Texas Football: 7 Commits Who Will Start a Game in 2015 for the Longhorns

No matter what the Texas Longhorns' recruiting class looks like on national signing day, the final members of their 2015 recruiting class will have to be ready to contribute right away.

If things go to plan, this group will be set to carry the program back to national prominence. And it's almost solely the result of Charlie Strong and his staff's recruitment of probable freshman starter Malik Jefferson.

The past week has set in motion one of the wildest finishes in the history of Texas recruiting. It all started with surprise visits by elite prospects Kyler Murray and DaMarkus Lodge, carried into the weekend with visits by a slew of prospects at or near the same level and picked up even more steam when John Burt recommitted on Monday.

In what will be remembered as "The Month of Malik," the Horns have used the recruitment of Jefferson to rebuff any notion that their awful finish to 2014 was a sign of things to come. 

Jefferson will step in immediately as a starter. However, his real impact is the crowd of fellow players who have followed and could follow in the coming days.

Right now, he headlines a group of seven recruits who will start in 2015, and that number could cruise into double digits before it's all said and done.

LB Malik Jefferson

A physical specimen with lots of time to learn the offense, there should be little doubt that Malik Jefferson will be a Week 1 starter for the Horns.

It doesn't take much imagination to figure out how Strong and defensive coordinator Vance Bedford will deploy the 5-star linebacker who started it all. Jordan Hicks and his 147 tackles have left the 40 Acres, opening up an every-down role at the outside linebacker spot with Jefferson's name on it.

"

Home sweet home. #ATX

— Malik Jefferson 4⃣6⃣ (@Official_MalikJ) January 17, 2015"

With legit 4.4 speed at 6'2.5" and 215 pounds, per Student Sports, Jefferson is an ideal fit for that job, with an even higher ceiling than that of Hicks. Now that he's enrolled early, there should be little doubt that his incomparable athleticism will translate to production sooner rather than later.

Expect some growing pains as Jefferson is asked to cover and diagnose plays, but his room for error is much higher than your typical true freshman. He's going to be a big-time playmaker and an early favorite to make a Freshman All-American team.

OT Brandon Hodges

Ronald Martinez/Getty Images

With Harrison basically out the door, Hodges will get every chance to take control of the left tackle spot.

Texas has limited options at offensive tackle, especially now that Desmond Harrison has all but bolted, per Alex Dunlap of Orangebloods.com. That all but locks Brandon Hodges, another JUCO transfer, into a starting spot in 2015.

Hodges is one of four commits at the position for this cycle but the only one with a realistic chance at early playing time. ESPN considers both Ronnie Major and Connor Williams redshirt candidates before they capitalize on their physical gifts, while 2-star Tristan Nickelson is just another body.

In Hodges, Texas has a true left tackle and a full offseason to get the early enrollee up to speed. That's an eternity for offensive coordinator Joe Wickline, whose group woefully underachieved in 2014.

Look for the 295-pounder to boot Marcus Hutchins out of the starting lineup by the time the spring game rolls around.

DE Quincy Vasser

USA TODAY Sports

Reed's role on the strong side will belong to Vasser as soon as he steps on campus.

Expected to fill the strong-side role vacated by Cedric Reed, Quincy Vasser is another junior college prospect ready to step straight into the starting lineup this season.

A former Georgia commit, Vasser will be a solid contributor for the Longhorns. As noted by SB Nation's Wescott Eberts, he's a physically imposing run-stopper with adequate pass-rushing chops.

Vasser won't put up huge numbers, but he's the only Longhorn who really fits the bill at this position. Pencil him in for five sacks and 10 tackles for loss, which is about what a hobbled Reed put up last season.

WR John Burt

The Longhorns still have some targets left on the board, but recent recommit John Burt looks primed to start on the outside as a freshman.

As with Jefferson and Vasser, the 4-star receiver has a clear path to a role left open by a similar player. For Burt, that's John Harris, who became just the sixth receiver to break 1,000 yards in Longhorn history last season.

Like Harris, Burt is a big target with the athletic ability to make plays at every level of the field. He obviously won't be as polished as Harris at this stage, but he plays the position with a mean streak, and his recent development has been exciting, as told by Eberts:

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It's like a light flashed on for him at some point in the last several months.

The result is a big, physical receiver who can run comeback routes, break the first tackle, and then outrun the safety to the end zone, go up strong over the middle for catches in traffic made possible by attacking the football with his hands, and beat opponents with his route-running ability coming out of his breaks or simply run by defensive backs who don't completely respect his pure, vertical speed.

"

From a physical standpoint, Texas doesn't have another receiver of Burt's caliber.

TE Devonaire Clarington

Speaking of impressive physical talents, Texas finally has one at tight end by the name of Devonaire Clarington, a 4-star recruit ready to make an impact at the position.

Now that M.J. McFarland has transferred to UTEP, the Horns have less depth here than a kiddie pool. Blake Whiteley and Andrew Beck are the only tight ends on scholarship this spring, and neither has ever caught a ball in college.

The Horns salvaged what could have been a disastrous situation here by stealing Clarington, a consensus 4-star recruit, from Miami. As Sporting News' TJ Gaynor points out, he's an absolute matchup nightmare at 6'5" and almost 240 pounds.

Clarington has a ways to go as a blocker, meaning either Whiteley or Beck will command a role. Still, he has too much potential in the middle of the field to spend much time on the sideline.

Also helping Clarington's case for early playing time is the reported switch to a spread-type offense, as former commit Zach Gentry confirmed to James Yodice of the Albuquerque Journal. Any emphasis on pace and creating one-on-one situations adds to the value Clarington brings even as a raw freshman.

OL Patrick Vahe

Texas' entire offensive line should be on notice this offseason after blocking for only 3.8 yards per rush in 2014. This group needs a mauler on the inside to change that, and Patrick Vahe fits the bill.

Considered a center by 247Sports, Vahe can play any of the three interior spots for the Longhorns. He's best known as an athletic run-blocker, but he acquitted himself in the passing game at the Dallas NFTC.

It's just a matter of time before he proves those skills are developed enough for the college game. Kent Perkins was Texas' only interior lineman who played at a consistent level last season, leaving both the left guard and center spots wide open for Vahe.

Due to Sedrick Flowers' struggles on the left side last season, the safe bet is that the 4-star recruit makes his debut off the ball.

MLB Cecil Cherry

Jordan Hicks isn't the only linebacker the Longhorns will miss in 2014. Steve Edmond, his sidekick at middle linebacker, also leaves without an heir apparent to his 131 tackles, which means 3-star recruit Cecil Cherry should see the field sooner than expected.

Texas' defense is going to be young this season, replacing five seniors and All-American tackle Malcom Brown on that side of the ball. Most of those spots don't have an upperclassman waiting in the wings, which may force as many as four true freshmen into action.

Cherry figures to be one of them. Dalton Santos is the only true middle linebacker left on the team, and he's proven too slow to be counted upon, so either someone plays out of position or Texas gives the freshman an early look.

While Cherry doesn't carry the high profile of Jefferson or even Anthony Wheeler, he's a knock-back tackler who can hold his own in space. Not to mention his offer list tells the story of a player much better than his rating suggests.

Just as Jason Hall came out of nowhere to nail down the strong safety spot, so too will Cherry at linebacker.

Other Targets to Watch

QB Kyler Murray

Unless he's truly fallen out of love with Texas A&M, the assumption is the nation's No. 1 dual-threat quarterback only flips to Texas for early playing time. He certainly has the arm talent, athleticism and maturity to terrorize defenses as a freshman. The only question is whether he makes the decision that rocks the state.

WR DaMarkus Lodge

Murray's partner on his unexpected visit to Texas, Lodge is a slightly more dynamic version of the aforementioned Burt. Both would have a role as freshmen with advanced playmaking abilities, then proceed to eviscerate coverages for the next three or four years.

RB Soso Jamabo

The state's top back would obviously be the first choice here, but Chris Warren and Nick Brossette would be the 1B option to Johnathan Gray's 1A. Texas needs a power back, and all three can fill the void.

CB Kris Boyd/CB Holton Hill

We're going to pool these two together, as the Horns are aiming to land both for early-impact roles. After all, they do have outside and nickel corner roles to fill. Should one or both go elsewhere, current commit Davante Davis enters the discussion.

Unless otherwise noted, all stats and information courtesy of TexasSports.com and 247Sports.com.