Texas Football: Predicting UT's next commit after first signing day
Texas football had a pretty quiet signing day, at least compared to the level of activity on the recruiting trail to start this week. Texas and head coach Steve Sarkisian flipped the commitment of the touted four-star Jasper (TX) linebacker Tyanthony Smith from the Texas A&M Aggies on Dec. 20 and got him to sign his letter of intent.
Sark and staff also lost the commitment of four-star Daingerfield (TX) athlete Aeryn Hampton to the Alabama Crimson Tide and head coach Nick Saban on the first signing day. Alabama flipped and signed Hampton from Texas when he announced at his signing day ceremony at Daingerfield High School on Dec. 20.
Projecting Texas football's next commit in the 2024 class after NSD1
All 22 commitments from the high school ranks and the two portal commitments in the 2024 class signed on the dotted line on the first signing day. Sark and the Longhorns secured a top-five-ranked recruiting class nationally for the third straight cycle.
There could be at least one or two more commitments via high school recruiting and the portal that the Longhorns add before the end of the Early Signing Period this week. Here's a prediction of the next to commit for the Longhorns in the 2024 class after the first signing day.
Dealyn Evans, DL (Texas A&M commit)
Since it hasn't taken a commitment at the position in the 2024 class in the last couple of weeks leading up to signing day, DL coach Bo Davis and the Longhorns will look to add a defensive line via high school recruiting heading into the late signing period. Texas has targeted some late-cycle flip candidates along the defensive line in the 2024 class.
The three flip candidates to watch for the Longhorns along the defensive line after the first signing day are Longview (TX) Pine Tree four-star/Texas A&M commit Dealyn Evans, Lafayette (LA) Acadiana five-star/Texas A&M commit Dominick McKinley, and Greenville (MS) St. Joseph's three-star/Baylor Bears commit Alex Foster.
Evans and Texas generated some late buzz on the afternoon of the first signing day on Dec. 20. Texas made a late push to try to get Evans to hold off on signing his letter of intent with Texas A&M after the first signing day.
Various reports (including from CJ Vogel of TFB Texas) noted that Evans will now hold off on signing until February. Texas will continue to push here as Evans could potentially fill that last spot in the 2024 class along the defensive line heading into the late signing period in a couple of months.