Texas nearing top-five class in On3 Industry Team Recruiting Rankings after latest commitment

For the third time this month, Texas has landed a commitment from a five-star prospect. On Friday morning, Jacksonville Mandarin five-star wide receiver Jaime Ffrench made the call in favor of the Longhorns.

The likes of LSU, Miami and Tennessee all pushed hard for the nation’s No. 18 overall prospect, but the visits that Ffrench logged to Austin throughout his recruitment continued to push Steve Sarkisian’s program above the rest.

“There were a lot of challenges with LSU and Miami at different times, but since my first visit to Texas, they have been on top,” Ffrench told On3. “That visit I took in spring put Texas on top and they just stayed the course.”

With Ffrench now in the fold, Texas has leaped Oregon and Tennessee and now has the nation’s No. 6 recruiting class, according to the On3 Industry Team Recruiting Rankings. The Longhorns are closing in on a top-five class.

Make it three 5-stars for the Longhorns this cycle

After a couple of big misses on in-state five-star prospects earlier this summer, Texas finally landed a big win on Aug. 7 when Sachse (Texas) five-star WR Kaliq Lockett picked the in-state program. Just over two weeks later on Aug. 24, Galveston (Texas) Ball five-star safety Jonah Williams did the same.

The Longhorns now become the sixth team this cycle to land commitments from three or more five-stars, joining Ohio State, Alabama, LSU, Georgia and Oregon. Williams is the No. 10 overall prospect and No. 1 safety in the nation, while Lockett checks in at No. 21 overall and No. 4 at WR, right behind Ffrench.

An additional three top-100 prospects are also in the mix for Sarkisian and Co. Texarkana (Texas) Pleasant Grove four-star EDGE Lance Jackson is the No. 3 EDGE in the cycle, while Houston Alief Hastings four-star EDGE Smith Orogbo is the No. 12 player at the stacked position. Dallas Skyline four-star linebacker Elijah Barnes is the No. 9 LB in the nation. All three are top-20 players in the Lone Star State.

Joining Lockett and Ffrench on the offensive side of the class is a slew of blue-chippers. Spring (Texas) Dekaney four-star tight end Nick Townsend is a top-10 player at his position, as is Shreveport (La.) Calvary Baptist four-star running back James Simon. Saraland (Ala.) four-star quarterback K.J. Lacey has continued to see his stock rise and is now a top-150 recruit and the No. 12 QB in the class.

The summer has also seen commitments from Loganville (Ga.) Grayson four-star offensive tackle Nick Brooks and Sacramento (Calif.) Folsom four-star defensive lineman Josiah Sharma. The class now features 12 blue-chippers in total.