Steve Sarkisian will step to the mic around 11 a.m. central today to talk at length about the 2024 recruiting class.
The class of 22 is expected to finish as the No. 6 ranked class trailing only Georgia, Alabama, Ohio State, Oregon and Miami. Texas’ 22 signees are are tied with Ohio State for the least among the top 6 classes. Georgia (28), Alabama (26), Oregon (27) and Miami (27) all signed at least four more prospects than the Longhorns.
OnTexasFootball ranks the players in the class within some categories that will always impact Texas recruiting moving forward.
OnTexasFootball final rankings for the class have two 5-stars, 16 4-stars and four 3-stars.
OnTexasFootball 5-stars
Colin Simmons, EDGE, Duncanville (Texas) High
OnTexasFootball Ranking: 5-star
Simmons is by far the top edge rushing prospect the Longhorns have signed in the Steve Sarkisian era. Up to around 240 pounds, look for Simmons to settle around 250-255 over time with high-end twitch and bend.
Ryan Wingo, WR, Saint Louis (Mo.) St. Louis University
OnTexasFootball Ranking: 5-star
If Wingo maximizes his talent, he has high-ceiling NFL potential. There are not many prospects at 6-1.5, 205-210 pounds that have the initial movement skills, twitch, vertical ability and body control like Wingo. AD Mitchell was a low 4-star coming out of high school, and is knocking on the door of being a first round selection. Wingo has even more upside.
The SEC Flips
Xavier Filsaime, S, McKinney (Texas) High
OnTexasFootball Ranking: 4-star
Filsaime is already turning heads in Austin. He’s will be physically ready to compete from day one. The McKinney staff left little doubt how self-motivated Filsaime was on a November visit to the school. Filsaime was the second of two Florida flips in the class.
Wardell Mack, CB, Marrero (La.) John Ehret
OnTexasFootball Ranking: 4-star
Mack is a name that has already been mentioned by OTF’s C.J. Vogel as impressing early on. Mack has very good arm length for his height to go with high-end ball skills. The first of two flips from Florida, Mack will be defensive back only focused for the first time as a player this spring.
Tyanthony Smith, LB, Jasper (Texas) High
OnTexasFootball Ranking: 4-star
The Texas A&M flip needs some time to develop physically, but his football speed is tailor-made for the SEC. He also possesses a 79-inch wingspan at 6-1.5. A lot of upside to go with some of the same characteristics Jaylan Ford possesses around the game.
IMG Academy duo
Jerrick Gibson, RB, Gainesville (Fla.) IMG Academy
OnTexasFootball Ranking: 4-star
Of all the signees, Gibson headed to Austin with the body type most ready for Power 5 football. Gibson is a very compact 5-9.5 and 215’ish. Taking on a linebacker in the hole will not be an issue for the Sunshine State back. Tashard Choice went into Florida and beat out the in-state powers two years in a row for one of the best backs in the country.
Jordon Johnson-Rubell, S, Fort Worth (Texas) IMG Academy
OnTexasFootball Ranking: 4-star
JJ-R has as good of instincts as any player in the class. What did the IMG Academy staff love most about him? Leadership, versatility to play in the box vs. the run and play the pass from hash to boundary. Talent maximization will not be in question.
Going back to Cali
Brandon Baker, OT, Santa Ana (Calif.) Mater Dei
OnTexasFootball Ranking: 4-star
Baker will begin his career at right tackle, but look for Texas to cross train him at both tackle spots. The same as Texas has done with Cameron Williams. Look for Baker to make big strength gains the next few months.
Aaron Butler, WR, Calabasas (Calif.) High
OnTexasFootball Ranking: 4-star
Butler was a highly enough thought of prospect in the cycle that he was committed to both USC and Deion Sanders at Colorado prior to signing with Texas. After the catch, Butler will be among the best at Texas. He’s got elite shiftiness with ball in hand.
Bijan Robinson’s home state
Christian Clark, RB, Phoenix (Az.) Mountain Pointe
OnTexasFootball Ranking: 4-star
How motivated is Clark to be a very good player? He did what few do in the state of Arizona - went through all the hoops to graduate high school early. Clark will be the most violent cutter between the tackles in the program from practice one this spring.
Santana Wilson, CB, Scottsdale (Az.) Desert Mountain
OnTexasFootball Ranking: 4-star
The son of former NFL safety and current NFL executive Adrian Wilson is a rare May graduate in the class. He possesses good arm length at the position, and like Terrance Brooks will head to Texas having grown up with a former NFL safety to learn the game from.
DFW area dominance continues
The Longhorns signed six players from the DFW area all told. That does not include Jordon Johnson-Rubell, who finished high school in the Sunshine State.
Daniel Cruz, OC/IOL, North Richland Hills (Texas) Richland
OnTexasFootball Ranking: 4-star
Cruz has everything Kyle Flood is looking for at center. Overcomes lack of ideal arm length with elite natural strength, quickness in movement skills and reactions, football intelligence, motor/effort and brings some of the toughness/nastiness on the field that Kasey Studdard did.
Zina Umeozulu, EDGE, Allen (Texas) High
OnTexasFootball Ranking: 4-star
The 6-foot-5, 230-pounder had a strong Under Armour All-America week performance. His length and quickness combination makes for a high ceiling. If he pushes for early playing time with the experience in front of him, watch out.
Alex January, DL, Duncanville (Texas) High
OnTexasFootball Ranking: 4-star
January had a tremendous senior season for the Panthers taking home District Defensive Player of the Year honors in an absolutely loaded district of talented defensive prospects. OTF’s C.J. Vogel has already heard some positives about January in the short time he’s been in Austin. Already on campus, January will have the opportunity to play his way into the rotation as a freshman.
Parker Livingston, WR, Lucas (Texas) Lovejoy
OnTexasFootball Ranking: 4-star
Livingstone had a tremendous season opener before suffering a season ending foot injury the following week. Has height, length, enough vertical speed, body control and strong hands. He will just need to have a little patience in year one.
Trio from Houston
Trey Owens, QB, Cypress (Texas) Cy-Fair
OnTexasFootball Ranking: 4-star
Owens enrolled at Texas around 6-5 and 230 pounds. He showed improved movement skills in the pocket as a senior with the ability to make all the throws. Possesses very good trajectory and timing on vertical throws. He enrolled at Texas in a near perfect developmental timeline.
Jordan Washington, TE, Houston (Texas) Langham Creek
OnTexasFootball Ranking: 4-star
Washington got serious about football in the last couple of years. And that made him a nationally recruited prospect in short order. Washington should look fluid and athletic at 6-4 and 250 pounds in time. He has the ability to help stretch the field from the tight end position.
Nate Kibble, IOL, Humble (Texas) Atascocita
OnTexasFootball Ranking: 3-star
Kibble possesses long arms for his height (likely 6-2.5). He’s a rare four-year starter at the 6A level in Texas on the offensive line. Matching physicality at the Power 5 level should not be an issue.
Huge win in CenTex
Kobe Black, CB, Waco (Texas) Connally
OnTexasFootball Ranking: 4-star
Seeing Kobe Black at the Under Armour All-America practices, he hasn’t truly begun to scratch the surface physically. Black at 6-foot-2 and around 210 pounds down the line wouldn’t be a surprise. OnTexasFootball’s Rod Babers loves the patience of Black at the position. He will be one singular position focused for the first time this spring.
One from San Antonio
Freddie Dubose Jr., WR, Spring Branch (Texas) Smithson Valley
OnTexasFootball Ranking: 3-star
Make no mistake, Dubose is a high-end 4-star pure athlete if fully healthy. One college head coach that recruited him called him a “freak athlete”. If that comes out at Texas, he will out perform his OTF ranking.
St. Thomas Aquinas represented
Michael Kern, P, Fort Lauderdale (Fla.) St. Thomas Aquinas
OnTexasFootball Ranking: 3-star
If Jeff Banks chooses not to go to the portal this spring for a punter, that will tell Texas fans just how high he is on Kern’s ability to come in and handle duties as a freshman.
Will he stay or go?
One prospect remains in a little limbo if he will remain in the class. That is OnTexasFootball 3-star and Lafayette (La.) Christian defensive lineman Melvin Hills. Hills spoke with new defensive line coach Kenny Baker last Friday, but had yet to speak with Steve Sarkisian as of Tuesday afternoon.
Class breakdown by state
This breakdown is by where players graduated from high school. Jordon Johnson-Rubell is from Fort Worth, but graduated from IMG Academy in Florida.
Texas - 12
Florida - 3
Louisiana - 2
California - 2
Arizona - 2
Missouri - 1
Class Breakdown by area in Texas
We will once again leave Jordon Johnson-Rubell out of this breakdown.
DFW - 6
Greater Houston - 3
Golden Triangle/Southeast Texas - 1
CenTex - 1
San Antonio/South Texas - 1
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