Texas Football: 3 key recruits impressed by Ryan Wingo’s pledge to UT

Texas football secured its 19th commitment in the 2024 recruiting class on the afternoon of Oct. 25 when the elite five-star St. Louis University (MO) wide receiver Ryan Wingo gave his pledge to head coach Steve Sarkisian and the staff. Wingo is also Texas’ third five-star commitment in the 2024 class in as many months.

This run of five-star commitments for Sark and the Longhorns staff in the 2024 class started Aug. 10 when the elite Duncanville edge rusher Colin Simmons pledged to Texas over the LSU Tigers. Simmons was considered the “must-get” recruit for the Longhorns in the 2024 class during the summer.

Key Texas football recruits impressed by 5-Star WR Ryan Wingo’s commitment to the Longhorns

Texas’ second five-star commitment in the last few months came in late September when the No. 1 offensive tackle recruit in the nation in the 2024 class in the 247Sports Composite and On3 Industry Ranking picked Texas over the Oregon Ducks, Ohio State Buckeyes, and others. That elite offensive tackle recruit who committed to Texas late last month was Santa Ana (CA) Mater Dei five-star Brandon Baker.

Wingo, the highest-rated Texas commit in the 247Sports Composite, picked Texas over the Mizzou Tigers, Georgia Bulldogs, Texas A&M Aggies, Tennessee Volunteers, and Miami Hurricanes on Oct. 25. But the race to land a commitment from Wingo ultimately came down to a Texas-Mizzou battle on the recruiting trail this fall.

Texas’ run of five-star commitments this fall in the 2024 class will surely have an impact on other top 2024 and 2025 recruiting targets for the Longhorns in the coming weeks and months. Here are three key recruits for the Longhorns impressed by Wingo’s commitment to Texas on Oct. 25.

Colin Simmons, EDGE (UT commit)

Simmons was more instrumental in Texas’ efforts to recruit Wingo than some Longhorns fans might think. He was a big-time recruiter for the Longhorns when Simmons and Wingo visited Texas on Sep. 16 for the win at DKR over the Wyoming Cowboys.

https://twitter.com/ColinSimmons__/status/1702015078743110114

Simmons spent time with Wingo during that gameday visit for the Wyoming game last month, along with five-star Waco (TX) Connally cornerback priority Kobe Black.

The process for Simmons recruiting Wingo and Black began well before the Wyoming game. He tweeted before they all visited Texas for the Wyoming game in Week 3 that “only time will tell”, while tagging Wingo and Black.

You can tell it was a big deal to Simmons that Wingo chose Texas over Mizzou this week. Simmons reacted to Wingo’s commitment to Texas with a post on his IG story on Oct. 25.

Simmons remains locked in with his commitment to Texas this fall. He told On3’s Sam Spiegelman on Oct. 13 that he still wants “to take my visit to LSU”, so that he can go to Baton Rouge with his teammates and recent Tiger commits, 4-Star RB Caden Durham and 5-Star 2025 WR Dakorien Moore.