Texas Football: Longhorns outpacing LSU for key 2021 5-Star OT

One of the biggest targets of the 2021 Texas football recruiting class, 5-Star Duncanville OT Savion Byrd, appears to be favoring the Longhorns right now.

As far as the 247Sports Crystal Ball Predictions go for the elite five-star offensive tackle target of the 2021 Texas football recruiting class Savion Byrd goes, this program could be emerging as the early favorite. The 6-foot-5 and 265 Duncanville, TX, native and Duncanville High School stout offensive lineman ranks as the nation’s No. 12 2021 high school prospect and the No. 2 offensive tackle.

With how well head coach Tom Herman and offensive line coach Herb Hand recruited in the trenches for the Texas Longhorns football program for the last three cycles, landing Byrd would just add another weapon to this group. But Byrd would be about the highest rated offensive tackle the Longhorns landed in a while.

This 2021 Longhorns recruiting class could be very special along the offensive line. Five-star All Saints Episcopal High School product and Fort Worth, TX, native offensive tackle Tommy Brockermeyer ranks as the nation’s No. 3 2021 prospect and the best at his position. Texas is also favored to land Brockermeyer over the Clemson Tigers.

Possibly the thought of what Byrd and Brockermeyer could do along the Texas offensive line together is a big reason why they’re both thinking the Forty Acres would be a good fit. That would be about the best offensive tackle combination in the nation and they might be able to start right away for the Longhorns.

However, the recruitment saga of Byrd of late is more up and down than that of Brockermeyer as it pertains to the Longhorns pursuit. Byrd seems to go back and forth as to where his interests lie. Herman and the Longhorns look to be the favorite by now, though.

The other two programs that 247Sports lists Byrd’s interest as warm for are the hometown SMU Mustangs and the LSU Tigers.

There’s a big recruiting disadvantage that head coach Ed Orgeron and LSU are facing right now since the coaching staff and offensive starters turned over so much heading into the offseason. While LSU heads into the offseason with the momentum of winning the College Football Playoff National Championship Game and having the reigning Heisman Trophy winner, superstar senior quarterback Joe Burrow, piecing together the coaching staff again will be a difficult feat.

According to a 247Sports report, Byrd said in regard to LSU winning the national title (and more specifically on the accomplishments of Burrow and passing game coordinator Joe Brady) that “they some dogs bro”.

And the Longhorns hold that basic recruiting advantage over SMU in terms of overall resources, potential of winning a national title a few years down the line, and placing more talent around Byrd on offense. Texas also hosted Byrd on campus not all that long ago. He was on campus in Austin for an unofficial visit on Sep. 7, and for an official visit on Sep. 14.

Byrd was also on campus with head coach Sonny Dykes for an unofficial visit with SMU one week after his last official with the Longhorns. His most recent unofficial visit on his recruiting timeline came with head coach Gary Patterson and the TCU Horned Frogs on Sep. 26.