Let Dickens describe Longhorns’ 2015 recruiting efforts

When the dust settles on Feb. 4 and National Signing Day is behind us, perhaps the story of the Longhorns’ class will have been written long ago by the noted journalist and author who brought us “A Tale of Two Cities.”

“It was the best of times, it was the worst of times,” Charles Dickens began his story back in 1859, long before Charlie Strong put the finishing touches on his first full recruiting class on the 40 Acres. But Dickens’ words best sum up the state of the Longhorns’ class as signing day approaches. Depending on the whims of a handful of 18-year-olds, this year’s class could be celebrated or remembered with either of Dickens’ descriptions.

With a class of commitments that ranks near the nation’s best heading into the final few days, Texas’ recruiting fate could change dramatically, for the better or for the worse.

While one recruit, 4-star defensive back DaVante Davis, reaffirmed his commitment via Twitter, as reported by SBNation, the proverbial biggest fish in the recruiting pond, got away. Kyler Murray, the 5-star, dual-threat quarterback rated by ESPN as the nation’s best, reaffirmed his commitment to[s2If current_user_can(access_s2member_level2)] Texas A&M late Thursday night, reported ESPN’s Gerry Hamilton.

Murray’s decision, along with Zach Gentry’s commitment to Michigan, leaves Strong without a high-profile quarterback commitment prior to signing day. Matthew Merrick, a 3-star quarterback from Dallas, is committed as a gray-shirt, which means he’ll put off his enrollment until Jan. 2016 and his scholarship will count in the 2016 class.

The Longhorns still hope to land dual-threat quarterback Kai Locksley, a Florida State commit, as well as a handful of other recruits who, by rating, would vault the Longhorns into the nation’s elite, at least when it comes to ranking the class.

But many have reported, most recently Matt Hinton for ESPN’s Grantland, that the fate of Texas’ class might be tied to Murray, who’s seen as a pied piper of sorts.

“’I think the Murray decision is going to have a domino effect, to some degree,’” Austin American-Statesman write Ryan Autuello told Hinton.

As many as three other potential recruits – Gladwater defensive tackle Daylon Mack, Cedar Hill receiver DaMarkus Lodge and Plano West running back Soso Jamabo – have been linked to Murray as potential teammates, though recent analyses don’t prove definitive.

Mack, rated sixth on the ESPN 300, decommitted from Texas A&M Dec. 19 but still lists the Aggies in his top three along with Texas and TCU. Lodge also decommitted from Texas A&M and many believe he’ll end up at Ole Miss. Jamabo, who visited Texas the day after Murray did last week and tweeted a picture of the same white No. 1 jersey at Murray, looks to be deciding between Texas and UCLA.

The Longhorns also hope that Malik Jefferson, one of the nation’s top linebacker recruits who enrolled early, has a pied piper effect. Hamilton reported earlier this week that Jefferson spent a great deal of time with Mack when the defensive tackle visited campus last weekend, and that this visit proved much different than his first in 2013.

Other key recruits still in play are close friends Holton Hill and Kris Boyd, a pair of defensive backs who’ve been high on Texas’ list for a while, writes Mike Finger for the Houston Chronicle. They could make their announcement as early as Friday. This week Strong and his staff also had in-home visits with Lodge, running back Chris Warren and a host of players who are already committed.

If Texas can get the bulk of the undecided players they’ve been recruiting – notably Locksley –fans will be celebrating. Get shut out of most of these high profile targets, including Locksley, and fans will lament what might have been.

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