Texas Football: Predicting Longhorns’ next commit after Wardell Mack
Texas football will have a shot to sign a top-five-ranked recruiting class in the nation for the 2024 cycle when the Early Signing Period begins on Dec. 20. But there are still some pieces that must fall into place for Texas and head coach Steve Sarkisian for them to get that coveted top five ranked recruiting class in the nation in mid-December.
The Longhorns did move one step closer to getting that top-five class for 2024 by flipping the commitment of the highly touted four-star Marrero (LA) John Ehret cornerback and Florida Gators pledge Wardell Mack on Nov. 12. Texas flipped Mack from Florida after prioritizing his recruitment since he picked the Gators over the Longhorns, LSU Tigers, and Florida State Seminoles late in the summer.
Who will be next to commit to Texas football in the 2024 class after landing 4-Star CB Wardell Mack on Nov. 12?
Mack is a big get at a position of need for the Longhorns in the 2024 class. Texas was looking to take at least four or five scholarship defensive backs in the 2024 class, and Mack was one of the prospects at the top of their big board in the secondary. Mack brings Texas up to four defensive back commits in the 2024 class if you include four-star Daingerfield (TX) athlete Aeryn Hampton.
Some other significant positional needs the Longhorns are looking to fill in the 2024 class in the weeks leading up to signing day are defensive line, offensive line, and one more defensive back. Texas could also add another tight end, wide receiver, and/or linebacker if the fit is right.
At this point in the fall, most of Texas’ targets on the recruiting trail in the 2024 class are committed to other schools. Texas will likely get another flip in the coming days and weeks in the 2024 class.
Here’s a prediction of the next recruit to commit to the Longhorns in the 2024 class after Mack flipped from Florida on Nov. 12.
Tyanthony Smith, LB
Probably the biggest storyline around the college football landscape on Nov. 12 was the in-state rival Texas A&M Aggies firing head coach Jimbo Fisher. Texas A&M’s decision to part ways with Fisher comes after the Aggies landed multiple top-five-ranked recruiting classes in the nation in the last few years, including the No. 1 class for the 2022 cycle.
Fisher’s exit from College Station has implications for multiple schools on the recruiting trail, especially Texas. The Longhorns should have a shot to flip some of the recruits committed to Texas A&M in the 2024 class before signing day, depending on who the Aggies hire to replace Fisher and which coaches from the current staff are ultimately retained.
A top priority among the flip targets for the Longhorns from Texas A&M’s 2024 class is the touted four-star Jasper (TX) linebacker Tyanthony Smith. Texas has constantly communicated with Smith since he committed to Texas A&M over Texas and the USC Trojans during the summer.
And if the Longhorns had their choice of any recruit they could flip first in Texas A&M’s 2024 class, Smith might be it.
Texas doesn’t have any linebackers currently committed to them in the 2024 class. There are only a handful of priority linebacker recruits Texas would take in this cycle, and Smith is one of them. The other is the No. 1 linebacker recruit in the nation in the 2024 class, Conroe (TX) Oak Ridge five-star Justin Williams.
It sounds like a realistic shot that Texas can flip Smith from Texas A&M. Horns247 reported on Nov. 13 (paid content) that there is a high likelihood of Smith visiting Texas before the Early Signing Period begins next month.
If that visit happens in the next few weeks, Texas is a very serious threat to flip Smith from the Aggies.