Tag: 2023 class

Texas Football: 10 most needed recruits

Plenty of the top targets are still uncommitted.

Rewind two weeks ago to after the TCU win. Huge games against the Oklahoma schools were on deck, with Texas having the potential to be in a good position in the recruiting world. Even a split would have done wonders.

Now, hit the live button on your remote and you’ll find two consecutive losses and not as much ammo in the storage locker. Just as they were heading into the football season, Steve Sarkisian and his staff find themselves climbing an uphill battle for some of the top prospects left on the board.

Ok, enough with the sky is falling act.

Time to recover is still there with five regular-season games plus a bowl game left on the schedule. Sarkisian has shown the potential of his team during glimpses. The past two losses have stung but a couple of slight adjustments and those are surefire wins.

With 22 commits in the class already, there are still a few holes to fill with little spots remaining. From offensive line to wide receiver, to defensive back and even more offensive line, Texas has to land a couple of big names over the next few months.

In a perfect scenario, a few moves are made to open up space. Plenty of the top targets are still uncommitted.

Here are Texas’ top 10 most needed recruits to turn around the state of the program.

LOOK: Top recruits arrive in Austin for big weekend

It’s a big weekend in Austin, TX.

Oh boy, it’s a big weekend in Austin, TX.

Not only is 5-0 and No. 12 Oklahoma State in town for a crucial Big 12 showdown, but Texas is hosting some of the best recruits in the country.

Five-star quarterback Arch Manning is the headliner, giving Steve Sarkisian the chance to wow the No. 1 overall prospect in the 2023 class. How important this recruitment is cannot be stressed enough. Program changer would be one way to describe it, as he would be the most high profile quarterback recruit in Austin since Vince Young.

A special trio of wide receivers is in town as well. Five-star Evan Stewart made a last-second trip after catching the Oklahoma game last weekend. The former Texas commit is the No. 1 priority on the board in the 2022 class.

From the 2023 class, Johntay Cook and Jalen Hale will be in Darrel K Royal-Texas Memorial Stadium as well. Continuing to get the ball to Xavier Worthy will do nothing but help, proving a freshman wide receiver can come in and make a significant contribution.

Plenty of current commits are in town as well. Anthony Jones, Austin Jordan, Conner Robertson, and Cole Hutson highlight the group.

Check out recruits arriving in Austin for one of the biggest weekends in recent memory

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First predictions for five-star quarterback Arch Manning come in favor of Texas

Texas seems to be in the lead for five-star quarterback Arch Manning.

Without ever releasing a top schools list as most recruits do, Arch Manning has whittled down to five by showing who he wants to visit. Alabama, Clemson, Georgia, Ole Miss, and Texas have all hosted the 2023 five-star quarterback. Some even twice.

And for such a high-profile recruitment, Manning and his family have been able to keep a tight circle. At the end of the day, the Manning family is the football royalty of all football royalty.

Some word was going to get out sooner rather than later, though, and some of the industry’s top reporters have begun to guess how Arch Madness ends.

On3 gave out five predictions as to where Manning ends up playing college football, with all being Texas. Confidence levels got as low as 30% but Eric Nahlin of Inside Texas went up to 75%.

There’s no doubt Steve Sarkisian and A.J. Milwee have put themselves in a good position.

With Manning scheduled to be in Austin for Oklahoma State, this is one of the biggest weekends the program has seen in a while. Texas has not recruited and signed a five-star quarterback since Garrett Gilbert but the weight of pulling Manning would be far higher.

Texas thought the 2023 cycle was off to a bang, landing a commitment from five-star running back Rueben Owens. After a decommitment, all eggs have been put in the Manning basket. Building around the quarterback could bring in one of the top recruiting classes in the country.

On the 247Sports composite, Manning is the No. 1 overall player in the country. It would make the second consecutive cycle Texas has been able to land the top player in the class.

And we all know how the last one ended up.

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Five-star 2023 QB Arch Manning set to visit Texas this weekend

This weekend looms large for the future of the program.

Monday mornings after a rivalry game loss are some of the toughest. Oklahoma coming back from behind and winning is heartbreaking fashion has stung for the past two days. But with Oklahoma State in town on Saturday, there is no time to reflect anymore.

Especially with the big recruiting weekend ahead. A ton of prospects will be in Austin but all eyes are going to be on Arch Manning.

As Steve Witflong of 247Sports reported back in September, the five-star quarterback will take an unofficial trip this weekend. He will be able to get in on Friday as Isidore Newman plays on Thursday night. An advantage for Steve Sarkisian with an early morning kickoff against Oklahoma State.

Manning has not been shy to talk about Austin, saying “it felt like home” during his visit over the summer. He also had high praise for Sarkisian as an offensive coach and person before the TCU game.

“Obviously they are great in offense, offensive-minded. They haven’t punted in two games. So, they’re really good, and they’re just laid back, good people. That’s the kind of guys I like.”

How important this recruitment is for Texas cannot be emphasized enough. Sarkisian is known as one of the quarterback guys in college football and when hired, was expected to recruit some of the best in the country to Austin.

Nobody will be bigger for the next decade than Manning. His name alone will attract other top-rated prospects from across the country. Once he is potentially on campus, Manning’s skillset will win games for Texas for three to four years.

Get a win over the likes of Alabama, Clemson, Georgia, and Ole Miss, and Sarkisian will have the biggest recruiting victory of his life in just over a year as the Longhorns’ head coach.

On the 247Sports composite, Manning is the No. 1 prospect in the country. With that title comes the expectation of putting up gaudy numbers on a weekly basis in the high school ranks. So far, he has delivered.

Isidore Newman had a huge 70-0 win on Friday with Manning throwing for four touchdowns on 11-11 passing and rushing in another score. He has proven to be a complete quarterback five games into the season — one Texas has been missing for some time.

Now, Sarkisian has to put on the sales pitch of a lifetime. This weekend looms large for the future of the program.

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Austin has a “home feel” to Texas target, five-star QB Arch Manning

Oct. 19 looms large in Arch Manning’s recruitment!

No prospect is more sought after than five-star quarterback Arch Manning. Being the Manning family, SEC schools have been the main teams in the race. One exception has been made: Texas.

Steve Sarkisian and his offensive ability have caught the eye of Manning after the development of Tua Tagovailoa and Mac Jones at Alabama. The Longhorns joining the SEC within the next few years will do nothing but help.

Cole Patterson of OrangeBloods caught up with Manning on Friday after throwing five touchdowns in a 59-7 win. He said Austin has a “home feel” after visiting during the summer. The five-star quarterback will be back for Oklahoma State weekend.

When talking about Steve Sarkisian and the Texas offense, Manning said “Obviously they are great in offense, offensive-minded. They haven’t punted in two games. So, they’re really good, and they’re just laid back, good people. That’s the kind of guys I like.”

According to The Grove Report, Texas is one of two teams still in the race for Manning. After visiting Georgia, Kirby Smart has put himself in square position to land the generational quarterback.

“Things seem to be shaping up to be a race between Georgia and Texas at this moment in his recruitment and things could come to a close pretty quickly with Manning, according to sources.”

Hopefully, the Oklahoma State matchup will be at night. Texas will have one last opportunity to impress Manning before a possible commitment in the fall. After missing on generational talent in the 2022 class, landing football royalty is a must for Sarkisian.

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Nick Saban cleverly recruits Arch Manning during Monday Night Football broadcast

Nick Saban’s MNF appearance included some low-key recruiting!

As the famous saying goes: ABC – Always be ‘crootin.

Nick Saban has followed those guidelines during his 15 years as the Alabama head coach. Most of it has paid off, securing the top recruiting classes year over year.

During Monday Night Football’s “Manningcast”, Saban made a guest appearance to chat with Eli and Peyton. The three messed around with each other throughout most of the third quarter. Eli even poked fun at Saban by calling Jalen Hurts a former Oklahoma quarterback.

Where Saban earned his money for appearing on ESPN2 was a free recruiting pitch to 2023 quarterback Arch Manning. The nephew of Eli and Peyton, Saban was able to indirectly recruit the five-star by saying he would “love to coach a member of the Manning family.”

Saban even indirectly got his shots in.

When talking about Hurts’ transfer to Oklahoma, he said “as the quarterback, it’s really important that you have good players around you.”

Well, Alabama has the best roster in the country according to the 247Sports composite. Blue-chip wide receiver and offensive lineman are dropping into the Crimson Tide’s lap consistently.

Continuing to talk about Hurts at Oklahoma: “I know they have a good system there and you’ll do well. I think he did really well there and that’s why he’s got an opportunity now in the league.”

A sales pitch to Arch was 100% indirectly being made by Saban. The message was simple. Surround yourself with good players and a good system, and you will find yourself in the NFL.

Chances are, the five-star quarterback was watching his two uncles’ broadcast as well.

Arch will get facetime with Saban this weekend as he is visiting Tuscaloosa for the Ole Miss game. I’m willing to bet the same message will be relayed when the two talk.

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2023 Five-star CB Tony Mitchell includes Alabama in top seven schools

The five-star cornerback is down to seven schools.

Alabama has quite the in-state talent at its disposal in the 2023 class. Seven players rank inside of the top 100 with four five-stars. Battling Auburn, Georgia, and even Clemson for their signatures with be difficult.

Cornerback Tony Mitchell out of Thompson High School is the top-ranked prospect within the state. Alabama was the sixth program to offer the five-star, seeing the potential in him back in July 2019.

On Monday, Mitchell released his top seven schools, including the Crimson Tide. Clemson, Florida, Georgia, LSU, Oregon, and Texas A&M also made the list. Florida State, Miami, and Ohio State were cut from his top 10.

Auburn was not added after being cut in August despite receiving a visit this summer.

Mitchell has taken three unofficial visits to Tuscaloosa alongside Junior Day before the pandemic began according to 247Sports. Defensive line coach Freddie Roach has been the lead recruiter for the cornerback.

As things stand, Alabama has no commitments in the 2023 class. They already lead for some of the top prospects, including Mitchell. Three crystal ball predictions were flipped from Tennessee to the Crimson Tide after a March 7, 2020 visit to campus.

On the 247Sports composite, Mitchell is the No. 1 player in the state of Alabama and No. 11 on the national scale. At the cornerback position, the two-time state champion ranks at No. 2.

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Report: Five-star edge Matayo Uiagaleli to visit Texas this weekend

According to Mike Roach of Horns247, five-star Matayo Uiagalelei will be in attendance for Saturday’s Big 12 opener against Texas Tech.

Even with the season underway, recruiting never stops on the 40 Acres. Each home game, Steve Sarkisian and his staff will be hosting some of the top prospects.

Saturday will be no different, with one of the top 2023 targets reportedly visiting Austin.

According to Mike Roach of Horns247, five-star Matayo Uiagalelei will be in attendance for Saturday’s Big 12 opener against Texas Tech on Saturday. Since the edge prospect is only a junior, it’s safe to assume the visit will be unofficial.

Texas offered Uiagalelei on Feb. 15 with Jeff Banks and Bo Davis being labeled as the main recruiters. No coach has been hotter on the trail than the defensive line coach, already bringing in seven for the 2022 class. Outside of the game, Davis’ focus will be on the 2023 star.

Mater Dei rightfully so gets a lot of credit for being the best high school program on the west coast. However, St. John Bosco, Uiagalelei’s high school, continually puts out elite talent as well.

Uiagalelei is off to a hot start this season, recording 15 tackles in five games. To add on, the five-star has 4.0 tackles for a loss and 3.0 sacks. All stats are from Maxpreps.

Texas will use this weekend’s visit as a way to make an early impression on Uiagalelei. Sarkisian’s presence on the west coast cannot be denied after his days at USC and Washington. Staying the course with California’s best players will eventually pay off.

On the 247Sports composite, Uiagalelei is the No. 12 overall prospect and No. 2 within the state of California. At the edge position, nobody is ranked higher. He is also the younger brother of current Clemson starting quarterback D.J. Uiagalelei.

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Five-star cornerback AJ Harris includes Alabama in top seven, announces commitment date

One of the best in-state 2023 prospects is cornerback AJ Harris. He announced his top seven schools and commitment date on Tuesday evening.

Alabama has quite the in-state class to recruit from within the 2023 cycle. As things stand on the 247Sports composite, there are four five-star players and seven total within the top 100 overall.

One of the best is AJ Harris. Coming out of Phenix City, the five-star cornerback is the No. 2 player in the state, just behind fellow cornerback Tony Mitchell.

Harris released his top-seven schools on Tuesday evening, including Alabama on the list. Clemson, Georgia, LSU, North Carolina, Notre Dame, and Ohio State made the cut as well.

To go along with a top school list, Harris announced he will be making his commitment on Tuesday, Jan. 11, 2022, the day after the national championship.

Alabama and safeties coach Charles Kelly offered Harris on March 30. Of the schools remaining in the top seven, North Carolina was the last to offer.

Harris has taken unofficial visits to Clemson and Ohio State per 247Sports. The five-star cornerback also posted pictures with Georgia head coach Kirby Smart and Notre Dame head coach Brian Kelly on Twitter back in late June.

With so much talent within the state, the Crimson Tide is bound to lose at least one or two to another national program. However, somebody like Harris, especially as a defensive back, needs to end up in Tuscaloosa.

Kelly and Nick Saban have four months to win another recruitment.

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Five-star quarterback Arch Manning to visit Texas during Oklahoma State weekend

Texas gains a big visitor for Oklahoma State weekend.

No recruit has a bigger target on their back than Arch Manning. Even if he was not a five-star and the top player in the country, the last name alone would be enough to carry the pressure.

Every big-name school and then some is going to be fighting for Manning’s signature on national signing day in 15 months. A generational quarterback, the five-star could change the trajectory of a program instantly.

Manning recently caught up with Steve Wiltfong of 247Sports, talking about each school still in the race. Texas is in the thick of it for the 2023 quarterback’s recruitment and it’s because of his relationship with Steve Sarkisian and quarterbacks coach A.J. Milwee.

Manning looks forward to returning to Texas for the Oklahoma State game on Oct. 16. He’s been talking to Steve Sarkisian and AJ Milwee as long as any other staff.

“They’re just good guys, laid back people, personable, it’s easy to talk to them,” Manning said. “Explosive offense.”

Manning added he enjoyed hanging with the Texas players on his last visit.

“Hudson Card, he’s a really good guy,” Manning said. “Really just catting with the players because they spoke highly of Sark. It was really cool to see how that program is going to be up and coming.”

As things stand, Manning is the only 2023 prospect scheduled to be in Austin for the Oklahoma State game. Things could change soon.

Last time he visited campus, some of the top prospects in the country flocked to meet the Texas staff. Five-stars Anthony Hill and Rueben Owens joined, as did four-star WR Johntay Cook.

Outside of Texas, mainly SEC programs are in contention. Clemson remains the outlier alongside the Longhorns.

Manning also discussed his visit schedule for the rest of the season. Dabo Sweeney played host last weekend after being the first summer trip for the quarterback. Here is the rest of the schedule with opponents in brackets.

  • Sept. 17 – Georgia (South Carolina)
  • Oct. 2 – Alabama (Ole Miss)
  • Oct. 16 – Texas (Oklahoma State)
  • Oct. 23 – Ole Miss (LSU)

*Of note, Eli Manning (his uncle) gets his jersey retired in Oxford the weekend Arch is visiting

On the 247Sports composite, Manning is the No. 1 player in the country. If they were to land the New Orleans native, it would be the second consecutive cycle where Texas has a commitment from a quarterback ranked atop the class.

Sarkisian will have to impress against Oklahoma State to have a serious shot at landing the five-star. Naming a full-time starting quarterback and excelling with whoever he picks may help his case too.

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