These 3-Star recruits became stars at Texas

Jaylan Ford, LB

Former three-star recruit from Frisco, TX, and Lone Star High School, linebacker Jaylan Ford was a late-cycle flip for the Longhorns from the Utah Utes in the 2020 class. While Ford was the lowest-rated signee from the Longhorns 2020 class, he was arguably one of the two or three best players in the last few years for Texas.

Ford was a multi-year starter and a two-time All-Big 12 First-Team linebacker for the Longhorns in 2022 and 2023. He was a crucial anchor and leader for Texas's front seven in the last few seasons. Ford registered back-to-back seasons with at least 100 tackles, double-digit tackles for loss, and multiple interceptions.

The New Orleans Saints selected Ford in the fifth round of the 2024 NFL Draft. He was one of a modern-era program-record 11 players selected in a historic 2024 draft class from the Longhorns.

T'Vondre Sweat, DL

Former three-star defensive tackle recruit T'Vondre Sweat could easily have the argument as the best player from the Longhorns' 2019 recruiting class. Sweat, a three-star defensive line prospect from Huntsville (TX) High School, was the only signee from the Longhorns 2019 class who won a major individual award during their time at Texas in college.

He won the Outland Trophy as the nation's top interior lineman in 2023.

Sweat has been a two-time All-Big 12 selection and an uber-important defensive line anchor for the Longhorns since 2022. He was not only the highest-graded Power Five defensive tackle in 2023, but Sweat was also one of the three highest-graded defenders at any position (per PFF grades).

There's a good argument to be made that Sweat and Byron Murphy were the best defensive tackle duo for Texas since the turn of the century as the top two defensive linemen in 2023.