Texas Football: Fast rising 2021 4-star DT Payton Page getting Horns intrigue

Some early attention from the 2021 Texas football recruiting class is being afforded to a standout 2021 North Carolina native defensive tackle Payton Page.

Getting on the early hype train for some of the top prospects each passing recruiting cycle can be an important task for head coach Tom Herman and Texas football recruiting. Herman and the Texas Longhorns really jumped on one early with an offer sent out on Jan. 24, to four-star Greensboro, NC, Dudley High School defensive tackle Payton Page.

Like most in the nation at this moment, the 2021 Texas football recruiting class doesn’t have a commit lined up yet. But, each additional offer sent out by this 2021 Texas football recruiting class, like the one to Page this week, can help them inch closer to reaching that mark.

In total, this 2021 Texas football recruiting class has sent out less than 20 offers. Page received the 19th, and was the second at his position to get one. The other defensive tackle offered by this 2021 Texas football recruiting class is the nation’s top ranked 2021 high school prospect, five-star Eastside Catholic product J.T. Tuimoloau.

This cycle for Texas football recruiting seems to be shooting for the stars early at defensive tackle. But, it’s good to see the Horns trying to nab prospects to fill a future need of this caliber. Defensive tackle is a position where the Horns are looking at the third straight season with a new starter.

If the Horns can get some continuity at defensive tackle, the already talented front seven can take that next step under third-year defensive coordinator Todd Orlando. Adding a prospect like Page to the mix could help accomplish that feat. If the Horns are able to nab Page, this class would be getting the nation’s No. 19 2021 high school prospect and the best prospect out of the state of North Carolina.

At this point, the Horns have offered the No. 1 (Tuimoloau) and the No. 3 (Page) 2021 high school defensive tackle prospects in the nation. It doesn’t look as if Texas football has any early insight into getting an inside track to landing a commitment from either defensive tackle, but this is a good sign of progress.

For the 2019 Texas football recruiting class, there isn’t a single defensive tackle classified as part of the incoming group to the Forty Acres. The 2020 class doesn’t have any leads on a defensive tackle commit right now either.

However, this 6-foot-4 and 315 pound lineman holds a growing offer sheet that features 19 schools as of Jan. 24. The offer from the 2021 Texas football recruiting class grows Page’s offer sheet to 19. A few of the other noticeable offers he holds are from the Alabama Crimson Tide, Florida Gators, Georgia Bulldogs, Oklahoma Sooners, and Texas A&M Aggies.

This could wind up becoming another battle on the recruiting trail between the Big 12 and SEC. There are some ACC schools in contention for Page’s commitment too including the Virginia Tech Hokies and Duke Blue Devils.

Page’s recruitment could be an important one to follow for anyone interested in the turnout of the 2021 Texas football recruiting class. He could be a key early add for this recruiting cycle and is a great candidate for the Horns to pursue.