We are now officially one week away from the start of the Early Signing Period for head coach Steve Sarkisian and the 2022 Texas football recruiting class. Texas is trying to close out this class on a high note, but there is still a long way to go. And it looks like there are definitely going to be some noteworthy narratives to watch for Texas even heading into National Signing Day.
As of the afternoon of Dec. 8, Sark and the Longhorns sit with 21 commits in their 2022 class. But more should be on the way before the Early Signing Period concludes next week. With the Early Signing Period set to begin on Dec. 15, there could be some commits that arrive in the next few days.
Texas football ready to close on a high note ahead of the Early Signing Period
One big storyline that could impact some movement in the Longhorns 2022 class is the recruitment of the former Ohio State Buckeyes freshman quarterback Quinn Ewers potentially landing with Texas out of the NCAA Transfer Portal either on or before Dec. 13. The decision timeline for Ewers looks like it will wrap up before the end of the day on Dec. 13 (next Monday).
If Texas can land a commitment from Ewers out of the transfer portal, then a world of possibilities opens up as to who they can get in the 2022 class subsequently among elite high school prospects. But for now, there’s a host of 2022 high school prospects that are important to this Longhorns class that could already be trending to landing on the Forty Acres.
Here’s a look at three important 2022 Longhorns prospects that are trending to this class ahead of the Early Signing Period next week.
Kelvin Banks, OT
At some point, it feels like the dam is going to break for the Longhorns and there will be at least two of their blue-chip offensive line targets that will commit and sign in the 2022 class ahead of, or during, the Early Signing Period. And the two highest-rated offensive line targets to watch at this point for the Longhorns 2022 class are five stars Kelvin Banks and Devon Campbell.
Yet, it actually feels like a decision could come in sooner from Banks than Campbell. Both are realistic targets for the Longhorns 2022 class at this point in time. But Banks has his recruitment wide open now after de-committing from the Oregon Ducks in the last week after the departure of former head coach Mario Cristobal to assume the same role with the Miami Hurricanes.
Banks was already thinking about staying in-state closer to his family. The coaching staff turnover at Oregon was just the nail in the coffin for his commitment to their 2022 class.
It does look like there are going to be two top schools with Banks at this point of his recruitment, and then a few others that try to jump in late. The Texas A&M Aggies and Longhorns look like the two top schools for Banks right now. But the LSU Tigers and Miami (Cristobal’s new destination) are both looking to make pushes late with Banks too.
Texas is expected to have an in-home visit with Banks later this week. If Texas can make the right pitch with Banks and his family on this in-home visit later in the week, it could go a long way to sealing up his commitment ahead of the Early Signing Period.
It’s still too early to say that Banks is in the bag for Texas. This is going to be a tight battle on the recruiting trail to land Banks. Texas does sit in a good position with him right now, though.
Malik Agbo, OT
As I mentioned before, the offensive line is the most emphatic area of need and the biggest area of emphasis in the Longhorns 2022 class ahead of the Early Signing Period. Texas is looking to sign around five offensive linemen in the 2022 class. But they currently sit with only two offensive line commits in the 2022 class.
The two current offensive linemen committed in the Longhorns 2022 class are four-star Frisco interior offensive lineman Cole Hutson and three-star Westlake IOL Connor Robertson. Texas is going to need more help than that.
But this is where good news is extremely welcome for the Longhorns on the recruiting trail. Texas could be getting some help in the trenches in the 2022 class very soon if they can land a commitment from the touted four-star Todd Beamer (WA) offensive tackle Malik Agbo ahead of the Early Signing Period.
I’ve already talked on the matter of some of the leading indicators coming in for Texas eventually landing the commitment of Agbo this week. There were four expert 247Sports Crystal Ball Predictions put in for Texas to land Agbo. And all four of those came in on Dec. 7.
And the two most recent picks from the Rivals FutureCast among their analysts and publishers have Agbo landing with the Longhorns.
Miami and the Oklahoma Sooners are still trying to make pushes for Agbo. But Texas has made a huge rally late to build some real momentum with Agbo, and it looks like they can close the deal on this one over the Auburn Tigers ahead of the Early Signing Period next week.
Larry Turner-Gooden, ATH
There are two athletes that Texas is going after that could wind up filling needs in the defensive backfield in the 2022 class. The first one worth mentioning is the Louisiana native and four-star Captain Shreve product Kendrick Law. Texas had a visit with Law already in the last month and could close the deal with him.
But the path looks much clearer for the Longhorns with the second athlete that the 2022 class is pushing hard for down the stretch ahead of the Early Signing Period. Four-star Bishop-Alemany (CA) athlete Larry Turner-Gooden is someone that the Longhorns have a ton of momentum with right now. And that could result in a commitment in the next few days.
That is if Turner-Gooden does confirm he wants to sign during the Early Signing Period next week.
According to a report from Inside Texas this week, the Longhorns did have an in-home visit this week that could easily be described as a home run. That seems to be the takeaway from this in-home visit with Turner-Gooden by most accounts.
If the USC Trojans make a big push for Turner-Gooden in the next week or so, that could change the narrative for the Longhorns with the California product. But if USC doesn’t make a big push in this recruitment, it could boil down to just Texas and the Colorado Buffaloes.
All in all, it doesn’t sound like Turner-Gooden intends to push his decision back to January or February for any reason. Whatever school he chooses will likely be one where he signs and enrolls early to participate in spring ball. If Texas is the choice here, it would be a big boost to the 2022 class ahead of the Early Signing Period.