Cedric Reed, Texas Football: Longhorn Recruiting Dominance Continues

Yawn. Ho hum. Another elite recruit for the Texas Longhorns. Here's what it means...

The Texas Longhorns committed Cedric Reed, our 20th recruit.

With 10 months to spare, I hate when Mack Brown leaves things to the last moment.

Will Muschamp’s domination of heavyweight defensive recruiting since his arrival in Austin has been total. He’s sporting a Rocky Marciano record and facing a slate full of tomato cans.

Adding Cedric Reed means that Texas now has the two best DE commitments in the state (Kendall Thompson, Cedric Reed), on the heels of taking the two best DE commitments in the state, arguably the country in 2009 (Wilson, Jeffcoat), preceded by taking the top DE commitment in 2008 (Alex Okafor).

That doesn’t even include a number of intriguing projects and studs in their own right like Greg Daniels, Dominic Jones, and Tevin Mims.

The Aggies advanced an argument for Reed’s services based largely on an open depth chart. This is tantamount to trying to sway a girl not to date a charming, rich, handsome guy because he has so many other options besides her—whereas your desperate financial circumstances, tiny feet, multiple personality disorders, and cleft palate guarantee fidelity.

Also, playing DE in a 3-4 isn’t much fun. Unless you enjoy being double-teamed more than Jenna Jameson.

I’ve likened it to playing in a Witness Protection Program. Particularly, if you imagine yourself as an edge rusher.

I love the 3-4, and believe it is under-utilized as college defense, given its representation in the NFL and the recruiting advantages it can offer if packaged correctly.

But you’ve got a sell job to make if your defense isn’t getting it done on the field and lacks a recent NFL track record for DL placement.

Contrast Aggie 3-4 circa 1989 vs. now.

The Aggies have to recruit intelligently, develop well, play good schemes, and create a pitch based on onfield achievement. Absent that, it’s just talk.

Finally, since we have a fanbase that likes to fret when we have excesses of talent at a position as much as when we lack it, position changes, redshirts, injury, and rotating four DEs throughout the game will keep everyone happy.

So what does the Reed news mean for recruiting more broadly?

First, we should probably forget DT Quincy Russell.

When a guy commits and his counselors pull him off, this isn’t happening. Too bad. Russell has a big athletic upside.

We’ll just content ourselves with the top three DTs in the state since last year in Bible, Dorsey, Desmond Jackson.

It also means we’re going to spend the next year focusing on Oklahoma CB Josh Turner, Cibolo RB Malcolm Brown, and one or two other cherry picks throughout the year.

CB Charles Jackson is an intriguing possibility, if he can get his grades up. He’ll come into our summer camp and we’ll make a call then.

If we closed out the class with Turner, Brown, and one more emerging cornerback (Jackson looks good if we’ll take a calculated grade risk; track record says we won’t), I’d be happy.

Whether it’s Turner, Jackson, or some emerging senior in Itasca, I want to throw numbers at cornerback.

We need stars to emerge there—the next Bryant Westbrook.

Guys that can play at a high level as freshmen and sophomores.

Unlike an offensive linemen, when you throw numbers at cornerback, those that don’t pan can end up as quality safeties, special teams contributors, kick return studs, or have the decency to transfer outright in search of a better playing situation.

So that’s where we stand. Malcolm Brown, some corners, and some random dude who always emerges down the stretch.

Your thoughts?

This article originally appeared on: Barking Carnival

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