The most fun aspect about recruiting for Texas fans in the Steve Sarkisian era is the national recruiting approach. That national approach bring quite a bit of intrigue in a recruiting cycle, even for those that cover the Longhorns recruiting. That's because Texas is placing boots on the ground in new areas of the country, seemingly in every cycle. That's makes for fun and intrigue with the move to the SEC just months away.
This morning, I take a look at five recruitments that provide intrigue headed into spring unofficial visits and June official visits. Let me say this, Dakorien Moore is not on this list. He's the prospect Texas fans are salivating about. The potential flip from LSU for a 5-star receiver from Duncanville High could certainly be on the list. He's in a category all his own for the Texas fan base in this cycle.
Jaime Ffrench, WR, Jacksonville (Fla.) Mandarin
The Longhorns continue to expand the Sunshine State recruiting footprint. In the 2025 cycle, Texas is all in on one of the top receivers in the country out of Jacksonville. This is not an area Texas has worked much, but absolutely should moving forward as long as the Florida Gators are underachieving. Can Texas beat out Ohio State, Florida State and Miami for Ffrench? Is that truly realistic? The fact that Texas has two visits scheduled says Sarkisian and Chris Jackson absolutely believe they have a real shot. Ffench will be in Austin for the two biggest recruiting weekends in the 2025 cycle - April 6 and June 21-23.
LSU is another school in the mix, and especially now after Ffrench made a visit last weekend.
Dorian Brew, CB, Conroe (Texas) High
There aren't many recruitments in the state of Texas with both parents of a prospect being Hall of Fame/Honor level athletes at two different out of state universities. That is the case with Dorian Brew. His father starred at LSU (Klein Forest High) before taking home Olympic silver and bronze medals, while his mother is in the Ohio State Hall of Fame for track as well. That alone makes for a recruitment of intrigue, especially with the fact that Ohio State came very close to receiving a public commitment January 24 before Brew backed off that timeline. Ohio State remains very much in the mix, and has the June 21-23 official visit date locked in. LSU is very much in the mix as well with Corey Raymond all in.
Steve Sarkisian, Terry Joseph, Blake Gideon and the entire defensive staff have left zero doubt with Brew and family how much he is coveted by Texas. The Longhorns are expected to receive an official visit (likely June 14-16). And a spring game visit April 20 is also on the table.
Josh Petty, OT, Roswell (Ga.) Fellowship Christian School
Steve Sarkisian, Tashard Choice and Kyle Flood have all had multiple conversations with the Peach State athletic tackle and family members. That alone provides intrigue with a OnTexasFootball 4-star prospect that hasn't been talked about much among the Horns fanbase.
Texas is scheduled to get the 6-5, 275 pound tackle on campus March 22 with his California Power 7v7 team/program teammates. Texas is one of several spring unofficial visits for Petty. He's at Georgia Tech and Georgia this weekend, and was at Clemson earlier in the week. He will be at Auburn March 19 and Florida State March 29. Tennessee is also very much in the mix. His older sister could also decide to attend FSU, Georgia, Tennessee or Clemson.
The intrigue with Petty's recruitment is within in the family circle. The academics at Texas have the attention of Petty's parents, and both were very excited when Texas offered and visited the school in January. Petty's father spent a number of summers at Big Lake and around San Angelo. He still has family in both places.
Josiah Sharma, DL, Folsom (Calif.) High
When Johnny Nansen made a trip to Folsom High in January and offered Sharma, he was still a largely unknown prospect nationally. The one-time Washington verbal has since made a visit to Alabama to reconnect with Kalen Deboer and staff.
In speaking with a source close to the Folsom High program, Texas has continued to be in contact with the 6-5, 300 pound athletic and powerful OnTexasFootball 4-star prospect. The intrigue is when will Sharma first make it to campus? And how much of a role could Sharma and his mother having lived in the Arlington area and still having family in Texas help the cause of the Longhorns?
Matai Tagoa'i, LB, San Clemente (Calif.) High
A top out of state linebacker target for Johnny Nansen in the 2025 cycle, and another chance to continue to expand the Southern California footprint. The hire of Nansen combined with Steve Sarkisian and Chris Jackson provide a lot of history in Southern California for the Texas staff. Nansen offered the 6-4, 195 pound instinctive and quick reacting linebacker in December of 2022. Texas offered Tagoi'a May 11, 2023. Now the two have combined to give the Longhorns a real shot at the OnTexasFootball 4-star with an official visit scheduled for June 21-23.
Tagoa'i has official visits scheduled to Washington May 31-June 2, Utah June 14-16 (Same weekend as Josiah Sharma) and Texas June 21-23.
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