austin together.


Alex January (Photo: Jordan Scruggs, 247Sports)
Duncanville three-star defensive lineman and Texas commit Alex January will miss the festivities on the 27th, as he’ll instead be in town for a two day unofficial visit starting Friday and ending Saturday. 

Texas 2025 quarterback commit KJ Lacey will also return to the Forty Acres for the first time since early June when he gave his commitment to Texas while in Austin for the Texas Elite Camp, making Lacey the first domino to fall in the Longhorns rising junior class. Lacey will arrive from Alabama on the 27th and is expected to help peer recruit the impressive group of 2025 prospects also on campus.

IMPRESSIVE GROUP OF MATER DEI UNDERCLASSMEN EXPECTED IN AUSTIN ON TUESDAY
Under Steve Sarkisian’s guidance, the Longhorns have been recruiting the California powerhouse Mater Dei High School as hard as any other school outside of California's state lines, landing former Monarch tight end Spencer Shannon in 2023 before finding themselves squarely in the mix for 247Sports No. 1 ranked offensive tackle and five-star Brandon Baker in this years cycle. 

Highlighted by a trio of 2025 players, Texas has already offered a plethora of prospects currently on the Monarchs roster and are set to host a handful of Mater Dei’s best underclassmen talent on Tuesday with 247Sports composite No. 1 ranked 2025 running back Jordon Davison, 247Sports composite No. 36 ranked overall prospect and four-star wide receiver Marcus Harris, and 247Sports composite No. 79 ranked overall prospect and four-star cornerback Daryus Dixson all set to see Texas on the 25th.

A pair of standout Mater Dei 2026 prospects in wide receiver Kayden Dixon-Wyatt and EDGE Shaun Scott are also expected on the Forty Acres on Tuesday. 

Up to this point Tashard Choice has prioritized Jordon Davison more than any other back in the 2025 class, and it’s paid off as the Longhorns are in pole position for 247Sports Composite’s No. 1 ranked running back.

Since joining the Longhorns staff in December of 2021, Choice has more than walked the walk and talked the talk, as in back to back classes he’s gone out-of-state to land his top targets in Cedric Baxter and Jerrick Gibson while also adding impressive complimentary pieces in Tre Wisner and Christian Clark.


Jordon Davison (Photo: Shotgun Spratling | USCfootball.com, 247Sports)
Choice is targeting Davison to be the guy in 2025 in the same way he targeted Baxter and Gibson in consecutive years, and the prioritization goes both ways as this week's trip to Austin will mark the fourth time Davison has been on campus.

At this point Ohio State and USC seem to be the main competitors to Texas, but you have to like the Longhorns chances with the California native as he heads into his junior year.

Since camping in Austin last summer when he earned his Texas offer, Davison’s teammate and fellow four-star Marcus Harris has been in contact with several Longhorns staffers.

Harris’ visit to Texas on Tuesday will mark his first time back in Austin since last summer, and his first time in Austin with Chris Jackson as the Longhorns receivers coach.

As one would expect, Jackson has led the charge for the Longhorns recruitment of Harris since joining the Texas staff in January and the two share a connection that other wide receiver coaches in Harris’ recruitment don’t in that Jackson attended, lettered, and graduated from Mater Dei in the early nineties. 

Texas four-star quarterback commit KJ Lacey and Harris play 7on7 for the same program and are close friends, and sources told Horns247 that the same day Lacey committed to Texas, Harris facetimed Lacey less than five minutes after Lacey’s commitment went public. The facetime was picked up by Lacey while he was still in Steve Sarkisian’s office with several other Longhorns offensive staffers, with Harris starting the conversation with “hey we need to talk”.

While it’s still early in Harris’ recruitment, it’s Georgia, Oregon, and Texas that appear to be setting the pace as the group of leaders for the four-star as he begins his junior campaign. 

I’m excited to dig for more info on the four-star and to find out where exactly Texas fits amongst Harris’ competitors after Tuesday’s visit. 

Less is known about where the Longhorns stand with the other three prospects coming into town from Mater Dei in top-50 overall 2025 cornerback Daryus Dixson and the pair of 2026 prospects in Kayden Dixon-Wyatt and Shaun Scott, as it’ll be the first time on the Forty Acres for all three of them.

Scott is the only Mater Dei product without a Texas offer that is expected on campus.

The group of Davison, Harris, Dixson, Dixon-Wyatt, and Scott will stick together one more day after visiting Texas in order to visit Oklahoma on Wednesday the 26th.

2025 AND 2026 PROSPECTS EXPECTED IN TOWN THIS WEEK

KJ Lacey (Photo: Jason Caldwell/Auburnundercover, 247Sports)
The majority of next week's visitors will be in Austin on Thursday for the pool party but there’s sure to be a handful of stragglers who will visit individually due to several other schools hosting large recruiting events the same day the Longhorns throw their pool party. 

One of the more intriguing names on the list is Pflugerville Weiss 2025 four-star wide receiver and TCU commit Adrian Wilson. Wilson committed to TCU on June 25 over offers from Oklahoma, Oregon, and Texas A&M amongst 15 others, but a source close to the Austin area standout has long maintained that a Texas offer would be big for Wilson and his recruitment. Wilson has already visited Texas twice in 2023 alone, the most recent visit coming in June when the four-star made it down to the Forty Acres to compete in the Texas Elite Camp. I’m expecting Wilson to have a breakout junior season for Weiss, which in turn should garner another major rise in his recruitment. Wilson is also close friends and 7on7 teammates with KJ Lacey and Marcus Harris. Click HERE for a more in-depth look at the type of athlete and football player Wilson is. 

Landon Rink
Landon Rink (Photo: Andrew Ivins, 247Sports)
Cy-Fair 2025 four-star defensive lineman and Texas legacy Landon Rink will make the drive from Houston to Austin on Thursday, making this week's visit his fourth time in Austin in 2023. I entered in a crystal ball prediction in favor of Texas last month, and still feel really strongly about the chances of Texas landing a player out of Cy-Fair in back to back classes. Rink will take his time with his process and currently has Notre Dame, Oklahoma, and Texas A&M standing out alongside Texas but ultimately the legacy factor, proximity to home, his close friend and Cy-Fair teammate Trey Owens being pledged to Texas, and everything Texas has to offer compared to other schools is what has me feeling so confident about the Longhorns chances with Rink.

We’re still in the process of adding more names to this week's visitor list, but here is the list of prospects that have confirmed their attendance with Horns247 so far.

KJ Lacey, QB, Saraland (AL.), 2025

Adrian Wilson, WR, Pflugerville Weiss, 2025

London Smith, WR, Waco University, 2025

David Sanders, OT, Charlotte (NC) Providence Day School, 2025

Tyler Thomas, OT, Dickinson, 2025

Jackson Christian, OT, Port Neches-Groves, 2025

Chad Woodfork, EDGE, Humble Summer Creek, 2025

Landon Rink, DL, Cy-Fair, 2025

Anthony Williams, LB, Shadow Creek, 2025

Jaboree Antoine, CB, Westgate (LA.), 2025

Cobey Sellers, CB, Shadow Creek, 2025

Javian Osborne, RB, Forney, 2026

Madden Morgan, LB, Bellaire Episcopal, 2026

Ashton Moore, LB, Alpharetta (GA.), 2026

 

 

 

Santana and Adrian Wilson on the same team?

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