Assessing 3 must-get 5-Star recruits for Texas football in June

Rueben Owens, RB

The last part of this list is going to be split between the top two running back targets at this point of the offseason for the Longhorns 2023 class. New Texas running backs coach Tashard Choice does have a few running back targets worth mentioning for the 2023 class heading into the summer, but two stand above the rest.

Five-star El Campo running back Rueben Owens and four-star Edgewater (FL) product Cedric Baxter Jr. would each be fantastic additions to the Longhorns 2023 class at this position. But it’s almost impossible to see a scenario where Texas is able to land both.

Texas already holds a running back commitment in the 2023 class from the four-star DeSoto product Tre Wisner. And one more commit in the 2023 class at the position would probably complete Choice’s work on the recruiting trail for this cycle.

Moreover, Owens is going to be the primary running back target that most Longhorns fans are watching this summer. Owens isn’t yet set for any official visits to his presumed top two schools (Texas and Texas A&M), but he does have trips planned with the Louisville Cardinals and TCU Horned Frogs. It wouldn’t surprise me in the slightest to see Owens visit Texas and Texas A&M at some point in the next month or so.

This still looks to primarily be a battle on the recruiting trail between Texas and Texas A&M for Owens. And what could be a deciding factor that ultimately helps Texas in this one is landing a commitment from Arch during the summer or the fall.

Meanwhile, Baxter is scheduled for an official visit with Texas on June 10. Choice has done excellent work on the recruiting trail getting the Longhorns right in the mix among the top schools for Baxter. And this summer official visit will be an important factor that could ultimately impact Baxter’s decision.

Texas is definitely fighting an uphill battle with Baxter, though. Beating out the Florida Gators and Miami Hurricanes for the Florida native Baxter will be an incredibly difficult feat.

While landing a commitment from either Owens or Baxter would be huge for the Longhorns 2023 class, one is definitely a more realistic target than the other. Texas is still alive with Baxter, but I do firmly believe that Choice is a commitment from Arch away from also nabbing Owens.