Zach Gentry to Texas: Longhorns Land 4-Star QB Prospect

The Charlie Strong era at Texas is off to an encouraging start following news that the Longhorns have landed highly touted quarterback prospect Zach Gentry.

Gentry took to Twitter to announce his commitment on Monday: 

247Sports' official Longhorns account also had the news:

A 6'7", 230-pound quarterback out of Albuquerque, New Mexico, Gentry is rated as the sixth-best pro-style quarterback in the class of 2015, according to 247Sports' composite rankings.

The 4-star signal-caller had received a handful of other offers, including ones from Alabama, Baylor and Strong's former team, Louisville. 

Earlier this month, ESPN.com's Max Olson discussed what landing Gentry would mean for Texas' program as well as quarterbacks coach Shawn Watson, who followed Strong to Austin from Louisville:

"Gentry would be a home run and a clear statement that Watson and the offensive staff won't be afraid to pursue elite passers outside the usually loaded Lone Star State." 

In addition to his incredible size, Gentry's arm strength separates him from other quarterback prospects in his class. He'll need to continue to improve his mechanics and his footwork to hit his target on a consistent basis when given the opportunity at the college level, but his potential is tremendous.

The Eldorado High School star is also an excellent decision-maker and is capable of using his legs to extend the play even though he excels from the pocket. Per his 247Sports profile, he runs the 40-yard dash in 4.68 seconds.

Although Longhorns fans will have to wait more than a year to see Gentry in a Texas uniform, his commitment bodes extremely well for the program's future and serves as one of the early triumphs for Strong, who took over for Mack Brown back in January. 

For coaches in high-profile positions, recruiting top-level prospects is the first step to success. And with one of the top quarterbacks in the country officially on board, Strong appears to be well on his way to turning the Longhorns around. 

Follow Bleacher Report Featured Columnist Patrick Clarke on Twitter.