Texas football adds proficient boundary WR in 4-Star Parker Livingstone

The 2024 Texas football recruiting class keeps adding blue-chip talent this summer with the latest commitment, four-star Lucas (TX) Lovejoy wide receiver Parker Livingstone. Texas landed a commitment from Livingstone on July 1 via an announcement on social media.

This was the first of two big-time scheduled commitments among key targets for the Longhorns 2024 class this weekend. The other scheduled commitment for key targets of the Longhorns 2024 class on July 1 is four-star IMG Academy safety Jordon Johnson-Rubell.

After landing Livingstone’s commitment, the Longhorns are up to nine pledges in the 2024 class (at least for now). Texas landed Livingstone over other top schools in this recruitment, such as the South Carolina Gamecocks, LSU Tigers, Arkansas Razorbacks, and Texas A&M Aggies.

Texas landed Livingstone’s pledge one week after he officially visited Texas from June 23-25. New wide receivers coach Chris Jackson and the Longhorns staff did a tremendous job with Livingstone and his camp during his official visit last weekend, as they have done throughout his recruitment this offseason.

Texas football adds another blue-chip wide receiver to the 2024 class in 4-Star Parker Livingstone

Livingstone is the second wide receiver to commit to the Longhorns 2024 class after four-star Spring Branch (TX) Smithson Valley wideout Freddie Dubose Jr. pledged on June 18.

Texas is expected to take at least three or four scholarship wide receivers in the 2024 class, depending on what happens with attrition in the WR room heading into the 2024 offseason. One of those scholarship spots could be reserved for the transfer portal if the attrition in the wide receiver room is high following the conclusion of the 2023 campaign.

Livingstone’s strengths and versatility as a boundary receiver

Jackson and the Longhorns have found a solid boundary receiver that can be a versatile guy on the outside for multiple years in the future in Livingstone. The 6-foot-4 and 175-pound wide receiver out of the Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex is a well-rounded prospect that could be a quality contributor for multiple years at Texas.

Livingstone is a versatile boundary receiver with the size and body control necessary to pluck those contested 50/50 balls on the outside, good straight-line speed, and reliable hands. The route tree that Livingstone can run and his in-route adjustments and ball-tracking ability are all major strengths he brings to the table on the boundary.

The combination of Livingstone’s fairly diverse route tree, good hands, and body control makes him a wideout that Sark and the Longhorns could utilize in multiple ways from the boundary. He could be a reliable target on intermediate, deep, and crossing routes.

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Livingstone’s large catch radius also makes him an easy and reliable target to find for his quarterback, especially in critical third-down situations. He can also make some highlight-reel acrobatic catches from what we’ve seen from him on film at Lovejoy and in camp/combine settings the last couple of years.

It is often slept on how well Livingstone can get separation from opposing defensive backs while running his route. Livingstone possesses solid straight-line speed as he ran track at Lovejoy High School, and he’s more elusive than many scouts and recruiting reporters/analysts give him credit for.

Livingstone ran a sub-22 second 200-meter dash time at Lovejoy High School (per 247Sports).

I’m not saying that Livingstone will be the most dangerous skill guy in space, but he can pick up some of those tough and valuable yards after the catch and he will make opposing tacklers miss from time to time.

If there were any people out there questioning Livingstone’s ability to make things happen in space, look at some of his highlight tape returning kicks on special teams.

Livingstone can stretch the field vertically

Livingstone’s threat to opposing defenses over the top with the deep ball is well-pronounced. Livingstone has good acceleration and straight-line speed to get a jump on opposing defensive backs, along with the ball-tracking ability to know where to be to reel in the deep ball.

It’s just an added bonus that Livingstone can bring down some of those tough contested 50/50 balls that are thrown 20+ yards down the field.

That is part of why Livingstone is such a good fit on the boundary in Sark’s offense, that he can stretch the field vertically on the outside.

Blocking is a plus for Livingstone

Another strength in Livingstone’s game that makes him a quality wide receiver recruit is his ability as a run blocker. He’s also a quality downfield blocker that doesn’t give up on the play.

Livingstone uses his larger frame and wingspan to his advantage while taking a good pad-level approach to win blocking matchups against smaller defensive backs and even some linebackers in space.

Areas of improvement

Since Livingstone is already a pretty versatile receiver with a defined role in the Texas offense on the boundary, there isn’t a very extensive list of areas he needs to improve his game. But there are still some tweaks that Livingstone can make to up his chances to make an early impact once he arrives on the Forty Acres next year.

First, Livingstone needs to add muscle mass to his frame to get up around 200-210 pounds. To compete at a Power Five level, especially against some of the more physical defensive backs in the SEC, Livingstone needs to get stronger by adding at least 25 pounds of muscle.

Second, Livingstone’s route tree could become more diverse with more technical coaching at the collegiate level. He could be a bigger threat in the short and intermediate passing game if Livingstone becomes a more technical route runner in tighter windows (i.e., between the numbers).

Projection at Texas

Livingstone projects as a multi-year contributor at boundary receiver for the Longhorns. He likely won’t be pushing for reps immediately on the boundary at Texas, but he could develop into a solid starter by his third year on campus.

Now that Sark, Jackson, and the Longhorns have two wide receivers committed in the 2024 class, the staff will focus on some of the bigger fish on the big board at wideout. Texas will continue to recruit five-star Temple (TX) Lake Belton wideout Micah Hudson this summer, with the top priority being five-star St. Louis University (MO) wideout Ryan Wingo.