Texas football receives crystal ball for 4-Star Texas A&M LB commit

The recruitment with the most twists and turns late in the 2024 cycle for Texas football concerns the touted four-star Jasper (TX) linebacker and Texas A&M Aggies commit Tyanthony Smith. Texas has remained in hot pursuit of Smith on the recruiting trail throughout the fall despite him committing to Texas A&M during the summer.

At multiple points in the last few months, Smith was reported to have scheduled official visit dates with the Longhorns just to have them canceled before ever making it to campus. Most recently, Smith was working on scheduling an early-December official visit to Texas after Texas A&M fired head coach Jimbo Fisher on Nov. 12.

But it seemed like Smith was sticking with his commitment to the Aggies after Texas A&M hired former Duke Blue Devils head coach Mike Elko as Jimbo's replacement in College Station. Elko is a defensive minded head coach, and it felt like Smith thought positively of the hire for the Aggies.

Tides changing again for Texas football with 4-Star Texas A&M LB commit Tyanthony Smith?

Earlier this week, Inside Texas reported that Smith was set to officially visit the Longhorns this weekend. However, there were conflicting reports regarding whether Smith would actually show up on campus. Horns247 reports (paid content) on Dec. 15 that Smith is still saying he doesn't intend to show up in Austin for an official visit this weekend.

The report that Smith doesn't intend to show up at Texas this weekend is further complicated by a recent prediction from 247Sports director of recruiting Steve Wiltfong. On the morning of Dec. 15, Wiltfong crystal balled Smith to flip his commitment from Texas A&M to Texas (with six out of 10 confidence).

Recent 3-Star ATH offer/Utah commit reportedly won't visit Texas this weekend

Another potentially telling sign of where Texas stands with Smith less than a week before signing day is the fact that recent Texas offer and three-star Magnolia (TX) athlete/Utah Utes commit Hunter Andrews is no longer on the visitor list for this weekend. Andrews was reportedly scheduled to officially visit Texas this weekend.

But Andrews says he's sticking with his commitment to Utah.

Texas offered Andrews at linebacker/tight end. Yet, if the Texas staff feels confident in its position with Smith heading into signing day on Dec. 20, that could take a spot away in this class from Andrews.