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Texas Recruiting Notes 2024: Bags Don't Beat Bankrolls

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closetojumping

closetojumping 65538

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7 minutes ago, Tex Pete said:

I don't hate the kid. I don't even know him, but I know people who do and they like him as a person. And unlike another lineman I gave my accurate assessment of a few years back, I don't believe Uini is lazy. I just don't think he is a particularly good football player at this point.

He's huge and his feet aren't bad, but he doesn't dominate anyone. I am sure that could change. I also understand that you can't coach size. Just saying this isn't a kid likely to come in and push for playing time anytime soon.

He's either a backup plan or the 5th lineman in a 5 lineman class. From that angle, what you're saying about him seems fine. 

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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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Tex Pete

Tex Pete 21516

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3 minutes ago, closetojumping said:

He's either a backup plan or the 5th lineman in a 5 lineman class. From that angle, what you're saying about him seems fine. 

Yeah, I am not bugged by it like I was the other kid because we have players in the room now. It's more a luxury take than a necessity. This kid is an athlete, don't get me wrong.

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satyanash

satyanash 15658

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Justin Wells: Texas Longhorns' Tuesday Recruiting Intel

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Inside Texas details the latest on top 2024 and 2025 recruiting targets as the UT staff hits the road for spring evaluations, including stops in East Texas and Central Texas.

Joseph Phillips Jr, LB, Tuskegee (Ala.) Booker T. Washington

Texas offered the On3 Industry Ranking four-star on Tuesday morning. At 6-foot-1.5, 235 pounds, Phillips dropped his top five last week: Auburn, Clemson, Georgia, Tennessee, and Texas A&M. Now, the Horns will try to position themselves with the highly-touted prospect.

Phillips has tripped to each finalist in 2023, seeing Auburn three times, Georgia twice, and Clemson, Tennessee, and Texas A&M once. He’ll take an official visit to Georgia on June 3-5, and likely schedule more officials over the next month or so. He’s your typical inside linebacker with old school instincts and bad intentions. Jeff Choate and the staff will continue to try to get Phillips on campus this summer.

Lance Jackson, TE, Texarkana (Texas) Pleasant Grove -2025

Texas was so eager to see the 6-foot-5, 240-pound On3 four-star that they visited PG twice on Monday. Coach Gideon arrived early AM, then returned to campus later that day so he could watch Jackson up close. The 2025 athlete holds offers from Notre Dame, Oklahoma, Tennessee, and TCU, plus Arkansas where his older brother, Landon Jackson, plays.

Lance Jackson is likely a tight end or defensive end at the next level, but watch out for baseball. The pitcher/first baseman helped the Hawks win the 4A state championship in 2022 and is getting offers on the diamond. Jackson is on offer watch for Texas.

Tradarian Ball, RB, Texarkana (Texas) Texas High – 2026

Coach Gideon made a stop at Texas High, who have two of the best freshmen in state for 2026, Tradarian Ball and Javari Johnson. Ball, 5-foot-11, 185 pounds, holds offers from Oregon, Ole Miss, TCU, Purdue, and Cal. He’s on the Texas radar as Tashard Choice and the staff invited Ball to the Orange-White scrimmage in Austin last Saturday. Ball rushed for 739 yards and 11 touchdowns during his first varsity season in 2022.

Dequane Prevo, ATH, Texarkana (Texas) Liberty Eylau -2026

Texas coach Gideon hit the Leopards campus on Monday, checking out Dequane Prevo, the 2026 athlete and one of UT’s newest offers from the 2026 class. Texas offered the 5-foot-11, 164-pound prospect last month and has Prevo squarely on the big board. The sensational freshman holds offers from the Horns, Texas A&M, Penn State, Missouri, Central Florida, Texas Tech, and SMU. Prevo has fantastic speed and quickness, beats defenders off the ball, and separates from the competition. The future four-star ranking is looking at an unofficial visit to Austin this summer.

 

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goathumper

goathumper 31

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9 hours ago, closetojumping said:

Unless something has changed recently, Texas isn't prioritizing Warren. They're looking for a couple of difference makers like Cruz and then long term projects from the state. I think they're going to wind up with Cruz and 1-2 projects from Texas plus 1-2 legit guys from OOS.

 

Cruz, Saina, Ory Williams and one of Brandon Baker, Calhoun and Carter looks like the most likely class right now

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BurntOrange&White

BurntOrange&White 42011

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30 minutes ago, Elmer_Fudd said:

Miss. State 247 mod says we are top 3 for this kid (along with Miss. State and Bama').  Says he has the best relationship with those three schools DL Coach.

https://www.on3.com/db/terrance-hibbler-157823/

I like the strategy of recruiting DT's from the SE as well as going national for tight ends. Other positions that would be smart to recruit from the SE would be LB.

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Chuckie Finster

Chuckie Finster 23099

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34 minutes ago, Elmer_Fudd said:

Miss. State 247 mod says we are top 3 for this kid (along with Miss. State and Bama').  Says he has the best relationship with those three schools DL Coach.

https://www.on3.com/db/terrance-hibbler-157823/

I wish I loved anything as much as Bo Davis loves DL from the deep south.

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Getafix

Getafix 29461

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Top247 WR Freddie Dubose sets Texas official visit

Hudson Standish

 

Spoiler

 

Top247 WR Freddie Dubose sets Texas official visit

Hudson Standish
 

Smithson Valley 2024 wide receiver Freddie Dubose has been a longtime target for Steve Sarkisian and multiple WR coaches at Texas, and the Top247 prospect recently locked in an official visit to Texas for the June 16th through the 18th visit weekend. 

The timing of the OV with Dubose matters a tad less with Dubose since he already has a commitment date locked in, but one advantage Texas will have working for them is pairing Dubose on an OV with his close friend Myles Davis. While Davis and Dubose don't go to the same high school in the San Antonio area, the two have become close friends throughout the recruiting process this offseason.

Earlier in the spring Dubose told Horns247 that he was unsure on which schools would get OVs but knew for sure when he would pull the trigger on a commitment.

"I'm looking into official visits right now with a bunch of schools but I have a commitment date that is set in stone," said Dubose. "I'm going to announce my commitment during the pep rally before the first game of the year on August 25th.

247Sports National Scouting Analyst Gabe Brooks had this to say in his scouting report of Dubose.

"Owns requisite height and frame. Sinewy strong with lean, wiry build that will hold more mass.

Dynamic with the ball in his hands. Gets involved in the passing game, running game, and return game.

Dangerous when allowed a runway. Top-end speed fosters big-play ability. Also shows promising short-area elusiveness that should also aid in route-running development.

Natural feel of a playmaker. Sees the field well and knows how to press blocks on screens, returns, etc. Texas 6A state qualifier as only a sophomore in the triple jump and long jump.

Fights the ball at times and can improve natural hands-catching ability. Unfortunately suffered an ACL tear in the season opener of his junior year, so will need a strong rehab period to prep for senior campaign.

Physical traits, functional athleticism, multi-phase snaps, and two-sport profile suggest a high developmental ceiling if flipped to cornerback, but so far, all signs point to receiver in the long run.

Projects as a similarly high-ceiling wideout who could become an impact P5 playmaker with upside beyond college."

 

 

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satyanash

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The Athletic is going wild with the hit pieces this week.

(Ari Wasserman) 3-Star U: Which schools are best (and worst) at developing NFL Draft talent?

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When the NFL Draft begins April 27 in Kansas City, hundreds of prospects will eagerly wait for their phones to ring and their names to be called as they take the next step in fulfilling lifelong dreams. The universities attached to their names have plenty at stake, too. The more players a college has drafted, the more appealing it becomes to the next wave of high school football stars with similar ambitions.

Yet year after year, college coaches survey the recruiting landscape, match it against the NFL Draft numbers … and find analysis lacking. Do prospects really need to attend elite programs such as Alabama, Georgia, Ohio State and Clemson to develop into future picks, or would their chances of success be just as strong at any school with a quality coaching staff? The Athletic dug into 11 years of data to find the answer. For three-, four- and five-star prospects, which schools had the highest percentage of prospects drafted?

Using the 247Sports Composite Rating, we tallied the total three-, four- and five-star prospects signed at each of the 65 Power 5 programs from 2009 through 2019 and how many of each star rating were drafted from 2012 through 2022 in the seven-round event that features more than 250 picks each year. Then we tallied the percentages for each school. The top and bottom 10 featured some usual suspects and some surprises.

To prevent small sample sizes, we limited the rankings to schools that signed at least five five-star prospects and 20 four-star prospects. Here, we examine the core question: If you’re a three-, four- or five-star recruit, which school gives you the best chance to go pro?

From 5-star to NFL Draft – Top 10

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From 5-star to NFL Draft – Bottom 10

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Five-stars

Choosing perennial Playoff programs is overrated

The magnetic attraction of elite prospects to Alabama, Ohio State, Georgia and Clemson, recent fixtures on the sport’s biggest stage, is undeniable. And while choosing those schools might mean reaching the Playoff, it does not correlate with a significantly higher chance of reaching the NFL. The landscape is littered with five-star prospects who did not attend a blue-blooded program yet were still selected in the first-round of the NFL Draft.

Defensive tackle Robert Nkemdiche was the No. 1 overall prospect in the class of 2013, signed with Ole Miss and became a first-round pick of the Arizona Cardinals in 2016. Offensive tackle Laremy Tunsil was the No. 4 overall prospect in the Class of 2013, signed with the Rebels and was drafted 13th overall by the Miami Dolphins in 2016, despite a high-profile draft-night drop.

Offensive lineman Greg Little and defensive tackle Ed Oliver were both five-star prospects in the Class of 2016. Little went to Ole Miss and was drafted in the second round by the Carolina Panthers. Oliver spurned the entire Power 5, stayed home at Houston and was selected ninth overall by the Buffalo Bills in 2019. Shaq Thompson went to the University of Washington as the No. 4 overall prospect in the Class of 2012 and was drafted by the Panthers with the 25th overall pick in 2015.

Micah Parsons was the No. 5 overall prospect and stayed home in Pennsylvania to play for Penn State. He became the 12th overall pick and won Defensive Rookie of the Year honors in 2021 with the Dallas Cowboys. Over the span we examined, there were 370 five-star prospects. Of those, 215 were drafted (58.1 percent).

Alabama, Clemson, Ohio State and Georgia all fared well, but Oklahoma’s percentage was much lower, and lots of schools that didn’t sign enough five-star prospects to qualify still turned five-stars into pros. Eleven schools (Washington, Iowa, Michigan State, North Carolina, Louisville, Pitt, Mississippi State, Virginia Tech, Arizona State, Oregon State, Kansas State) turned 100 percent of their five-star signees into draft picks but didn’t sign more than five in the last 11 classes.

Texas A&M: A surprising ‘5-Star U’

Texas A&M excelled at developing five-stars despite some high-profile misses. Kyler Murray transferred from Texas A&M to Oklahoma after a tumultuous freshman season and won the Heisman Trophy before the Arizona Cardinals selected him first overall in 2019. Aggies five-star receiver Thomas Johnson from the class of 2012 withdrew from the university during his freshman season. He was convicted of murder in 2019 and is serving a life sentence. For our data purposes, schools got credit for a draft pick only if the player’s next stop after leaving campus was an NFL locker room.

Texas A&M coach Jimbo Fisher is one of only two coaches with two programs in the top 10 “Five-Star U” rankings, but former coach Kevin Sumlin deserves credit as well for his hyped recruiting classes upon A&M’s arrival in the SEC developing into NFL talents. Myles Garrett, the No. 2 prospect in the Class of 2014, became the Cleveland Browns’ No. 1 overall pick in 2017. A top prospect becoming a top pick is far from guaranteed. Trenton Thompson, the No. 1 prospect in the Class of 2015, signed with Georgia but went undrafted after leaving school early in 2018.

It’s curious that Texas A&M ranks so highly in developing five-stars into draft picks but 60th in developing four-stars.

Oklahoma and Texas must improve in the SEC

The Big 12 has a major issue developing elite prospects, and that is largely because of the two big fish that are soon headed to the SEC. Texas and Oklahoma were among the lowest percent of five-star prospects who were drafted — and they accounted for 29 of the 34 five-star prospects who signed with the league over the examined period.

Jackson Jeffcoat was the third-highest rated prospect to ever sign with Texas. He was the jewel of the Class of 2010 but went undrafted in 2014 because of injuries and his status as a tweener linebacker/edge rusher, and the Longhorns went without a draft pick for the first time since 1937. Running back Johnathan Gray was the nation’s No. 6 overall prospect in 2012 and went undrafted following a career that included two torn Achilles tendons and zero 1,000-yard rushing seasons.

Oklahoma had two five-star backs, Keith Ford and Brandon Williams, transfer to Texas A&M, and receiver Trey Metoyer was dismissed from the program after an indecent exposure charge. Linebacker Caleb Kelly was a Freshman All-American, but his career was undermined by a trio of knee injuries. Offensive lineman Brey Walker started just two games for the Sooners in five seasons before leaving the program after the 2022 season.

No SEC team had a worse rate of converting five-star prospects to pros than OU or Texas. If that continues in the SEC, it will be difficult for them to continue to sign those coveted prospects.

Stanford is an outlier

Stanford’s program slipped in recent years, but the Cardinal ranked among the best at turning three-stars into pros. And no one was better at converting five-star prospects into draft picks. Defensive lineman Solomon Thomas (49ers, 2017) and offensive lineman Andrus Peat (Saints, 2015) both arrived as five-stars and left as first-round picks. Offensive lineman Walker Little (Jaguars, 2021) and quarterback Davis Mills (Texans, 2021) were also picked after signing with Stanford as five-stars.

We see you, Urban Meyer and Jimbo Fisher

Urban Meyer (Florida and Ohio State) and Jimbo Fisher (Florida State and Texas A&M) each have their thumbprints on two programs that have been more than sufficient with five-star talent development. Both also had extended runs at the two programs they oversaw, resulting in quite a bit of influence on this data.

From 4-star to NFL Draft – Top 10

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From 4-star to NFL Draft – Bottom 10

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Four-stars

Baylor’s success is fascinating

None of Baylor’s coaching changes the past 11 years were a result of on-field failure, but the Bears have managed to thrive at developing four-stars under Art Briles, Matt Rhule and Dave Aranda. Wide receivers Kendall Wright (Titans, 2012) and Corey Coleman (Browns, 2016) both arrived at Baylor as four-stars and left as first-round picks.

Some struggles extend beyond the field

Nebraska hasn’t recruited as well as the Vols and Longhorns, but the three blue-blood programs that have mostly fallen on hard times the past decade have struggled to develop players. Some of that can be chalked up to coaching turnover in all three cases, but Nebraska signed 67 four-stars in 11 draft classes and produced just three draft picks from that crop. That number was in a league of its own. Comparatively, Minnesota had four four-stars drafted from just 11 four-star signees in the same span. From 2009 through 2022, the three programs have combined to have 12 head coaches and just two seasons with more than 10 wins (Texas in 2009 and Tennessee in 2022).

Texas and Tennessee’s developmental issues bled over to their five-star prospects as well, as both programs were among the worst at developing elite talents. Nebraska has not signed a five-star prospect since Marlon Lucky in 2005. Two of its highest-rated four-stars, though, finished their careers elsewhere (Aaron Green at TCU and Tyjon Lindsey at Oregon State). For Tennessee, five-star running back Bryce Brown finished his career at Kansas State and defensive lineman Kyle Phillips went undrafted.

What’s up with Georgia Tech?

The sample is small, but none of Georgia Tech’s 14 four-star signees from 2009 through 2019 were drafted. That’s 0 percent — compared to the 22.1 percent of the overall 3,565 four-star recruits during this time frame who were signed.

And on a related note: How can a Power 5 program located in Atlanta sign only 14 four-stars (and no five-stars) in an 11-year stretch? We realize that Paul Johnson, who was the head coach through the 2018 season, did things a little differently — recruiting to the triple-option — but this still seems like an astounding lack of success.

The truest test of a program’s pure development?

Five-star prospects are almost universally special talents who often have NFL-ready physiques that test a program’s ability to not screw up the possibility of a game-changing impact player. Three-star prospects are more a test of a program’s ability to evaluate the huge amounts of players with that designation to find the ones who best fit their program. But four-star prospects are big talents who are far from a guarantee but can still develop into big-time NFL prospects.

From 3-star to NFL Draft – Top 10

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From 3-star to NFL Draft – Bottom 10

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Three-stars

Big-time programs scout, develop three-star talent

Ohio State wins the title of “Three-Star U” — which may seem odd given the Buckeyes routinely recruit classes loaded with top-100 players.

Without looking at the data, you might have guessed that the programs that are most successful in developing three-star prospects into NFL Draft picks are the ones who win the most with the least. You might have thought a team like Northwestern, Iowa or Iowa State would have been Three-Star U just based on the fact that those teams always seem to be good despite not recruiting at a high level. Let this be a reminder that development from the big-time programs isn’t simply reserved for five-star prospects. Schools with the most resources also seem to be the most apt to make something out of nothing. If you’re a three-star prospect, you still have a higher chance of being drafted at a place like Ohio State than you would at a program that’s known as a lovable overachiever.

Data needs context

Yes, Ohio State has the highest percentage of three-star development, but not all three-star prospects are equal. For instance, in the 2023 class, there were 1,817 three-stars. Ohio State and other programs high on this list were more often taking prospects rated somewhere in the top 600 rather than outside of the top 1,000. A three-star prospect who rates as the No. 450 overall player in a class is nothing like one who rates No. 1,500, even if they are both technically three-star prospects.

It’s important to acknowledge that it’s harder to maintain a higher percentage of drafted players if a program has signed a larger total amount. Most programs sign classes that are built with mostly three-star prospects, so it’s easier for schools who have signed fewer to have a higher conversion rate. And if a program is signing fewer three-star prospects, it’s likely that the quality of the three-star prospects being signed is higher.

It seems odd that the recruiting services don’t utilize the two-star rating a little more. There is no reason to have 2,000 three-star prospects in a given class and all but ignore the two- and one-star ratings. To have more accurate data, it would be helpful if there were more two-star prospects with Power 5 offers rather than lumping 2,000 recruits together who sometimes have vastly different skill sets.

Wisconsin and LSU — quantity and quality

Wisconsin signed 51 more three-star prospects than any other team on this list yet still had a 14.5 percent conversion rate. Perhaps that’s why the Badgers had been a main fixture in the Big Ten Championship Game for much of the past decade. LSU also deserves some credit here. The Tigers signed 103 three-stars during this stretch — compared with 68 from Ohio State and 65 from Alabama — and still had a 20 percent success rate.

Gary Patterson — more with less

A glimpse at the list of the worst draft rates for three-stars is mostly a collection of schools that consider reaching bowl games a successful season.
TCU, meanwhile, transitioned to a new conference, won at least 11 games four times and reached the Playoff last year. Considering its company in the schools with the worst draft rates for three-stars, TCU’s level of success on the field is even more impressive. Patterson led the program before Sonny Dykes took over before the 2022 season.

Conference report card

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The true development kings: The ACC

The SEC has led all conferences in total draft picks for 16 consecutive years, including 65 last season. That’s more of a testament to the SEC’s recruiting prowess than its reputation as a developer for recruits themselves. The ACC has turned a higher percentage of four- and five-star prospects into draft picks than any other power conference.

The SEC was king among three-stars, which was no doubt aided by the quality of three-star prospects most teams in the league sign on a consistent basis. The Big 12’s failure at developing five-stars falls solely at the feet of Texas and Oklahoma. Ultimately, the ACC narrowly edged out the other Power 5 leagues in developing four- and five-star prospects, but the idea that anyone who signs with an SEC program is sprinkled with pixie dust that increases their odds of making it to the NFL doesn’t jibe with the data.

Boston College: Developmental U!

No program did a better job than Boston College of producing draft picks relative to its recruiting rankings. Consider the following: The Eagles were 64th in average class ranking from 2009 through 2019 (only Kansas State was worse among P5 teams) yet ranked 34th in percentage of signees drafted. They signed zero five-stars and only seven four-stars during this 11-year stretch and still had a higher percentage of their recruits (three-star and better) drafted than Texas, which signed 17 five-stars and 146 four-stars.

One of the program’s best developmental stories is offensive lineman Chris Lindstrom, a second-team All-Pro pick in 2022 who was ranked No. 1,037 in the Class of 2014 and was selected by the Atlanta Falcons 14th overall in 2019.

There were four other programs that had at least a 20-spot difference between their average recruiting ranking and percentage of signees drafted — two on the positive developmental side and two on the negative side. Iowa was plus-24 (46th in average class, 22nd in percentage drafted) while Wisconsin was plus-21 (40th, 19th). Texas (seventh, 35th) and Tennessee (12th, 40th) were both negative-28 during this time period.

Bottom line: Quality recruits = quality players

Eight of the 10 Power 5 programs with the highest average recruiting class rank from 2009 through 2019 are among the top 10 in highest percentage of overall signees (three-star and better) drafted from 2012 through 2022. The top four recruiters during this span (Alabama, Ohio State, Georgia and LSU) are also the top four in percentage of signees drafted — in a slightly different order (Alabama, Ohio State, LSU and Georgia).

The two outliers are Texas and Auburn. Texas is seventh in average class rank but only 35th in percent of signees drafted, while Auburn is ninth and 20th, respectively. Conversely, seven of the 10 programs with the lowest average class rank during this span can be found on the list of lowest percentage of signees drafted.

Ari Wasserman: Texas’ problems aren’t going to be solved by a 5-star quarterback

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After Texas’ spring game on Saturday, Quinn Ewers, the former No. 1 overall player in the 2021 recruiting class, showed some vulnerability for a brief moment. “I wasn’t where I wanted to be last year,” he said. “I feel like I let most of the fans down. I don’t want to be in that same situation this year.”

The pressure on Ewers’ shoulders to save Texas football isn’t his doing. He wasn’t responsible for the five-star status or the 1.000 rating, an unfair distinction that leads fans to believe he was the perfect prospect. Maybe that was a small reason he initially opted to go sign with Ohio State out of high school, a place that didn’t need to be rescued. But Ewers is well aware that once he decided to transfer back home that he would be facing the burden of bringing … Texas back.

That’s not fair. It’s also not going to happen just because Ewers is a good quarterback. It’s not going to happen if Ewers turns into Joe Montana. It’s also not going to happen just because Arch Manning, the No. 1 overall player in the 2023 recruiting class, is waiting in the wings in the event Ewers struggles. The Texas program — the one that has repeatedly underachieved despite having an immense amount of talent — has bigger issues to solve.

Texas has a major developmental problem. We already kind of knew that, but the raw data backing that up is staggering.

In a story published by The Athletic this week, David Ubben, Mitch Light and I crunched the numbers to determine which programs are the best and worst at developing three-, four- and five-star prospects into NFL Draft picks. There were certain data points that jumped out, and one was how awful Texas has been at taking talented players and getting the most out of them. Or, in many cases, anything.

Our data set included the recruiting classes between 2009 and 2019 and the drafts between 2012 and 2022. Texas ranked last (among qualifying programs) at converting five-star prospects into pros — only four of its five-star 17 signees were drafted, for a 23.5 percent clip. Texas was also at the bottom in developing four-star prospects into NFL players, with only 17 of 146 signees getting drafted (11.6 percent).

That’s the epitome of doing less with more. That is the epitome of failure. Especially as it pertains to five-star prospects — the type of players you just have to try not to mess up. If a five-star prospect gets selected in the seventh round in the NFL Draft, something went wrong. Even five-star prospects who have underwhelming college careers often get drafted because of their special, natural physical abilities. Having 13 of the 17 fail to even get picked is bordering on negligence. One of the sport’s most amazing streaks is expected to come to end in a few weeks when Bijan Robinson hears his name called in the first round of the draft. He will be the first Texas offensive player picked in the first round since Vince Young in 2006. It’s hard to articulate how bad that is.

Maybe Texas has seemed like a mystery. It has always been hard for me to not jump on the “Texas is back” bandwagon during a preseason in which I see the Longhorns ranked in the top five of the 247Sports Team Talent Composite. I’d scream on podcasts with Andy Staples, Max Olson and Sam Khan about how Texas’ prolonged down streak doesn’t add up. Talent matters, and it’s supposed to equate to wins, I’d argue. Then the Longhorns would turn around during the regular season and drop winnable games to middle-tier Big 12 opponents. Or bad Big 12 opponents (sorry, Kansas). It’s a story that’s going on for two decades right now, and it doesn’t seem to change, regardless of which coach is in charge.

It can make you feel as though Texas is cursed or that there’s something bigger going on with the administrative side of things that trickles down into the football program. But Texas isn’t cursed. It has a coaching turnover problem.

Steve Sarkisian is the third Texas head coach since the Longhorns moved on from Mack Brown following the 2013 season. Charlie Strong? Fired. Tom Herman? Fired. And think about the number of assistants who have come and gone over the years. That arguably has even more impact on the team because the position coaches — the ones the players spend the most time with — continually cycle in with different perspectives, coaching styles, preferences, techniques and philosophies.

There is no progress, no momentum. It’s a self-fulfilling prophecy. The team is bad because there’s no coaching continuity, and the coach gets fired because the team is bad. Around and around we go. It’s up to Sarkisian to buck the trend. This isn’t Ewers’ problem to fix. It’s not Manning’s problem, either. This is about the head coach and righting a decade’s worth of wrongs.

That’s what makes the 2023 season so important, especially given most feel like it’s Big 12 championship or bust. It’s bigger than a trophy, though. Texas has to show some sign of improvement from Sarkisian to trust the program is headed in the correct direction. Maybe Texas’ recent recruiting wins will give Sarkisian a longer runway. Texas can’t fire the head coach that got Arch, can it?

That would be dysfunctional. But Texas has been dysfunctional for a long time. Sarkisian has to stop the cycle. He has to give Texas a reason to give him more time than his predecessors were afforded.

After Texas’ spring game — the one in which Ewers looked more confident and polished than his freshman year — analysts noted (me included) that Texas yet again looks like a team that should win the Big 12. A better version of Ewers, that offensive line, Xavier Worthy and AD Mitchell and others. There’s a lot of firepower there. That’s a tasty-looking Kool-Aid for those who want to see Texas excel. This team is going to score a ton of points. The Longhorns can’t go 8-4 again, can they?

It’s not up to Ewers to fix this program’s problems. There’s a large portion of casual college football fans who are amused when Texas is bad. It’s much easier to poke fun at Texas after quarterback Sam Ehlinger yelled “We’reeee back” into the microphone following the Longhorns’ 28-21 win over Georgia in the 2019 Sugar Bowl. Honestly, the Texas quarterback should know better than to say “We’re back” after the culmination of yet another four-loss season, but I digress.

That’s added even more pressure onto Ewers’ shoulders. There was a lot of “Ewers isn’t very good” after last year in a season that was actually quite successful given his age and the situation he was in. But anything is a failure to Ewers if the results of his career at Texas don’t fulfill the prophecy of returning the Longhorns to the top. And if he — and/or Manning fail — then that’s just more five-star prospects who came to Texas to fall short of their dreams.

Look at the NFL Draft numbers. Look at how truly bad Texas has been at developing its talent. That’s the whole story if you’re looking for an explanation of why Texas has become the permanent exception to any “stars matter” mantra. If Texas can’t figure out a way to fix that, it doesn’t matter who is playing quarterback.

 

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satyanash

satyanash 15658

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Justin Wells: Texas Longhorns Thursday Recruiting Intel

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Inside Texas takes a look at the three newest offers, all 2025 tight ends from the Peach State, with notes and quotes, plus news on 2024 CB Eli Bowen.

Eli Bowen, CB, Denton (Texas) Guyer

The 5-foot-9, 170-pound On3 Industry Ranking four-star took an unofficial to Austin for the Spring game last weekend. It was Bowen’s third trip to Austin over the last couple years, first visiting UT in 2021 with brother and OU safety Peyton Bowen. “I enjoyed it,” Bowen told Inside Texas.

Sources close to Bowen indicate he’s definitely interested in the Longhorns. With offers from Notre Dame, Oklahoma, Oregon, Texas A&M, Ole Miss, and TCU, the No. 33 corner in the 2024 On3 Industry Ranking plans to take his official visits this summer, but nothing is scheduled today. If he locks in a Texas official trip, this recruitment gets real.

Ryan Ghea, TE, Alpharetta (Georgia) Milton – 2025

Texas and tight end coach Jeff Banks hit the Peach State on Wednesday and offered the 6-foot-5, 228-pound unranked prospect. Texas’ message was clear, they want him on campus.

“They loved my game, been watching me for awhile,” Ghea, told Inside Texas. “They like how I am versatile, able to run routes, and put my hand in the dirt to block on in-line or out in space. Texas will for sure get a visit soon.” Ghea holds double-digit offers including Notre Dame, Ohio State, Ole Miss, Georgia Tech, Florida State, and Tennessee. He’s been on the road in 2023, with stops at Notre Dame, Virginia Tech, North Carolina, North Carolina State, Auburn, and Wisconsin. His unofficial to South Bend in March made a strong impression and are likely his quiet leader at this stage.

Ethan Barbour, TE, Alpharetta (Georgia) – 2025

The 6-foot-3, 225-pound On3 four-star picked up a Texas offer on Wednesday after Jeff Banks stopped by Alpharetta.

Barbour had a fantastic junior season with 714 yards receiving and 12 touchdowns on 51 catches. He was also one-of-one on extra point field goal attempts. Alabama, Georgia, Florida, Tennessee, and South Carolina are all in the mix early, with recent stops at UF and USC. He’s looking at a summer trip to Texas, but as of today, Georgia is the school to watch here.

Emaree Winston, TE, Calhoun (Georgia) – 2025

While Jeff Banks hit the halls of Georgia high schools, he offered the 6-foot-3, 230-pound On3 four-star on Wednesday evening.

Winston is well known in the recruiting market, holding 27 offers including Ohio State, Tennessee, Auburn, Ole Miss, and Virginia Tech. He’s taken four unofficial trips to Knoxville to see the Volunteers, and hit Florida State’s Junior Day in late January. The next step here for Texas is getting Winston on campus. There’s a hope he hits Austin this summer.

 

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Park Gothic

Park Gothic 5376

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Man, I do not have the energy to go through everything wrong with that Wasserman article. But a few things stand out:

"The pressure on Ewers’ shoulders to save Texas football isn’t his doing. He wasn’t responsible for the five-star status or the 1.000 rating, an unfair distinction that leads fans to believe he was the perfect prospect. Maybe that was a small reason he initially opted to go sign with Ohio State out of high school, a place that didn’t need to be rescued. But Ewers is well aware that once he decided to transfer back home that he would be facing the burden of bringing … Texas back."

Fuck Wasserman for acting like Texas fans have put some undue burden on Ewers' back. He's being paid handsomely to be QB and the expectation is that he will play well. He definitely played below reasonable expectations at times last year, but you know what I've heard from actual Texas fans? "He's basically freshman" / "he needs time to develop" / "Quinn is QB1" - the only people who have talked about how disappointing Quinn has been or that Arch might steal his job are asshole talking heads from the national media. The kid wants to be better and Wasserman's first thought is that Texas fans are somehow dumping on him? Fucking moron. 

Also double-fuck Wasserman for assuming Ewers' reasons for going to OSU in the most "fuck Texas" way possible. Fuck Tom Herman too for good measure. 

"But Texas isn’t cursed. It has a coaching turnover problem. Steve Sarkisian is the third Texas head coach since the Longhorns moved on from Mack Brown following the 2013 season. Charlie Strong? Fired. Tom Herman? Fired."

Right, because we're the only program to have fired two coaches in the last ten years. And everything would be fine if we'd just been less fickle and stuck with Strong or Herman. All those guys and their rock-star staffs really needed was more time. Fucking moron - you don't throw good money after bad and you don't keep giving important jobs to fuck ups. The solution is to hire better coaches, not keep the shitty ones. Hopefully we've done that but he completely glosses over who will be drafted from Texas in 2023. Surely he'll come back to this article when we have 4-7 players drafted with one in the first round. Surely he'll revisit this issue and recognize a new day is dawning. 

 

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Codaxx

Codaxx 6274

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20 minutes ago, satyanash said:

The Athletic is going wild with the hit pieces this week.

(Ari Wasserman) 3-Star U: Which schools are best (and worst) at developing NFL Draft talent?

Ari Wasserman: Texas’ problems aren’t going to be solved by a 5-star quarterback

 

No idea why people bother with this. Texas is on its 4th coach, since the starting point of this study (2009). No fucking shit they havent developed talent. Doesnt take a rocket scientist to figure out any team with  4 coaches since 2009, has not won a lot of NCs or produced a ton of draftable talent. Sark may suck, but this has nothing to do with him and the current program. 

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Big Woodrows

Big Woodrows 4217

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9 minutes ago, Park Gothic said:

"But Texas isn’t cursed. It has a coaching turnover problem. Steve Sarkisian is the third Texas head coach since the Longhorns moved on from Mack Brown following the 2013 season. Charlie Strong? Fired. Tom Herman? Fired."

Sports journalism brain rot is reporting on how shit we've been at developing talent for the last decade while also criticizing Texas for firing said shitty coaches """too frequently"""

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Radical Larry

Radical Larry 28826

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No idea why people bother with this. Texas is on its 4th coach, since the starting point of this study (2009). No fucking shit they havent developed talent. Doesnt take a rocket scientist to figure out any team with  4 coaches since 2009, has not won a lot of NCs or produced a ton of draftable talent. Sark may suck, but this has nothing to do with him and the current program. 

Look who posted the article.
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IDIOTsavant

IDIOTsavant 8690

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Here’s the thing about Wasserman, he was hired from a gig covering Ohio State to be the national recruiting writer for the Athletic, and literally ALL he does from this position is carry water for Ohio State. Sark has significantly cut into the Buckeyes ability to land difference makers from Texas, so expect for this shit to continue until it works, or it becomes apparent that Texas is relevant on the national stage again. Every single article he writes is what Ohio State wants out there.

Edited by IDIOTsavant
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Codaxx

Codaxx 6274

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3 minutes ago, Radical Larry said:


Look who posted the article.

true, but I give credit to Ari. He is out there fighting social injustice and discrimination. With every article he writes, he tears down the common stereo-type that Jewish people are shrewd and intelligent people 

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RollingPresidential

RollingPresidential 633

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28 minutes ago, IDIOTsavant said:

Here’s the thing about Wasserman, he was hired from a gig covering Ohio State to be the national recruiting writer for the Athletic, and literally ALL he does from this position is carry water for Ohio State. Sark has significantly cut into the Buckeyes ability to land difference makers from Texas, so expect for this shit to continue until it works, or it becomes apparent that Texas is relevant on the national stage again. Every single article he writes is what Ohio State wants out there.

He's also married to an Aggie and regularly talks to Billy Liucci. 

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SydneyCarton

SydneyCarton 49534

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1 hour ago, satyanash said:

The Athletic is going wild with the hit pieces this week.

(Ari Wasserman) 3-Star U: Which schools are best (and worst) at developing NFL Draft talent?

Ari Wasserman: Texas’ problems aren’t going to be solved by a 5-star quarterback

 

Going wild, eh? So did you re-up your membership for 2 or 3 years before you printed out all the articles to give to friends and family?

Edited by SydneyCarton
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RollingPresidential

RollingPresidential 633

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6 minutes ago, Tex Pete said:

So his IQ is steadily declining...

spacer.png

Having been pushed his podcast "Stars Matter" a few times via the Spotify algorithm, he's just an empty vesselr. I heard him say that Johntay Cook chose Texas because Texas A&Ms offense stunk but that A&M was better set up for the long term in recruiting due to their 'commitment to NIL' and haven't really taken anything else he's said seriously. 

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HtownHorn

HtownHorn 15231

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39 minutes ago, Red Five said:

He showed a pulse in the spring game. This would not make me gruntled. 

I mean our safeties for this year are set with Thompson and Catalon, may he stay healthy. Williams will be likely be in the rotation at some point and a 2-year starter, may he be happy with NIL. Texas isn't starved at the position. It's not great to lose talented players, but he may still be a tweener with no clear position in the defense.

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Codaxx

Codaxx 6274

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21 minutes ago, HtownHorn said:

I mean our safeties for this year are set with Thompson and Catalon, may he stay healthy. Williams will be likely be in the rotation at some point and a 2-year starter, may he be happy with NIL. Texas isn't starved at the position. It's not great to lose talented players, but he may still be a tweener with no clear position in the defense.

After this year? Catalon is gone with a healthy year. Not sure Thompson has eligibility (I miss pre-covid, when it was easy). He isnt leaving for the NFL. Back-up is Crawford and he is a senior. To be honest if Catalon does not play, it maybe the worst position on the team this year. 

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Hookem2147

Hookem2147 22051

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Locked in for a June 23rd official visit, per IT: https://www.on3.com/db/tj-lindsey-154192/

Here is the full OV list for June 23rd right now:

Jerrick Gibson, RB, Gainesville (Fla.) IMG Academy

Parker Livingstone, WR, Lucas (Texas) Lovejoy

Daniel Cruz, IOL, North Richland Hills (Texas) Richland

Makai Saina, IOL, Arlington (Texas) Martin

Daniel Calhoun, OT, Roswell (Ga.) Walton

Nyier Daniels, OT, Oradell (N.J.) Bergen Catholic

Ory Williams, OT, San Marcos (Texas) High

Alex January, DL, Duncanville (Texas) High

Terrance Hibbler, DL, Lexington (Miss.) Holmes County

D’Antre Robinson, DL, Orlando (Fla.) Jones

T.J. Lindsey, DL, Bryant (Ar.) High

Dylan Williams, LB, Long Beach (Calif.) Poly

Jordon Johnson-Rubell, S, Fort Worth (Texas) IMG Academy

Landyn Cleveland, S, Mansfield (Texas) Legacy

Corian Gipson, CB/DB, Lancaster (Texas) High

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RomaVicta

RomaVicta 30637

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4 hours ago, BurntOrange&White said:

Its almost like Wasserman has no fucking clue about Texas

I salute anyone who could get through either of those articles. I don't know how well he handled the variables involved in developing players. Things like coaching continuity and what position the 5 stars played. Maybe he included it, but his number crunching was boring as shit to me.

The first few paragraphs of the Texas article rely completely on his research in the first article teamed with some pretty shoddy guess work about the pressure on Ewers, what Texas fans think, and the bearing of his sacred research on the future. 

He has an ass of stone to able sit down and write such volume.

 

I see @Park Gothic and others anticipated my meager thoughts. Compliments.

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HtownHorn

HtownHorn 15231

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1 hour ago, Codaxx said:

After this year? Catalon is gone with a healthy year. Not sure Thompson has eligibility (I miss pre-covid, when it was easy). He isnt leaving for the NFL. Back-up is Crawford and he is a senior. To be honest if Catalon does not play, it maybe the worst position on the team this year. 

Thompson is an all-conference safety. Crawford could easily be greatly improved as we have seen 2nd year development of a lot of players. I said I hope he doesn't leave, but Texas has plenty of quantity and quality to throw at the position. Williams is likely the best long term player at the position the minute he checks into the dorm.

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Codaxx

Codaxx 6274

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6 minutes ago, HtownHorn said:

Thompson is an all-conference safety. Crawford could easily be greatly improved as we have seen 2nd year development of a lot of players. I said I hope he doesn't leave, but Texas has plenty of quantity and quality to throw at the position. Williams is likely the best long term player at the position the minute he checks into the dorm.

Thompson is honorable mention. I never thought he was special or even a play maker. I Have rooted for Crawford for 3 years, I am not sure he can actually play safety. Agreed on Williams. Just never know how long it takes for a young guy to acclimate to safety.. I would have EDge below safety, but I think if you think about it and rank the positions. Safety will be at the back 1/3 on the list 

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