5 Recruits 4-Star QB Commit Shane Buechele Is Trying to Bring to Texas

The bad news for Texas Longhorns fans: Kendell Jones Jr., a coveted, 4-star defensive tackle from Killeen, Texas, chose Alabama over the in-state Longhorns on Friday.

The good news: There's still room to land plenty of quality talent. Arlington, Texas, 4-star quarterback Shane Buechele is doing his part in recruiting for the program.

Buechele, the nation's No. 4 dual-threat quarterback, on Monday said he has five players on a short list he's hoping to help land in Austin's Forty Acres. Buechele, who committed to Texas on Feb. 23, said he's making it a priority to recruit wide receiver Devin Duvernay, offensive tackle Jean Delance, running back Devwah Whaley, athlete Christian Wallace and versatile offensive lineman Tope Imade for Charlie Strong's 2016 class.

Duvernay, Delance, Whale and Wallace all are 4-star athletes. Imade is a rising 3-star who recently saw his strength go viral with a school record-setting deadlift.

Buechele on Duvernay: 'That man can run'

Of Buechele's five targets, Duvernay is the highest-ranked player. The Sachse, Texas, prospect is the nation's No. 3 wide receiver and No. 44 overall.

And he's deserving of his ranking. Buechele may even think he's a little underranked.

"This dude can just flat-out ball," Buechele said of Duvernay, an electrifying player at 5'11" and 195 pounds.

Duvernay would be a major pickup for the Longhorns. However, schools like Texas A&M, Baylor, Alabama and Oklahoma are notable contenders. Duvernay was invited to The Opening in March with an outstanding overall performance. In addition to showcasing a 37.7-inch vertical and throwing the power ball 37 feet, he also ran the 40-yard dash in 4.38 seconds.

Need proof with how fast Duvernay is away from football? He won the Texas high school Class 6A state gold medal in the 100-meter dash. His time was blazing, as he won the race in 10.27 seconds.

"He's quick, has good hands, runs great routes and has extremely deceptive speed. That man can run. I definitely want to be able to throw him the ball."

Can the Longhorns land Delance?

Every quarterback wants a reliable offensive line to depend on. Delance could spearhead that line for the Longhorns—and for Buechele.

A former Oklahoma commit, Delance is the nation's No. 11 offensive tackle and a top-100 player overall. Texas is one of the schools high on the Mesquite, Texas, lineman's list, but the Longhorns will have to outduel Texas A&M, TCU, USC, Alabama, LSU and Michigan.

And Oklahoma. Earlier this month, Delance said Oklahoma is still in the race, despite decommitting from the Sooners in March after the actions of the Sigma Alpha Epsilon fraternity.

Buechele knows the battle is somewhat uphill for getting Delance to Texas, but he is up for the challenge.

"I'm really going for him because we need that dominant lineman for our class," Buechele said. "He's a beast in the trenches, and the dude can play, no doubt. I want him protecting me."

Whaley could fill a need for Texas

At 6'0" and 205 pounds, Whaley has the body, speed and overall skill set to be a playmaker in the Big 12 and a valuable asset at Texas. Buechele knows the Longhorns are in need of a quality running back commit, and Whaley can be that player.

Currently, however, Whaley is considered a Texas A&M lean by prognosticators participating in his 247Sports Crystal Ball predictions. A Beaumont, Texas, prospect, Whaley also likes Oklahoma, Arkansas, Georgia and Alabama.

"Devwah is a player who can do mean things to a defense anywhere," Buechele said. "He can go in the gaps and can bounce it out and make people miss in space, then beat people with his speed. I would love to have a dude in the backfield like him."

The spring is an interesting time, as it allows college coaches to make their visits to campuses to sell their programs and philosophies to players. Whaley received a visit from Texas last week.

The big question: Can the Longhorns gain ground on the other schools? Buechele hopes so. In addition to giving Texas its first running back pledge of the 2016 class, he could be that power back with speed that could excel in Strong's offense.

Leadership, versatility make Wallace attractive

Wallace is the type of player who could play safety, outside linebacker, running back or wide receiver in the right system. It's the versatility of the Katy, Texas, athlete that Buechele is a huge fan of.

"We need him to come to Texas because he can make us better on either side of the ball," Buechele said of Wallace. "He's an overall defensive player, but it's always good to have such a good athlete like him."

According to Greg Powers of Scout.com, Wallace said three schools currently stand out—Texas, Mississippi State and Oklahoma. The former TCU commit is considered a Texas lean, per his 247Sports Crystal Ball, but nothing is set in stone until a signature is on a national letter of interest.

One thing is for sure: Whoever gets Wallace will get a player who not only wants to get better but also see his teammates around him get better. He was a leader and a motivator, along with being a solid defensive back, at The Opening Dallas regional.

Projected to be a safety in college, Wallace is ranked the No. 15 athlete in the country. At 6'2 ½" and 211 pounds, he's a big athlete with good speed, solid feet and a major hunger for getting better each day.

The sky's the limit for Imade

It's still early to determine if Imade projects to be an offensive guard or offensive tackle at the next level, but that's part of the charm of the Arlington, Texas, athlete.

Buechele has seen enough of Imade to know what he brings to the table. Buechele's Lamar High School squad and Imade's Bowie High School squad are district opponents.

"He's another O-line guy who has a lot of potential to be a great player," Buechele said of Imade, a 6'4 ½", 327-pound lineman with nearly 20 reported offers. "He's blown up this year and is a big guy who can block the big dogs on the D-line.

"He's in my district, so hopefully, I can pull him out to end up being a Longhorn."

Texas offered Imade on May 21 and is considered a school to watch in his process. Other schools to keep an eye on are Michigan, Texas Tech, Washington, Miami and Houston.

Damon Sayles is a National Recruiting Analyst for Bleacher Report. All quotes were obtained firsthand. All player ratings are courtesy of 247Sports' composite rankings. Follow Damon via Twitter: @DamonSayles