Tag: Texas

Texas’ offensive lineman of the decade

Texas’ OL has been impressive in the second half of the decade. The Longhorns have turned around their offensive line play in recent history

Being the most important unit in all of football, the offensive line for Texas has been impressive in the second half of the decade. Currently with three guys playing in the NFL, the Longhorns have turned around their offensive line play recently.

Connor Williams, Trey Hopkins, and Calvin Anderson are the three guys in the NFL, with Williams and Hopkins declaring after their junior year. The two started in a majority of the games the played, being consistent performers for the Longhorns. They also both helped Texas have some monster games on the ground, each having a 400-yard rushing game during their time at Texas.

Anderson was a graduate transfer from Rice who only spent one year with the Longhorns. He was a big get for Texas in 2018 and made an instant impact the minute he started to play. Starting in all 14 games he played in, Anderson was the left tackle for quarterback Sam Ehlinger. Protecting the blindside, he was a reliable blocker for the team.

Two players who are not in the NFL just quite yet are Zach Shackelford and Samuel Cosmi. The two have been the best players on the offensive line for Texas in 2019. Shackelford is a four-year player with 39 career starts, mainly at center. Cosmi redshirted in 2017 but has been a breakout performer for the Longhorns in his two years on the line.

Here is the Texas offensive line of the decade for the 2010s:

Pages: Page 1, Page 2, Page 3, Page 4, Page 5, Page 6

2020 NFL Draft: Devin Duvernay Scouting Report

The next step for Devin Duvernay is in the NFL. How does his skills translate and where could he get drafted?

Devin Duvernay | WR | Texas

5-11 | 210 pounds

School Bio

Career Stats

Devin Duvernay is one of three Texas Longhorns that have been talked about taking the next step to the National Football League. He will also be one of those same three playing in the Reese’s Senior Bowl in hopes of catching the attention of NFL coaches and scouts. During his senior season, Duvernay put up monster numbers in absence of Collin Johnson and he has an opportunity to make Texas history with a big bowl performance later this month against the Utah Utes in the Alamo Bowl.

Strengths

The first thing you will notice with Devin Duvernay is explosiveness. He can get behind coverage in a hurry and has game-breaking speed to get to the endzone. He has long speed to get deep and that allows a quarterback to fire the ball deep where he can bring it down. Duvernay shows great body control and will attack the ball in the air. Showing off great hands, and can catch passes outside of his frame. A quarterback’s best friend.

YAC. Yes Duvernay is a huge weapon and racks up the yards after the catch. His speed allows him to bust angles by the defenders that allows him to get even more yards.To go with the speed, shows concentration to track down the ball much like a center fielder. He can attack the middle of the field which opens up the offense. Attacking the middle of the field and explosive plays on screen and rushes out of the backfield is where he thrived. Most offenses could use a weapon like Duvernay.

Weaknesses

One aspect that he will need to focus on as he chases his NFL dream is work on his route tree. It was very limited at Texas and Duvernay will have to challenge himself to get better on running crisp routes. Duvernay needs to explode out of breaks to give him an advantage against NFL defenders.

His blocking leaves a lot to be desired and at the next level, Duvernay needs refinement. At Texas, the senior wide receiver rarely showed good technique in the blocking game. More often he would throw his body into a defender to keep his guy out of the play. At the next level, defenders will find it much easier to avoid that style of blocking to get to the ball carrier.

Bottom Line

His role is mostly as a slot receiver at the next level but he can be a weapon for teams in that he can attack the middle of the field and challenge defenders with his speed. Not the most physical receiver when coming off the line but he has all the skills to beat you many ways.

Projection: 4th Round-5th Round

 

Texas flips three star linebacker originally committed to Utah

After signing all 16 players on NSD yesterday, Texas landed another one. This time it was three-star LB Jaylan Ford out of Frisco, TX.

After signing all 16 players on National Signing Day yesterday, Texas landed another recruit on Thursday. This time it was three-star linebacker Jaylan Ford out of Frisco, TX. Ford was originally a Utah commit and said he would join the Utes on Oct. 8. He switched to Texas this morning, announcing his decision via Twitter.

According to 247Sports, Ford is 6 feet 2.5 inches and weighs 205 pounds. Coming out of Lone Star High School, he was the district 5-5A-1 defensive MVP in his junior season. Officially listed as an outsider linebacker, Ford joins Highland Park’s Prince Dorbah as the only other OLB in the 2020 class.

This is the third recruit that Texas and Utah have gone back and forth with this season. Four-star defensive end Van Fillinger and three-star all-purpose back Ty Jordan were both once Texas commits that ended up signing with the Utes.

Texas now sits at No. 9 on the 247Sports team rankings after finishing yesterday at No. 10. Ford is the fourth four-star the Longhorns have signed in 2020, getting their 17th player of the cycle.

[lawrence-auto-related count=3]

Texas wide receivers of the decade

In the 2010s, Texas really struggled to find solid guys at the QB position. That made it difficult for some of the talented wide receivers.

Throughout the decade, Texas really struggled to find solid guys at the quarterback position. They never were fully consistent or the best player on the team. That made it difficult for some of the talented wide receivers on the team to fully make their mark.

The exception to this was Mike Davis, who was an outstanding receiver for the Longhorns in all four years on campus. While he never broke 1,000 yards in one season, what he did in his junior and senior year was score touchdowns. Having 15 in his final two years, it shot him up to the fifth most receiving touchdowns in Longhorn history.

Once Sam Ehlinger arrived on campus, the receivers for Texas got a lot better. Collin Johnson was one of those players, arguably being the most talented receiver of the three. Even though he was injured most of his senior season, Johnson put up great numbers in his junior season. Nearly getting to 1,000 yards in 2018, Johnson had some of his best games in the biggest matchups of the season for the Longhorns.

Then there is Devin Duvernay, whose 103 catches in 2019 is the second-most in a single season for Texas. He led the entire nation in catches this season and his 1,294 receiving yards were the most in the Big 12. He was Mr. Reliable for the Longhorns this season, making big play after big play.

In a decade where throwing the ball was not the strong suit of Texas, these three players rank inside the top 10 in all-time Longhorn receiving yards. A combined 47 receiving touchdowns, Davis, Johnson, and Duvernay are three of the best receivers to ever play in Austin.

Pages: Page 1, Page 2, Page 3, Page 4

Recapping Texas’ national signing day

Going into today, Texas had 16 commitments. None of them flipped, making the Longhorns a perfect 16 for 16 on National Signing Day.

Going into today, Texas had 16 commitments. None of them flipped, making the Longhorns a perfect 16 for 16 on National Signing Day. While there may have been some other distractions, it was still an overall good day for the Longhorns. They finished in the top 10 of the 247Sports rankings, coming in at No. 10. As for ranking in the Big 12, Texas beat Oklahoma by one spot for the best 2020 class in the conference.

Here is a recap of Texas’ national signing day:

Five-star recruits

RB Bijan Robinson

Four-star recruits

QB Hudson Card, ATH Ja’Quinden Jackson, DT Vernon Broughton, OLB Prince Dorbah, S Xavion Alford, CB Kitan Crawford, S Jerrin Thompson, C Jake Majors, OT Jaylen Garth, WR Troy Omeire, G Logan Parr, T Andrej Karic

Three-star recruits

ATH Jaden Hullaby, WR Dajon Harrison, DT Sawyer Goram-Welch

The name to get most excited about is Bijan Robinson. In his high school career, he rushed for over 7,000 yards and scored over 100 touchdowns over four years. He had 35+ touchdowns in his final two seasons, reaching as high as 38 in his senior year. This season, the Longhorns struggled with depth in the running back room and Robinson will instantly make an impact in Austin.

Two other names to keep an eye out for are Hudson Card and Ja’Quinden Jackson. Card is a dual-threat quarterback from Austin, while Jackson is listed as an athlete on 247Sports. Jackson played quarterback in high school for Duncanville High School. Both of these guys will have a great opportunity to take over after Sam Ehlinger’s final season as quarterback.

It was a big day on the offensive line, signing four different four-star prospects. All from the state of Texas, Jaylen Garth and Andrej Karic come in as tackles, while Jake Majors is a center, and Logan Parr is a guard. With two seniors leaving on the offensive line after this season, one of these players may have a chance to start right away for the Longhorns.

Texas now focuses its attention on the bowl game, where they will play Utah in the Alamo Bowl. You can catch the game on New Year’s Eve at 6:30 p.m. CST on ESPN.

[lawrence-auto-related count=3]

Recruiting rankings as we close out a busy Early Signing Day

Here are the 10 best performing teams this signing day.

Wednesday marked the first official day of college football’s early National Signing Day, and it was a wild one.

The Georgia Bulldogs placed 4th on the 2020 recruit signee list, for 247 Sports.  Kirby Smart and the Georgia coaching staff did exceptionally well at locking down the future of Bulldog football.

Here is a list of the ten schools who did the best in today’s recruiting mayhem.

1. Clemson – (6 5-stars, 11 4-stars, 6 3-stars)

2. Alabama – (3 5-stars, 18 4-stars, 4 3-stars)

3. Ohio State – (2 5-stars, 15 4-stars, 9 3-stars)

4. Georgia – (2 5-stars, 14 4-stars, 3 3-stars)

5. LSU – (2 5-stars, 13 4-stars, 6 3-stars)

6. Texas A&M – (1 5-star, 12 4-stars, 9 3-stars)

7. Auburn – (1 5-star, 12 4-stars, 10 3-stars)

8. Florida – (0 5-stars, 16 4-stars, 7 3-stars)

9. Notre Dame – (2 5-stars, 7 4-stars, 9 3-stars)

10. Texas – (1 5-star, 12 4-stars, 3 3-stars)

The list of ten consists of six SEC teams, three of which Georgia will face in 2020 (Florida, Auburn, Alabama).

Georgia will play against 7 teams next year in the top 25 for 2020 recruiting.

Notable Dawgs rivals on the list of 25 include Tennessee (0 5-stars, 12 4-stars, 10 3-stars) at #15, South Carolina (1 5-star, 7 4-stars, 13 3-stars) at #16, Kentucky (0 5-stars, 4 4-stars, 16 3-stars) at #23 and Georgia Tech (0 5-stars, 6 4-stars, 18 3-stars) at #24.

What a start for the Bulldogs in a recruiting battle that has only just begun.

 

Bijan Robinson officially signs for the Longhorns

It has been a long time coming for Texas fans, as five-star RB Bijan Robinson has officially signed. Robinson will make an instant impact.

It has been a long time coming for Longhorn fans, as five-star running back Bijan Robinson has officially signed his national letter of intent to join Texas. Robinson has been verbally committed since early August and is the 13th highest-rated recruit the Longhorns have landed in their history according to 247Sports.

The 6 foot, 200 pound running back is from Salpointe Catholic High School in Tuscon, AZ. 247Sports has Robinson as the second-best running back in the 2020 class, only behind Zachary Evans of Houston, TX. Robinson was also considering Ohio State and USC but stuck with his commitment to Texas.

Robinson’s numbers in high school were insane. He has rushed for 2,000 yards in three consecutive seasons, totaling at 7,036 yards over four years. Not only did he get yards, but he put the ball in the endzone. In his senior season, Robinson had 38 rushing touchdowns and had 103 in four years.

Texas had some problems at running back this season, with players at the position being injured all year. Freshman Roschon Johnson, who came in as the third-string quarterback, ended up getting a decent amount of snaps in the backfield. With Robinson coming in, he is expected to make an instant impact and make the position group one of the best in the conference.

[lawrence-auto-related count=3]

WATCH: Tom Herman sparks some controversy with a camera

It has been a good day for Texas as they are having a successful NSD. Before the day had even started, Tom Herman started some controversy.

It has been a good day for the Longhorns as they are having a successful early signing period National Signing Day. Before the day had even started, Head Coach Tom Herman started some controversy.

During Longhorn Network’s signing day coverage, they set up a camera in a meeting room. The TV broadcast switched to that camera and caught Herman flipping it off with both hands. After a few gestures towards the camera, he quickly crossed his arms and acted like nothing happened.

You can watch the video here:

As usual, Herman is picking up a lot of grief for this act. It is possible that he had no idea that the camera was live and was just having some fun. Other people in the room seem to be laughing with Herman, not taking the incident too seriously.

Despite all of this, Texas has had a great day. They have signed 15 prospects this far, with all but one of their previous commitments signing their national letter of intent. All that remains in five-star running back Bijan Robinson, who is expected to sign with the Longhorns later today.

[lawrence-auto-related count=3]

Former Texas commit signs with Utah

Former Texas RB commit has officially signed for Utah. APB Ty Jordan is a three star recruit from West Mesquite High School for the Utes.

Former Texas running back commit has officially signed for Utah. All-Purpose Back Ty Jordan is a three-star recruit from West Mesquite High School out of Mesquite, TX. Committed to the Utes for nearly a week, Jordan made it official today, singing his national letter of intent this morning.

Jordan originally committed to Texas on Sept. 15 and visited Austin later that week. Everything changed in late November when he made a visit to Utah. 11 days after the visit, Jordan made the switch to the Utes on Dec. 10.

When Jordan decommitted, it left Bijan Robinson as the only other running back commit in the 2020 class. The five-star has yet to sign his national letter of intent but is expected to stay with the Longhorns.

[lawrence-auto-related count=3]

Two quarterbacks sign with Texas

The first of two National Signing Days are taking place today. UT started the day out strong, locking up two of their top recruits.

The early signing period is finally here and the first of two National Signing Days are taking place today. The Longhorns started the day out strong, as they locked two of their top recruits.

Ja’Quinden Jackson from Duncanville, TX and Hudson Card from Austin, TX both signed their national letter of intent this morning, making their verbal commitment official. Both players are quarterbacks, each playing at Texas high school football’s highest division. Each of them are a four star recruits and they are currently the two highest signed players so far today, according to 247Sports.

Jackson is officially listed as an athlete according to 247Sports, but played quarterback at Duncanville High School. In his playoff semi final game, it is being reported that he tore his ACL and will be out for awhile.

Getting another quarterback out of the Austin area, Card went to Lake Travis High School. He has been committed to Texas since May of 2018 and has been wanting to be a Longhorn for most of his life.

Having depth at quarterback is always a good thing and Texas has that with these two signees. Sam Ehlinger is expected to come back for his senior season, but third string Roschon Johnson played running back all season. A quarterback room of Ehlinger, Casey Thompson, Johnson, Jackson, and Card will provide the Longhorns with depth for years.

[lawrence-auto-related count=3]