Texas Football: 2020 4-star DE Vernon Broughton slots Horns among finalists

An important target for Texas football for the building 2020 recruiting class, four-star SDE Vernon Broughton, dropped his top 10 on Feb. 6.

National Signing Day 2019 put this past signing class for Texas football officially announced and in the books. With the 2019 Texas football recruiting class over and done with, the 2020 cycle officially comes to the forefront. As of Feb. 7, the 2020 recruiting class for Texas football offered dozens of prospects since the turn of the calendar year and has three commits lined up. Texas football is getting ever-closer to the fourth 2020 pledge.

The next commit up for the 2020 Texas football recruiting class could be on the way with four-star Cy Ridge High School and Houston, TX, strong-side defensive end Vernon Broughton.

In a time where 2020 recruits are dropping their finalist schools in mass for the 2019 off-season, Broughton included the Texas Longhorns amid his top 10. On National Signing Day, Broughton gave head Texas football coach Tom Herman some good news for the 2020 recruiting cycle by dropping his finalists on his Twitter timeline.

The top 10 list of schools for Broughton was chalked full of blue bloods, only two of which are in the Big 12. The two Bug 12 finalists for Brought included Texas football and the rival Oklahoma Sooners. And, his only finalist that isn’t a Power Five program is the local school for, the Houston Cougars. A few of the other notable finalists to get Broughton were the Alabama Crimson Tide, Georgia Bulldogs, Ohio State Buckeyes, and Texas A&M Aggies.

A few of the indicators early for Broughton’s commitment shows that Texas football is a good candidate to nab him. The 247Sports Crystal Ball Predictions for Broughton gives Texas the early edge in his recruitment. Rivals FutureCast gives the edge to the Cougars right now, but FutureFanCast has Texas football in the lead.

However, the top 10 that Broughton announced eliminates 13 of the schools that offered him. Some of the more notable of the unlucky 13 that he eliminated were the Arkansas Razorbacks, Baylor Bears, Nebraska Cornhuskers, and TCU Horned Frogs.

Broughton really does have nationwide interest spanning from coast-to-coast. Some would figure that he would have a heavier presence of Big 12 programs in-state among his finalists. But, he did choose to eliminate the likes of TCU, Baylor, and the Texas Tech Red Raiders.

What Broughton ultimately would bring to the table for the Horns is the nation’s No. 211 2020 high school prospect and the 13th best at his position. He’s also more sizable than most other rising senior high school defensive ends, at 6-foot-5 and 280 pounds.

Defensive coordinator Todd Orlando wouldn’t have to do much work with Broughton to get him to the ideal size for a three down linemen set. Broughton also has a good enough motor and more than enough strength to compete for some playing time immediately on the Forty Acres.

Texas football will still have to fend off the likes of SEC competition in Broughton’s recruitment like Texas A&M and Alabama. Broughton attended Texas A&M’s Junior Day this past weekend, on Feb. 3. He’s also continuing to grow his offer sheet at an impressive rate.

All three of the commits in the 2020 recruiting class for the Horns fall on the offensive side of the ball. Herman and Orlando would ideally start building up the defensive commits in this class within the next month or two to get an early jump for this cycle.