Texas Football: 5 priority five-star 2024 recruits on the Horns’ radar

The buzz in the Austin air is palpable as Texas football officially kicked off its 2023 fall camp earlier this week. When the Horns were selected atop the Big 12 Football Media Preseason Poll last month at Big 12 Media Days for the first time since 2009, the expectations became crystal clear; Big 12 title or bust.

The hype for year three of the Steve Sarkisian era is warranted. The Longhorns return 17 starters from a team that won eight games last season. They added immediate impact transfer additions in Jalen Catalon, Gavin Holmes, and AD Mitchell. The Horns also welcomed the No. 3 recruiting class in the country to Austin with a handful of players poised to contribute in year one.

Now that the calendar has flipped to August, the Texas football fanbase is counting down the days until opening kickoff on Sept. 2 against Rice. That said, Coach Sark and the rest of his staff are not resting on the recruiting trail as they look to build off the momentum of a stellar 2023 class.

The Longhorns have 15 commits in their 2024 class, slotting them at No. 22 in the 247Sports Team Rankings. That team ranking will continue to rise as many high-priority Longhorn targets remain on the board.

College football recruiting never sleeps. Let’s take a look at five priority five-star 2024 targets that the Horns are in the running for. Signatures from these 2024 recruits would vault this cycle’s Texas football recruiting class to the top of the team rankings while helping the program ease into its first season in the SEC.

5 priority five-star 2024 recruits on the Texas football radar

1. Colin Simmons, Edge, Duncanville HS (TX)

247Sports Composite Ranking: #8 nationally, #1 Edge, #1 TX

Five-star Duncanville defensive end Colin Simmons has been at the top of the Texas football board since Steve Sarkisian took over the program in January 2021. To the surprise of many, Simmons recently announced a commitment date of Aug. 10. The pre-senior season announcement seemingly bodes well for the Horns after Simmons had a terrific visit on the weekend of Jun. 23.

Simmons is a complete edge defender, combining speed and physicality to shed blockers and make plays against the run and the pass. Simmons set a Duncanville record last season with 22.5 sacks. 247Sports National Recruiting Analyst Gabe Brooks notes he has “nuclear playmaking ability.”

The two-time state champion recently announced LSU, Miami, and Texas as his finalists. Defensive end is a position Texas football has lacked production at for the better part of the last decade. Simmons has day-one starter potential and would likely be the first Longhorn to rack up double-digit sacks in a season since Jackson Jeffcoat and Cedric Reed in 2013.

2. Brandon Baker, Mater Dei HS (CA)

247Sports Composite Ranking: #21 nationally, #1 OT, #2 CA

Brandon Baker is the crown jewel offensive tackle in the class of 2024. The Mater Dei product is already an elite run blocker with the athleticism and tenacity to maul defenders downfield. He has improved in pass-pro throughout his high school career and shows encouraging signs that he will continue to develop in that area.

Baker has spent the last two seasons as a right tackle for Mater Dei, but I believe by the time he arrives on a collegiate campus, he will have the skill set to play at either tackle spot.

The recruitment of the nation’s top offensive tackle has been tough to get a read on. Still, we do know he had a fantastic trip to Austin on the weekend of Jun. 16. Kyle Flood has been a terrific recruiting closer and will need to continue to bring that to Baker’s recruitment which looks to last until December.

3. Ryan Wingo, WR, St. Louis Univ. HS (MO)

247Sports Composite Ranking: #23 nationally, #7 WR, #2 MO

Momentum around five-star St. Loius University (HS) wide receiver Ryan Wingo and Texas has been trending in the right direction since he visited Austin on Jun. 16. Wingo is one of the most highly-coveted receiver prospects still uncommitted and has taken nearly ten visits this summer.

Standing at 6-foot-2, 205-pounds, Wingo already has the build of a collegiate outside receiver. He combines that frame with elite speed, running a 10.55 100 at the Missouri track state championships.

Wingo perfectly complements current 2024 Texas receiver commits Freddie Debose Jr and Parker Livingstone. The St. Louis product can come in and be an immediate impact freshman as the Horns are poised to lose many of their top wideouts after this season.

4. Kobe Black, CB, Waco Connally HS (TX)

247Sports Composite Ranking: #24 nationally, #3 CB, #6 TX

Waco Connally defensive back Kobe Black is a name most Longhorn fans are familiar with. This staff has been pushing hard for his commitment, and everything seemed to be trending in the right direction after he visited Austin on Jun. 23. Black has recently said he is contemplating canceling fall visits to Alabama and LSU which would speed up his commitment timeline. Regardless, this is a recruitment Texas will be involved in through the horn.

Black is a lengthy corner who completely shut down his side of the field during the 2022 season. He also plays on the offensive side of the ball for Waco Connally and has the ball skills to be an elite contested-catch defender in college.

5. Dominick McKinley, DL, Acadiana HS (LA)

247Sports Composite Ranking: #38 nationally, #7 DL, #1 LA

Acadiana High School (LA) defensive lineman Dominick McKinley is one of my favorite prospects in the class of 2024. Standing at 6-foot-5, 290-pounds, McKinley already has the requisite size to be a contributor on a collegiate defensive line.

He has an elite get-off and uses his hands well to shed offensive linemen. McKinley has plus-athleticism for his size and has the skill set to play many different roles on the inside of the defensive line.

McKinley visited the Longhorns in late June and seemed receptive to what Coach Sark and defensive line coach Bo Davis pitched him about his potential future in Austin. No decision date has been announced, but he will decide between LSU, Oklahoma, and Texas. Going to the boot and adding a blue-chip defensive line product like McKinley before the move to the SEC would be a massive get for this Texas staff.