Closing the book on the 2018 recruiting class
When Christian Jones was picked by the Arizona Cardinals on Saturday during day three of the 2024 NFL Draft, that officially closed the book — at least at Texas — on the Longhorns’ 2018 recruiting class.
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Ranked third in the nation according to the On3 Industry Comparison, Tom Herman‘s signing class on the heels of his first season at Texas featured 14 top-200 prospects, a quarterback flipped from Oklahoma, and another quarterback who was the son of a Sooner quarterback himself. The class was highlighted by a defensive back corps that featured two five-stars and several top-50 prospects.
Ultimately, only six members of the 29-man class were drafted from Texas. Eighteen elected to leave the program, and one had to medically retire before even recording a snap. Most of those who left did so after Herman was replaced by Steve Sarkisian in 2021.
With Jones off to the NFL, Inside Texas offers a lookback at what was thought to be a program-defining class.
BJ Foster, S, Angleton (Texas)
On3 Industry Ranking: No. 17 overall (five-star)
Career path: Transferred to Sam Houston State after the 2021 season, was first-team All-WAC in 2022.
Caden Sterns, S, Cibolo (Texas) Steele
On3 Industry Ranking: No. 20 overall (five-star)
Career path: Declared after his junior season. Picked 152nd overall by the Denver Broncos in the fifth round of the 2021 draft.
Jalen Green, CB, Houston (Texas) Heights
On3 Industry Ranking: No. 40 overall (four-star)
Career path: Transferred to Mississippi State after the 2020 season. Recorded 91 tackles and four interceptions in two seasons at MSU as a safety.
DeMarvion Overshown, LB, Arp (Texas)
On3 Industry Ranking: No. 48 overall (four-star)
Career path: Played five years at Texas. Picked 90th overall by the Dallas Cowboys in the third round of the 2023 draft
Brennan Eagles, WR, Alief (Texas) Taylor
On3 Industry Ranking: No. 55 overall (four-star)
Career path: Declared after his junior season. UDFA with Dallas, short stints in the USFL and CFL.
Anthony Cook, DB, Houston (Texas) Lamar
On3 Industry Ranking: No. 57 overall (four-star)
Career path: Played five years at Texas. UDFA with Kansas City, not currently on a roster.
Joshua Moore, WR, Yoakum (Texas)
On3 Industry Ranking: No. 94 overall (four-star)
Career path: Left the program after the 2021 season.
Keondre Coburn, DT, Spring (Texas) Westfield
On3 Industry Ranking: No. 111 overall (four-star)
Career path: Played five years at Texas. Picked 194th overall by the Kansas City Chiefs in the sixth round of the 2023 NFL Draft. Currently on the Tennessee Titans.
Junior Angilau, OL, Salt Lake City (Utah) East
On3 Industry Ranking: No. 121 overall (four-star)
Career path: Transferred to Oregon after the 2022 season. Played in three games in the 2023 season. Undrafted.
Al’vonte Woodard, WR, Houston (Texas) Lamar
On3 Industry Ranking: No. 127 overall (four-star)
Career path: Transferred to Sam Houston State after the 2021 season. Recorded 47 catches for 554 yards and four touchdowns in two seasons at SHSU.
D’Shawn Jamison, CB, Houston (Texas) Lamar
On3 Industry Ranking: No. 131 overall (four-star)
Career path: Played five years at Texas. UDFA with San Francisco. Currently on the Carolina Panthers.
Ayodele Adeoye, LB, IMG Academy via St. Louis (Mo.)
On3 Industry Ranking: No. 134 overall (four-star)
Career path: Transferred to Sacramento State after the 2021 season. Transferred to Incarnate Word after the 2022 season.
Keaontay Ingram, RB, Carthage (Texas)
On3 Industry Ranking: No. 172 overall (four-star)
Career path: Transferred to USC after the 2020 season. Rushed 156 times for 911 yards and five touchdowns. Drafted by with the 201st overall pick by the Arizona Cardinals in the sixth round of the 2022 NFL Draft. Currently on the Kansas City Chiefs.
Joseph Ossai, EDGE, Conroe (Texas) Oak Ridge
On3 Industry Ranking: No. 192 overall (four-star)
Career path: Declared after his junior season. Picked 69th overall by the Cincinnati Bengals in the third round of the 2021 NFL Draft.
Cameron Rising, QB, Newbury Park (Calif.)
On3 Industry Ranking: No. 261 overall (four-star)
Career path: Transferred to Utah after the 2018 season. Still with the Utes.
Malcolm Epps, TE, Spring (Texas) Dekaney
On3 Industry Ranking: No. 263 overall (four-star)
Career path: Transferred to USC after the 2021 season. Played two years with the Trojans, catching 13 passes. Transferred to Pitt for the 2023 season, catching nine passes for 115 yards. Received rookie minicamp invite from the Indianapolis Colts.
Mikey Grandy, OL, College of San Mateo (Calif.)
On3 Industry Ranking: No. 30 overall in JUCO rankings (three-star)
Career path: Medically retired ahead of his first season.
Reese Moore, OL, Seminole (Texas)
On3 Industry Ranking: No. 303 overall (four-star)
Career path: Transferred to Abilene Christian after three seasons at Texas. Started 21 games for the Wildcats at left tackle, voted first-team All-UAC in 2022.
Rafiti Ghirmai, OL, Frisco (Texas) Wakeland
On3 Industry Ranking: No. 306 overall (four-star)
Career path: Transferred to Abilene Christian after four seasons at Texas.
Casey Thompson, QB, Newcastle (Okla.)
On3 Industry Ranking: No. 308 overall (four-star)
Career path: Transferred to Nebraska after the 2021 season. Passed for 2407 yards and 17 touchdowns with the Cornhuskers. Transferred to Florida Atlantic after the 2022 season. Played in three games before tearing his ACL. Transferred to Oklahoma after the 2023 season.
Moro Ojomo, DL, Katy (Texas)
On3 Industry Ranking: No. 345 overall (four-star)
Career path: Played five seasons at Texas. Picked 249th overall by the Philadelphia Eagles in the seventh round of the 2023 NFL Draft.
Byron Vaughns, EDGE, Fort Worth (Texas) Eastern Hills
On3 Industry Ranking: No. 431 overall (three-star)
Career path: Transferred to Utah State after the 2020 season. Tallied 99 tackles, 19.0 TFL, and six sacks with the Aggies. Transferred to Baylor after the 2022 season. Recorded 32 tackles, 8.0 TFL, and three sacks. UDFA with the Cowboys.
Michael Williams, DL, Baton Rouge (La.) Dunham School
On3 Industry Ranking: No. 490 overall (three-star)
Career path: Transferred to LSU after the 2018 season.
Daniel Carson, DL, Independence (Mo.) William Chrisman
On3 Industry Ranking: No. 503 overall (three-star)
Career path: Transferred to Western Illinois after three seasons at Texas. Recorded 17 tackles, 2.5 TFL, and 1.5 sacks. Transferred to Georgia Tech after the 2021 season.
Juwan Mitchell, LB, Butler (Kan.) Community College
On3 Industry Ranking: No. 668 overall out of high school in 2018 (three-star)
Career path: Signed with Texas ahead of the 2019 season out of Butler CC. Played two seasons at Texas. Transferred to Tennessee after the 2020 season. Played in 10 games for the Volunteers. Transferred to Arizona State, then was dismissed. Transferred to Colorado ahead of the 2023 season.
Christian Jones, OL, Cypress (Texas) Cy-Woods
On3 Industry Ranking: No. 740 overall (three-star)
Career path: Played six years at Texas. Drafted with the No. 162 overall pick by the Arizona Cardinals in the fifth round of the 2024 NFL Draft.
Willie Tyler, OL, Iowa Western Community College
On3 Industry Ranking: No. 115 overall in the JUCO rankings (three-star)
Career path: Signed with Texas out of Iowa Western ahead of the 2019 season. Transferred to Louisiana-Monroe after the 2020 season. Transferred to Rutgers after the 2021 season. Transferred to Louisville after the 2022 season.
Ryan Bujcevski, P, ProKick Australia
On3 Industry Ranking: No. 1283 overall (three-star)
Career path: Transferred to SMU after the 2021 season. Punted 80 times averaging 44.1 yards per punt at SMU.
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Cameron Dicker, K, Lake Travis (Texas)
On3 Industry Ranking: No. 1626 overall (three-star)
Career path: UDFA with the Los Angeles Rams. Currently on the Los Angeles Chargers.
