Texas insider explains how Longhorns edged out Missouri for 5-star WR Ryan Wingo

Texas pulled off one of its biggest recruiting wins of the 2024 cycle on Wednesday, as it beat out Missouri for Saint Louis University five-star wide receiver Ryan Wingo, the No. 26 overall prospect in the On3 Industry Ranking.

The decision came as a surprise to most, as Wingo was a heavy lean in favor of the in-state Tigers in the lead-up to his recruitment. Smoke around the Longhorns got real on the day of his announcement, leading into his choice of the soon-to-be SEC program.

Texas didn’t come out of left field, however, as it was a consistent frontrunner for the elite wideout for a majority of his recruitment — which is by no means over.

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Wingo was in Austin on Sept. 15 for a game visit and his first documented trip back on the Forty Acres since his official visit in June. It appeared following that trip that Texas was in line for his commitment, but that was before a powerful push from Mizzou that tilted things back in its favor.

On the latest edition of The Inside Scoop, Texas recruiting insider Gerry Hamilton broke down the topsy-turvy recruitment from Texas’ vantage point and how the Horns came out on top. Hamilton was among a heap of recruiting insiders and analysts that had all logged predictions in favor of Eli Drinkwitz and Mizzou.

“When Ryan and his family went to the Wyoming-Texas game, I thought it was all but done for Texas after that. I had heard that there was a silent commitment and this thing was headed Texas’ direction,” Hamilton told On3’s Josh Newberg. “Then, a few weeks shortly after, it starts trending away. I had a pick in for Texas, I switched it to Missouri, it takes a lot for me to do that. It was trending to Missouri, I mean, all the picks were going to Missouri in our industry.”

Austin may have been the difference for Texas

Both Texas and Missouri had their pros and cons in the recruitment of Wingo. The Longhorns carry a much more powerful brand, while the Tigers are in the midst of a successful 2023 season and had that close-to-home advantage.

For Hamilton, though, he thinks back to Wingo’s interest in Austin and the elite atmospheres that come with game day at Texas Memorial Stadium. The relationships that Sarkisian, the Texas coaching staff, players and recruits built with Wingo also helped give the Longhorns an edge.

“The interesting thing about Ryan, when this recruitment started and I always talked about Texas with him, he liked Austin. He said the same things about Texas Arch Manning did. It’s a big city, there’s a lot of opportunity there, it’s a good chance to have a life away from football in a big football environment. I think when Ryan started this recruiting process, he had big eyes, as far as football environments go,” Hamilton said.

…That’s why he visited Michigan, Georgia, Tennessee, Texas, Notre Dame. He visited some of the biggest environments in college football and you knew that’s where his eyes were headed early in this process, but then Missouri has a good season … Missouri gained a lot of momentum and I think at the end of the day, I think Texas came through in a big way. I think that relationship with Sarkisian was key. Think the relationship with Arch Manning and of course if Texas wasn’t going to the SEC, this wouldn’t be possible.”

Wingo now joins a Texas class that ranks No. 9 in the nation, per the On3 Industry Team Recruiting Ranking. He’s one of three five-stars in the class, alongside Duncanville (Texas) Five-Star Plus+ EDGE Colin Simmons and Santa Ana (Calif.) Mater Dei offensive tackle Brandon Baker.