4-star+ RB KJ Edwards commits to Texas A&M

[UT92]

With Tackle being a huge need in this class, a few weeks ago getting 2 of Turntine, Ojo, Lee, Roseborough, or Utu seemed to be a given. Now there seems to be an NIL fueled path to getting none of those 5, but surely not 🤞

[Q]

45 minutes ago, TexasFanatic said:

 

Wait till December 🤷🏿‍♂️

[Bevo92]

These are crazy times when recruiting can flip on a dime.   Gonna be fascinating to watch all of this unfold, not only in short-term, but paying super premium for unproven incoming recruits, how does culture evolve or crumble?   

A small part of me says ‘hats off’ to A&M for finding right mix of messaging (ie.   multiple 7-figures NIl guaranteed over next several years combined with message around playing time early) that resonated with Edwards enough to cause him to cancel OV.   That’s some closing mindset.   The bigger part of me (maybe old school and naive) says Sark has a proven track record of building an elite team, recruiting the right way for the long term.   A&M has built top classes in the past only to have 75% of the recruits defect within 2 years.   

I trust Sark will continually evaluate if he needs to adjust his approach (timing of NIL offers, approach to valuation by player, etc) without sacrificing culture or longterm.   

We missed on KJ which sucks but I look forward to seeing where things land in the end.   Our team is loaded for 2025 and 2026!!  Hook em!!  🧡🐂🤘🏼

Edited 6 hours ago by Bevo92

[Travis Richard]

Running back always a dime a dozen in the portal and can easily backfill with a local high school low 4 star/3 star to fill a spot worst case scenario. Staff already has 2 DTs from the Southeast and looking good for a 3rd to commit this week. Biggest problem in recruiting for a decade plus has been the trenches and choosing to look at the bright side that it appears we’ve finally fixed our glaring weakness. 

[817 Boxing B]

I just talked about this... we all lost our 💩 when DK chose the Ducks. We will survive... and we will get a talented guy to carry the rock, guaranteed. Kenny Baker was behind the 8 ball too... remember? Sark and this staff haven't let us down before... and I don't give a 🐀's 🍑 who they sign.. they're still little brother. They'll Aggie it up somehow...

 

🤘🏿💪🏾

[thatdude2]

5 minutes ago, 817 Boxing B said:

I just talked about this... we all lost our 💩 when DK chose the Ducks. We will survive... and we will get a talented guy to carry the rock, guaranteed. Kenny Baker was behind the 8 ball too... remember? Sark and this staff haven't let us down before... and I don't give a 🐀's 🍑 who they sign.. they're still little brother. They'll Aggie it up somehow...

 

🤘🏿💪🏾

And we still signed a better receiving class than Oregon.

[Orange Guitar]

The sky is falling!  Yawn...   I think all these guys know playing time is quicker there and the bag is bigger. Let's see what another mediocre year does to their recruiting class.

[Bobbers]

1 hour ago, TexasLonghorns said:

The staff’s priority is a gadget back? The sour grapes here is astounding 

I didn't call him a gadget back- you did. 

I called him the best running back I have seen this year in an earlier post.  Gerry pointed out that KJ is one of the three best backs in the country.

 However, he is not a five-star running back that can play first, second, and third down and get you 30 carries a game.  

It's pretty clear to me that Texas A&M paid him more money than Sark was going to pay him.  If Aggy wants to pay him five star money, then they are making a mistake.

Part of winning this nil game is not overpaying for players.  Overpaying for players creates resentment on the team, and it kills your depth.

I think KJ would be an incredible Plus for the Longhorns coming out of the backfield on 3rd down.  I wish he signed with the Longhorns but I'm glad that Sark didn't overpay for him.

[Steamboat Willie]

Wait, What?

[Sundancekid]

Just win baby. If our running backs look good this year we will fill our scholarships. Texas has always produced NFL running backs.

[Blackshan]

At this point in the cycle I feel like there is no need to worry.  This isn’t the first time this has happened.  Also, in this situation think how many times Sark and the coaches have kept recruiting eventually getting exactly who they wanted or needed for their scheme and fit.  Hook’em!!! 

[Flynn]

55 minutes ago, Q said:

Wait till December 🤷🏿‍♂️

Couldn’t help myself lol

[Assistant Regional Manager]

11 minutes ago, Sundancekid said:

Just win baby. If our running backs look good this year we will fill our scholarships. Texas has always produced NFL running backs.

If this were true, we wouldn't be in the current situation we are in.

We are going to be fine, but this is 2025. We need to stop pretending like "winning" and "positions looking good on the field" is going to magically fill recruiting needs. If that were the case, A&M would sign classes ranked in the 20s every year. 

[Hashtag]

4 minutes ago, Assistant Regional Manager said:

If this were true, we wouldn't be in the current situation we are in.

We are going to be fine, but this is 2025. We need to stop pretending like "winning" and "positions looking good on the field" is going to magically fill recruiting needs. If that were the case, A&M would sign classes ranked in the 20s every year. 

People need to look at recruiting as a business and quit looking at it like it’s anything but transactional. 

[Joe Naural]

A&m has no choice!!  They can only throw $$$$ 

rbs are a dime a dozen

whats critical is our offensive lines….defensive lines

Grab a portal rb  who wouldnt want to run behind that line! 
 

Season has yet to play out….. and id put my money on Sark …. To come n close on at least

1-2 of comitted  recruits will peel off come the season … jump ship take only the elite

get the rest thru portal.  
 

i wouldnt get in a bidding war mid summer…. Wait til dec for rb n wr … Lbs  

coaches will be fired… teams will lose

Sark is right where he needs to be…. Saving his dry powder for ehen it counts!

 

 

[chennups]

It's Texas.  we'll find a RB or 2.  Tashard Choice did not leave the cupboard bare.  Need a bell cow/thumper back and speed back.  

The Sky is not falling as others have said.  Sark has shown he is a great recruiter and he typically hires the same.  We'll be ok.

 

[tommym]

Right now Texas sticks to getting there guys. The priority is defensive linemen and offensive line in this class. We get good athletes that can multiple positions. Reset the board at running back, start looking ahead til 2027. But, texas won't reach on guy just to get two running backs. We have to trust the process, but we lost out on Bowman, Edward's, and rosenborough. The reason probably we weren't going to pay crazy NLI and create chaos in the locker room.

[Longhornfrenzy]

Sark likes to play the long game. I will trust him & the staff until there is a reason not to.🤘🏼

[Jarveaux]

What’s going on in College Station that we don’t know about? 

[Cujonation83]

28 minutes ago, Hashtag said:

People need to look at recruiting as a business and quit looking at it like it’s anything but transactional. 

This is it right here 👏🏿 

[SB21]

1 hour ago, Orange Guitar said:

The sky is falling!  Yawn...   I think all these guys know playing time is quicker there and the bag is bigger. Let's see what another mediocre year does to their recruiting class.

This right here. Easier path to playing time and more money…. Not everyone is willing to sit and work for PT then you mix in more money (we assume) doesn’t surprise you when kids pick that route. 
 

wish em luck and move on. We’ll see how it plays out 

[justwinbaby]

Guess it’s time to do the Wile E Coyote and go off the cliff while chasing the roadrunner.   I’ll follow up what Sarkisian has said about every class, come back in December.

[PinchPullPancake]

MISS ON BALL

MISS ON OSBORNE

MISS ON EDWARDS

Not good if we can’t close on an instate top running back.

[Lnghrn]

1 hour ago, Bobbers said:

I didn't call him a gadget back- you did. 

I called him the best running back I have seen this year in an earlier post.  Gerry pointed out that KJ is one of the three best backs in the country.

 However, he is not a five-star running back that can play first, second, and third down and get you 30 carries a game.  

It's pretty clear to me that Texas A&M paid him more money than Sark was going to pay him.  If Aggy wants to pay him five star money, then they are making a mistake.

Part of winning this nil game is not overpaying for players.  Overpaying for players creates resentment on the team, and it kills your depth.

I think KJ would be an incredible Plus for the Longhorns coming out of the backfield on 3rd down.  I wish he signed with the Longhorns but I'm glad that Sark didn't overpay for him.

Overpaying when you have a salary cap under the new house settlement is going to catch-up over time.  

[Hashtag]

5 minutes ago, PinchPullPancake said:

MISS ON BALL

MISS ON OSBORNE

MISS ON EDWARDS

Not good if we can’t close on an instate top running back.

But what if we close on equally ranked OOS RB?