Tag: Tom Herman recruiting

Texas Longhorns Recruiting: ESPN’s latest class rerank

In Tom Herman’s first three years, his recruiting classes all finished in the top 10. The 2021 class will be different according to ESPN.

Possibly the only thing going worse than Texas’ on the field performance is the 2021 recruiting class. Tom Herman missed out on and lost multiple key prospects, something we are not accustomed to seeing.

Five players who were once committed to the Longhorns flipped their decision. Most notably four-star athlete Billy Bowman (now deciding between Georgia, LSU and Oklahoma), four-star quarterback Jalen Milroe (now committed to Alabama) and four-star wide receiver Quaydarius Davis (now committed to USC).

As far as losing recruiting battles, the most important that changed the class’ momentum was the Brockermeyer brothers. Both James and Tommy chose Alabama over Texas despite being legacies in Austin.

During his first three seasons in charge, Herman was bringing in a significant amount of talent. His classes ranked inside the top 10. 2021 has been different and according to ESPN’s latest rerank, the Longhorns are nowhere close to a top-10 spot.

With only eight ESPN300 commits, Texas’ 2021 class is No. 15 according to ESPN. Ja’Tavion Sanders is the highest offensive commit at No. 13 overall, while safety Ishmael Ibraheem is the top defensive commit coming in at No. 113.

Wide receiver Jaden Alexis and tight end Juan Davis are highlighted as two key members of the class. Alexis “is blessed with vertical speed and quickness,” while Davis “displays tremendous hands.”

L.J. Johnson, a four-star and No. 5 running back per ESPN, is the final star the Longhorns are chasing. After missing on Camar Wheaton, Stan Drayton has been pushing for Johnson to come to Austin instead of LSU, Oklahoma or Texas A&M.

Oklahoma is one spot ahead of Texas and the only Big 12 school ranked higher. Four-star quarterback Caleb Williams is the crown jewel while outside linebacker Clayton Smith, someone the Sooners snatched from the Longhorns, leads the way on the defensive side.

While it may be lower down the leaderboard than usual, Texas and Oklahoma will battle for the top spot in the conference. If there is one thing Herman has bested Lincoln Riley at over the past three years, it is recruiting.

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Texas Football Recruiting: Where does the 2021 offensive class sit now?

Three months away from early signing day, blue-chip players are still available. Here is an update on the offensive 2021 recruiting class:

Recruiting is in an unusual place right now, with coaches and scouts having to work overtime to get information on high school athletes. The COVID-19 pandemic has made it tougher for schools to evaluate top players in the country.

Texas has done a decent job keeping up, currently sitting with the No. 15 overall recruiting class according to 247Sports. The Longhorns have commitments from four top 200 players, including five-star athlete Ja’Tavion Sanders.

Looking specifically at the offensive side of the ball, Texas has seven commits, with offensive tackle Hayden Connor being the highest rated. Tom Herman still has some work to do, needing another player or two to solidify the class.

Nearly three months away from the early signing period, blue-chip players such as Camar Wheaton, L.J. Johnson, Savion Byrd, and Ketron Johnson are still up for grabs. If Texas wants to sneak into the top 10 nationally, at least two of those players must land in Austin.

Here is your latest position by position update on the offensive recruiting class:

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