Texas Football: Assessing 4 most important 2023 early enrollees

The early enrollees among the players that signed with the 2023 Texas football recruiting class during the Early Signing Period last month are set to arrive on campus this week. Texas will have more than half of its commitments from the 2023 class enrolling early, which is a much higher percentage than usual.

Among the high school recruits in the Longhorns 2023 class, 14 of the 23 in the mix will be enrolling early. Texas will also be getting one transfer signee in the 2023 class, former Wake Forest Demon Deacons redshirt sophomore cornerback Gavin Holmes, on campus this week as an early enrollee.

Since Texas has most of its 2023 class locked in already, it looks like the bulk of the high school recruits will end up enrolling early. Texas does still have a couple of outstanding priority high school recruits in the 2023 class (namely 4-Star ATH Jelani McDonald and 5-Star TE Duce Robinson). But I would anticipate only one or two more scholarship spots in the 2023 class are filled with high school recruits ahead of the late National Signing Day next month.

The list of early enrollees for the Longhorns 2023 class is provided thanks to Horns247 here (paid content).

5-Stars Cedric Baxter Jr. and Arch Manning highlighting the early enrollees for Texas football in the 2023 class

Here’s a look at a breakdown of the four most important early enrollees among high school recruits in the Longhorns 2023 class that will be arriving on campus this week.

Anthony Hill Jr., LB

Texas was able to land the highest-rated linebacker recruit in the nation in the 2023 class, which will be a massive boost to this defensive front right away. The elite five-star Denton Ryan linebacker and former Texas A&M Aggies pledge Anthony Hill Jr. gives Pete Kwiatkowski an immediate starter alongside rising senior linebacker Jaylan Ford in 2023.

It’s huge for PK and the Longhorns to get Hill to campus this spring as an early enrollee. This will give Hill and this defensive coaching staff the chance to acclimate with each other, which is clearly crucial if the Denton, TX, native winds up being a starting linebacker from day one next season.

Moreover, Hill played most of his snaps at Denton Ryan on the inside at linebacker. And he has the physical tools to excel as an outside linebacker thanks to his strength, ranginess, and sure tackling.

If PK and the Longhorns want Hill to play outside at times next fall, then getting him acclimated to the outside blitz schemes could be integral in spring ball.

For the most part, though, Hill is already in a good spot to make some valuable early contributions as a starter along this defensive front.

Hill is coming onto campus around 6-foot-3 and 230 pounds. He’s already got a good frame and muscle mass that will allow him to compete at the level Texas will want at the linebacker position right away.