Texas’ 2022 recruiting class is absolutely loaded and will likely produce some of college football’s next big stars.
While there are great players heading all over the country, 247Sports narrowed down a list of the top players that are early enrollees to keep an eye on.
The list features many highly rated prospects, with one of them being Missouri wide receiver Luther Burden ranked at No. 2. Even with all the talent on the list, one of the players featured is Texas signee Justice Finkley.
The four-star out of Trussville, Alabama has been the talk of the offseason thanks to his strong showing during the Under Armor All-American game. He is expected to boost the defensive line at Texas right away, and add a much needed pass rusher for a team that didn’t have anyone prove they could consistently get to the quarterback last season.
Here is why 247Sports thinks Finkley is someone to watch out for:
The Longhorns desperately need an injection of talent at the edge rushing position. The Longhorns’ leading sacker in 2021 was Ben Davis, who only got to the quarterback 2.5 times. The 6-foot, 255-pound Finkley could slide inside, but the Longhorns would be wise to have him getting after the quarterback. As a senior at Hewitt-Trussville (Ala.) High School, Finkley tallied 96 tackles, 10 for a loss, and four sacks. For a Texas team that is loaded on offense, the defense is still a fairly large question mark. Setting Finkley after opposing passers could solve a lot of problems.
Being an early enrollee gives Finkley a chance to supplant himself at the top of the depth chart, and Texas badly needs an injection of energy and talent across the defensive line.