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Published Mar 13, 2020
Ask Farrell: Can Longhorns dominate state again in 2021?
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Adam Gorney and Mike Farrell
Rivals.com

In the 2018 recruiting class, Texas had an incredible in-state haul with five of the top six players picking the Longhorns.

That list included five-star safety Caden Sterns, four-star receiver Brennan Eagles, four-star cornerbacks Jalen Green and Anthony Cook and four-star safety B.J. Foster.

The only one among the six who didn’t end up picking Texas was five-star receiver Jaylen Waddle, who was a big miss because he’s been such a tremendous asset in Alabama’s offense.

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MORE ASK FARRELL: Who is on the hot seat? Who will bounce back? | Which coach is off to strong start for 2021 cycle?

CLASS OF 2020 RANKINGS: Rivals250 | Position | Team | State

CLASS OF 2021 RANKINGS: Rivals250 | Position | Team | State

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But coach Tom Herman and his staff did a phenomenal job with that 2018 recruiting class, and there’s a possibility that the Longhorns could have similar success with the 2021 in-state prospects.

So far, Texas is off to a good start with early commitments from four-star athlete Billy Bowman, who’s ranked as the fifth-best player in the state, and four-star defensive end Ja’Tavion Sanders, who’s No. 6. Both play at Denton Ryan.

It’s still early, but Texas is either trending or in the running for the other four as well.

The big fish is five-star running back Camar Wheaton, who visited both Oklahoma and Texas this week and could be the biggest battleground recruit in the state. The Garland Lakeview Centennial standout just doesn’t say much about his recruitment, so it’s tough to judge where he stands.

Five-star offensive guard Bryce Foster might be the toughest get for the Longhorns. It feels like Texas A&M and Oklahoma have an edge over Texas, but the Longhorns certainly can't be counted out yet.

Five-star offenisve tackle Tommy Brockermeyer is looking at many national programs, but he’s also a Texas legacy, so there’s a pretty strong chance he ends up in Austin. Four-star receiver Quaydarius Davis has already been committed to Texas, and although he’s backed off that pledge there is a strong possibility that the Longhorns still look best in his recruitment.

FARRELL'S TAKE 

Texas has dominated the state recently in recruiting. We ask Rivals National Recruiting Director Mike Farrell if he thinks the Longhorns can do it again in 2021, or whether other elite programs will come in and steal the state’s best players?

“Texas will continue to do very well in-state and land Brockermeyer and his brother, James, who are both great players, and they will also get Quay Davis back in the fold. Wheaton is hard to read, but Texas is certainly in the hunt, while Foster could still land at Texas depending on how things shake out. Herman and the Longhorns will get their players. The question is this: Can they develop them and take over the Big 12?”

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