A dismal Texas Bowl showing hasn’t slowed Texas’ momentum on the recruiting trail.
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Prized linebacker prospect Malik Jefferson gave
[s2If current_user_can(access_s2member_level1)]By the time last weekend’s Under Armour and U.S. Army All-American all-star games had concluded, Texas received commitments from receiver Gilbert Johnson, defensive back Tim Irvin, tight end Devonaire Clarington and cornerback Devante Davis, as reported by Ryan Autullo in the Austin American-Statesman. Linebacker Cecil Cherry had committed in December as well.
As Max Olson wrote for ESPN.com this week, the commitment from Jefferson – and his early enrollment – will likely help Charlie Strong and his staff close on a few more big names before signing day on Feb. 3.
“Armed with the Jefferson commitment and the hype surrounding the ‘Florida Five,’ Strong has something to sell now,” Olson wrote.
Once Jefferson signed his scholarship offer and enrolled early, Strong could talk about the linebacker. As Chuck Carlton reported in the Dallas Morning News, Texas’ coach didn’t sugar-coat the significance of Jefferson’s arrival in Austin.
“It’s really big for our program right now,” Strong said. “Like I told him, I said I was at the University of Florida when we signed Tim Tebow. This sign is just as big as that one. Now all of a sudden you have someone who gives you momentum and then there’s a lot of players sitting out there waiting to make a decision.”
As was his first class, this year’s recruiting effort has been a roller coaster. Speaking last month before the Texas Bowl, Strong said Texas is looking for players who want to be special, as Brian Davis reported for the Statesman.
Senior receiver John Harris said Texas’ mediocre play tells quality recruits that there’s playing time to be earned, and sooner rather than later.
“The message is you can come in and contribute right away,” Harris said. “If you’ve been watching us play, you see opportunities to play all across the board, especially with the group of seniors that are leaving.”
When Harris said that, Texas’ recruiting class hadn’t heard from Jefferson or the Florida Five and ranked 19th nationally. A month later, the recruiting class includes 25 commitments – six from players who will be on campus when classes resume next week – and most services now rank Texas among the top 10 recruiting classes. By most accounts, Texas hopes to sign up to six more players, some of who highly ranked prospects committed elsewhere.
None of the targets are more highly rated than 5-star Gladewater defensive tackle Daylon Mack, who recently withdrew his commitment from Texas A&M and reopened his recruitment. He’s scheduled to visit Texas on Jan. 23, and Jefferson wasted little time reaching out to the player ESPN’s recruiting rankings say is No. 3 defensive tackle and 15th best high school senior. If he commits, the Longhorns would have two of the top four on the Stateman’s Fab 55 for this year: the paper ranked Jefferson first and Mack fourth.
That may well signal a change in the way Texas’ elite players view the Longhorns again. As Mike Finger explained in the Houston Chronicle, top recruits told Strong Texas had lost its luster, forcing him to look elsewhere, namely – but not exclusively – Florida.
“In addition to the five Floridians, Strong has commitments from California, New Mexico, Louisiana and Mississippi,” Finger wrote.
Quarterback recruit Zach Gentry is the New Mexican, a 4-star prospect who rated sixth among pocket passers, according to ESPN. Running back Kirk Johnson (California) and offensive tackle Garrett Thomas (Louisiana) also arrive with four stars.
Strong isn’t a big believer in the player rankings. He cares more about each players’ drive, work ethic and will to do what’s necessary to win the right way, he told Davis before the Texas Bowl.
“It’s all about character. Young men who are willing to change their lives,” he added. “I’m not looking for players who want to be mediocre. We don’t need to be mediocre. That’s not who we are. We need to recruit players who love football and want to do something special in their life.”
He’s got four more weeks to find those players, and fellow recruits willing to help.
“Whoever wants to come next, come on,” Jefferson said after his commitment ceremony.
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