Texas Football Recruiting: Predicting All the Recruits Who Will Sign on NSD

The dream finish won't happen, but Texas should still expect some great news on national signing day from four of its top targets.

Kyler Murray's decision to shut down his recruitment prevents Texas from hitting the home run and hauling in as many as seven of the state's top 15 players. 

It's a tough loss for the quarterback-needy Horns, but they've have moved on just fine so far. Top cornerbacks Kris Boyd and Holton Hill each committed to the program on Friday, giving Charlie Strong one of the best defensive classes in the country.

Now it's mostly a waiting game for the targets left on the board. DaMarkus Lodge is off the board with Murray gone, while Deandre Baker and new offer PJ Locke are expected to stay committed to their current programs.

That leaves Chris Warren, Daylon Mack, Kai Locksley and Soso Jamabo as the predictive favorites to commit on signing day.

RB Chris Warren

There are no real locks when it comes to decisions on signing day, but running back Chris Warren is as close as it gets.

A massive power back at 6'2", 240 pounds, Warren's commitment would put him in line for Malcolm Brown's old role alongside Johnathan Gray. Soso Jamabo could complicate those plans, but Texas would gladly take both without an experienced backup behind Gray.

The Horns have led with Warren since last spring, with Washington being their main competition at this point. Warren's father played for the Seattle Seahawks, so the Huskies stand a chance.

"

My visit to Texas was down right amazing! Austin treated me well! #HookEm

— Chris Warren III (@ScorealldayCW25) December 15, 2014"

That said, Warren loved his official visit to Texas, where the depth chart couldn't be more attractive in terms of available playing time.

DT Daylon Mack

Texas' defensive class is already one of the best in the country with five commits from the Top247. Adding Daylon Mack would be extra icing on the cake.

It's been a complicated process for Mack. The 5-star defensive tackle committed to Texas A&M in October 2013, opened up his recruitment in December, named TCU his leader in January and then cancelled a trip to see the Horned Frogs this past weekend, per ESPN's Gerry Hamilton.

At the end of the madness, it's the Horns that are sitting pretty with the elite talent. SB Nation's Wescott Eberts reports that Mack is all Texas even in the wake of the Kyler Murray decision, with his ties to current enrollee Malik Jefferson being a major influence.

"

Woke up this morning with one school on my mind! I know where I'm going!

— THEE MACK TRUCK (@DaylonMack) January 31, 2015"

Mack says his mind is made up. And though nothing from him should surprise us, it sounds like Texas will add another 5-star talent to next year's group of freshmen.

QB Kai Locksley

Now that Zach Gentry has flipped to Michigan and Kyler Murray has shut down his recruitment, the Longhorns' last high school option in this cycle is Florida State commit Kai Locksley. If he wants a shot at playing quarterback, he'll make the switch on signing day.

Texas only has two scholarship quarterbacks on the roster this spring, while the Seminoles have two commits in their 2015 class alone. And though Locksley tried out receiver at the Under Armour All-America Game, reports indicate he wants to remain a quarterback.

The path to do that is much clearer at Texas, especially given Tyrone Swoopes' meltdown at the end of last season. Right now, Jerrod Heard is the only hope until the Horns add another passer to the roster.

Complicating matters for the Horns is that Locksley wants to redshirt, per Orangebloods.com's Anwar Richardson. If Heard goes bust or gets injured, does Charlie Strong believe he has enough job security to keep him on the sideline?

Either way, this week's in-home visit seemed to go well, and Texas has to like that it's still alive this close to decision time.

RB Soso Jamabo

The other 5-star talent that Texas still has a shot at landing is running back Soso Jamabo, whom the coaches hope will also announce his decision to commit to the Longhorns on national signing day.

Texas started out as the favorite for Jamabo, then fell through the floor as the Mack Brown era was ushered out. Then the Horns got back on him in November, and they now lead his CrystalBall predictions on the heels of his late-January trip to Austin.

This one is tough to peg because Texas was off of Jamabo's grid for so long. The time period between his interest, visit and commitment would only be two months of one long process for the all-around talent.

Still, the fact that Jamabo had such strong interest before his stock blew up and that the Horns have almost no in-state competition bodes well. It also doesn't hurt that the depth chart signals early playing time for the big back who really can do it all.

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