Texas lands commitment from Louisiana WR Casey Cain

Casey Cain could not hold back from his decision any longer.

Less than a month after landing the coveted offer from the Longhorns, the three-star wide receiver from Warren Easton (La.) committed to Texas.

Cain selected Texas over offers from Virginia, Vanderbilt, Memphis, Houston, Louisiana Tech and Tulane. Texas offered just less than a month ago on April 27 and due to the ongoing NCAA dead period, Cain has yet to visit the Forty Acres.

Cain, the No. 23 overall prospect in The Boot for 2021, is the 10th member of the Longhorns' 2021 recruiting class, which entered the day sitting No. 14 nationally in the Rivals team rankings knocking on the door to crack the top 10. Cain is the first player not from the Lone Star State to join the fray and the first wide receiver in the class.

"Since they've offered me, they haven't let up. I'm guessing other schools figured they had time, so they came at me a little lazier, but the Texas staff brought nothing but effort since Day 1. They usually don't recruit wide receivers out-of-state, but Mike Yurcich would text me and call me every day. He felt I was a sleeper so I guess that's why they went all out ... I feel good about committing today because I've built a relationship with the staff I'm going to be around most and I feel as if I can trust them."

"Picking a college for the next four years is a difficult task, especially with not being able to visit. But Texas found a way to do that online, along with the whole staff on board. Confidence comes from my preparation. My mom and I have been researching nonstop between my top schools and Texas was a great fit. Coach Yurcich explained specifically how he wanted to use me in his offense, so I couldn't complain. Also, I'm not a big fan of recruiting. I was relieved I found the school for me."

"At Texas, I'll be able to be a back-side receiver or outside receiver where I can win 1-on-1 matchups and force a safety to play over the top because I'm a deep threat. They also plan to move me around, play in the slot, to utilize my route-running."

Cain is a 6-foot-3, 182-pound vertical threat out of New Orleans powerhouse Warren Easton, which has competed for Class 4A state championships each of the past two Decembers. Cain has been one of those regular contributors for Easton -- as a junior in 2019 on both sides of the ball -- that saw his recruitment take off early on this spring.

Cain is a massive target for any quarterback and you have to factor in a 77-inch wingspan on top of his obvious height advantage. He's also a multi-sport star, competing in basketball and track when he's not playing football. Cain competes in the 200-meter (24.01 seconds), the 110-meter hurdles (16.83 seconds) and 300-meter hurdles (45.45 seconds) in addition to the high-jump and triple-jump and the 4x200-meter relay teams.

Last spring, Cain clocked a 4.71-second 40 time at a regional camp, though there's reason to believe that time has improved over the past year-plus. He consistently stretches the field vertically for the Easton offense and tends to separate more often than not. It is becoming less of a factor for Cain, who is one of the best in the state at coming out on top for contested balls. Cain boasts a fantastic catch radius and improved hands, proving that even when he's covered he can make a play on the ball with a high success rate.

For a bigger-bodied wide receiver, Cain is a dangerous playmaker with the ball in his hands. He's especially agile and makes sharp cuts to keep defenders off-balance in the open field. It's never easy to corral a 6-foot-3 receiver in space and Cain made a habit out of plays after the catch as a junior last fall, which translated to 47 receptions for 934 yards and 12 total touchdowns.

Cain is a mismatch in red-zone situations as well. The combination of height, hands and ability to get vertical over defensive backs is rare and a distinct advantage for his offense. Cain often beats double-teams and makes it look rather seamless. His ability to reel in catches away from his body is another added edge.

One of the biggest cheat codes with Cain is hitting the receiver on a slant over the middle. Easton coaches look that way on critical downs and in the red zone because Cain's ability to make contested grabs in the middle of the field is a surefire go-to option.

It's worth mentioning that Cain is also a willing, effective blocker that'll contribute even when the ball isn't heading his direction. Last year, he saw spot duty at defensive back because of injuries to his high school team and he fared very well. Cain seemed poised for a true breakout season in 2020 after a strong start to the spring. Two areas of his game that'll have to improve are his route-running and continuing to work on his hands.