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The Stampede: Recruiting scoop from the third and final Texas OV weekend of the summer
QuoteAUSTIN, Texas -- That's a wrap for summer official visit season on the Forty Acres. In all, 43 recruits toured Texas in an official capacity, and the Longhorns are already seeing results in the form of commitments. We've seen UT land seven thus far, growing its class to 15 and a top 10 ranking.
As we've done every Monday following visitors weekend, today's Stampede will focus on intel we gathered on this past weekend's group of visitors.
Take a look!
Horns247's Hank South, and Will Turboff contributed to this report.
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Chace Calicut, 4-star S, North Shore
Chace Calicut and Steve Sarkisian on his official visit. (Photo: Chace Calicut)
Texas had a great official visit with Calicut and he highlighted his time getting hosted by Caleb Chester and Jonah Williams and his meetings with Duane Akina, Mark Orphey, and Steve Sarkisian. The Houston area native is down to Texas, Georgia, and Michigan, but the latest intel suggests the Longhorns and Bulldogs are the teams to watch ahead of Calicut's decision date on Friday, June 27th. Texas certainly has a fight on their hands with the Bulldogs and Kirby Smart's track record of defensive backs. It is close heading into the week and Horns247 still thinks Texas can land the Top247 safety come Friday, but the Bulldogs likely have higher chances five days from the decision. (SCRUGGS)Tyler Atkinson, 5-star LB, Loganville (Ga.) Grayson
Of recruitments I'm most interested to see how they play out over the next two weeks, Atkinson's is up there. Information has been somewhat all over the place with where Texas sits for the nation's No. 2 linebacker. After speaking with multiple sources coming out of the weekend, it's up in the air. You have some that would be very surprised if he wasn't a Georgia Bulldog come decision day, and some that think Texas' charge in this one is enough to get it done. Atkinson has been working out in Austin with former UT great Derrick Johnson, among others. He's become very familiar with the city and campus, not to mention the UT roster that is growing quite a Peach State population over the last year. No decision date is set, but Atkinson is expected to attend the Elite Week in Las Vegas in early July. We've seen other top prospects set decision dates for that time frame, so it would make sense if something comes out of that. It's too early to try and make a prediction. (SOUTH)Kendall Guervil, 4-star DL, Fort Myers (Fla.)
Kendall Guervil on his official visit to Texas. (Photo: Kendall Guervil)
After Guervil made it to the Forty Acres in April, he rated the trip 'perfect' in a conversation with 247Sports, so the expectations were high for this past weekend's official visit, and by all accounts, Texas delivered.
With a commitment date now set for July 2 and another instance of him naming the Longhorns as the leader in his recruitment, Horns247 feels confident that Guervil will choose UT over Florida, Georgia, and Florida State. (TURBOFF)
Kaiden Prothro, 4-star TE, Bowdown (Ga.)
We're still working the phones to try and gather intel on Prothro. He spoke with us before heading home but didn't shed too much light into where he's leaning outside of saying he's considering the schools he officially visited. Georgia has been considered the team to beat, and how could they not? The Bulldogs missed on Mark Bowman and have a recent success rate with tight end development. The same can be said for Texas, though, after back-to-back seasons sending a tight end to the league, and probably one more upcoming with Jack Endries. With that being said, sources on Sunday still felt Georgia held the edge in Prothro's recruitment, with Texas a more likely landing spot for guys like Keawe Brown and Heze Kent. I wouldn't completely write this recruitment off for Texas, though. He wouldn't have visited this weekend if he wasn't seriously considering the Longhorns, nor would UT have brought him in if they didn't believe they have a legitimate chance. (SOUTH)Kosi Okpala, 3-star LB/EDGE, Mayde Creek
Kosi Okpala on a visit to Texas earlier this year. (Photo: Hank South, 247Sports)
Texas entered the weekend as the favorite and left the weekend as the favorite. The Longhorns have been in a favorable position since they offered in January of 2024, and the Burnt Orange are set up to close in the next few weeks. Okpala will have an announcement in the next few days that includes his top four and a commitment date that'll be set for one of the first few days of July. Texas pitched Okpala over the weekend on playing an off-ball linebacker role with snaps off the edge on third downs. Okpala was hosted by Ty'Anthony Smith and also spent a lot of time around Anthony Hill Jr. (SCRUGGS)
James Johnson, 4-star DL, Miami (Fla.) Northwestern
One of the late additions to the final group of summer official visitors, Johnson swapped out a planned trip to Syracuse to see Texas over the weekend, but that may not have propelled the Longhorns to the level of Miami, Georgia, and a couple other lasting contenders, from what we've gathered.While heading out of town, the South Beach native said that he's planning on releasing his plans for a commitment at some point early this week, and the Longhorns are expected to be included in a short list of finalists. If Kenny Baker is able to get this one done with a defensive line class that already ranks near the top of the nation's best, it would be one of his bigger recruiting wins yet. (TURBOFF)
Chris Stewart, 3-star WR, Shadow Creek -- Texas commit
Texas WR commit Chris Stewart (left) and QB commit Dia Bell (middle) and WR target Kaydon Finley (right) on their official visits to Texas. (Photo: Chris Stewart)
Though he did take an official visit to Tennessee as well as unofficial visits to Baylor, LSU, SMU, and Texas A&M, Stewart was never close to decommitting since pledging to Texas almost exactly a year ago on June 25th. Stewart told Horns247 that he told Chris Jackson he was shutting things down the evening of Sunday, June 15th, but the Texas commit wanted to wait until his Texas official visit to tell the rest of the Longhorns' staff. Due to storms in Houston that caused the Stewart family to get home a day later on Monday, the Texas receiver commit was still in Knoxville when he called Jackson and told him he wasn't going anywhere on Sunday, June 15th. Stewart also teamed up with his quarterback commit over the weekend to peer recruit Aledo Top247 WR Kaydon Finley. With his recruitment shut down, Stewart's focus now turns to breaking Pearland Shadow Creek's career receiving yards record as a senior. (SCRUGGS)
Kaydon Finley, 4-star WR, Aledo
Texas hosted the Longhorns legacy this weekend, as UT continues to try and ward off Notre Dame in this recruitment. We've consistently felt that Texas would end up winning out against the Fighting Irish and nothing has changed coming out of the weekend after checking with sources. You could make the argument that Finley is the only true receiver Texas is still recruiting. Jalen Lott is a receiver but has also been recruited to play on the defensive side of the ball. Outside of that, there's not much. Texas has commitments from Chris Stewart, Kohen Brown, and Jermaine Bishop, so the class is mostly put together. UT would love to add Finley to that group. (SOUTH)Calvin Thomas, 3-star LB, Cy Ranch
Calvin Thomas on his official visit to Texas. (Photo: Calvin Thomas)
Since shortly after he received a Texas offer in January, Thomas hasn't talked about the Longhorns, or his recruitment in general for that matter to the level that most of the team's top targets have, and that's made this one a little bit hard to track. Coming out of his official visit, one thing is for sure, and that's that the Longhorns are still a school to watch for as he wraps up his process sooner rather than later.
Nebraska and Michigan reportedly knocked their respective visits with the Houston-area linebacker out of the park, but with Texas being his last stop of the summer, they may be primed to take his commitment in the coming days. (TURBOFF)
Dia Bell, 5-star QB, Fort Lauderdale (Fla.) American Heritage -- Texas commit & Jermaine Bishop, 5-star ATH, Willis -- Texas commit
Texas' two five-star commits were actively recruiting prospects throughout the weekend and have already helped land one Texas target in Top247 EDGE Richard Wesley. Both are locked in with the Longhorns and have put together impressive offseasons with Bell recently becoming the first Texas Longhorn to win MVP honors at the Elite 11 Finals and Bishop having put together unreal performances at each 7on7 tournament he attended this spring. Up next for Bishop is the state 7on7 tournament this upcoming weekend and Bell will return back to working the phones and his quarterback training sessions. (SCRUGGS)Keawe Browne, 3-star TE, Corona (Calif.) Centennial
Keawe Browne ahead of his official visit to Texas. (Photo: Hank South, 247Sports)
Browne headed into the weekend as one of the safest bets to join the Longhorns 2026 recruiting class, and although a commitment hasn't come yet, that still seems to be the case.Before departing Austin on Sunday, the 6-foot-5, 220-pound tight end told Horns247 that he's planning on announcing his commitment at some point late this month or early in July. In the exchange of messages, Browne detailed why Texas has emerged as the only major player to this point in his recruitment, saying that Jeff Banks' proven track record of development has been at the front of his mind as of late. (TURBOFF)
Trenton Henderson, 5-star EDGE, Pensacola (Fla.) Catholic
Texas has surged up the list in Henderson's recruitment over the last 2-3 weeks, going from an afterthought to arguably a top finalist for the Sunshine State standout. In fact, Horns247 believes that this is a Florida/Texas race down the stretch. A decision date is likely to be set soon. Horns247 asked a source close to the situation about whether or not Richard Wesley's commitment affected any other EDGE targets in the class and we were told it would not. Still, with UF being considered the team to beat by most entering the weekend, Texas adding Wesley on Sunday, with it already being in prime position for another elite EDGE type in Jamarion Carlton, it's not hard to envision Henderson ultimately staying home and playing for the Gators. Still, there's likely another week or so to go in this recruitment, and we've seen how much ground Texas has made up in two weeks, so never say never. But UF seems like the better bet as of today. Check with me tomorrow, though. (SOUTH)Richard Wesley, 4-star EDGE, Chatsworth (Calif.) Sierra Canyon -- Texas commit
Richard Wesley with Texas EDGE coach LaAllan Clark during his official visit. (Photo: Richard Wesley)
Wesley shocked the world for the second time in the past two months, committing to Steve Sarkisian and the Longhorns in a Sunday meeting. Coming into the weekend, a commitment coming at all –much less this soon – felt like a long shot, and his decision stands as one of the most surprising of the cycle.In a conversation with 247Sports' National Analyst Blair Angulo, the nation's No. 35 overall prospect said he's "…going to get the best of both worlds at Texas," mentioning the combination of an elite football program and high academic standards as one of the factors into his recruitment. Throughout the cycle, EDGE has been a position where the Longhorns sit well for quite a few elite prospects, and LaAllan Clark will now look to pair a couple of those names with Wesley. (TURBOFF)
John Turntine III, 4-star OT, North Crowley
Turntine's visit was a success, per multiple sources. There's confidence in Austin about where the Longhorns sit. However there's also confidence in Ann Arbor, and you can't sleep on Texas A&M in their quest to try and sign an elite class. Whose confidence wins out? I'd still slightly lean Texas but I — and the rest of us on Horns247 — feel better about the chances for Felix Ojo, not to mention growing optimism on the Forty Acres when it comes to Malakai Lee. I feel comfortable saying this isn't going to be a situation where Texas strikes out with these guys. I believe it's a much better chance of a 2-for-3 type deal, if not all three, which Texas would gleefully take. (SOUTH)-
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1 hour ago, BurntOrange&White said:Bobby Burton
Posted 11 minutes ago
Tyler Atkinson texted Gerry Hamilton following Atkinson’s official visit.
Here’s what he texted Gerry:
“My OV to Texas was eye-opening! This could be my last visit before I make the right choice, and
I really feel it was a great decision to visit there. “
“This was my 4th visit with the Longhorns outside of pretty much living in Austin the past month for training. I have made some great connections there for sure.
The biggest highlight this weekend was Coach Sark! I really appreciate the fact that he took the lead on my recruitment and has been hands-on with everything. That has shown me a lot.”
“I spent the majority of the time with Coach Sark, Coach Nansen, and the defensive coordinator, PK. I also spent time with the Dline & Edge coaches too.
“Honestly, Coach Sark and the entire staff made me feel like a priority, and I could be a key piece to the defense.”
“I feel really good about Texas, and they are one of my top schools to consider.
However, I am blessed to have some great options to choose from. I have a lot to consider from the past few weeks when it comes to my final decision.“
Chat GPT ass reply
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One Cam Williams goes out one Cam Williams comes in
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1 hour ago, texifornia said:
We're looking at.... somebody abroad
It's the French guard they've been talking about for a month I'm assuming
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The Stampede: Weekend intel after loaded Texas official visit slate
Quote
Texas hosted the first of three official visitor groups over the weekend, as they brought in 13 prospects and have already landed new commitments from three of those names since Friday.Horns247 was plugged in to new developments and storylines to watch on the Forty Acres throughout the past few days, and spoke with a number of the prospects to make the trip.
Before the Longhorns bring nearly twice as many prospects this coming weekend, let's take a look at some of the names to watch after weekend No. 1
Baton Rouge (La.) University Lab five-star DL Lamar Brown
Since LaAllan Clark joined the Texas staff earlier this year — particularly over the past six weeks — the Longhorns have been trending up in the recruitment of five-star defensive lineman Lamar Brown. The Baton Rouge standout made his first trip to Austin this weekend, and by all accounts — including his own — it was a success. Brown said Austin was not what he expected, in a good way. He told reporters that Clark is the coach he's closest with in the entire recruiting process — a notable statement considering the number of programs pursuing him.Brown will visit Texas A&M this weekend before wrapping up his official visit schedule at LSU from June 20–22. The Tigers are widely viewed as the favorite, given their proximity and Brown's status as a priority target for head coach Brian Kelly and his staff.
After checking in with multiple sources following Brown's official visit to Austin, the consensus is that Texas has as good a chance as any program in the mix, with some sources more bullish than others about the Longhorns' chances. His commitment date is set for July 10, with two major visits still to come. Miami is also heavily involved.
While it's too early to make a prediction, Texas is firmly in the mix for Brown, and climbing if you ask me. (SOUTH)
Temple four-star DL Jamarion Carlton
Texas is back towards the top of the race for Carlton following his official visit to Austin this past weekend. The Longhorns laid out the exact plan for how they'd progress Carlton from an early enrollee to an eventual NFL Draft pick and it reciprocated incredibly well with the 6-foot-4.5, 260 pounder who owns a wingspan north of seven feet and could end up at either EDGE or defensive line if he was to end up at Texas. Carlton will be the first person in his family to attend college so the academics side of the visit that focused on Carlton's major (communications) and what he can do after college also reciprocated quite well with Carlton and his mother. Texas and LSU are certainly the schools to watch as of right now, but official visits to Baylor and Texas A&M loom large for the CenTex native who is waiting until July 10th to announce a commitment.Carlton is doing the right thing by waiting till then to make the decision as he'll have two and a half weeks between his last official visit and his decision date, and he'll be mulling things over during that time. Though the Longhorns will have to weather the storm that lies ahead in the form of official visits to Baylor and Texas A&M, it seems like Texas put their best foot forward this past weekend as the Longhorns appear to have higher chances in this one than they've had in some time. (SCRUGGS)
Westlake Village (Calif.) Oaks Christian four-star S Davon Benjamin
Top100 defensive back Davon Benjamin returned to Austin less than two months since his last trip in late April. Texas covets the West Coast standout in every role in the defensive backfield. He's considered a Jahdae Barron-type player.Speaking with sources following the visit, Texas continues to position itself well for the elite defensive back who keeps his entire process fairly guarded. We'll see where he shows up next weekend, having now visited Michigan and Texas officially.
It's hard to not view the Longhorns as the trending team with the efforts the whole staff is making to get Benjamin to Austin. That's not going unnoticed either. One source feels some in Benjamin's camp want him on the Forty Acres when all is said and done. Will that influence the four-star DB's decision? Too soon to tell.
The same source views this as a Texas-Oregon battle as things stand, with the Ducks set to get him on campus one of the next two weekends. (SOUTH)
Waxahachie three-star WR Kohen Brown — Texas commit
Brown committed to the Longhorns on Sunday afternoon and chose Texas over Notre Dame, Utah, Ole Miss, Illinois, SMU, and Baylor. A source close to the recruitment tells Horns247 Brown has shut down his recruitment as he's cancelled his official visits that were previously scheduled to Notre Dame (June 13-15) and Ole Miss (June 20-22).A high floor wideout that likely projects to the slot in Austin, Brown hauled in 54 receptions for 1,084 yards and 11 touchdowns while averaging over 20 yards per catch in what's easily the best public school football district in Texas and possibly the entire nation. Now the second receiver in the class behind Chris Stewart, some fans might be worried about numbers at the position with Kaydon Finley, Jalen Lott, and Jabari Mack still in the cards, but a source Horns247 spoke with stressed that Texas is going to take good players and let the numbers take care of themselves.
It's also worth bringing up that things are fluid with numbers due to the fact that Jermaine Bishop and Jalen Lott could very well end up at receiver, corner, or safety if Lott was to join Bishop in Austin. Horns247 is still working to gather more from Brown on why he committed to Texas. (SCRUGGS)
Honolulu (Hawaii) Kamehameha four-star OT Malakai Lee
A lot to unpack with this one.The connections between Texas and Malakai Lee run deep. Get this:
— Lee's player host this weekend was right tackle Brandon Baker. Baker's uncle is Lee's trainer.
— Lee's father used to work with Liona Lefau's father, so the two are close and the connection is strong.
— Lee's mother has a very close friend in the DFW area. They were able to drive down and see the Lee family this weekend and spend a good chunk of Saturday together.
Will that matter in the end? It's not certain, but one thing is sure — the mutual interest between Texas and Lee is HIGH.
Now, a return unofficial visit to Georgia next weekend and a final official visit to Michigan June 20-22 still loom. Alabama got the family in town last weekend.
A source outside of Texas was adamant that they have absolutely no idea — almost to the point of frustration — as to what Lee will ultimately decide.
Checking in with a few sources around the Southeast, and there's optimism in Athens, Tuscaloosa, plus that Crystal Ball pick to Michigan.
The choice will come down to those four schools, with my thinking aimed more towards Texas and Michigan.
A decision will likely be made later this month. (SOUTH)
Monroe (La.) Ouachita Parish four-star DL Dylan Berymon — Texas commit
It was always a struggle to see Purdue beating out Texas for Berymon, and well, Berymon was one of three official visitors that began the weekend uncommitted before leaving Austin as a Texas pledge. The North Louisiana native provides a 6-foot-2, 315 pound frame that'll likely have him playing in the A gap for the majority of his Texas career. Though at first it seemed like it'd be a tough task for Texas to land Berymon with him being an in-state Louisiana prospect that LSU coveted, Berymon eventually decided he wanted to get out of the state of Louisiana and Texas' chances soared, especially when you remembered Berymon has family that lives in Cedar Park.After committing to the Texas staff by signing karaoke to BigXthaPlug's 'Texas' on Saturday night, Berymon put his recruiting cap on as he began working on getting five-star DL Lamar Brown to join him in leaving Louisiana for Texas. It looks like Berymon isn't done peer recruiting either, as he told Horns247 he plans to return to Austin on his own dime to be around for the June 20-22 official visit weekend. (SCRUGGS)
Jackson (Ala.) four-star RB Ezavier Crowell
One visitor we didn't track down just yet … Texas isn't operating under the idea that Top100 back Ezavier Crowell is just going to end up at Alabama. Thinking that many — myself included — have.Christian Clark hosted the talented Yellowhammer State ball carrier, a source telling Horns247 that Crowell had a good trip but is keeping things tight to the vest.
Those kinds of recruitments often feature many assumptions, a dangerous lens to view these situations through.
Now, will Texas get Crowell? I'm not there. But he's one of just three running backs that will officially visit Austin this month (the other two being KJ Edwards and Amari Latimer). Texas wouldn't bring him in if they believed it was for nothing.
I'm still leaning Alabama based off of intel I've followed all spring, but I'm not counting out the Longhorns to pull a rabbit out of their hat. (SOUTH)
Petal (Miss.) four-star DL Corey Wells
The state of Mississippi produces some of the most dramatic recruitments you'll ever find. And for all the drama, most of the time the top recruits in the state end up signing with Ole Miss or Mississippi State. As a former Alabama recruiting reporter, I've seen it time and time again.With that being said, Texas is in the driver's seat for Wells at this point in time, per sources, with a decision coming soon — possibly as early as this week. Wells has no more visits planned, barring something popping up in the next few days.
He spent a good amount of time with Josiah Sharma and others this weekend, getting the full Texas experience.
Texas seems to have set the bar ahead of Ole Miss and Auburn for the 6-foot-5, 310-pounder.
The Longhorns are my pick at this point in time for Wells. Will he sign with Texas? That's something we'll have to follow all the way to December. (SOUTH)
New Orleans (La.) Edna Karr three-star cornerback Hayward Howard Jr. – Texas commit
I don't expect Howard to make anymore visits this month unless he comes back to Texas. There was a Miami trip scheduled next weekend but I don't believe that will happen after speaking with a source close to the UT commit. The Longhorns have majorly won over Howard and his family from all angles. I feel better about Howard sticking with Texas now than I did even when he committed. Obviously things can change but I would be surprised as of today if they did. (SOUTH)Richardson four-star DL Jaimeon Winfield — USC commit
Horns247 caught up with a source this past week that maintained Winfield is locked in with and expected to sign with USC, but, the source did say if a flip was to happen Texas would be the only school that'd have a chance. With Dylan Berymon in the boat and with what the rest of Texas' defensive line recruiting outlook is heading into the final two official visit weekends of the summer, Winfield isn't as big of a need as he'd previously been, but it was still something I felt was worth posting. Lincoln Riley and Co. revamped their defensive staff this offseason, but if it's not enough to keep USC's defense from falling apart this season, Texas is definitely the school to watch for Winfield. And for those curious, Winfield's USC official visit the June 20-22 weekend remains the only official visit on the schedule. (SCRUGGS)-
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Elite 2027 QB Gunner Rivers talks first visit to Texas
QuoteAUSTIN, Texas — NFL legacy Gunner Rivers, the son of San Diego Chargers legend Philip Rivers, camped on the Forty Acres on Sunday, the 2027 four-star signal caller from Fairhope (Ala.) St. Michael Catholic's first time to Texas.
"It went well," Rivers told Horns247. "Enjoyed it. Good talking with all the coaches. Had a good time."
Rivers keeps a very low profile when it comes to recruiting. He's not tweeting offers, posting highlights much, or hyping the process in general.
What about the Longhorns intrigued the Rivers camp to travel to Austin?
"Mainly the coaches," Rivers said. "Coach Sark's done a really good job here. Coach (AJ) Milwee, I enjoyed my time with him, too.
"I talked to Coach Sark after the camp, he told me I did pretty well, enjoyed it."
Rivers didn't report an offer from the Texas staff on the afternoon. But the coaches are still in the evaluation process.
"They're interested," he said. "I'll say that."
What's next for Rivers this summer?
"Probably doing some (visits) closer to home … probably Alabama, Auburn, maybe head up to NC State," he said.
Rivers has a pretty good coach when it comes to quarterback play in his dad at home (Philip is also the head coach at St. Michael Catholic). Did he learn anything new on Sunday?
"It's all at the highest level," he said. "There's a lot of similarities. It's just high-level ball."
With offers from schools like Auburn, Miami, and South Carolina, among several others, what's it going to be that contributes to the decision-making process?
"Development is one thing," Rivers said. "And just the right coaches, my best fit for me, just whichever can make me the most successful."
At 6-foot-3.5, 205 pounds, Rivers is ranked the No. 2 quarterback and the No. 23 overall player in the country, per 247Sports.
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Bummer, least it isn't Georgia
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Not gonna lie I'm looking at some of his highlights and he's playing against dudes that are like 5'5 I have no idea what to make of him
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Pretty funny design choice to focus on the coaches
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Felt like a recruitment that the 9.95ers loved the guy for Texas the past year or two (see: Grant Gunnell) more than Texas liked the kid
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I think we know that this won't stop him from spending big on Tech but at least it's someone who is pro-spending on NIL
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https://www.espn.com/college-football/player/_/id/4877717/matthew-caldwell
Feels like 3rd string insurance to have someone who's been on the field so we don't have to play a true freshman and someone who might want to become a coach after their career who gets to put themselves under Sark
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I know everyone was excited to see us play Mississippi Valley State again but alas
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44 minutes ago, Newy25 said:
He hasn’t been able to find a place he can start.No he stole a fucking car so Tulane let him go
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The Stampede: Recruits Texas helped their chances with this spring
QuoteTexas concluded the spring portion of its calendar on Saturday, capping things off with the Texas Fan Appreciation Day.
Over the course of the last month-plus, the Longhorns hosted dozens of top targets and commits for unofficial visits, setting up for what should be one of the busiest summers on the recruiting trail we've seen.
While UT only added one commitment in the spring (Nicolas Robertson), it helped its chances with a number of others.
Here, Hank South, Jordan Scruggs, and Will Turboff give our picks for who we believe Texas helped their chances with the most ahead of the summer.
DB Samari Matthews
DB Samari Matthews on his recent visit to Austin. (Photo: Hank South, 247Sports)
Texas leads in this recruitment if you ask me. Matthews himself has only gone as far as naming a top four of Texas, Clemson, Florida State, and South Carolina. But after his recent three-day stay in Austin, I believe the Longhorns have set the bar going into the summer."Definitely high," he said of where Texas stands after his visit. "The day they offered me I booked the OV. I mean, Texas was a school I used to always say I wanted that I didn't have. As soon as they offered me I just took the advantage. I always looked at Texas from the outside, but now actually being here and seeing everything that I thought, it came true. They're definitely high up there."
Matthews was one of Mark Orphey's first offers when he joined the staff, and has become a priority target for UT. Clemson is likely the Longhorns' top competition.
Matthews will be back on campus for an official visit June 13-15. He plans to make a decision in early August. (HANK SOUTH)
OT Felix Ojo
Texas has steadily built steam with the nation's No. 2 offensive tackle prospect going back to what feels like last summer, but more importantly, they've been able to build on it throughout the early months of the year and eventually into the spring."It's mainly catching up, occasionally we'll talk ball and he'll take me through what they've been doing with the offensive line," Ojo said of what his conversations with Flood are like. "And occasionally they'll send me clips, like let's say Kelvin (Banks Jr.). They'll send me clips from last year of Kelvin Banks throughout the season and then he'll start breaking it down play by play telling me things. And then he'll look at my game and compare it side by side, and then he'll break it down and tell me what I need to improve on."
The Longhorns have even gone as far to tell Ojo he's the No. 1 target and the franchise player for the burnt orange in 2026, and they've balanced that pitch with steady communication with several members of the Texas staff.
"The communication with the other coaches is great. I've been talking to coach Flood, coach DG (Derron Gatewood), and coach Sark almost all the time, I talk to them every single week. I was actually on facetime with coach Sark last week and we were just chopping it up talking about ball and talking about how each other is doing, and the relationship that we've just been building has been pretty good."
Now heading into the early parts of the summer, the Longhorns' main competition is Ohio State, Oklahoma, and Florida. (JORDAN SCRUGGS)
WR Mason James
WR Mason James at Longhorn City Limits (Photo: Hank South, 247Sports)
In terms of going into enemy territory to recruit a top target, it doesn't get more hostile than Norman, Okla. But that's not stopping the Texas staff from pursuing the talented wideout. James recently traveled to Austin for Longhorn City Limits, and came away impressed.
"Really they were preaching to me about the culture, telling me how well I'd fit in and how they use speed," he said. "The main thing is the pro-style offense and how they get players to the league as you can see the last two to three years. All the players that have gotten drafted, the wide receivers, it's really starting to turn into a Wide Receiver U in my opinion. Really just the development is key from Coach Sark and Coach Jackson, the way they work together and the way they develop their receivers really impresses me."
James saw Daylan McCutcheon in practice and felt he compared to the talented freshman. Sources don't feel James is an Oklahoma lock, despite the Sooners pressing for him. Texas is up against OU, Arizona State, Missouri, and Washington in this one. James is currently set to officially visit Texas June 13-15. (HANK SOUTH)
DB Davon Benjamin
The Longhorns had staff members like Johnny Nansen and Duane Akina that knew Benjamin or folks in his camp going back to their previous stops at Arizona, but Texas wasn't able to really shoot their shot until this past weekend when they hosted Benjamin on the Forty Acres during his first time in Austin. The Longhorns pitched versatility and told the California native they see him playing in a similar role to what Jahdae Barron played in during his time at Texas, and the move seems to be resonating well with Benjamin who saw Barron go day one of the NFL Draft while he was in Austin visiting Texas."They stand very high," Benjamin told Horns247's Hank South following his first visit to Texas. "It's Texas. This is first class. They're going to always prove themselves. They almost made it last year. They probably just had a few tweaks they needed. But Texas is always going to be up there and they're going to keep getting better and better. Coach Sarkisian's inclining ever since he's got here."
The Top247 defensive back doesn't have any official visits set quite yet, but he told Horns247 he plans to take one to Texas, likely the June 6-8 window. Georgia, Miami, Ohio State, Oregon, Washington, UCLA and USC are the other schools in play for official visits. (JORDAN SCRUGGS)
EDGE Dre Quinn
EDGE Dre Quinn with his parents in Austin (Photo: Hank South, 247Sports)
Another Longhorn City Limits visitor that Texas wowed, the three-star EDGE from Georgia came away boosting Texas into his top three. Quinn set a return official visit June 13-15 on his trip to Austin. He has five others he plans to take to Clemson, Georgia, Notre Dame, and Tennessee, and Georgia Tech as well.
"Man, top three," he said after his visit. "Like, it checks off all the boxes with education, the degree here holds a lot of value. Great football. Like I said, great culture. You're in the city, not in the middle of nowhere. You can't say anything bad about it. I'm glad I took this visit out here."
With five other officials, Texas has competition in this one, but the Longhorns upped their chances on his April visit. (HANK SOUTH)
DB Yaheim "Miami" Riley
The Longhorns didn't start trending or putting themselves in a better position until an offer was extended in late March, but it's worth bringing up the old secondary staff of Terry Joseph and Blake Gideon wasn't necessarily super high on Riley and it's likely the offer wouldn't have come about unless the secondary staff transition took place, as Duane Akina was who put his foot on the table and brought Riley to the board as a prospect he'd like to offer and go after.Well that's exactly what happened, and the burnt orange have been trending for the hometown prospect who looks up to Jahdae Barron and Drew Mukuba since the offer went out late March.
"It feels great," Riley told Horns247 the night he was offered by Texas. "I'm just grateful for those guys being the role models that they are and that they've shown us little ones that it can happen and that it can be done. And I'm just thankful for them and that they've been those role models for me and for the other kids around Texas. I also look at their footsteps as something I would want to become because they're very good people and like, Jahdae, he's just a good person and he'll set up goals for himself and he knows where he wants to go and knows what he's trying to get done so he's been a good person to have around me just to know that there's always work to be done."
"It's a good program and they push out a lot of good players to the NFL and that's why it's somewhere I want to go because I've been talking about that since I was a little kid," Riley told Horns247 the night Texas offered. "But I like how LBJ pushed Andrew Mukuba to be the best that he can and put him out there so he could be successful at the next level. So once I went to LBJ my freshman year I had the mindset of just work, because I know once I put this work in it would pay off for sure. And ever since I moved to Texas in my seventh grade year I've just been playing football. I played running back in the eighth grade and my coach told me if I kept doing what I was doing then I'd be great, so I just kept pushing myself everyday to be the best I can and to just show out and this is where it's gotten me. I like Texas but I never got into college football until like ninth grade. I was into street football in Florida, but I wasn't really into organized football or anything like that so once I got to Austin, Texas it just changed my whole perspective of football and how it can change my mom's life and my life."
Look for Riley's recruitment to come to an end following official visits, with the schedule likely being finalized with four June official visits to Vanderbilt, Houston, Texas Tech, and Texas. (JORDAN SCRUGGS)
ATH/RB Derrek Cooper
Derrek Cooper (Photo: Andrew Ivins, 247Sports)
Tashard Choice made it South Florida to check out Cooper during a high school visit back in January, but it was Choice's replacement and Sunshine State native Chad Scott who was able to get Cooper to lock in an unofficial visit to Austin for his first ever trip to Texas that took place this past weekend. Though Horns247 was unable to catch up with Cooper following his trip to the Forty Acres, Cooper did announce he's cancelled his Penn State official visit that was scheduled for June 17-19, and it's possible the Longhorns find themselves on the schedule for that spot. A five-star athlete per the composite, Cooper goes both ways in high school as a running back and safety but is being primarily pursued to played running back at the next level. (JORDAN SCRUGGS)DL Kendall Guervil
Before Guervil scheduled a June official visit with the Longhorns early in April, there hadn't been hardly any buzz surrounding him and Texas. Since he made that change, which saw him remove USC from his schedule, and additionally replace a planned Alabama visit with one to Florida State, there's been a growing feeling around those close to the program that the 6-foot-3, 310-pounder has emerged as one of Kenny Baker's top targets in the cycle.If the feeling was already there, it's grown insurmountably since Guervil made it to campus over this past weekend. Following that trip, the native Floridian told 247Sports' Brian Dohn that the visit was a "10 out of 10", and that based on what Baker showed him, he believes there's a solid fit between his game and what the Longhorns run.
Currently, Texas remains in the mix for nearly a dozen defensive lineman, and have scheduled official visits with seven prospects at the position to this point, but none seem like surefire additions to the program's 2026 recruiting class. While Baker and the Longhorns attempt to flip in-state names like Jamarion Carlton and Jaimeon Winfield, and also try to woo other top recruits such as Bryce Perry-Wright, Khamari Brooks, and JaReylan McCoy, there may be no more momentum for Texas at defensive line than Guervil. (WILL TURBOFF)
RB KJ Edwards
RB target KJ Edwards at Texas earlier this year (Photo: Jordan Scruggs, 247Sports)
Heading into the spring, it had already been known that the pairing of Edwards and Texas made lots of sense. Between the back's motivation to stay close to his hometown of Carthage, his connection to then-coach Tashard Choice, and several other factors, there's a reason why many have long projected Edwards to end up in Austin.
In February, in the days after the departure of Choice to the Dallas Cowboys, multiple running backs that he and the Longhorns were recruited shied away from staying in contact with the program, but that has been far from the case with Edwards, who has spoken highly of new coach Chad Scott.
With only Baylor on his summer official visit schedule in addition to yet another trip to the Forty Acres, and a commitment date already set for August 2, it's hard to imagine that any other school is in a better position to land the nation's No. 2 running back more than the Longhorns. (WILL TURBOFF)
DL JaReylan McCoy
In the time that Steve Sarkisian has been the head coach at Texas, he's only added one prospect through the high school ranks from the state of Mississippi, namely Aaron Bryant. Historically, top prospects from that state have either stayed close to home at either Ole Miss or Mississippi State, or landed at other big-name SEC programs like Auburn, Alabama, or LSU. Now, Texas is one of, if not the biggest name in the conference, and they're more than welcome to host talented Magnolia State products like McCoy.To say the least, Texas has come on strong in the little time that they've truly been in the conversation for McCoy. Even after a 32-day commitment to LSU that ended in early February, the 6-foot-6 lineman hadn't received an offer from the Longhorns, and was actually focusing on the state's other flagship program in Texas A&M.
On March 16, six days after Texas offered, and three days after he posted a top-five list of LSU, Auburn, Florida, Texas A&M, and Ole Miss, McCoy shared that he had switched out the Aggies for the Longhorns in that list, and then quickly planned an initial unofficial visit to the Forty Acres, one that he eventually took over this past weekend.
With a July 1 commitment looming, it appears that Texas has the most momentum heading into the summer and will look to cap things off with the official visit just three weeks before he announces his decision. (WILL TURBOFF)
LB Brayden Rouse
LB Brayden Rouse (Photo: Benjamin Wolk, 247Sports)
Rouse was one of a small handful of Top247 linebackers to receive an offer from Texas in the early months of the spring, and although the program hasn't had a ton of time to hone in on the Peach State product, neither have most of the other 44 schools that have extended an offer, as his recruitment has blown up within the calendar year.
Days before Rouse released his official visit schedule and top four schools list that includes Texas, Tennessee, Michigan, and Alabama, the 6-foot-3, 210-pound backer made his way to Austin for the first time on an unofficial visit where he was one of just a few prospects on campus at the time.
To this point, it's been hard to get a strong read on who leads between those four finalists, but it's clear that the Longhorns have improved their status in this recruitment and will have a fair shot to land Rouse if they continue the hands-on pursuit throughout the summer. (WILL TURBOFF)
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Recruiting nuggets from Texas Fan Day
QuoteOn a day that would have likely been the 2025 Texas Spring Game if not for nationwide cancellations of the tradition, the Longhorns hosted a number of priority prospects in addition to the thousands that passed through campus for the first annual Fan Day event.
With the start of Texas' official visit schedule just five weeks away, this weekend was likely the last time that Steve Sarkisian and other Longhorn staffers will see many of their top options in the 2026 cycle before the summer.
Throughout the weekend, Horns247's Hank South and Will Turboff were in touch with many of the prospects that spent time on the Forty Acres, including a few who may be trending closer towards Texas.
Texas hosted four-star safety Davon Benjamin for two days this week, the California native's first time in Austin. The visit couldn't have gone better, said one source. Benjamin is a high IQ player on the back end of the defense, and multiple sources expressed how impressed the Texas staff was with Benjamin's Xs and Os knowledge. Both Duane Akina and Mark Orphey spent a significant amount of the time with the Top50 recruit, and likely secured a return official visit the first weekend of June. Benjamin is considering Texas, Georgia, Miami, Ohio State, Oregon, Washington, UCLA and USC. He's a prospect the Longhorns are going to press very hard to try and sign. The program only helped its chances this week, too. (SOUTH)
With his offer from the Longhorns coming through in March, high three-star cornerback Camren Hamiel is one of the newest priority targets in the 2026 cycle, and Texas seemingly made a very strong first impression during his first visit to campus. Currently, the state of Arizona's second highest-rated prospect has official visits set to Arizona State, Penn State, Oregon, and Nebraska, but said that because of the treatment he received in Austin, he'll be in contact with Mark Orphey throughout the next few days about adding Texas to that group. Following practice, Hamiel spoke with Michael Taaffe, and said that he was inspired by his story and encouraged about the program and its recent coaching changes in the secondary. (TURBOFF)
Horns247 was unable to catch up with Derrek Cooper, but moments after he passed by members of the media in the middle of his visit, the nation's No. 2 athlete announced that he has canceled a once-planned midweek official visit to Penn State. Based on the timing, Texas moving into that slot for Cooper, who's being recruited as a running back, would not come as a surprise. (TURBOFF)
With LSU, Florida, Tennessee, and Alabama already on his official visit schedule, Texas entered the weekend as a major underdog for three-star defensive lineman Emanuel Ruffin. Based on his comments as he exited the facilities, the Longhorns being a part of Ruffin's summer plans is now a formality, as he said he'll 'most definitely' return to Austin, and that Texas will be a part of the looming announcement of his top six schools. During practice, the 6-foot-4, 290-pound lineman said that Alex January was a major standout. Between that and conversations with both Kenny Baker and Steve Sarkisian, Ruffin said he feels that there's a clear path to success if he ends up on the Forty Acres. (TURBOFF)
Earlier this week, Houston-area EDGE Ezekiel Ayangbile earned a rating that put him in the initial 2027 Top247, and despite not holding an offer from Texas to this point, it appears that will eventually change and he'll be in the Longhorns plans soon. During his visit, Ayangible was able to talk to both Pete Kwiatkowski and LaAllan Clark about a potential fit with the program. In summing up that conversation with Clark, the four-star pass rusher said that both he and the Longhorns' new EDGE coach understand that while he may not grow much more until he steps foot on campus, he could morph into a solid 3-tech lineman. Oregon, LSU, and Florida have all reached out as of late. (TURBOFF)
Another top defensive back on campus this week was four-star cornerback Justice Fitzpatrick, who is the younger brother of former Alabama star and current Pittsburgh Steeler Minkah Fitzpatrick. This is the first of two visits the South Florida standout is going to take to Texas, with a June 13-15 official locked in on the calendar. One source says Texas really improved its standing in this one during the Tuesday-Thursday visit, highlighting the fact that the staff really impressed Fitzpatrick's mother. Georgia is likely Texas' top competition in this one. In fact, it could ultimately end up a Longhorns-Bulldogs battle. Miami is also involved. (SOUTH)
Prior to his Saturday trip, Duncanville three-star tight end Zachery Turner had not been at Texas in several months, and had primarily been focusing on Miami, Florida State, SMU, and a few others more heavily involved. Over the last few weeks, both the Longhorns and Oklahoma have begun pursuing Turner a bit harder, which is playing a factor in those official visit plans. At this point, he doesn't have a return trip set to Austin before a planned commitment at some point this summer, but said that he'd be open to both switching one of his dates in June or taking a visit in the fall if Jeff Banks pushes for that. (TURBOFF)
Elijah Kimble traveled further than nearly any prospect that has been on campus this cycle as a native of Buffalo, but that 1500-plus-mile distance between home and the Forty Acres isn't an issue for the 2027 Top247 running back. Kimble is one of the only prospects that's remained on Chad Scott's wishlist since moving from West Virginia, and that plays a pretty big role in the 5-foot-10 back's hopes for a Texas offer, which he said would be pretty close to the top of a list that currently includes 20 schools. While nothing is currently set, Kimble said that he plans to return to Austin soon. (TURBOFF)
To close things out, there's kind of news on a priority wide receiver target. In between prospects heading out of the facilities, true freshman Jaime Ffrench passed through and mentioned that he's working on getting Top247 wideout and Clemson commit Naeem Burroughs to Austin this summer. Being pledged to Dabo Swinney's staff, the main hurdle to that happening is likely Burroughs reopening his recruitment, as Clemson does not allow their commits to visit any other schools. (TURBOFF)
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2 hours ago, utfan87 said:
This is the kid who got benched during the tournament by pitino right?
No
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Surprised it took this long but feel whatever about it
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Texas Recruiting Notes 2026: They Can't Keep Getting Away With This
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