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Texas Recruiting Notes 2021


Reese Bennett

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2 hours ago, UhhhIdk said:

Why do Austin area kids hate us? JK Dobbins, Garrett Wilson, Elijah Higgins, Mukuda, probably Burton next year. 

I think some may take it for granted since they already live in or near Austin and it hasn't helped that Texas doesn't play in the conference championship regularly.  

Mukuba mentioned his parents are concerned with his education and safety and then doesn't say anything more about either.  Those don't seem to be concerns, but if they were, he'd have it covered in Austin.   I didn't think he was coming to UT since the last write up where he basically said the same thing.  Glad he's making the decision sooner than later.  

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2 hours ago, UhhhIdk said:

Why do Austin area kids hate us? JK Dobbins, Garrett Wilson, Elijah Higgins, Mukuda, probably Burton next year. 

I think all of those guys went WAY oos right?  Sometimes kids just want to get away from that school that's been in their face most of their lives and maybe see the country?  In the case of Ohio st, you'll have a better chance of being drafted (for now) and with Stanford you get to live rent free in California and get a better education.

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On 9/4/2020 at 10:46 AM, SydneyCarton said:

*had. Had that recruitment the whole way.

Honestly I don't know how that happened. 

39 minutes ago, closetohumping said:

I think all of those guys went WAY oos right?  Sometimes kids just want to get away from that school that's been in their face most of their lives and maybe see the country?  In the case of Ohio st, you'll have a better chance of being drafted (for now) and with Stanford you get to live rent free in California and get a better education.

Most people live rent free in California these days

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https://247sports.com/player/jardin-gilbert-46085087/
Both Bama and LSU had this kid as a backup plan at some point. We could always throw our hat in the ring too

I like him too but it’s too late. Frankly, Guilbeau is the Mukuba take for me. Likely that Guilbeau becomes some form of safety here, and he’s the floor of the ‘22 db class if this season plays out the way it should. Would like Mukuba, will be glad to put the commitment out of mind, whatever he decides. Missing means 6 in ‘22.
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5 hours ago, UhhhIdk said:

Why do Austin area kids hate us? JK Dobbins, Garrett Wilson, Elijah Higgins, Mukuda, probably Burton next year. 

Our offensive line was dogshit when Dobbins was at La Grange

Garrett Wilson was from Ohio and was never coming to Texas

Burton attending the Texas home game is big. I see his recruitment mirroring Greg Brown (Basketball)

Higgins is an L. Should have pulled him but Stanford is tough to turn down. 

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(Mike Roach) The Stampede: How can Texas recruit given on field results?

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It's time to see how the Texas staff recruits with a new product on the field. After a strong debut against UTEP, Texas vaults right into conference play as they try to close out the 2021 class and generate more momentum in the 2022 class.  While things are trending up on the field, the recruiting trail has its own twist and turns in store. The Longhorns have the No. 15 class in the country and they could reach Top 10 status with a strong finish in recruiting. 

Texas is still in a few tough races, and a couple of those prospects are closing in on a decision.  Where do things stand with the Texas board?  Horns247 has you covered. In this week's edition of The Stampede, Horns247's weekly gathering of recruiting intel, we empty the notebook on everything we picked up in the last week.

—Last week I wrote about a loophole that would allow colleges to give tickets to high school coaches who could bring prospects on unofficial visits. The NCAA has now closed that loophole. Last week, the governing body of college football pushed the dead period back to January 1. The original dead period was put into place in March amid the COVID-19 pandemic. The council had been extending the deadline month by month but decided to rule out all fall visits. In their release announcing the extension, the NCAA announced that, “Members also adopted emergency legislation prohibiting schools from giving complimentary game tickets to prospective student-athletes and their high school coach or two-year college coaches during the dead period.” Texas was able to “host” Caleb Burton after his father and Del Valle’s head coach Charles Burton requested tickets for the UTEP game. Landon Hullaby was also able to see Texas live, and that should continue as the ruling says nothing about family tickets.

—A few weeks ago, I wrote that I thought Texas was currently in position to land a commitment from JJ Henry. The three-star wide receiver from McKinney North was rumored to be close to a decision, and I was told that Texas could be in position to benefit if they just stay the course. In the last week, I’ve been told there have been some communication issues on both sides. Someone from Henry’s camp told me he hadn’t heard from Texas much lately, but I was also told he was proving tough to get in contact with. The staff is working on ironing out whatever issues there are, but it’s a puzzling roadblock on both sides.

—I checked with sources near four-star Baltimore (MD) Mount Saint Joseph wide receiver Dont’e Thornton. He currently has a wealth of 247Sports Crystal Ball picks predicting him to land at Oregon, and I was told the Ducks were way out in front. The Texas staff feels they have some connection in that recruitment that could help, but the word I received was that it would take a lot to overcome the lead the Ducks currently have. Add in the fact that there will be no official visits this fall, and I just have a hard time seeing this one happen for Texas.

—It’s been a while since we’ve talked about Koscuisuko (MS) wide receiver Antonio Harmon.  Over the weekend, Harmon named Texas alongside Ole Miss and Mississippi State when asked who was really standing out for him.  A source near Harmon tells me that he is “Texas’s to lose,” but I’m always skeptical when it comes to out of state kids.  Harmon was going to come on a self-guided visit back in July but, COVID numbers spiked around the time causing the person organizing the trip to call it off.  I was told that Harmon will likely shoot for a November trip to Austin and make a decision after taking some visits.  After checking around with some sources, I consider Ole Miss to be the real competition as Mississippi State may be looking elsewhere.

—Nick caught up with Mansfield Summit offensive lineman Jacoby Jackson last week. Jackson originally told me he was closing in on a decision, but as offers continue to come in, I’d bet that he takes some time with the process. Baylor was considered the early leader when Jackson de-committed from TCU, but Texas has been making some progress. Jackson is a tough read and even those close to him say he doesn’t talk much. Texas needs a win up front in a big way as they continue to sort through secondary options on the offensive line.

—There’s not much new to report with Shemar Turner, and I’ll spare you the weekly non-updates that come with most highly-recruited prospects. One note I did want to mention is that I think this still comes down to Texas and Texas A&M, and it will be interesting to see how the Aggies handle things down the stretch. I think Terry Price has done a magnificent job in this recruitment, but someone near Turner told me once that he keeps a very close eye on the other guys schools are bringing in. Texas A&M already holds three defensive line commitments, and the Aggies are trending on the 247Sports Crystal Ball for Elijah Jeudy. It will be interesting to see if that acquisition changes anything for Turner.

—He’s a tough kid to read, but I think Texas is starting to put some distance between them and other teams for four-star La Porte defensive tackle Albert Regis. He’s a tough kid for college coaches to read as well, but I’ve mentioned in the past that I think Texas and Mark Hagen are pushing all the right buttons. Nobody has a real handle on when Regis might make his decision, but Texas seems to be in the top position if I had to guess based on what I’m hearing behind the scenes.

—I spoke to 2022 Denton Ryan defensive tackle Bear Alexander over the weekend. Though he recently said he’s close to a decision, he told me that he still plans to take his time and have fun during his junior season at Ryan. After having to sit out of varsity ball last year at Skyline, Alexander is excited to be back in the mix at Ryan. Texas remains in strong contact with him, and Alexander said Texas is right at the top of his list. The Longhorns were one of the first schools to offer, and I’m told that Alexander remembers that.

—Last week I wrote about LSU and Terrence Cooks, but after doing some digging this week, I’m not sure the defending national champions are even the top competition for the uber-athletic linebacker. Cooks also mentioned Baylor in his top group, and I’m told the Bears are a legitimate threat. Dave Aranda is pitching his development track record at LSU and Cooks’ friend and quarterback Kyron Drones is committed to the Bears. If Cooks’ mother had her preference, he’d be committed to Texas right now, I believe. That said, his slowing of the process allowed other schools to make their way in and Baylor is a legitimate threat. Cooks has questioned development, but if DeMarvion Overshown can show off what this defense can do at the linebacker position, Texas should have a strong hook for their top linebacker target. Coleman Hutzler has pulled out all of the stops in this one.

—Austin LBJ safety Andrew Mukuba announced this weekend that he would be making his decision October 1. While Mukuba mentioned Texas, LSU, Clemson and Mizzou as his top group, I’ve heard that Arizona State is a darkhorse in what should be a head to head battle with Texas and Clemson. As always with Mukuba, he’s keeping everyone guessing as it comes down the stretch. Chris Ash has done everything he can with Mukuba, and Texas is the only school he’s visited. He’s also being recruited by close friends Jahdae Barron and Charles Wright along with 7v7 teammates JD Coffey and Ishmael Ibraheem. I mentioned recently that my confidence was ticking slightly up for Texas in this race, and I’ll reiterate that just a week and a half out from his decision.  The only thing that gives me pause is I've heard Mukuba has mentioned the depth chart at Texas on multiple occasions.

 

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32 minutes ago, satyanash said:

(Mike Roach) The Stampede: How can Texas recruit given on field results?

—A few weeks ago, I wrote that I thought Texas was currently in position to land a commitment from JJ Henry. The three-star wide receiver from McKinney North was rumored to be close to a decision, and I was told that Texas could be in position to benefit if they just stay the course. In the last week, I’ve been told there have been some communication issues on both sides. Someone from Henry’s camp told me he hadn’t heard from Texas much lately, but I was also told he was proving tough to get in contact with. The staff is working on ironing out whatever issues there are, but it’s a puzzling roadblock on both sides.

It's not all that puzzling Mike. The staff obviously wasn't all in on him from the start, and now they think they're going to shoot the moon in 2022. It's about as puzzling as aggies going straight racist every time a player opts out. 

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10 minutes ago, SydneyCarton said:

His Makuba confidence is all but the nail in the coffin for me that the kid is going to Clemson. 

Hickey put in a CB to Clemson for Mukuba, 8 confidence

I have a shred of hope that he's playing everybody. Leaving sparky out of his top list, glowing Clemson write-up, etc. There's not a non-chance that he's just building suspense. There's also the idea that Hickey is confident because Clemson historically has their pick of borderline 4*s that they make a priority, which basically summarizes her reasoning in her scoop. Either way, I have no expectations. 

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27 minutes ago, SydneyCarton said:

It's not all that puzzling Mike. The staff obviously wasn't all in on him from the start, and now they think they're going to shoot the moon in 2022. It's about as puzzling as aggies going straight racist every time a player opts out. 

 

26 minutes ago, texifornia said:

Surprising confidence on Mukuba.

JJ Henry sounds like a whole roundabout way of saying "this kid is getting ghosted"

 

25 minutes ago, SydneyCarton said:

His Makuba confidence is all but the nail in the coffin for me that the kid is going to Clemson. 

Yep. This was an all-timer from Mike in terms of having no insight, not being able to figure out obvious factors at play, and having bad info and being just absolutely wrong on a key recruit.

People actually pay for this shit.

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Suchomel 

Mukuba had four FutureCast picks come in for Clemson yesterday, but in checking around with a couple other Rivals reporters today, I'd put the confidence in those picks as moderate at best. Basically, Mukuba has done a good job of keeping everyone guessing and nobody truly has a good read on what he's thinking.

Mukuba did do a Clemson game-day virtual visit on Saturday and I've been told there is some cautious optimism coming from Clemson. But Mukuba also spoke with UT d-coordinator Chris Ash on Sunday and Texas isn't going away. As of late last week, I feel confident in saying he was unsure of his decision. Could that have changed over the weekend? Possible, but nobody I've talked to has heard a firm confirmation of that.

Tough one to read and it could stay that way until he decides ... Mukuba's a smart kid who definitely does a good job of not tipping his hand.

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The Mukuba depth chart note is interesting. While Clemson has been lights out in cornerback recruiting, their safeties have mostly been 3*s and low 4*s. And while I'm sure they were all good evals, they probably don't scare Mukuba away

Safety composite ratings the last two classes

2019

.9376

.8851

.8729

.8648

2020

.9178

.9021

.8498

 

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None of the Texas $9.95ers know a god damn thing about Mukuba. They haven't even been able to agree on what schools are in it aside from Texas and Clemson.

Won't surprise me at all if he ends up at Clemson, but it also wouldn't surprise me if these Clemson insiders putting in picks right now are just pulling stuff out of their ass.

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3 minutes ago, tokamak said:

None of the Texas $9.95ers know a god damn thing about Mukuba. They haven't even been able to agree on what schools are in it aside from Texas and Clemson.

Won't surprise me at all if he ends up at Clemson, but it also wouldn't surprise me if these Clemson insiders putting in picks right now are just pulling stuff out of their ass.

If it’s about education & safety, he doesn’t need to go to South Carolina a&m.

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17 minutes ago, tokamak said:

None of the Texas $9.95ers know a god damn thing about Mukuba. They haven't even been able to agree on what schools are in it aside from Texas and Clemson.

Won't surprise me at all if he ends up at Clemson, but it also wouldn't surprise me if these Clemson insiders putting in picks right now are just pulling stuff out of their ass.

Are you new to $9.95?

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2 hours ago, SydneyCarton said:

It's not all that puzzling Mike. The staff obviously wasn't all in on him from the start, and now they think they're going to shoot the moon in 2022. It's about as puzzling as aggies going straight racist every time a player opts out. 

Not even just 2022. We are still looking at JoJo and Thornton for 2021.

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(Eric Nahlin) Inside Scoop: Team news, Port Arthur pipeline, and more

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By: Eric and Justin

It's game week, y'all. Texas Tech awaits on Saturday afternoon. Team news and notes, latest tidbits on recruiting, and more. Let's Scoop.

From: @Eric Nahlin

It’s game week yet again and Texas Tech is just what the doctor ordered to give the Texas defense a much better test than UTEP did. One thing to watch is how the corners hold up. When asked who the best corner is right now, we heard Josh Thompson and D’Shawn Jamison go back and forth. Those two are starting because they deserve it. The coaches are excited to see how they hold up versus the vertical passing game and lengthy receivers like TJ Vasher and Erik Ezukanma. Both Vasher and Easy wouldn’t look out of place at Texas. How the corners hold up down field will be one of the storylines to watch.

BJ Foster has been in the rotation like he never left. We‘d be a bit surprised if he wasn’t suspended for at least a half against Tech, but we’ll see. Juwan Mitchell has been practicing with the ones and should be good to go on Saturday. The feeling around the program is the more Alfred Collins plays, the harder it’s going to be to keep him off the field. Could he really jump senior Ta’Quon Graham? It’s possible, through no fault of Graham’s.

Jacoby Jones has been back and practicing after his family tragedy. He should get a lot of opportunities to show what he can do versus the Tech passing game and a decent Tech O-line. On the other side of the 7-on-7 aspects of this particular game, look for a big day from the UT wide receivers. The Tech defensive backs are bad and there’s no attempt to pump them up as anything else.

What’s different about wide receiver this year? “The first thing is, they’re not coddled. Negative attitudes don’t work with Andre Coleman.” Last week we mentioned the group as a whole feels much better coached. That’s going to become evident the further UT gets into the season. Who is the best receiver right now? It depends on the route. If it’s a contested catch, it’s Tarik Black because he uses his body so well. Jake Smith was also mentioned because of his explosiveness. Josh Moore garnered a mention as best receiver, though this source rated him third.

If Tom Herman rates Smith’s availability for Saturday, it would likely be “questionable.” Smith’s hamstring is progressing well but those are fickle injuries. And Tech isn’t good. Given Smith’s issues, as well as Jordan Whittington’s, the staff moved grad transfer vibe god Brenden Schooler to slot. How did he look? “Like he’s been doing it for a long time.” Best surfootball player this side of Utah, imo. Schooler has savvy and toughness that will translate to slot, but disregard his speed at your own peril. They think they’ll catch some people napping here.

We may get to see freshman wide receiver Kelvontay Dixon this week. He’s turned heads with his ability to change gears and separate. Jake Majors has been progressing at center. He’s more natural at it than Rafiti Ghirmai was. Trying Ghirmai was more of a round hole/square peg fit based on need. He’s better suited to guard.

We think Keaontay Ingram is headed for a pretty big year. The combination of Roschon Johnson and Bijan Robinson pushing him plus the knowledge he’s on NFL radars should help him overcome some things that have held him back — namely availability. There are a handful of guys we’re watching who will leave with draftable grades, not necessarily early round grades. But that‘s putting the cart ahead of the horse, we’ll have plenty of time to discuss that down the road.

AROUND THE HORN

Third CB: Adding a third cornerback to Ishmael Ibraheem (Dallas Kimball) and Jamier Johnson (John Muir - Pasadena, CA) is a distinct possibility. It could come down Best Player Available or simply need. As seasons wear on, need sometimes reveals itself over time. South Grand Prairie’s Jalon Williams will remain one to watch. He has the speed and feet they’re looking for. He was offered right before Johnson. Williams is currently committed to Boston College. He probably would have ran 10.6 if track season wasn’t canceled.

Another SDE: Texas wants Mansfield Legacy defensive end David Abiara but he’s a tough one to get a read on, even for schools recruiting him. Texas has had a productive Zoom call with his parents and that’s probably the route to go in this one; bypass the kid and sell academics and proximity to his mom and dad. We’ll have more on Abiara later in the week. He would be a big addition if they can somehow pull it off. They need a guy who can bend the corner.

More offers in 2022: Even with the in-state class being loaded we’ll probably still see more out-of-state offers. The number of offers won’t really matter, all that matters is who reciprocates interest. Assuming they win, more interest will be reciprocated, ultimately leading to some tough decisions. Positions that could need to be addressed from OOS in the cycle are DE, LB2, OT, and maybe even CB or TE just to cover their bases.

Andrew Mukuba: The 2021 Austin LBJ safety is set to announce on October 1st. We have never discounted Clemson because it’s unknown if they were going to push. That should lead you, the dear reader, to the conclusion that Clemson is his preference. As of midweek last week, things were awkward between Mukuba and Clemson, but the closer he gets to a decision, the more the Tigers have to consult their big board and make a decision. It was reported he recently took a virtual visit with the Clemson staff and there was optimism on the Clemson side after. If they truly want him the writing is on the wall. Texas could probably get by in the class with JD Coffey and Billy Bowman and #savetheship for 2022 where DB is the most loaded position in the class.

From: @Justin Wells

PORT ARTHUR PIPELINE

Jaylon Guilbeau had a really good idea where he'd be playing college ball on May 2nd. The 2022 Port Arthur Memorial four-star product watched one of his teammates and friends - Jordon Thomas - verbally pledge to the Longhorns that day. And just like that, Texas was his silent leader. Over the course of the summer, Guilbeau began building a great relationship with Chris Ash, Jay Valai, and Bryan Carrington. Despite the overtures from Texas A&M, Alabama, and Georgia, Guilbeau always felt a connection with the UT staff. With the help from Thomas, Guilbeau decided it was going to be Texas probably a month ago.

At that point, it was the waiting game for us. Guilbeau loves the family atmosphere and the fact the Horns hang out in the Golden Triangle so much. From Jamaal Charles, to Robert Joseph, to Kam Martin's love for Austin, to his teammate Thomas' affection for the staff, UT has some stroke in the Port Arthur area. Either way, this was Texas for a long time.

Thomas, a part of UT's C/O 2021, is equally excited for his junior teammate to join him on the Forty Acres. "With the new commit today, everything is really good," Thomas insisted. Head coach Brian Morgan loves his head-hunting defensive back with plenty of confidence and sees a potential impact guy at the next level. Guilbeau stands just under 6-foot-0 and weighs around 180-185 pounds. He's a corner before he's a safety, but the Spur might be his ideal spot. The 2022 class continues to be one of the programs setting the pace. #EwersEffect, imo.

MAX MERRIL

The Strake Jesuit offensive tackle is just another in a line of O-line targets that UT is pursuing for its 2021 class. At 6-foot-4, 275 pounds, Merril holds a ton of offers with Arizona, Louisville, and Indiana doing the most work. Texas and Stanford are creeping around the corner. The Covid pandemic has put a major kink in his travel plans. His class will have to work without the luxury of trips and official visits. "I’ve just kind of rolled with the punches," said Merril. "I've got on Zoom meetings, FaceTimes, etc. with as many coaches as I could to get to know those programs."

He's got faith his his Jesuit team for 2020 as well. "I think we are going to be really good this year," Merril said. "A lot of returning starters and just general improvement at most positions, so we should be able to make a good playoff run happen." His recruitment has steadily picked up over the course of the summer. "I’m mainly talking to Arizona, Indiana, Duke, Texas and Stanford," said Merril. "A Texas offer would be a really awesome opportunity that we would really consider and be a top option for us."

Unlike the last few swing-and-misses on tackle targets, the Horns and Herbie might have a shot here. Predicting which offensive tackles they land in the 2021 class hasn't been the most fun.

AROUND THE HORN II

- Christian Driver, S, Argyle Liberty Christian (2022): The four-star with amazing genes is just another example of the talented in-state crop of defensive backs in his class. At 6-foot-1, 180 pounds, Driver holds 41 offers including a who's who of college programs - Notre Dame, Alabama, Ohio State, LSU, and Michigan. One school that keeps tabs on Driver is UT.

He was excited after Jaylon Guilbeau's commitment to Texas, and looks forward to seeing more from the Longhorns in 2020. The safety choices for this class will be plentiful with Chase Biddle, Jarred Kerr, and Landon Hullaby. I like to think Driver will be in that conversation.

- Antonio Harmon, WR, Kosciusko (MS) (2021): Texas offered the 6-foot-4, 205-pound receiver last summer, and continue to monitor the four-star's activities. He holds 11 offers including Georgia, LSU, Oregon, and Mississippi State, but the thought here is that he's Ole Miss's to lose. Still, Texas is kicking the tires on his progress and he'd like to trip to Austin, unofficial unofficial style, in November.

In his high school career, he's tallied 1,278 yards receiving with 14 scoring grabs, but his defensive stats are more enlightening. With 104 tackles, six forced fumbles, six fumble recoveries, three INTs, and three pass break-ups, he's a playmaker on both sides of the ball. While UT has Dont'e Thornton higher on the board, Harmon is one they're still watching closely. They have to snag an outside receiver in this class.

- Terrance Brooks, CB, Plano John Paul II (2022): One corner we don't mention as much as the others is Brooks, the son of former A&M and NFL safety Chet Brooks. Maybe we should. At 6-foot-0 and 185 pounds, he's got some elite traits in his game. He also has 21 offers including Notre Dame, Ohio State, LSU, Texas A&M, and Florida. The 247 four-star collected 47 tackles, nine pass break-ups, three INTs, and one sack in his sophomore campaign.

This is a prospect that Texas is very fond of, and I feel like he's got enough game to enter the in-state conversation after North Shore's Denver Harris. Texas is watching.

 

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