Texas Football: 3 grand prize recruiting targets UT can land pre-signing day

Texas football is hitting a critical stretch on the recruiting trail for the 2024 class in the next few weeks, with the first signing day approaching in mid-December. Texas only has a couple of home games remaining on the regular season schedule to host key targets from the 2024 class.

And since the Longhorns’ last home game of the season comes on Nov. 24 against the Texas Tech Red Raiders, the last major visit weekend at DKR this fall will probably be this weekend against the No. 25 Kansas State Wildcats. The Texas Tech game on Black Friday is too close to signing day in December for the Longhorns to realistically make any big moves with top targets in the 2024 class.

Grand prize priority recruits Texas football is pursuing before signing day

Texas has a few spots remaining that head coach Steve Sarkisian and the staff would like to fill heading into the Early Signing Period on Dec. 20. The Longhorns currently sit at 19 commitments in the 2024 class after landing a top-priority recruit on Oct. 25 in five-star St. Louis University (MO) wide receiver Ryan Wingo over the Mizzou Tigers.

Most of Texas’ remaining targets in the 2024 class are flip candidates from other Power Five schools (most recruits committed to SEC programs). And with the success we’ve seen from Sark and the Longhorns staff playing the patient game on the recruiting trail in recent cycles, there’s a good chance some of these flip targets wind up in Texas’ class by signing day.

Here are three grand prize recruiting targets for the Longhorns on the trail in the last couple of months before signing day.

DeAndre Carter, IOL (Auburn commit)

Texas is targeting a handful of 2024 Auburn Tigers commitments this fall as flip candidates before signing day. The two notable flip targets Texas is pursuing on the recruiting trail from Auburn are four-star Santa Ana (CA) Mater Dei interior offensive lineman DeAndre Carter and four-star IMG Academy defensive lineman TJ Lindsey.

Offensive line coach/offensive coordinator Kyle Flood and the Longhorns have continued to chip away at Carter’s commitment to Auburn since he made an official visit to Texas to see the Burnt Orange beat up on the No. 24 Kansas Jayhawks at DKR in Austin on Sep. 30.

Auburn is making it a big priority to keep its sole offensive line commit in the 2024 class locked in, despite Texas’ efforts to flip him before signing day.

As it stands now, the Longhorns still have a real shot to flip Carter’s commitment from the Tigers. But Auburn is making it difficult for the Longhorns to flip him after the official visit to Texas late last month.

A decision could come at any point in the next couple of weeks as to whether Carter will stick with his commitment to Auburn or flip to Texas.

Texas has the advantages of a sustained offensive coaching staff, led by Flood with a proven track record of recruiting and developing high-level talent in the trenches. The Longhorns are also closer to home for Carter and his family, and Texas has multiple current and former Mater Dei teammates of his committed or on the roster.