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Texas Recruiting Notes 2023: Strippers, Monkeys, and 5-Stars


Machinator

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IT

Spoiler

DE/EDGE Ashton Porter, Cy Ranch (Cypress, TX) -2023:

The 6-foot-2, 225-pound four-star has been on the road lately. Stops at Alabama, Clemson, Texas A&M, and Baylor have been on the docket, but he was really waiting for his unofficial to Austin.

“I love Texas," said Porter. "The culture was amazing. I love how the campus looks. I sat down with coach (Pete) Kwiatkowski and he told me how I would fit in the scheme.“

Texas sees him as an EDGE (X or Jack) in PK's scheme, and Porter sees it as a wonderful opportunity. After tallying 32 tackles, 11.5 tackles for loss, four sacks, and two forced fumbles in 2020, his versatility really blossomed in his sophomore campaign.

Any visits or camps lined up through June?

“No sir, I don’t have anything else coming up," Porter said. "But I’ll make a game at Texas in the fall.”

DE Derrick Leblanc, Osceola (Kissimmee, FL) - 2023:

This feels like a courtesy stop. At 6-foot-4, 265 pounds, Leblanc is one of the most highly-sought recruits in the nation.

With 41 offers in tow including Alabama, Ohio State, Georgia, and Florida, he tells IT that the Buckeyes, Crimson Tide, Bulldogs, and Trojans are pursuing him the hardest.

This dude can ball - 65 tackles, 17 tackles for loss, 15 sacks, and forced fumble in 2020. And Leblanc knows what he needs in a college program.

“Education, the environment, high graduation rate, depth chart, and the little things," Leblanc said.

Texas offered earlier in the year, and Leblanc was eager to see the University of Texas. If he returns in any capacity, I'll be pleasantly surprised.

DB Jamel Johnson, Seguin (Arlington, TX) - 2023:

One of the top in-state defensive backs for the class of 2023, Johnson recently tripped to the ATX to get a look at the Longhorns.

At 6-foot-1, 180 pounds, Johnson might project to safety at the next level, but his impact in the secondary doesn't go unnoticed.

Inside Texas: How’d the visit go?

Jamel Johnson: “Nice. I loved it. Great atmosphere. Great coaches. Great players. Great recruits.”

IT: What all did you see on the visit?

JJ: “I took pictures, talked to the head coach and the defensive coordinator, the safety coach, and the corner coach. It was all good talks.”

IT: How has the recruiting process been for you so far?

JJ: “Good. I’m loving it.”

IT: What about Texas stood out today?

JJ: “The atmosphere. The culture. The players that are here. They’ve got good vibes.”

IT: Was this your first visit, or what are some places you have seen?

JJ: “I’ve seen TCU and SMU.”

IT: How is it just to be able to go to college campuses again?

JJ: “Good. It gets me used to it to see what it’s like and see what I love about it.”

IT: Where are some of your other visit plans?

JJ: “Alabama, Texas A&M, OU, USC, and LSU.”

IT: Where does Texas stand in your recruitment?

JJ: “Home state, so they’re sticking out pretty good. I love it a lot.”

IT: Is staying close to home something you’ll consider heavily?

JJ: “Yes sir.”

IT: What were the coaches’ message to you today about how they want to use you on defense?

JJ: “The scheme, me playing safety, me playing corner. I’m versatile.”

IT: What was like talking with Pete Kwiatkowski?

JJ: “Good. He said I fit good into his defense. Sometime they run seven-man DB, so you’re going to play here if you like that.”

IT: And Blake Gideon?

JJ: “Coach Gideon is a great guy. He’s active and you can tell he cares about the kids.”
 

 

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6 hours ago, Machinator said:

IT

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DE/EDGE Ashton Porter, Cy Ranch (Cypress, TX) -2023:

The 6-foot-2, 225-pound four-star has been on the road lately. Stops at Alabama, Clemson, Texas A&M, and Baylor have been on the docket, but he was really waiting for his unofficial to Austin.

“I love Texas," said Porter. "The culture was amazing. I love how the campus looks. I sat down with coach (Pete) Kwiatkowski and he told me how I would fit in the scheme.“

Texas sees him as an EDGE (X or Jack) in PK's scheme, and Porter sees it as a wonderful opportunity. After tallying 32 tackles, 11.5 tackles for loss, four sacks, and two forced fumbles in 2020, his versatility really blossomed in his sophomore campaign.

Any visits or camps lined up through June?

“No sir, I don’t have anything else coming up," Porter said. "But I’ll make a game at Texas in the fall.”

DE Derrick Leblanc, Osceola (Kissimmee, FL) - 2023:

This feels like a courtesy stop. At 6-foot-4, 265 pounds, Leblanc is one of the most highly-sought recruits in the nation.

With 41 offers in tow including Alabama, Ohio State, Georgia, and Florida, he tells IT that the Buckeyes, Crimson Tide, Bulldogs, and Trojans are pursuing him the hardest.

This dude can ball - 65 tackles, 17 tackles for loss, 15 sacks, and forced fumble in 2020. And Leblanc knows what he needs in a college program.

“Education, the environment, high graduation rate, depth chart, and the little things," Leblanc said.

Texas offered earlier in the year, and Leblanc was eager to see the University of Texas. If he returns in any capacity, I'll be pleasantly surprised.

DB Jamel Johnson, Seguin (Arlington, TX) - 2023:

One of the top in-state defensive backs for the class of 2023, Johnson recently tripped to the ATX to get a look at the Longhorns.

At 6-foot-1, 180 pounds, Johnson might project to safety at the next level, but his impact in the secondary doesn't go unnoticed.

Inside Texas: How’d the visit go?

Jamel Johnson: “Nice. I loved it. Great atmosphere. Great coaches. Great players. Great recruits.”

IT: What all did you see on the visit?

JJ: “I took pictures, talked to the head coach and the defensive coordinator, the safety coach, and the corner coach. It was all good talks.”

IT: How has the recruiting process been for you so far?

JJ: “Good. I’m loving it.”

IT: What about Texas stood out today?

JJ: “The atmosphere. The culture. The players that are here. They’ve got good vibes.”

IT: Was this your first visit, or what are some places you have seen?

JJ: “I’ve seen TCU and SMU.”

IT: How is it just to be able to go to college campuses again?

JJ: “Good. It gets me used to it to see what it’s like and see what I love about it.”

IT: Where are some of your other visit plans?

JJ: “Alabama, Texas A&M, OU, USC, and LSU.”

IT: Where does Texas stand in your recruitment?

JJ: “Home state, so they’re sticking out pretty good. I love it a lot.”

IT: Is staying close to home something you’ll consider heavily?

JJ: “Yes sir.”

IT: What were the coaches’ message to you today about how they want to use you on defense?

JJ: “The scheme, me playing safety, me playing corner. I’m versatile.”

IT: What was like talking with Pete Kwiatkowski?

JJ: “Good. He said I fit good into his defense. Sometime they run seven-man DB, so you’re going to play here if you like that.”

IT: And Blake Gideon?

JJ: “Coach Gideon is a great guy. He’s active and you can tell he cares about the kids.”
 

 

Good

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27 minutes ago, closetohumping said:

Ketch is a fat loser

With no insight, it makes you wonder if he has a problem with Sark - or Sark/athletic dept with him and this is his passive aggressive response. It seems like a pattern lately. 
 

that site has gotten really lazy. Worse with Dustin leaving. 

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6 minutes ago, mantis toboggan said:

With no insight, it makes you wonder if he has a problem with Sark - or Sark/athletic dept with him and this is his passive aggressive response. It seems like a pattern lately. 
 

that site has gotten really lazy. Worse with Dustin leaving. 

Dustin's leaving?  Where is he going?  Probably the only guy on that site that has integrity. Ketch will never admit it now, but he's a sjw who has been miserable ever since charlie showed how awful he was.  Doesn't care whether we win or lose, it's just a cash cow for him.

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24 minutes ago, closetohumping said:

Dustin's leaving?  Where is he going?  Probably the only guy on that site that has integrity. Ketch will never admit it now, but he's a sjw who has been miserable ever since charlie showed how awful he was.  Doesn't care whether we win or lose, it's just a cash cow for him.

“Five Tool, one of the premier baseball outlets in the country and one of the biggest brands in amateur baseball” per his goodbye column. 

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9 hours ago, mantis toboggan said:

With no insight, it makes you wonder if he has a problem with Sark - or Sark/athletic dept with him and this is his passive aggressive response. It seems like a pattern lately. 
 

that site has gotten really lazy. Worse with Dustin leaving. 

He was late on Arch Manning having Texas as a leader, and threw contrarian fits on his board when posters mentioned it. He's just continuing with it rather than adjusting to new data (from others), or getting better sourcing 

I have an OBs account at this point mostly because I enjoy the Rivals Mainboard, but this week I'm probably going to switch my account's home board to a different school's so their site gets a cut rather than OBs 

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Roach

Spoiler

— 2023 Cy-Ranch DL Ashton Porter said he felt at home in Austin on his unofficial trip. He said he was “speechless” during the trip just taking everything in and getting to meet the coaches. Porter will return this week for a camp to work out for the staff. He spent time with Pete Kwiatkowski watching film and showing his fit. Porter said that he’s wide open at this point, but Texas has been able to make a big impact right away. He’s been on some big visits this summer and the Texas trip seemed to catch his attention.

 

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2 hours ago, Fud said:

He was late on Arch Manning having Texas as a leader, and threw contrarian fits on his board when posters mentioned it. He's just continuing with it rather than adjusting to new data (from others), or getting better sourcing 

I have an OBs account at this point mostly because I enjoy the Rivals Mainboard, but this week I'm probably going to switch my account's home board to a different school's so their site gets a cut rather than OBs 

I know of at least 15 people that left OB, most of them got hit up by Ketch saying "please don't go, I'll give yo ua free year."

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11 minutes ago, closetohumping said:

Of all the UT 9.95ers, Ketch is by far the biggest POS.  I'm not sure how he compares to the aggy and sooner 9.95ers, but among our guys, he's the biggest one.

Looch probably gives him a run for his money, but as far as I know Looch never robbed a charity golf tournament for his own benefit.

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1 hour ago, Hornlover said:

Looch probably gives him a run for his money, but as far as I know Looch never robbed a charity golf tournament for his own benefit.

Both guys are human garbage. Liucci runs a corrupt extension of the ATM athletic department. He's a propagandist that would make Joseph Goebbels proud. Geoff Ketchum has done more damage to UT athletics than anyone this side of Chris Plonsky and Steve Patterson over the last 20 years. 

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20 minutes ago, closetojumping said:

Both guys are human garbage. Liucci runs a corrupt extension of the ATM athletic department. He's a propagandist that would make Joseph Goebbels proud. Geoff Ketchum has done more damage to UT athletics than anyone this side of Chris Plonsky and Steve Patterson over the last 20 years. 

Any examples you would like to share? I imagine this goes beyond publishing info that should stay silent for the time being such as a commit or coaching hire.

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(CJ Vogel) 5-Star 2023 LB Anthony Hill Details Texas Visit

Spoiler

One of the biggest 2023 visitors during the Elite Junior Day was 2023 Denton Ryan LB Anthony Hill.

Hill’s first trip to Austin left a strong impression in favor of the Longhorns. While things are very young in this recruitment, Texas is firmly in the conversation for Hill. The talented five star has had visited TCU, Texas A&M and Alabama as well and is slated to see Norman, Oklahoma this weekend.

“Getting to be around people my age, the best players in my grade,” said Hill, when asked about what stood out about last week’s visit. “It was cool to be around them. We had a little workout so it was cool to compete against them and everything.”

Among the group of talented prospects Hill was able to connect with in Austin, he named Johntay Cook and Arch Manning as two that he was able to spend time with. Hill said the three of them have a group chat with a couple other recruits in the class that they communicate in often.

Interesting enough, Hill told me he is in contact with Director of High School Relations Chris Gilbert most often among coaches on the Texas staff.

“Since we are all from DFW, it is real easy to talk to him,” Hill said of Gilbert. “I connect with him real easily.”

I don’t imagine this recruitment will have a decision anytime soon. Hill will be taking trips this fall and I imagine a return trip to Austin will be in store. He mentioned the Alabama and Texas A&M game as one he has circled on his calendar early on.

If I had to guess the pecking order 18 months out from Hill’s NSD, I’d put things in order of Alabama, Texas A&M, Texas and then Oklahoma. TCU will be in the mix, though I didn’t get a sense of where the stood this morning. Texas and A&M are close to being interchangeable in positions. OU has yet to host Hill so they are behind the pack. Things are very tight right now and as I mentioned, things can change a lot of the next year and a half.

 

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Roach

Spoiler

— Waco Connally running back Tre Wisner informed Horns247 that he will be in Austin this week. The 2023 four-star prospect is one of the top running back prospects in the state of Texas, and he's been making the rounds. Austin is up next as Wisner said he will be in town sometime this weekend.

— I spoke with 2023 Del Valle WR Braylon James today who let me know that he would also be in Austin this weekend.  Texas hasn't been able to get him on campus since offering, and James has been all over the nation seeing the schools pursuing him.  He will be on campus Friday to see the Texas staff.

 

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6 hours ago, Machinator said:

(CJ Vogel) 5-Star 2023 LB Anthony Hill Details Texas Visit

  Hide contents

One of the biggest 2023 visitors during the Elite Junior Day was 2023 Denton Ryan LB Anthony Hill.

Hill’s first trip to Austin left a strong impression in favor of the Longhorns. While things are very young in this recruitment, Texas is firmly in the conversation for Hill. The talented five star has had visited TCU, Texas A&M and Alabama as well and is slated to see Norman, Oklahoma this weekend.

“Getting to be around people my age, the best players in my grade,” said Hill, when asked about what stood out about last week’s visit. “It was cool to be around them. We had a little workout so it was cool to compete against them and everything.”

Among the group of talented prospects Hill was able to connect with in Austin, he named Johntay Cook and Arch Manning as two that he was able to spend time with. Hill said the three of them have a group chat with a couple other recruits in the class that they communicate in often.

Interesting enough, Hill told me he is in contact with Director of High School Relations Chris Gilbert most often among coaches on the Texas staff.

“Since we are all from DFW, it is real easy to talk to him,” Hill said of Gilbert. “I connect with him real easily.”

I don’t imagine this recruitment will have a decision anytime soon. Hill will be taking trips this fall and I imagine a return trip to Austin will be in store. He mentioned the Alabama and Texas A&M game as one he has circled on his calendar early on.

If I had to guess the pecking order 18 months out from Hill’s NSD, I’d put things in order of Alabama, Texas A&M, Texas and then Oklahoma. TCU will be in the mix, though I didn’t get a sense of where the stood this morning. Texas and A&M are close to being interchangeable in positions. OU has yet to host Hill so they are behind the pack. Things are very tight right now and as I mentioned, things can change a lot of the next year and a half.

 


Wow, I thought we on the outside looking in on that one. We just need to win

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(Eric Nahlin) Parent quotes highlight the Texas recruiting experience

Spoiler

Justin recently discussed Ashton Porter’s weekend unofficial visit but I talked to the 2023 Cy Ranch EDGE‘s mother and she was a fountain of information, not just about her son’s recruitment, but how the staff operates in general.

About 10 seconds into the conversation I realized Chassidy Roussell had a considerable amount of snap and it was going to be a quality conversation.

A little background: she went to Grambling and worked in the New Orleans forensics crime lab before moving due to Katrina. She now teaches science in secondary education.

A few telling quotes:

”The trip was an A+ all the way. I’m looking for questions to ask and by the time I can they’ve already been answered.”

”The staff was very personal, they knew everything about him. We walked in all the coaches were saying hello. I’m ‘like how they know you?’”

“When I heard Coach Sark got the job I knew they’re changing the culture. I know what he stood for, that he knows what it takes to win. We’re an SEC family so I was like okay, let’s go, let’s go.”

“We’re going back on Friday to camp. What I saw just from the football side he can’t do nothing but succeed.”

“The amazing part was he got to meet the defensive coordinator. I can’t say his name [laughing]. He wants to work with Ashton. He had a film study, this is what you‘re doing here, these are your spots, these are the plays you run. He was so detailed. I asked Ashton and he said ‘I feel comfortable in these spots’. He was great, he was informative. When we leave with no questions you know he did his job.”

“The campus is so close-knit he doesn’t need a car. 10-15 minute walk anywhere he needs to go. I love the architecture. The dorms are magnificent. His dorm is right next to the stadium.”

“The strength and conditioning coach, he was magnificent. He broke everything down for us. There was some program if Ashton needed work on his hip or another body part they would have a machine that would identify where they needed to work out, maybe it’s groin, maybe a knee, or whatever to identify the root cause.”

“Academic people travel for road games with the team making sure assignments are being worked on, making sure they get tutoring if they need it. You can do your work on the bus or on the airplane.”

Porter has a 3.8 gpa and wants to major in mechanical engineering. We know the best academic intentions don’t always play out with the football workload, but that’s not a recruiting selling point.

#####

This is a very detail-oriented family and they came away impressed with every aspect of Texas.

These quotes are informative, especially with a family like the academic minded Finkleys coming to town this weekend.

 

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Wells

Spoiler

S/LB Dylan Brown-Turner, South Oak Cliff (South Oak Cliff, TX) - 2023:

Another rising junior that recently camped at Texas is the 6-foot-2, 185-pound hybrid safety/linebacker from the metroplex.

“The atmosphere was great,” said Brown-Turner. “The coaches are great men that I feel I can learn something from. Not only did they talk about football but they also talked about our careers after football and our academics.”

For the unranked product and former Skyline linebacker, this was all new.

“This being my first visit, it was one to remember,” Brown-Turner said. “I would love to come back again. My parents also loved the experience and it was just a blessing to be in that environment with a lot of great talent.”

Brown-Turner joins a stacked defense at SOC with fellow D1 prospects, Kyron Chambers (Arizona commit) and Jayvon Thomas (multiple P5 offers). The athletic head-hunter holds three offers - Georgia Tech, Duke, and KU - and a host of programs keep in touch.

“Arkansas, Alabama, Baylor, Oklahoma State, Houston, Ole Miss, Wake Forest, Penn State, SMU, and Oklahoma,” said Brown-Turner. "I'm open right now."

What was UT’s message for the DFW prospect?

“Texas told me I’ll most likely end up playing the Star (nickel) position because of my versatility and my body frame,” said Brown-Turner. “Some schools are actually looking at me as a nickel/safety.”

 

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Roach

Spoiler

— Texas hosted two major tight end prospects this week in 2022 Greer (SC) TE Jaleel Skinner and 2023 Folsom (Calif.) TE TE Walker Lyons. I haven't been able to reach Skinner yet, but was told by sources they feel Texas had a good showing with him. The Longhorns are hoping to get him back in the fall for an official visit. With Lyons, I was told the visit went extremely well. Lyons told 247Sports that he can tell he's a huge priority for Jeff Banks in the 2023 class. While it seems like he enjoyed himself and will certainly hold Texas in high regard, I'm told Stanford will be tough to top for him.

 

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