Where things stand with the top uncommitted prospects in Texas
MORE: Is Texas wasting time recruiting West Coast?
There’s a loaded crop of talent in Texas’ 2020 class, but strangely enough, a good chunk of players have already made their college decisions. Prospects such as five-star Demond Demas (Texas A&M) and Rivals100 safety RJ Mickens (Clemson) have put a bow on their recruitment. With that in mind, we take a closer look at where the rest of the elite talent is leaning as the summer approaches.
The Buzz: Evans is keeping everything about his recruitment close to the vest. There was some Clemson buzz, but a visit never transpired and Dabo Swinney holds commitments from two Rivals250 backs. Evans named a final five of LSU, Georgia, Alabama, Oklahoma and Ohio State, but I have a hard time believing that Texas and Texas A&M are completely out of the picture.
There's a mounting feeling that Evans will wind up playing college football in the SEC. His top options include Georgia, which produced two running backs who squared off in the Super Bowl; Alabama, which is still in search for a running back to add to its 2020 class; and LSU, which was Evans' first offer before his freshman season.
The Buzz: Broughton has toyed with quite a few different schools and eventually settled on a top six of Texas, Texas A&M, Ohio State, Alabama, LSU and Arkansas. The Rivals100 defensive lineman already took his official visit to Texas and there’s no doubt that the Longhorns have a hefty lead in Broughton’s recruitment. Arkansas made a strong impression on the four-star defensive lineman and Ohio State will gets its chance to sit down with the family later in June. We’ll see if the out-of-state schools can make up ground, but Texas has a sizable advantage.
The Buzz: Johnston takes the humble approach in his recruitment, which is why he rarely gets on social media or posts photos from visits. This is shaping up to be a Red River battle for the newly minted Rivals100 wide receiver, who resides less than an hour outside of Austin. The Texas coaches have made Johnston feel very comfortable and are in a good position to land the state’s second-ranked pass-catcher.
The Buzz: Dorbah has sliced his list of contenders to two — Texas and LSU — and a decision may be on the way. The Longhorns have been after the Highland Park four-star for some time, but LSU offered this spring and has since put the full-court press on the Dallas stud. Dorbah was at both team’s spring games and both staffs are actively pushing. Because of the long-lasting bond, Texas may hold a slight edge.
The Buzz: Several major powers are in the mix for the Rivals100 tackle, most notably Texas, Texas A&M, Stanford, Georgia and LSU. Lindberg is also keeping Northwestern and Clemson in the fold. Lindberg has raved about the game atmosphere in Tiger Stadium and his relationship with Georgia offensive line coach Sam Pittman, as well as the degree he could walk away with in Palo Alto. However, Texas is a hometown favorite that has shown Lindberg he’s a priority in 2020.
The Buzz: Smith is another elite talent that doesn’t show his hand much. He’s taken spring visits to Florida, Georgia, Texas A&M, Ohio State and Stanford, but he’s in no rush to make a decision. He’s a Gators legacy, but Smith is interested in carving his own path. Stanford’s recent track record of utilizing versatile running backs has his attention and the Cardinal might be the team to beat.
The Buzz: Washington is another Texan considering both the Longhorns and Sooners, with a decision expected around or on Independence Day. For a while, Washington was leaning toward Texas — that was until the Sooners’ spring game, which may have swung momentum back in Lincoln Riley’s favor. Washington will make one last trip to Austin in June before a July commitment date, but until then, we’ll stick with Oklahoma.
The Buzz: One of the more imposing offensive linemen still uncommitted in the state, Hayes is not active on social media at all. He has made a string of visits to Arkansas and Texas A&M and his commitment seems likely to eventually come down to one of these SEC West powers. For now, being the priority that he is in Aggieland, he seems likely to wind up there.
The Buzz: Alford was able to narrow his impressive offer sheet down to 10, but upon further review, we’re looking at LSU, Texas, Michigan and Texas A&M as the favorites here. The four-star safety has visited LSU and Texas the most this spring. He said the offer from the Wolverines was an eye-opener and he has connections to Texas A&M that can’t be ignored. This could several different ways, but I like the Longhorns’ chances.
The Buzz: In a surprising turn of events, McGlothern dropped the in-state schools from contention. In the meantime, he’s become a regular visitor at Georgia, which has emerged as the favorite for the four-star cornerback. Oregon, USC, LSU and Florida remain suitors, but they are all second behind the Dawgs, which are making a big mark in the Lone Star State this cycle.
The Buzz: Being an Oklahoma legacy, the Sooners were in a good spot early on with the new four-star. That momentum has since faded and opened up a door for Texas and Florida, and watch out for Notre Dame as well. Rogers has noted that he has a great bond with the Longhorns’ coaches, but don’t sleep on the Gators to make this a tight race down the stretch.
The Buzz: “Bugg” is planning to announce his college decision on July 6 and is sorting through LSU, Notre Dame, TCU, Arkansas and Oklahoma State. The four-star safety has taken officials to TCU and Arkansas and Stillwater is next on the schedule. While he’s unsure when he’ll make it to LSU, the Tigers might be recruiting Thompson the hardest right now.
The Buzz: Thompson is a different sort of safety — one that opposing offensive coordinators need to spotlight before each play to try and avoid. Notre Dame is a team kicking the tires. Georgia and Auburn are also contenders, but they are all playing catch-up with the Longhorns. It doesn't hurt that his teammate and quarterback, Ja'Quinden Jackson, recently committed to Texas and will be in his ear through Signing Day.
The Buzz: The state’s top tight end saw his recruitment take off this spring and he recently trimmed his list down to three: Oklahoma, Georgia and Ohio State. The Sooners are the regional favorite, but recent visits to Athens and Columbus certainly grabbed Conyers' attention. Ohio State is quietly emerging as a legitimate contender here, but it's hard to discount Oklahoma's track record of churning out Mackey Award winners while also being close to his home in Northwest Texas.