Tag: Texas longhorns football recruiting

Four-star DT Brandon Brown commits to Texas

Steve Sarkisian and company earn their fourth commitment in two days.

247Sports composite four-star defensive tackle Brandon Brown committed to Texas on Tuesday afternoon. The Longhorns on set to bring in a great one for the 2025 recruiting class.

Brown stands just under 6-foot-2 and weighs in at 286 pounds per 247Sports. That he is a college-sized defensive tackle as a junior bodes well for his college ceiling.

The talented tackle from Florida is a huge get for defensive line coach Bo Davis. Defensive line recruiting has improved under the current coaching regime led by defensive coordinator Pete Kwiatkowski. Texas will look to mold Brown into the type of productive player that current defensive tackles T’Vondre Sweat and Byron Murphy have been this season.

For head coach Steve Sarkisian and company, Brown joins portal transfer Andrew Mukuba and talented recruits in safety Xavier Filsaime and tight end Emaree Winston to commit to Texas in the last two days.

Texas will look to continue its recruiting success with a strong signing day on Wednesday.

Social media reacts to Clemson transfer DB Andrew Mukuba choosing Texas

Andrew Mukuba is coming back home to Austin.

Andrew Mukuba is coming back home. The Clemson transfer and former Austin LBJ product has chosen to further his football career as a defensive back for the Texas Longhorns.

Mukuba is undoubtedly a huge get for the team. The three-year starter and former freshman All-American provides stability in a secondary that loses a couple of veteran players.

Many believe the Austin native will fill the star role vacated by arguably Texas’ top defensive back Jahdae Barron. The nickel position will demand versatility from whoever mans that role, and Mukuba’s strong history as a tackler as well as in coverage bodes well for the Texas defense at the position.

The Texas secondary is looking good for 2024. Two of its best three safeties return in breakout star Michael Taaffe and impressive freshman talent Derek Williams Jr. At cornerback, the Longhorns are set to play coverage specialist Terrance Brooks and quickly developing Malik Muhammad.

Here’s a look at how fans are taking in Mukuba’s impactful decision.

Five-star DB Xavier Filsaime to sign on Wednesday, Dec. 20

Xavier Filsaime is set to sign with his college choice on Dec. 20.

Five-star defensive back and Florida commit Xavier Filsaime is set to sign with his college football team of choice. It looks like he will make that choice official on Wednesday, Dec. 20.

Filsaime earned his five-star status playing safety for the McKinney High Lions. He commands the following scouting report from 247Sports national scouting analyst Gabe Brooks.

“Athletic back-end defender with experience in all three phases and verified athleticism in multiple environments. A receiver early on who made the full-time switch to the secondary. Coincidentally, a weapon in the kicking game at punter as well. Physical tools, football IQ, and athleticism likely make for a core special teamer early in college.

Productive tackler who’s around the ball regularly vs. the run and the pass. Quick-footed and fluid in coverage with turn-and-run juice. Capable of matching up with receivers, tight ends, and backs.”

Texas has seen its odds of bringing in the elite safety increase over the last month. The Longhorns look to be the favorite to sign the program elevating player. We will monitor Filsaime’s recruitment as it nears the finish line.

Texas DB target Kobe Black expected to decide Wednesday afternoon

Kobe Black is expected to choose his college team Wednesday, December 13 at 4:20 p.m.

He needs no introduction. He stands as one of the best defensive back prospects the Longhorns have recruited in head coach Steve Sarkisian’s tenure at Texas.

On3 consensus four-star Kobe Black is set to make his college decision on Wednesday. His choice will no doubt transform the future of defensive back room he chooses. The Longhorns hope it will be the team he picks.

It’s hard to ignore what Texas has built with secondary youth in Austin. Texas’ heavy defensive back rotation utilized several young defensive talents in Malik Muhammad, Terrance Brooks and Derek Williams Jr. Certainly, the team could find Black several snaps in 2024 if not a starting role.

Texas’ underclassmen defensive backs have flashed brilliance this season. Undoubtedly, Black could be the next in line to shine. Wednesday will reveal is he sees the Longhorns in the same light.

Coverage for Black’s commitment is set to begin at 4:20 p.m. CT.

Texas receives prediction to win over five-star DB Xavier Filsaime

Is Xavier Filsaime trending toward choosing the Texas Longhorns?

Making the College Football Playoff is a strong recruiting pitch. Texas is leveraging that success on the recruiting trail.

McKinney five-star safety Xavier Filsaime was set to become a Florida Gator, but there’s reason to believe that could change. The north Texas talent received a flip prediction in favor of Texas from Inside Texas analyst Eric Nahlin. If Nahlin’s success forecasting recruiting decisions is any indication, the Longhorns have a strong chance to win the recruitment.

Texas can make do without elite safety talents, but it certainly wouldn’t hurt to add a five-star talent at the position. The program is used to landing big time safeties, but never behind as strong a front six as the Longhorns have built in head coach Steve Sarkisian’s three seasons in Austin.

Filsaime would become the fourth five-star to join Texas’ already talent-laden recruiting class. He would join wide receiver Ryan Wingo, edge rusher Colin Simmons and offensive tackle Brandon Baker as Longhorn pledges to receive five-star billing.

We will continue to monitor the recruitment as it develops.

Four-star CB Selman Bridges to make commitment announcement on Friday

Texas will battle Arkansas for a second Top 50 recruit in the 2024 class on Friday.

It’s about that time. Top 50 recruit Selman Bridges is set to commit to his school of choice on Friday, July 14. Texas faithful would welcome a commitment to their hometown team. While it’s rumored that Arkansas is the likely school of choice, the commitment is still worth watching for Texas.

Bridges is one of a few 2024 recruits who could bring a historically good cornerback class to Texas. In the early 2000s, the Longhorns were among the best universities in sending cornerbacks and safeties to the NFL. Even among those great secondaries, this group could be special.

Bridges has a chance to join Texas commits Santana Wilson and Jordon Johnson-Rubell as well as the uncommitted trio of Kobe Black, Corian Gipson and Wardell Mack in Austin. Even so, the elite and lengthy cornerback doesn’t have to play second fiddle to anyone. He seems to be one that relishes the prospect of competition with fellow talented defensive backs.

Texas already has one Top 50 recruit in the boat in 2024 running back Jerrick Gibson. Head coach Steve Sarkisian and company will look to add a second Top 50 player on Friday.

Four-star DB Wardell Mack receives crystal ball predictions to Texas

The predictions pour in for Louisiana DB Wardell Mack to Texas.

If four-star defensive back Wardell Mack intends to choose a school other than Texas, he has national analysts fooled. Mack has received three crystal ball predictions in favor of the Longhorns.

On Tuesday, we learned that the elite Louisiana corner received crystal ball predictions from Florida State insider Chris Nee and LSU insider Sonny Shipp. A day earlier, Alabama insider Hank South issued a Texas prediction for the 5-foot-11, 170-pound cornerback.

Mack (No. 80 overall) joins fellow elite 2024 cornerbacks and On3 Top 100 players Kobe Black (No. 22 overall), Selman Bridges (No. 46) and Corian Gipson (No. 67) who trend hard to Texas.

Some made a big deal over No. 101 player Hunter Moddon’s decommitment, and certainly he’s a tremendous player. Now we know why Moddon might have reopened his recruitment with several higher ranked cornerbacks likely to choose Texas.

Texas cornerbacks coach Terry Joseph will enter Tashard Choice’s tier should he secure three commitments from the four above Top 100 players. Texas has every reason to pursue all of them.

We’ve mentioned that some believe the Longhorns can’t have all the cornerbacks they are pursuing. I would push back on that notion. Texas needs to look to lock down commitments from all four elite cornerbacks while they can and later find a place for all of them on the field. Teams should always take elite talent.

We’ll keep an eye on the four cornerbacks and their recruitments over the coming months.

In case you missed it: Three-star TE Jordan Washington chooses Texas

Texas is winning on most players making decisions of late, including tight end Jordan Washington.

Jordan Washington intends to spend his college playing days in Austin. The three-star tight end announced his commitment to Texas on Tuesday.

Washington is a special talent despite his three-star rating. Some consider the talented pass catcher a late bloomer at the position, and one who could make a big impact. What is clear is that the Texas staff viewed him as a key part of its 2024 recruiting cycle.

Following Washington’s decision, the Longhorns recruiting class expands to 12 commitments and has surged to No. 16 in the On3 class rankings for the cycle. The class includes six Top 300 recruits with several more likely to get in the boat.

Texas checks in ahead of Arkansas, Oklahoma, Nebraska and Stanford to round out the Top 20. Albeit, there’s room to improve if the Longhorns are going to compete with the SEC’s best in its new conference.

Texas checks in at No. 8 among SEC classes for the 2024 recruiting cycle. The top of the class in order includes Georgia, Florida, Alabama, Texas A&M, LSU, Tennessee and South Carolina.

The Longhorns will look to make up significant ground over the next month.

Assessing Texas HC Steve Sarkisian’s coaching job at Texas so far

We look at what Sarkisian has accomplished and what needs to happen moving forward.

Texas head coach Steve Sarkisian draws plenty of opinions from college football observers. The spectrum ranges from unabashed apologists to vehement detractors.

The reality of the situation is Sarkisian has a ton of potential. He’s shown it in flashes through his first two seasons. The issue is, as legendary Texas head coach Darrell Royal would put it, “potential just means you haven’t done it yet.” When it comes to winning at the level of expectation at Texas, Sarkisian hasn’t done it yet. The bar for success involves 10-win seasons.

The Texas coach has, however, displayed glimpses of what he can do in his short time in Austin. Sarkisian has compiled historic individual game performances and hit a few significant landmarks early in his tenure on the Forty Acres.

In the past we’ve noted accomplishments he’s already hit. Let’s look at a few more we might have missed.

Four-star safety Jordon Johnson-Rubell chooses Texas over TCU, others

Jordon Johnson-Rubell commits to the Longhorns over the hometown Horned Frogs and others.

Texas has found its premier safety commitment for the 2024 recruiting class. Continue reading “Four-star safety Jordon Johnson-Rubell chooses Texas over TCU, others”