Texas Football Recruiting: Which Recruits Does Texas Need Most?
Mack Brown and the Texas Longhorns have revolutionized college football recruiting. Texas actually begins evaluating prospects in their sophomore and junior seasons, then recruits them hard early to secure an early commitment.
Texas usually wraps up its entire recruiting class early in the process and while other schools go through the year filling out their current class, the Longhorns are at work on the next year's class. They rarely go after a recruit outside the state unless he is a can't-miss prospect.
This year they have an elite class once again, so let's check out their class and a couple of prospects they truly need.
Current Longhorns Recruiting Class Outlook
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Total commit: 23
5-star commits: 1
4-star commits: 16
As it stands right now, per Rivals, Malcolm Brown is the lone 5-star commit for the Longhorns, yet players like Christian Weterman, Steve Edmond, Sedrick Flowers, Desmond Jackson and Jaxon Shipley could certainly argue for a fifth star.
Brown is the top running back in the country, Westerman the top right tackle prospect, Flowers is one of the very elite guard prospects, and Edmond is a super talent at linebacker.
Jackson put on a show at the Under Armour game, showing off his quickness and gap-penetration ability.
Other uber-talents in this class include Quandre Diggs, Josh Cochran, Garrett Greenlea and Chet Moss. The Longhorns also have the necessary quarterback pledge in David Ash.
Jermauria Rasco Could Be the Final Piece
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Jermauria Rasco is a weak-side defensive end prospect from Evangel Christian Academy in Louisiana.
It should be noted that when Texas comes after you and you do not attend high school within their state, then that likely means you are a superb talent.
Rasco is 6'3" and 230 pounds, is very athletic and could also play outside linebacker in college. He has very good explosion in his burst at the snap and comes down hard off the edge.
He's stouter than many think at the point of attack and has the toughness to play the run.
Rasco's Weaknesses
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Rasco is a tweener type prospect. He may be too small to consistently hold up in the trenches and may not be quick enough in his reads to play linebacker.
He's at his best going forward and rushing the passer, whereas outside linebackers are asked to cover and drop off in zone schemes.
He may lack the necessary cover skills to play on the third downs if he's deployed as a full-time linebacker.
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Longhorns vs. the Nation for Rasco
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Rasco has been pretty open in his recruitment and has listed a boatload of schools he likes. He comes from a powerhouse high school program which is no stranger to seeing its players get recruited hard.
His current top five is LSU, Florida, Florida State, Alabama and Arkansas. Other schools who have been mentioned are TCU, Oklahoma and Texas.
The Longhorns have some ground to make up, but he will certainly give the option of playing in Austin a pretty long and hard look.
Rasco Prediction
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As much as Texas needs Rasco, the feeling seems that the battle is down to Florida State and LSU.
A hunch tells us that LSU will be the last team standing and secure his signed letter of intent. Rasco has been to Baton Rouge many times since he was in grade school and has friends on the squad, and it's close to home.
Texas could swipe him, but right now he looks to be a Tiger.
Much-Needed Prospect: Christian Westerman
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When you have a chance to get a very good offensive lineman in recruiting, you need to hop on it.
Westerman is a future all-conference tackle and he will bring toughness, grit and nastiness to the Longhorns' offensive front from day one.
He pledged early to Texas but has looked around at Auburn and USC. Texas needs to make sure he knows how much he is needed and doesn't slide away from their prized recruiting class.
Much-Needed Prospect: David Ash
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Many schools go by the recruiting adage, "You have to sign at least one quarterback per class." There have been mythical national recruiting championships lost because a school did not sign a quarterback in that particular year.
Not only is Ash needed in recruiting banter, his talents are needed as well. Texas needs another quarterback to groom under Garrett Gilbert and reinforce depth at the position. Ash's signing does just that.
Ash isn't ready to compete for a starting job, but two to three years down the road, he has a chance to have developed into a very solid quarterback.
He's 6'4", nearly 200 pounds, and has very good vision and smarts for the position.
Much-Needed Prospect: Malcolm Brown
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Brown is the class headliner and is very much needed, as the top returning Longhorn running backs are Cody Johnson and Foswhitt Whitaker. He'll be looked at to resurrect the Longhorns running attack.
Whitaker is a very talented back and could make a formidable duo with Brown, but Brown is special. He has a chance to be the best running back to come to Texas since Ricky Williams. He's a man-child at 6'0", 220 pounds and has breakaway speed.
He's a future every-down back that has the strength, speed, power, quickness, vision and instincts to make an impact in the Texas offense from Day One. Major Applewhite and Bryan Harsin will look to use him early and often in Austin.
.jpg?w=480 "Ohio State Team Doctor")
