AAS: "The Dotted Line: Dylan Wright has picked Texas A&M; where will Texas turn at wide receiver?"
By Mike Craven
Published 8.7.2018
Texas A&M landed another body blow to the Longhorns on the recruiting trail Monday night when four-star wide receiver Dylan Wright chose Jimbo Fisher and the Aggies after leaning toward Texas for most of the cycle. It was a surprising choice, not that Wright picked Texas A&M, but that he did it before his scheduled commitment.
Texas holds commitments from three receivers and wanted Wright to be the big-bodied outside target to complete the receiver position in the cycle.
The Aggies have routinely beaten Texas to the punch this cycle, especially inside the borders of the state, landing commitments from the likes of DeMarvil Leal, Brian Williams and Demani Richardson before the Longhorns could make their big pitch. The same appears to be true for Wright.
Now, this is recruiting, so nothing is set in stone until pen hits the national letter of intent and the fax machine is plugged in. A great season by the Longhorns, coupled by struggles in College Station, likely means some of these early commitments are up for grabs come December.
Assuming things stand pat, however, Texas must get creative to fill its needs at receiver. The goal is to sign at least four prospects on the outside with five a likely number. Herman gained commitments from four-star slot receivers Jordan Whittington and Jake Smith before adding speedy Demariyon Houston to the mix on July 7. All three players are ranked inside as top-175 players nationally and within the top 30 of the wide receiver position.
To date, Texas has offered 19 players at wide receiver. Three are future Longhorns. Twelve others are committed elsewhere. That leaves the four uncommitted prospects currently holding offers should get a heavy push from the coaching staff with Wright now off the board. Not that commitments stop schools from recruiting. Expect Texas to stay on Wright and apply more pressure to Baylor commit and Austin native Jaylen Ellis of Round Rock Cedar Ridge.
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AAS: "The Dotted Line: Comparing the Texas recruiting class to rivals Texas A&M, Oklahoma"
By Mike Craven
Published 8.8.2018
Recruiting services began ranking recruiting classes at the start of the century. Since then, the trio of Texas, Texas A&M and Oklahoma have failed to all finish in the top 10 in the same class. That could change in 2019 because of the recruiting success enjoyed so far by the Sooners and the Aggies. It is the Longhorns that are uncharacteristically bringing up the rear this cycle. Texas holds 15 commitments and its class ranks 10th in the nation, per the 247Sports composite.
A&M leads the pack with the third-ranked recruiting class, though some of that is due to sheer numbers. The Aggies hold 24 commitments, more than any other team in the top 10. Oklahoma is ranked fourth and holds 17 commitments. Let's examine the three classes and look at what is left for each program with the prep season quickly approaching:
Texas
Current rank: 10th
Commitments: 15
Fab 55 members: 6
Top players: De'Gabriel Floyd (OLB), Jordan Whittington (WR), Tyler Johnson (OT)
Need positions remaining: RB, OL, S
Tom Herman and his coaching staff faced multiple issues heading into the 2019 class. The success of the 2018 class which finished third in the nation and consisted of 27 players, gave rivals a talking point on the recruiting trail. The Longhorns adjusted by focusing efforts out of state at some positions. Seven of the 15 current commitments play outside of the Lone Star State and that number is likely to reach double digits by national signing day. The success of A&M and Oklahoma inside the state meant Texas wasn't going to repeat its dominance of 2018.
Still, Texas is inching up the recruiting ranks and is focused on quality over quantity in 2019 after securing its backbone of the future with the 2018 class. The core of the class is at wide receiver, tight end and offensive tackle. Texas did a great job securing commitments from Whittington and out-of-state talents like Jake Smith and Demariyon Houston. The Longhorns hold commitments from two of the top tackles in the country in Johnson and Javonne Shepherd. Herman continues to build depth at tight end with commitments from Brayden Liebrock and in-state talent Jared Wiley.
A glaring need remains at running back. It's the only position Texas has yet to land a commitment at for 2019 and it appears UT will head out of state for a prospect like Derrian Brown, Noah Cain or Trey Sanders. Katy star Deondrick Glass is the only in-state running back with an offer from the Longhorns. The core at linebacker also will be complete if the Longhorns can land four-star middle linebacker David Gbenda from Katy Cinco Ranch.
Texas A&M
Current rank: 3rd
Commitments: 24
Fab 55 members: 13
Top players: DeMarvin Leal (DT), Brian Williams (S), Kenyon Green (OT)
Need positions remaining: WR, DL, TE
Texas A&M is enjoying recruiting success in much the same way the Longhorns did in Herman's first full cycle as head coach. Jimbo Fisher was hired too late in the game to impact much of the Aggies' 2018 class, instead focusing his early attention on building strong relationships with prospects in the 2019 cycle.
It's paid off in a big way. The Aggies are running the state in 2019, holding commitments from 12 members of the Fab 55, which is the same amount as Texas and Oklahoma combined. It started with safeties Brian Williams and Demani Richardson. The exclamation point was surprising pundits with a commitment from Leal early in the cycle.
Like Texas in 2018, Fisher can take more than the 25-man limit in 2019 because of a smaller signing class last cycle. That means A&M isn't done despite already holding 24 commitments. The Aggies are in good position for a few more Fab 55 members like Marcus Stripling and David Ugwoegbu. A&M continued its in-state dominance with a commitment from four-star wide receiver Dylan Wright on Monday night. Wright held an offer from Texas and became the 13th member of the current Fabulous 55 to pick Fisher's program.
Oklahoma
Current rank: 4th
Commitments: 17
Fab 55 members: 6
Top players: Spencer Rattler (QB), Trejan Bridges (WR), Theo Wease (WR)
Need positions remaining: OT, S, DE
Consistency and success is what Oklahoma offers on the recruiting trail, and it routinely pays off in the Lone Star State. The 2019 cycle is no different as the Sooners picked up commitments from a trio of superstar offensive prospects from Texas in wide receivers Bridges and Wease, as well as tight end Austin Stogner. Add in Rattler, an out-of-state quarterback, and Oklahoma's offensive class is scary. So scary that the group essentially won The Opening Final after all being placed on the same 7-on-7 team in Frisco.
With 17 commitments, Oklahoma still has work to do before signing day. The top priorities are finding another offensive tackle, adding help at safety and finding a player or two that can blitz off the edge. JUCO defensive end Jacoby Jones, also a target of Texas, is favored to pick the Sooners and provide instant help in the area for the 2019 season. Targets on the West Coast may fill the voids at offensive tackle. Daxton Hill, a five-star prospect from Oklahoma, is the top target at safety.
Fab 55
1. Garrett Wilson, WR,Lake Travis (6A),Ohio State
2. DeMarvil Leal, DL,Converse Judson (6A),Texas A&M
3. Jordan Whittington, WR,Cuero (4A),Texas
4. Brian Williams,S,Bishop Dunne (TAPPS),Texas A&M
5. Tyler Johnson, OT, Conroe Oak Ridge (6A),Texas
6. Kenyon Green,OT,Humble Atascocita (6A),Texas A&M
7, NaNa Osafo-Mensah,DE,Fort Worth Nolan Catholic (TAPPS),Notre Dame
8. Austin Stogner,TE,Prestonwood Catholic (TAPPS),Oklahoma
9. Trejan Bridges,WR,Carrolton Hebron (6A),Oklahoma
10. Theo Wease Jr.,WR,Allen (6A),Oklahoma
11. Grant Gunnell,QB,St. Pius X (TAPPS),Arizona
12. Marcus Banks,CB,Spring Dekaney (6A),LSU
13. Jeffery Carter,CB,Aledo (5A),Texas A&M
14. Marcel Brooks, OLB,Flower Mound (6A),LSU
15. Marcus Stripling,DE,Mayde Creek (6A),Uncommitted
16. Arjei Henderson,WR,Fort Bend Travis (6A),Oklahoma
17.Marquez Beason,CB,Bishop Dunne (TAPPS),Illinois
18. Jalen Catalon,S,Mansfield Legacy (6A),Uncommitted
19. Demani Richardson,S,Waxahachie (6A),Texas A&M
20. Dylan Wright,WR,West Mesquite (5A),Texas A&M
21. Jalen Curry,WRSt. Pius X (TAPPS),Uncommitted
22. Erick Young,CB,Fort Bend Bush (6A),Texas A&M
23. Elijah Higgins, WR, Austin Bowie (6A),Uncommitted
24. Lewis Cine,S,Cedar Hill Trinity Christian (TAPPS),Uncommitted
25. EJ Ndoma-Ogar,OG,Allen (6A),Oklahoma
26. Roschon Johnson,QB,Port Neches-Groves (5A),Texas
27. Javonne Shepherd,OT,North Forest (4A),Texas
28. Bobby Wolfe,CB,Houston Madison (6A),Texas A&M
29. Branson Bragg,C,Crandall (4A),Stanford
30. Tamauzia Brown,WR,Newton (3A),Uncommitted
31. Jaylen Ellis,WR,Round Rock Cedar Ridge (6A),Baylor
32.David Gbenda,ILB,Katy Cinco Ranch (6A),Uncommitted
33. Kam Brown,WR,Colleyville Heritage (5A),Texas A&M
34. Baylor Cupp,TE,Brock (3A),Texas A&M
35. Deondrick Glass,RB,Katy (6A),Uncommitted
36.Nelson Caesar,DE,Fort Bend Ridge Point (6A),Houston
37.Isaiah Spiller,RB,Klein Collins (6A),Texas A&M
38. T'Vondre Sweat, DE,Huntsville (5A),Texas
39. Hunter Spears,DT,Sachse (6A),Notre Dame
40. Braedon Mowry,DE,Katy Taylor (6A),Texas A&M
41. Myles Brooks,S,Pflugerville Hendrickson (6A),Cal
42. Grant Tisdale,QB,Allen (6A),Ole Miss
43. Jonathan McGill,S,Coppell (5A),Uncommitted
44. Josh Ellison,DT,A&M Consolidated (5A),Texas A&M
45. Steven Parker,DE,South Oak Cliff (5A),Texas Tech
46. Velton Gardner,ATH,Dallas Skyline (6A),Kansas State
47. Jamal Morris,S,Fort Bend Bush (6A),Oklahoma
48. Darwin Barlow,RB,Newton (3A),Uncommitted
49. David Ugwoebu,DE,Katy Seven Lakes (6A),Uncommitted
50. Brannon Brown,OG,San Antonio O'Connor (6A),TCU
51. Kori Roberson,DE,Manvel (5A),Oklahoma
52. Gilbert Ibeneme,DE,Pearland (6A),Texas Tech
53. Andrew Coker,OT,Katy Taylor (6A),TCU
54. Marques Caldwell,CB,Alvin (6A),Texas
55. Thomas Gordon,TE,Strake Jesuit (6A),Northwestern
By Mike Craven
Published 8.7.2018
Texas A&M landed another body blow to the Longhorns on the recruiting trail Monday night when four-star wide receiver Dylan Wright chose Jimbo Fisher and the Aggies after leaning toward Texas for most of the cycle. It was a surprising choice, not that Wright picked Texas A&M, but that he did it before his scheduled commitment.
Texas holds commitments from three receivers and wanted Wright to be the big-bodied outside target to complete the receiver position in the cycle.
The Aggies have routinely beaten Texas to the punch this cycle, especially inside the borders of the state, landing commitments from the likes of DeMarvil Leal, Brian Williams and Demani Richardson before the Longhorns could make their big pitch. The same appears to be true for Wright.
Now, this is recruiting, so nothing is set in stone until pen hits the national letter of intent and the fax machine is plugged in. A great season by the Longhorns, coupled by struggles in College Station, likely means some of these early commitments are up for grabs come December.
Assuming things stand pat, however, Texas must get creative to fill its needs at receiver. The goal is to sign at least four prospects on the outside with five a likely number. Herman gained commitments from four-star slot receivers Jordan Whittington and Jake Smith before adding speedy Demariyon Houston to the mix on July 7. All three players are ranked inside as top-175 players nationally and within the top 30 of the wide receiver position.
To date, Texas has offered 19 players at wide receiver. Three are future Longhorns. Twelve others are committed elsewhere. That leaves the four uncommitted prospects currently holding offers should get a heavy push from the coaching staff with Wright now off the board. Not that commitments stop schools from recruiting. Expect Texas to stay on Wright and apply more pressure to Baylor commit and Austin native Jaylen Ellis of Round Rock Cedar Ridge.
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AAS: "The Dotted Line: Comparing the Texas recruiting class to rivals Texas A&M, Oklahoma"
By Mike Craven
Published 8.8.2018
Recruiting services began ranking recruiting classes at the start of the century. Since then, the trio of Texas, Texas A&M and Oklahoma have failed to all finish in the top 10 in the same class. That could change in 2019 because of the recruiting success enjoyed so far by the Sooners and the Aggies. It is the Longhorns that are uncharacteristically bringing up the rear this cycle. Texas holds 15 commitments and its class ranks 10th in the nation, per the 247Sports composite.
A&M leads the pack with the third-ranked recruiting class, though some of that is due to sheer numbers. The Aggies hold 24 commitments, more than any other team in the top 10. Oklahoma is ranked fourth and holds 17 commitments. Let's examine the three classes and look at what is left for each program with the prep season quickly approaching:
Texas
Current rank: 10th
Commitments: 15
Fab 55 members: 6
Top players: De'Gabriel Floyd (OLB), Jordan Whittington (WR), Tyler Johnson (OT)
Need positions remaining: RB, OL, S
Tom Herman and his coaching staff faced multiple issues heading into the 2019 class. The success of the 2018 class which finished third in the nation and consisted of 27 players, gave rivals a talking point on the recruiting trail. The Longhorns adjusted by focusing efforts out of state at some positions. Seven of the 15 current commitments play outside of the Lone Star State and that number is likely to reach double digits by national signing day. The success of A&M and Oklahoma inside the state meant Texas wasn't going to repeat its dominance of 2018.
Still, Texas is inching up the recruiting ranks and is focused on quality over quantity in 2019 after securing its backbone of the future with the 2018 class. The core of the class is at wide receiver, tight end and offensive tackle. Texas did a great job securing commitments from Whittington and out-of-state talents like Jake Smith and Demariyon Houston. The Longhorns hold commitments from two of the top tackles in the country in Johnson and Javonne Shepherd. Herman continues to build depth at tight end with commitments from Brayden Liebrock and in-state talent Jared Wiley.
A glaring need remains at running back. It's the only position Texas has yet to land a commitment at for 2019 and it appears UT will head out of state for a prospect like Derrian Brown, Noah Cain or Trey Sanders. Katy star Deondrick Glass is the only in-state running back with an offer from the Longhorns. The core at linebacker also will be complete if the Longhorns can land four-star middle linebacker David Gbenda from Katy Cinco Ranch.
Texas A&M
Current rank: 3rd
Commitments: 24
Fab 55 members: 13
Top players: DeMarvin Leal (DT), Brian Williams (S), Kenyon Green (OT)
Need positions remaining: WR, DL, TE
Texas A&M is enjoying recruiting success in much the same way the Longhorns did in Herman's first full cycle as head coach. Jimbo Fisher was hired too late in the game to impact much of the Aggies' 2018 class, instead focusing his early attention on building strong relationships with prospects in the 2019 cycle.
It's paid off in a big way. The Aggies are running the state in 2019, holding commitments from 12 members of the Fab 55, which is the same amount as Texas and Oklahoma combined. It started with safeties Brian Williams and Demani Richardson. The exclamation point was surprising pundits with a commitment from Leal early in the cycle.
Like Texas in 2018, Fisher can take more than the 25-man limit in 2019 because of a smaller signing class last cycle. That means A&M isn't done despite already holding 24 commitments. The Aggies are in good position for a few more Fab 55 members like Marcus Stripling and David Ugwoegbu. A&M continued its in-state dominance with a commitment from four-star wide receiver Dylan Wright on Monday night. Wright held an offer from Texas and became the 13th member of the current Fabulous 55 to pick Fisher's program.
Oklahoma
Current rank: 4th
Commitments: 17
Fab 55 members: 6
Top players: Spencer Rattler (QB), Trejan Bridges (WR), Theo Wease (WR)
Need positions remaining: OT, S, DE
Consistency and success is what Oklahoma offers on the recruiting trail, and it routinely pays off in the Lone Star State. The 2019 cycle is no different as the Sooners picked up commitments from a trio of superstar offensive prospects from Texas in wide receivers Bridges and Wease, as well as tight end Austin Stogner. Add in Rattler, an out-of-state quarterback, and Oklahoma's offensive class is scary. So scary that the group essentially won The Opening Final after all being placed on the same 7-on-7 team in Frisco.
With 17 commitments, Oklahoma still has work to do before signing day. The top priorities are finding another offensive tackle, adding help at safety and finding a player or two that can blitz off the edge. JUCO defensive end Jacoby Jones, also a target of Texas, is favored to pick the Sooners and provide instant help in the area for the 2019 season. Targets on the West Coast may fill the voids at offensive tackle. Daxton Hill, a five-star prospect from Oklahoma, is the top target at safety.
Fab 55
1. Garrett Wilson, WR,Lake Travis (6A),Ohio State
2. DeMarvil Leal, DL,Converse Judson (6A),Texas A&M
3. Jordan Whittington, WR,Cuero (4A),Texas
4. Brian Williams,S,Bishop Dunne (TAPPS),Texas A&M
5. Tyler Johnson, OT, Conroe Oak Ridge (6A),Texas
6. Kenyon Green,OT,Humble Atascocita (6A),Texas A&M
7, NaNa Osafo-Mensah,DE,Fort Worth Nolan Catholic (TAPPS),Notre Dame
8. Austin Stogner,TE,Prestonwood Catholic (TAPPS),Oklahoma
9. Trejan Bridges,WR,Carrolton Hebron (6A),Oklahoma
10. Theo Wease Jr.,WR,Allen (6A),Oklahoma
11. Grant Gunnell,QB,St. Pius X (TAPPS),Arizona
12. Marcus Banks,CB,Spring Dekaney (6A),LSU
13. Jeffery Carter,CB,Aledo (5A),Texas A&M
14. Marcel Brooks, OLB,Flower Mound (6A),LSU
15. Marcus Stripling,DE,Mayde Creek (6A),Uncommitted
16. Arjei Henderson,WR,Fort Bend Travis (6A),Oklahoma
17.Marquez Beason,CB,Bishop Dunne (TAPPS),Illinois
18. Jalen Catalon,S,Mansfield Legacy (6A),Uncommitted
19. Demani Richardson,S,Waxahachie (6A),Texas A&M
20. Dylan Wright,WR,West Mesquite (5A),Texas A&M
21. Jalen Curry,WRSt. Pius X (TAPPS),Uncommitted
22. Erick Young,CB,Fort Bend Bush (6A),Texas A&M
23. Elijah Higgins, WR, Austin Bowie (6A),Uncommitted
24. Lewis Cine,S,Cedar Hill Trinity Christian (TAPPS),Uncommitted
25. EJ Ndoma-Ogar,OG,Allen (6A),Oklahoma
26. Roschon Johnson,QB,Port Neches-Groves (5A),Texas
27. Javonne Shepherd,OT,North Forest (4A),Texas
28. Bobby Wolfe,CB,Houston Madison (6A),Texas A&M
29. Branson Bragg,C,Crandall (4A),Stanford
30. Tamauzia Brown,WR,Newton (3A),Uncommitted
31. Jaylen Ellis,WR,Round Rock Cedar Ridge (6A),Baylor
32.David Gbenda,ILB,Katy Cinco Ranch (6A),Uncommitted
33. Kam Brown,WR,Colleyville Heritage (5A),Texas A&M
34. Baylor Cupp,TE,Brock (3A),Texas A&M
35. Deondrick Glass,RB,Katy (6A),Uncommitted
36.Nelson Caesar,DE,Fort Bend Ridge Point (6A),Houston
37.Isaiah Spiller,RB,Klein Collins (6A),Texas A&M
38. T'Vondre Sweat, DE,Huntsville (5A),Texas
39. Hunter Spears,DT,Sachse (6A),Notre Dame
40. Braedon Mowry,DE,Katy Taylor (6A),Texas A&M
41. Myles Brooks,S,Pflugerville Hendrickson (6A),Cal
42. Grant Tisdale,QB,Allen (6A),Ole Miss
43. Jonathan McGill,S,Coppell (5A),Uncommitted
44. Josh Ellison,DT,A&M Consolidated (5A),Texas A&M
45. Steven Parker,DE,South Oak Cliff (5A),Texas Tech
46. Velton Gardner,ATH,Dallas Skyline (6A),Kansas State
47. Jamal Morris,S,Fort Bend Bush (6A),Oklahoma
48. Darwin Barlow,RB,Newton (3A),Uncommitted
49. David Ugwoebu,DE,Katy Seven Lakes (6A),Uncommitted
50. Brannon Brown,OG,San Antonio O'Connor (6A),TCU
51. Kori Roberson,DE,Manvel (5A),Oklahoma
52. Gilbert Ibeneme,DE,Pearland (6A),Texas Tech
53. Andrew Coker,OT,Katy Taylor (6A),TCU
54. Marques Caldwell,CB,Alvin (6A),Texas
55. Thomas Gordon,TE,Strake Jesuit (6A),Northwestern