Texas Football: 4-Star DE target Landyn Watson cuts Horns from final 6

In the 2021 Texas football recruiting class, defensive coordinator Chris Ash should feel confident about what this group in the trenches brings.

A key target of the 2021 Texas football recruiting class has now cut them out of the running to land his commitment. Four-star Hutton weak-side defensive end Landyn Watson announced his six finalist schools on his Twitter timeline on May 12, but it didn’t have Texas included. Watson dropped a list of six finalist schools in his latest round of cuts.

Given that the Texas Longhorns football program just landed a commitment from four-star Memorial weak-side defensive end Jordon Thomas, they should be fine without nabbing Watson. But adding depth along the defensive line is never a bad idea for the Longhorns, so it is still noteworthy that they are cut from the race to land his pledge.

This 6-foot-3 and 235 pound Hutto, TX, native cut offers from roughly two-dozen other schools on his way to landing with his final six. Key schools that he also cut from that competition included the Baylor Bears, Penn State Nittany Lions, LSU Tigers, Michigan Wolverines, Michigan State Spartans, Nebraska Cornhuskers, Notre Dame Fighting Irish, Oklahoma State Cowboys, Ole Miss Rebels, and SMU Mustangs.

https://twitter.com/landynwatson/status/1260721532034260995

The six programs that did make this round of finalist cuts for Watson includes the Tennessee Volunteers, Virginia Tech Hokies, Cal Golden Bears, TCU Horned Frogs, Arkansas Razorbacks, and Arizona State Sun Devils. His finalist schools were literally spread coast-to-coast, with only one coming out of the Big 12.

This is a big start to the week for head coach Gary Patterson and his Horned Frogs. On May 10, TCU landed a surprising commitment from five-star North Shore running back Zachary Evans, and now they’re working their way in with Watson.

Watson ranks as the nation’s No. 312 2021 high school prospect, No. 19 weak-side defensive end, and No. 46 prospect out of Texas (247Sports Composite). And his sole 247Sports recruiting ranking slots him as the No. 20 weak-side defensive end and No. 38 prospect out of Texas.

Texas doesn’t need to focus all that much on the defensive line at the moment in their 2021 recruiting class. They’re effectively set at that spot, and other position groups like wide receiver, center, and certain spots at linebacker need added depth.