How 3-Star Texas commit Jonathan Cunningham bolsters LB depth

Pete Kwiatkowski and Johnny Nansen scored a key win on the recruiting trail for Texas football in the 2025 class on July 12, landing Fort Worth (TX) North Crowley three-star linebacker Jonathan Cunningham.

3-Star Jonathan Cunningham gives Texas football its second 2025 LB commit

The athletic and versatile linebacker from DFW committed to Texas over the Utah Utes and TCU Horned Frogs at his announcement ceremony at North Crowley High School on Friday evening. Cunningham is the second linebacker to commit to Texas for 2025, joining Dallas (TX) Skyline four-star Elijah "Bo" Barnes in the class.

Nansen spearheaded the charge for the Longhorns in this recruitment. He scouted and offered the 6-foot-2 and 195-pound linebacker Cunningham early in the spring evaluation period back in February. Nansen and head coach Steve Sarkisian remained in constant communication with Cunningham between the time Texas extended him the offer and when he committed this weekend.

" The way Coach Nansen and Coach Sarkisian show me how much I can be developed there, it's close to home too. And the atmosphere and the culture. It's a lot of love and it's like one big whole family."

He told Horns247 that he's got great communication and tight relationships that he's built this offseason with Nansen and Sarkisian.

Cunningham's commitment is much-needed good news for Texas at a key position of need along the defensive front for the 2025 class. Texas is looking to take at least two or three linebackers in the 2025 class.

Nansen and PK needed this one to go their way after they missed on McKinney (TX) high-four-star linebacker Riley Pettijohn last week. Texas will now focus their linebacker recruiting efforts for the remainder of the cycle on San Diego (CA) J Serra Catholic four-star Madden Faraimo entering the late summer on the recruiting trail.

Cunningham brings versatility, athleticism, and long-term upside to Texas's LB room

Texas is getting an athletic backer who can play at multiple spots at the position for PK and Nansen's front seven in a couple of years in Cunningham. While Cunningham isn't the biggest linebacker from a frame and weight perspective, he has played at multiple positions on the defensive side of the ball for North Crowley.

Cunningham has coverage abilities since he played safety for North Crowley. He's also good at contesting space and hunting down the ball carrier sideline-to-sideline. His length and athleticism give Cunningham the closing speed and potential playmaker attributes to be a versatile weapon for PK's defensive front.

I've seen the comparison made multiple times between Cunningham and junior Texas sam linebacker Morice Blackwell Jr. There is a lot of validitity to this comp since Blackwell converted from safety to linebacker a couple of years ago for Texas's defense. Blackwell is good at contesting space, dropping back into coverage, and providing added space as a delayed edge/linebacker blitzing with the pass rush.

Areas of improvement

At just under 200 pounds, it will be important for Cunningham to add muscle mass to his frame over the next 18 months. Cunningham does like to lay the lumber when he meets the ball carrier, but he needs to get stronger before he's ready for the physical grind of the SEC week in and week out during the fall.

Cunningham also has some development and learning to do when he settles into a role in Texas's linebacker room. At the moment, he does overrun the target ball carrier in run defense and get high on his lane as an outside pass rusher.

Projection and fit at Texas

I like to think of Cunningham as the type of linebacker in the Tyanthony Smith or Blackwell mould. He's a faster and more athletic backer with a smaller frame who is built for the modern college game. If he can add the necessary muscle mass to his frame in the next couple of years, Cunningham could be a really impactful multi-year starter in the SEC at Texas.

Texas needs the depth and numbers at the linebacker position, with guys like Barnes and Cunningham providing stability for that room well into the future for PK and staff. The good news is the Longhorns don't need Cunningham to come in and play right away.

He can take his time and develop over his first year or two at Texas before challenging for a spot on the two-deep at the sam linebacker position.

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