Tag: Texas football recruiting

On3 Sports ranks the top available players in the transfer portal

Former Longhorns Brenen Thompson and Byron Vaughns are among the top 10 players available in the transfer portal.

The post-spring round of the transfer portal has produced quality free agents across the country. Many of those players are tied to the state of Texas and the Big 12 conference.

On3 Sports ranked the Top 10 best available players in the transfer portal on Wednesday. There are several familiar names.

Georgia defensive tackle Bear Alexander leads the way after starting on the Bulldogs’ national championship winning team last season. Alexander was high school teammates with three Longhorns at Denton Ryan High School, but we don’t expect Texas to win his recruitment.

Texas transfer wide receiver Brenen Thompson and former Texas defender Byron Vaughns make the cut. It’s uncertain if Texas burnt the bridge with Vaughns or if both parties would consider a reunion. Nevertheless, the productive edge rusher should be one of the more popular transfers remaining.

TCU transfer receiver Jordan Hudson and former Cincinnati linebacker Jaheim Thomas depart their respective Big 12 squads in what could be huge losses for both teams.

Here’s a look at On3 Sports’ top available players in the transfer portal at this time.

Texas transfer WR Brenen Thompson receives crystal ball prediction to Oklahoma

Brenen Thompson appears to be inching toward a decision.

The Oklahoma Sooners could be on their way to improving their receiver room. They could do so with former Texas wide receiver Brenen Thompson. Continue reading “Texas transfer WR Brenen Thompson receives crystal ball prediction to Oklahoma”

How the transfer portal shakeup impacts Texas football for 2023

Texas probably won’t make any more dramatic upgrades in the portal this offseason.

Big 12 rosters are in flux as players enter the transfer portal this spring. The portal is hitting one program from the state of Texas hard, but it’s not the Longhorns who are taking a significant hit.

It appears TCU Horned Frogs are set to lose big-time wide receiver Jordan Hudson to the transfer portal. He’s joined by a handful of TCU players including cornerback Kyron Chambers, defensive back Noah Daniels, defensive lineman Landyn Watson and offensive lineman Noah Bolticoff.

The Longhorns are not likely to benefit much from the newly reopened portal due to an already loaded roster. Nevertheless, other aspiring Big 12 contenders could find it worthwhile. Many speculate that SMU could be the main player for Hudson which could mean the Big 12 transfer market for Texas transfer wide receiver Brenen Thompson could heat up quickly.

As for conference balance, the gap between Texas and TCU widens as the Horned Frogs endure more significant losses. As it stands now, Texas is head-and-shoulders above the Big 12 conference in its mix of talent, development and returning production. Should a team like Oklahoma haul in Brenen Thompson, it could shorten the gap between the two teams.

The reality is, teams around the Longhorns are likely to upgrade by filling needs. The Texas schedule could look tougher than it does presently, but the team is in a strong enough position as currently constructed to compete in the conference.

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Two-team recruiting battle shaping up for five-star WR Micah Hudson

Texas and Texas Tech are early frontrunners for the state’s top wide receiver.

Five-star wide receiver Micah Hudson is one of the top players in the 2024 recruiting cycle. Continue reading “Two-team recruiting battle shaping up for five-star WR Micah Hudson”

Texas LT Kelvin Banks is best recruiting pitch for OL coach Kyle Flood

There’s no better place for a freshman lineman than with Kyle Flood at Texas.

There is no better recruiting pitch for offensive line coach Kyle Flood than simply stating two words: Kelvin Banks.

The Texas left tackle has become one of the most integral and best players on the roster after one season on the team. At his worst, Banks has been an effective pass blocker. At his best, he’s been elite.

Pro Football Focus put into perspective just how dominant the second-year tackle was last season. In 456 pass blocking snaps, Banks allowed just one quarterback hit. We’re not talking about sacks. We’re talking about the player lined up across from Kelvin simply getting to the quarterback.

The recruiting pitch for Kyle Flood to this year’s recruiting class of linemen is fairly straightforward: If you’re truly an elite tackle like Kelvin Banks, we’ll find a way to fast track you to stardom.

Banks is set to compete for an All-American nomination as a sophomore and work toward becoming a Top 10 pick in the NFL Draft after his junior season. Should he do that, the Longhorns should be set up for recruiting success for years to come.

Post-spring Big 12 football record predictions for 2023

Texas is still our favorite in post-spring Big 12 record predictions.

Spring football is over in Austin, and there’s plenty to be excited about for the 2023 squad. The excitement starts with the team’s starting quarterback Quinn Ewers. Ewers dropped a dime into the hands of receiver Xavier Worthy on a deep corner route, hitting Worthy in stride. More importantly, he completed many of the shorter to intermediate throws that he missed last season.

The next biggest takeaway is Texas has perhaps the most dynamic big-bodied receiver it has ever had in AD Mitchell. The Georgia transfer showcased his athleticism in the Orange and White game with a terrific one-handed touchdown snag.

Mitchell’s emergence paired with Ewers’ improved accuracy makes Texas a dangerous cover defensively. Adding to the degree of difficulty, receivers Xavier Worthy and Jordan Whittington appear to have hit a new gear.

Here’s a look at how the Big 12 race could unfold in 2023.

Texas QB Quinn Ewers discusses his offseason mindset change

“I’m going into summer workouts with the best mindset I’ve ever had going into any offseason.”

Texas head coach Steve Sarkisian knows his starting quarterback is Quinn Ewers, and “(feels) very good about that.”

That’s what we’re gathering from Sarkisian’s post-spring game comments. Ewers had a strong showing as he completed 16-for-23 passing attempts for 195 yards, including a dime to receiver Xavier Worthy on the most difficult throw of the day.

Ewers’ 2022 struggles have made him a new man and it’s manifested itself in improved work ethic. The redshirt sophomore dished on what has changed over this offseason.

I’m going into summer workouts with the best mindset I’ve ever had going into any offseason. … I didn’t like where I was at last year. And obviously something had to change.

That change has manifested itself in a new look Quinn Ewers, and not simply due to his shorn off mullet. Ewers has transformed his physique with a better diet and exercise routine.

“I’m eating a lot better,” Ewers said after the 2023 Orange and White game. “I’m doing all the small things a lot harder, and I’m excited.”

There’s still plenty of room for improvement, but there’s reason to believe the starting quarterback has turned a corner.

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Texas players, former high school teammates pitch Bear Alexander to Austin

Georgia transfer DT Bear Alexander could potentially reunite with three high school teammates at Texas.

Transfer portal defensive tackle Bear Alexander has something in common with Texas tight end Ja’Tavion Sanders, linebacker Anthony Hill and cornerback Austin Jordan. All four played high school football for the Denton Ryan Raiders. And while Alexander may have his eyes on USC, the Longhorns could have a strong pitch to come back home to Texas.

Sanders and Hill are considered two of the more transformative players on the Texas roster. Both took to social media on Saturday to let the public know they are aware that Alexander is on the move.

Hill, who co-starred with Bear along the Ryan defense, tweeted to the big time player to “come home.” It’s unclear how fond Alexander is of the football program in Austin, but he’s certainly familiar with the impact Hill and Sanders bring to a football team.

Texas will aim to play on the appeal of reuniting with the three high school teammates and Georgia transfer receiver AD Mitchell.

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Report: Texas could be in the running for Georgia DT Bear Alexander

Some close to the Georgia program see Texas as a contender for transfer DT Bear Alexander.

Texas head coach Steve Sarkisian might have a better roster than he anticipated in the spring.

Georgia Bulldogs starting defensive tackle Bear Alexander is in the transfer portal, and it appears Texas has a legitimate chance to win over the massive player.

According to Graham Coffey of Dawg Central, USC and Texas are worth watching in the recruitment. The last time the Longhorns were a team to watch for a Georgia player, they ended up reeling in AD Mitchell who starred in the Orange and White game on Saturday. Texas would greatly benefit from securing another starter commitment from the Georgia to Texas pipeline.

Alexander is the type of player that could alter the balance of power in college football. At the college level, impact defensive linemen separate the haves from the have nots. His addition would build or strengthen a College Football Playoff contender. For Texas, he potentially lifts the team into that category.

If Steve Sarkisian is looking to make an early trip to the playoff, Alexander might be his best bet to get there. We’ll monitor the recruitment closely moving forward.

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Texas Football: 12 takeaways from the Orange-White spring game

The offense put on a show unlike we’re used to seeing in the spring game.

The Texas Longhorns put their 2023 squad on display in Saturday’s Orange and White game. While we don’t want to make too much of the meaningless scrimmage, it looks like a handful of offensive players could be special.

The Texas offense went off in Saturday’s game. The most noticeable contribution came from the trio of Xavier Worthy, Jordan Whittington and AD Mitchell. Heading into the scrimmage, it seemed apparent that the wide receiver room was the strength of the team. That’s a testament to the work head coach Steve Sarkisian has done in receiver recruiting.

When Sarkisian took over at Texas, the cupboard was bare at receiver and offensive linemen. Those positions have vastly transformed as we saw firsthand in Saturday’s exhibition.

Texas’ top two quarterbacks made a number of plays as the offense looked better than usual in spring games. Quinn Ewers looked to have improved at the quarterback position, while Maalik Murphy proved able to step in and win games at the quarterback position.

Let’s look at our takeaways from the spring game.