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


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Roach, on Toviano and Kaiuway.

 

Spoiler

 

— I spoke with five-star Arlington Martin cornerback Javien Toviano yesterday at his district track meet. The elite corner is coming off of a visit to Texas A&M and it sounds like the Aggies have definitely put themselves front and center in the recruitment. Toviano was supposed to visit Texas a few weeks ago but had a family emergency come up and couldn't make it. He said that he's planning to be in Austin either this weekend or for the spring game next weekend. Oregon is also slated to get a visit and Toviano is looking at setting up his official visits. He also said that a top schools cut is coming this weekend and I'd expect both Texas and Texas A&M to make it. He also already has an official visit set up for Georgia during the month of June. Toviano is still talking about carrying his decision to the fall so we will see if he sticks to that timeline.

— Arlington Sam Houston tight end Lafayette Kaiuway is slated to be back in Austin this weekend. The priority Texas target is scheduled to see Oklahoma Friday and Texas on Saturday. The Longhorns continue to hold a strong position in this recruitment along with North Carolina. Kaiuway is looking to set his officials up this summer and make a decision before the season starts. The Longhorns got in very early and he's visited Austin more than any campus. Jeff Banks has been doing a strong job building the relationship with Kaiuway, and he's interested in the ways he could be used in this offense. Kaiuway mentioned wanting to see how Texas used Jahleel Billingsley this weekend as a template to how he could fit into the offense.

 

 

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SIAP.

Interesting comments about Hale, in the article and the thread (included below).

 

Longhorns welcome talent group of recruits to campus for Easter weekend

Hudson Standish

 

Spoiler

 

Longhorns welcome talent group of recruits to campus for Easter weekend

Hudson Standish

 

After hosting a smaller group of recruits last weekend due to the annual Texas coaches clinic, the Texas Longhorns are expected to bring in a large group of quality prospects this weekend including one five-star and a plethora of four-star targets. Here are some of the bigger names we expect to be on campus this weekend.

Markis Deal, OL/DL, Garland Naaman Forest— Mike talked with a source close to the two-way standout that confirmed he is currently on campus for a visit. Defensive line coach Bo Davis has done a tremendous job in this recruitment, and Texas seems to be in the top grouping for Deal.

Jalen Hale, WR, Longview— Early on in Hale's recruiting process I was certain the bEast Texas native would end up at either OU or Texas A&M, now with both of those schools seemingly cooling and Alabama undecided on whether they'll push for his signature or not Texas could have a major opportunity to make up ground.

Anthony White, ATH, Abernathy— I mentioned on the podcast last night that White was one of the prospects I was most excited to see make it back to campus this weekend. The small-school standout is being recruited as a safety for Texas and Blake Gideon has done a great job keeping the Horns in a good spot with hometown(ish) Texas Tech and Oklahoma in strong positions as well.

Lafayette Kaiuway, TE, Arlington Sam Houston— The 6-foot-5 tight end with two Texas crystal ball predictions is currently on the Oklahoma campus, but plans to make another trip to Austin tomorrow. Kaiuway has visited Austin three times since the end of the 2021 season and is one of Jeff Banks' primary targets in the 2023 cycle.

Javien Toviano, CB, Arlington Martin MAYBE— Yesterday Mike broke the news that elite corner Javien Toviano plans to visit Texas either this weekend or for next weekend's spring game. With Texas A&M surging in Toviano's recruitment/the 2023 DB class it's imperative that Texas makes a statement when they get the five-star cornerback on the Forty Acres.

Colin Simmons, EDGE, Duncanville (2024)— The 247 Sports composite five-star is next up at the state of Texas' number one prospect factory and will make his second trip to Austin this offseason. Simmons was offered early by Texas during his sophomore campaign and is high on the Longhorns.

Derrick McFall, ATH, Tyler (2024)— Texas was the first school to offer the Tyler High athlete that projects to running back at the next level. McFall is fresh off of a visit to Texas A&M and recently picked up an Alabama offer.

Xadavien Sims, DL, Sherman (2024)— Sims ranks as the No. 59 overall prospect in the 2024 cycle according to 247 and an offer from Texas wouldn't surprise me in the slighest.

Daniel Calhoun, OL, Roswell (GA) Centennial (2024)— The top 100 overall prospect is one of the better offensive linemen expected to be on campus this weekend. At 6-foot-6, 350 pounds Calhoun clearly fits the Kyle Flood mold on the offensive line.

Two 2025's to watch:

Quanell X Farrakhan Jr., WR, The Woodlands— One of the best 25's we've seen on the 7v7 circuit this offseason, played varsity as a freshman at Conroe Grand Oaks and recently transferred to The Woodlands.

Roy Thomas Jenkins, QB, Beaumont Kelly— SETX signal-caller that has picked up a ton of college interest early.


 

image.thumb.png.c168aabc4ab0c337340fca298ec6ccb9.png

 

 

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1 hour ago, Getafix said:

 

SIAP.

Interesting comments about Hale, in the article and the thread (included below).

 

Longhorns welcome talent group of recruits to campus for Easter weekend

Hudson Standish

 

  Reveal hidden contents

 

Longhorns welcome talent group of recruits to campus for Easter weekend

Hudson Standish

 

After hosting a smaller group of recruits last weekend due to the annual Texas coaches clinic, the Texas Longhorns are expected to bring in a large group of quality prospects this weekend including one five-star and a plethora of four-star targets. Here are some of the bigger names we expect to be on campus this weekend.

Markis Deal, OL/DL, Garland Naaman Forest— Mike talked with a source close to the two-way standout that confirmed he is currently on campus for a visit. Defensive line coach Bo Davis has done a tremendous job in this recruitment, and Texas seems to be in the top grouping for Deal.

Jalen Hale, WR, Longview— Early on in Hale's recruiting process I was certain the bEast Texas native would end up at either OU or Texas A&M, now with both of those schools seemingly cooling and Alabama undecided on whether they'll push for his signature or not Texas could have a major opportunity to make up ground.

Anthony White, ATH, Abernathy— I mentioned on the podcast last night that White was one of the prospects I was most excited to see make it back to campus this weekend. The small-school standout is being recruited as a safety for Texas and Blake Gideon has done a great job keeping the Horns in a good spot with hometown(ish) Texas Tech and Oklahoma in strong positions as well.

Lafayette Kaiuway, TE, Arlington Sam Houston— The 6-foot-5 tight end with two Texas crystal ball predictions is currently on the Oklahoma campus, but plans to make another trip to Austin tomorrow. Kaiuway has visited Austin three times since the end of the 2021 season and is one of Jeff Banks' primary targets in the 2023 cycle.

Javien Toviano, CB, Arlington Martin MAYBE— Yesterday Mike broke the news that elite corner Javien Toviano plans to visit Texas either this weekend or for next weekend's spring game. With Texas A&M surging in Toviano's recruitment/the 2023 DB class it's imperative that Texas makes a statement when they get the five-star cornerback on the Forty Acres.

Colin Simmons, EDGE, Duncanville (2024)— The 247 Sports composite five-star is next up at the state of Texas' number one prospect factory and will make his second trip to Austin this offseason. Simmons was offered early by Texas during his sophomore campaign and is high on the Longhorns.

Derrick McFall, ATH, Tyler (2024)— Texas was the first school to offer the Tyler High athlete that projects to running back at the next level. McFall is fresh off of a visit to Texas A&M and recently picked up an Alabama offer.

Xadavien Sims, DL, Sherman (2024)— Sims ranks as the No. 59 overall prospect in the 2024 cycle according to 247 and an offer from Texas wouldn't surprise me in the slighest.

Daniel Calhoun, OL, Roswell (GA) Centennial (2024)— The top 100 overall prospect is one of the better offensive linemen expected to be on campus this weekend. At 6-foot-6, 350 pounds Calhoun clearly fits the Kyle Flood mold on the offensive line.

Two 2025's to watch:

Quanell X Farrakhan Jr., WR, The Woodlands— One of the best 25's we've seen on the 7v7 circuit this offseason, played varsity as a freshman at Conroe Grand Oaks and recently transferred to The Woodlands.

Roy Thomas Jenkins, QB, Beaumont Kelly— SETX signal-caller that has picked up a ton of college interest early.


 

image.thumb.png.c168aabc4ab0c337340fca298ec6ccb9.png

 

 

I'm truly curious if he's a take at the moment. He's not for bama, GA or tosu.

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Spoiler

Texas is heading into its final week of spring football and the spring evaluation period started on Friday. High schools are going back to work practicing in the next few weeks and coaches will soon hit the road for the all-important spring evaluation period.

At all colleges, the evaluation process is ongoing and constantly changing. At Texas, that much is true, and spring evaluations are a huge part of the process for coaches and the recruiting department. For the first time since the fall, coaches will be able to see recruits in action during practices and spring games.

As we head into the evaluation period, it’s time to take stock of what the current board looks like and how it could evolve during the spring.

In this week’s edition of The Stampede, Horns247’s weekly gathering of recruiting intel, we reset the board and look at spots that could change during the evaluation period.

QUARTERBACK
There haven’t been any changes here. Texas is all-in on five-star quarterback and No. 1 overall prospect Arch Manning. AJ Milwee has been a frequent visitor to New Orleans during the fall and early spring, and I’m not sure the spring period will change anything here. The goal is to land Manning and there don’t appear to be any key backup plans at the moment. If Manning were to commit elsewhere, we could definitely see the staff move on a guy like Jaden Rashada and try to get into that recruitment. For now, Texas appears to still be in a great position with Manning as we head into what we expect to be the final few months of his recruitment.

RUNNING BACK

(Photo: Mike Roach, 247Sports)
 

Five-star running back Rueben Owens still sits atop the board with Tashard Choice and Brandon Harris working heavy-duty to bring the former Texas commit back into the fold. In what we expect to be a two-man class at the position, the second position is still wide open. Texas hosted Cedric Baxter a few weeks ago, but still appear to be a longer shot to land him. Four-star back John Randle Jr. is an intriguing option after recently being offered as well. Tre Wisner and Cameron Cook are two in-state prospects the staff will continue to pursue while Javin Simpkins recently put Texas in his final group. One name that’s intriguing on the board is Wichita falls Hirschi back A’Marion Peterson. There hasn’t been a ton there since Texas offered, so watching to see how much attention Texas pays to him during the spring could be instructive in seeing where he fits in. Could more targets emerge during the spring eval period? Two guys to keep an eye on are Quentin Joyner of Manor and Kedrick Reescano of New Caney who could possibly be offered after a look this spring.

WIDE RECEIVER
Brennan Marion has plenty of options to fill out his class. With a big need for dynamic athletes, Marion is well-positioned and has a big group to choose from. Johntay Cook remains the top target as the battle heats up between Texas and Texas A&M with schools like LSU and Alabama also in the picture. Jaquaize Pettaway, Ryan Niblett, Jalen Hale, Jaden Greathouse, Jonah Wilson and Kyle Parker round out a talented in-state group. Out-of-state prospects DeAndre Moore and Jalen Brown remain as options as well, though Texas will have to face bigger obstacles to land those elite receivers. One receiver to watch during the evaluation period is Arkansas wide receiver commit Anthony Evans who has been burning up the track this off-season and just recorded a blazing 10.27 100 meter time.

TIGHT END

Lafayette Kaiuway (Photo: Mike Roach, 247Sports)
This is one position where the spring eval period could produce some more names. For now, the two main names to focus on are Lafayette Kaiuway and Will Randle. Kaiuway is a vertical receiving threat with big play ability and Texas has the advantage after being one of the first programs to offer. Kaiuway will be on campus this weekend and is a huge priority for Jeff Banks. With a summer decision planned, the spring will be for continuing the relationship and pushing to close the deal. Randle is somewhat attached to friend and teammate Arch Manning and Texas has done a good enough job to land him regardless.

OFFENSIVE LINE
This is one spot where a tight group has formed and seems to be standing out. Kyle Flood has been engaged with Ian Reed, Jaydon Chatman, Harris Sewell, Connor Stroh and Andre Cojoe. Isaiah Robinson and TJ Shanahan are two players also on the board but Texas appears to be on the outside for both. Elsewhere, Chase Bisontis, Zay Alexander, Francis Mauigoa, Vysen Lang and Malachi Breland are out of state prospects the staff continues to push for. Markis Deal and Zalance Heard qualify as targets Texas is still high up with but they could land on both sides of the ball. Flood has been able to do a great job with the core group of Reed, Chatman, Sewell, Stroh and Cojoe, though a recent offer from Texas A&M to Stroh could possibly change the game for him as his family attended school in College Station. Regardless, Texas is still in a good position to follow up their strong 2022 class with a good group in 2023. One name to watch in state during the evaluation period is South Oak Cliff offensive tackle Narado Stoker. The tackle prospect known as “Big Mike” was a pillar on SOC’s offensive line that helped pave the way for a state championship, and he should be in for a big rise this spring when more schools get out to see him. Melissa’s Trevor Goosby is another monstrous tackle frame that has been to Texas a few times.

DEFENSIVE LINE

2023 DE Dylan Spencer (Photo: Brian Perroni, 247Sports)
 

With one commit on board already in Dylan Spencer, Texas is active in pursuing a few different targets. While Texas appears to be on the outside right now for the elites like David Hicks and Jordan Renaud, they remain in the hunt for Avion Carter, Ashton Porter, Samu Taumanupepe and Sydir Mitchell who visited over the weekend. Texas A&M commits Johnny Bowens and Anthony James have also talked about possibly visiting, but it doesn’t seem like there’s much chance there right now. This position seems to have potential for a lot of changes as commitments could change the math and squeeze some prospects out if they don’t get their spot quick enough. I could also see some potential offers going out at the position with names like Terrance Green, Trey Wilson and Enow Etta as possible names to watch during the evaluation period.

EDGE
If you want a look at a position with a wide variance of floor and ceiling, the EDGE position is the right place to look. Desmond Umeozulu, Billy Walton and Braylan Shelby are the guys Texas stands in the best position for right now, and we’ll see what the spring brings for Austin Westlake prospect Colton Vasek. National prospects Matayo Uiagalelei, Tausili Akana and Bai Jobe are also names that could factor in down the line though they represent longshots from an odds perspective. Texas could close the deal with Walton soon and a summer commitment from Shelby wouldn’t be out of the question. Prospects that could emerge during the eval period include Princewill Umanmielen and Parish Episcopal prospect Tre Williams.

LINEBACKER

Anthony Hill (Photo: Mike Roach, 247Sports)
 

One piece of the puzzle is in with S’Maje Burrell on the commitment list, and Choate is keyed in on elite prospects Anthony Hill and Derion Gullette. With some tough battles ahead for those two, Texas will use the spring to look at some of their other options like Brad Spence, Johnathan Hall and Jayven Anderson who all have multi-position versatility. National prospects like Liona Lefau remain options and will likely officially visit, but that will be a tough task for the Longhorns to finish the job. This is an important position for Texas in this class, and the spring could bring potential new offers. Two intriguing names in the state of Texas that should get a good look are Corey Kelly and Kylan Salter along with Franklin’s Bryson Washington and Melissa’s Caleb Otlewski who could play on the edge or off the ball at linebacker.

CORNERBACK
Texas lost a few targets in the last week but the top of the board remains Jordan Matthews and Javien Toviano. Both are big, fast corner prospects with shutdown ability on the outside. Texas has been able to surge at times with Toviano, but his recruitment has gone through changes after seemingly every visit. TayShawn Wilson and Rodrick Pleasant are two other players to watch at the position as Texas looks to fill out the board. Malik Muhammad is also in the conversation, but Texas A&M looks primed to grab him at this time. The spring could give us some more clarity on names like Jasiah Wagoner, Chance Rucker and Vernon Glover who all hold offers. Prospects who could earn offers include Jaylon Braxton and Jacoby Davis.

SAFETY/NICKEL

Tyler Turner (Photo: Mike Roach, 247Sports)
2
COMMENTS
 

The Longhorns have a commitment from Jamel Johnson and will move forward into the spring looking to solidify the board. Dalton Brooks of Shiner hasn’t been very active with visits this spring, but he’s still a huge priority for Blake Gideon. Texas is also pushing for New Iberia (LA.) Westgate elite safety Derek Williams and hosted Makari Vickers in January. West-Orange Stark athlete Jamaal Shaw can play several positions in the secondary while San Antonio Brennan safety Tyler Turner is emerging as a priority for Texas. Mikal Harrison-Pilot and Anthony White are two-way prospects who will likely line up at safety at the next level. Spring should provide some clarity with Deldrick Madison, Daniel Demery and Braxton Myers who all remain on the board for the Longhorns. Mansfield Timberview safety Jordan Sanford is a player who could earn an offer after the evaluation period as the rising prospect has been putting up strong times on the track. Jacksonville (Texas) safety Devin McCuin recently visited and could be an intriguing take at the position. Baylor safety commit Javeon Wilcox is another player worth taking a look at for the position as he presents an intriguing athletic profile.

 

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