Jarrett Allen to Texas: Longhorns Land 5-Star PF Prospect

Power forward Jarrett Allen has committed to the Texas Longhorns, according to Jeff Goodman of ESPN.com.

Brian Davis of the Austin American-Statesman confirmed the news.

Davis also provided a statement from Texas head coach Shaka Smart on Saturday on adding Allen:

The 5-star recruit carries a 6'9", 210-pound frame and is the fourth-best class of 2016 prospect in the state of Texas, according to 247Sports. Nationally, he's ranked 17th overall and fifth among all power forwards.

According to Danny Davis of the American-Statesmen, Allen is coming off a monster season in which he recorded 21.4 points, 13.3 rebounds and 4.1 blocks per game on his way to winning the publication's Player of the Year award. 

Allen was receiving plenty of attention from Texas schools, with offers from Baylor, Houston and SMU, according to ESPN. He also received offers from powerhouses like Kansas and Kentucky. 

ESPN.com's Jeff Borzello wrote: "Allen is a long athletic and mobile post player that is oozing with potential. He runs the floor extremely well and has good hands and feet. Allen finishes above the rim when he receives drop off passes created by dribble penetration."

An exceptional talent, Allen still needs some polishing and maturing, but former Philadelphia 76ers and Cleveland Cavaliers head coach John Lucas sees something big brewing in the forward:

Even if it takes some time for the star recruit to find his comfort zone, it's a massive addition for the Longhorns. They lost three key seniors in the frontcourt after the 2015-16 season—Cameron Ridley, Connor Lammert and Prince Ibeh—and didn't have obvious replacement options.

The period of transition in the post should give Allen a chance to earn extensive playing time right out of the gate if he can prove he's ready. If not, he'll still be capable of providing high-energy minutes off the bench until he's able to earn a place in the starting lineup.

His arrival gives Texas the sixth-ranked recruiting class for 2016, according to 247Sports.

All told, Allen will need to work on expanding his game from just under the basket. At 6'9", he will encounter plenty of larger players who can control the paint. But his athleticism and ability to move around the basket can be compared to Los Angeles Clippers star Blake Griffin, a predominantly low-post player who needed to work on his mid-range game to truly thrive.