Texas Football: 2015 Signees Who Likely Won't See Field Until Junior Season

Texas needed instant-impact potential from its 2015 recruiting class, and head coach Charlie Strong delivered it.

The Longhorns lose 10 starters from last season's squad and recruited as if they will need a freshman to man many of the positions that are seeing departures. They had to bring in at least two linebackers, two defensive backs, a defensive end and a whole lot of skill players.

And they got them.

Led by linebacker Malik Jefferson, eight of Texas' 28 signees have the potential to earn starting snaps as freshmen. He and all of cornerbacks Holton Hill and Kris Boyd, bookend Quincy Vasser, power back Chris Warren, linemen Patrick Vahe and Brandon Hodges, receiver John Burt and tight end Devonaire Clarington will get a serious look this offseason.

Then there's the unexpected, as we saw last season when 3-star safety Jason Hall became an every-down player when healthy. When you look at guys like Breckyn Hager and PJ Locke, even the most unheralded members of this class deserve our respect.

With that said, not many of these guys will have to wait until they are juniors to see the field. Even the few who are likeliest to do so have a chance to make a late impact.

WR Gilbert Johnson

Though the Longhorns enter 2015 lacking real receiver depth, Gilbert Johnson enters the program as a project with direct competition from similar talents.

The need for Johnson to contribute early diminished exponentially when John Burt recommitted to the Longhorns before signing day. Standing at 6'3", Burt is far more polished as a receiver with both the long speed and leaping ability to start as a freshman.

Johnson's roughly the same size but comes in just behind Burt in nearly every other category, as noted by SB Nation's Wescott Eberts.

Also working against Johnson is that Texas already has Lorenzo Joe, Garrett Gray and Dorian Leonard waiting in the wings. All three also bring plus size to the position, with Joe and Leonard each seeing action as freshmen.

Texas can afford to take its time with Johnson with those guys in the fold.

RB Tristian Houston

Texas replenished the backfield ranks this cycle, pulling in three running backs with distinct skill sets to plug in behind Johnathan Gray.

Right now, Tristian Houston comes in behind classmates Chris Warren and Kirk Johnson.

Warren leads this trio because his exceptional size (6'2", 240 lbs) immediately lines him up for work between the tackles. Right behind him, the Longhorns have Oakland Nike Football Training Camp MVP Kirk Johnson, who has the best three-down ability of anyone in the class, as described by 247Sports' Jeff Howe:

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Johnson worked out a few months later at the U.S. Army National Combine in San Antonio. He was one of the top performers at the event showcasing a nice combination of foot quickness, ball skills and the ability that made Tommie Robinson tell the Top247 ball carrier he needed to start watching a lot of video of Marshall Faulk because that's how the Longhorns viewed his potential role.

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Houston is talented as well, but he has some bulking up to do. He's smaller (5'11") than both of his classmates and his 195-pound listing may be a bit of an exaggeration.

The North Shore product would probably have a role any other season as a returner or scatback, but the current roster has both roles thoroughly covered. A position change could be in the works if he doesn't pack on some size.

OT Ronnie Major, OT Tristan Nickelson or OL Garrett Thomas

The Longhorns missed grabbing an elite offensive tackle in this cycle, losing Toby Weathersby to LSU. Instead, they landed several high-upside recruits who each have a chance to make an early impact.

In the end, one or two will come up short.

Brandon Hodges, Connor Williams, Garrett Thomas and Tristan Nickelson have all enrolled early this spring. Hodges, the JUCO transfer, is the odds-on favorite to be the starting left tackle this fall, while Howe considers Williams possibly the "steal of the class" because of his rare athleticism.

That leaves Nickelson, Thomas and Ronnie Major, the summer enrollee, as the remaining candidates to battle for some time over the next couple of seasons. Major has the most upside, but he may not qualify as a freshman, while both Thomas and Nickelson each have college-ready attributes.

Nickelson only had one other offer, so he's the likeliest to remain sidelined barring a setback with Major.

Recruiting information courtesy of 247Sports.