Steve Sarkisian – 2021 recruiting class
Number of recruits: 21
In-state percentage: 71.4%
Top offensive player: ATH Ja’Tavion Sanders, 0.9933 OR Wide receiver Jaden Alexis, 0.8933
Top defensive player: Safety J.D. Coffey, 0.9320
National ranking: No. 17
Big 12 ranking: No. 2
Analysis: The jury is still out on what the 2021 recruiting class is going to look like on the field. Off the field, Tom Herman and his staff struck out continually, looking like a dumpster fire at times. The major highlight of the class is Ja’Tavion Sanders, the five-star athlete out of Denton Ryan. Texas has a versatile player on their hands who will make an instant impact as a freshman.
If you look at the top of the class to the bottom, the defensive recruits heavily outweigh the offensive recruits. J.D. Coffey and Ishmael Ibraheem are two defensive backs who will project as future starters. Terrance Cooks, Bryon Murphy, Derrick Harris Jr., and David Abiara are front seven players who could develop nicely into Pete Kwiatkowski’s defense.
Outside of Sanders, the offensive firepower is missing from the 2021 class, especially from the offensive line. Former offensive line coach Herb Hand was only able to sign two players and whiffed on some of the Longhorns’ top targets. Sarkisian inherits a class that will provide depth on the defensive side of the ball. However, he will be left wishing more talent on the offense was acquired throughout the cycle.