Steve Sarkisian, Texas Longhorns Football must-get recruits

The Texas Longhorns are building a top-10 ranked class in the first full recruiting cycle under new coach Steve Sarkisian.

While the class includes seven On3 300 level prospects, Sarkisian will ultimately be judged on how well the staff closes on a handful of nationally coveted prospects. The Longhorns would be within striking distance of a top-five class finish if the staff closes strong.

Evan Stewart would bring elite speed to the Texas offense
When 2021 receiver Xavier Worthy announced he would attend Texas in April, the offense instantly became explosive in Austin.

In the 2022 class, receiver Evan Stewart has that same ability. And the Texas program must continue to add elite speed pieces for a Steve Sarkisian offense to run at full throttle.

The one-time Texas verbal was on campus in June, and the Longhorns remain a legitimate threat to sign the two-sport star who took home the 5A long jump title as a junior with a leap of 24-6.5.

If the Longhorns are to win out, they will have to beat out many of the top programs in the SEC. The 6-foot-0, 175-pound Stewart made June trips to Florida, Texas A&M, Alabama and LSU with the Gators being the lone official visit.

Bryce Anderson will pick between Texas and Texas A&M
The one-time LSU verbal made June visits to Texas A&M, LSU, Alabama and Texas. While Alabama and LSU made their pitch, this recruitment will come down to a pair of long-time rivals.

Head coach Jimbo Fisher has taken over this recruitment for the Aggies, in an all-out effort to win over the versatile defensive back. The work by Terry Joseph in late February and March vaulted Texas into the lead heading into the summer. Now, the ball is in the court of Sarkisian to close. The 6-foot-0, 186-pound Anderson has unofficial visits scheduled to Texas July 30 and Texas A&M July 31 with a decision expected in August.

Simply put, this is a must-win for Steve Sarkisian and staff with the momentum-building implications.

Devon Campbell has makings of Texas vs. Oklahoma battle
Devon Campbell, a 6-foot-3, 310-pound athletic and powerful offensive guard prospect, began his recruitment with Texas considered the team to beat. And the Longhorns have remained at the top of the list after June visits to USC, Oklahoma and Texas.

The Sooners eclipsed expectations on the visit highlighted by the continuity between head caoch Lincoln Riley and offensive line coach Bill Bedenbaugh. However, Campbell made his way to Texas the following weekend and was blown away by the experience. The recruitment is setting up a Red River Rivalry battle on the trail between Riley and Steve Sarkisian.

This will not be a battle that ends soon. Campbell plans to make fall official visits to Texas, Alabama and LSU. A decision is not expected until December or early January.

Texas winning out in the DFW area for a five-star prospect would be a big change from the prior staff.

Denver Harris would be a big win over Alabama, SEC
Denver Harris’ recruitment was trending away from Texas in February, and toward an SEC decision with Alabama leading LSU.

Fast forward five months and the Longhorns have battled back behind the work of assistants Jeff Banks and Bo Davis. With visits to LSU, Texas A&M, Texas and Alabama in the rearview mirror, a decision is on the horizon.

This is a recruitment that features implications for Texas more than the 6-foot, 180-pounder being an elite cornerback prospect nationally. Regaining strong footing at North Shore High for the Longhorns is imperative.

Make no mistake, Alabama head coach Nick Saban would love to beat out former assistants on a top prospect in Texas.