Texas wins out for five-star WR Ryan Wingo

With twists, turns and rumors of obscene NIL money being thrown around, the recruitment of Ryan Wingo followed a script you'd expect from a Netflix movie about a five-star recruit.

The St. Louis (Mo.) University wide receiver was once destined for Tennessee, then it was Georgia or Texas A&M. As the recruitment dragged on it was Texas that became the obvious frontrunner for Wingo until the Longhorns all of a sudden weren't and all signs pointed toward Wingo staying home to play for Eliah Drinkwitz's rising Missouri Tigers.

As of Tuesday afternoon, it almost seemed as though Wingo to Missouri was signed, sealed and delivered. Then late Tuesday evening came around and we got our next twist in the Wingo recruiting saga as rumors of Texas making a last-second surge for the five-star's pledge began to surface.

Wednesday morning brought even more uncertainty as sources with direct knowledge of the recruitment said that even Wingo was undecided and going back and forth between the Longhorns and the Tigers.

In the end, it was Texas that won the battle for the nation's only uncommitted five-star recruit and No. 19 overall player in the 2024 class.

Wingo is a pure upside play with the size and speed to take the top off of a defense. He still has some developing to do and it may take some time before his impact is truly realized at the college level, but every tool is there for him to be a future high-round draft pick.

RIvals caught up with Wingo's high school coach Adam Cruz to get his perspective on what the Longhorns are getting in their newest five-star commit.

"Whatever team lands Wingo is getting something truly excellent and I'm not talking about the incredible things he does on the football field because those speak for themselves," Cruz said.

"What they're getting is the type of young man who will show up two hours early at a 100-degree practice and go to the Jugs machine by himself. They're getting a young man who will have an injury that most guys in his position would hang it up and sit it out, but instead work tirelessly every day in empty gyms and the quiet of his own home - doing anything to get back as soon as possible for his teammates. They're getting the type of young man who will come to the sideline during games and talk about all of the ways he can be used as a decoy and not get the ball because he thinks it'll help the team. They're getting a guy who truly will change their program and I know that because I've seen it firsthand. He's an excellent leader, he's an excellent friend, and he truly is a better caliber person than he is a football player. And he's a damn good football player."