Closing the book on the Texas Longhorns' 2020 class

Just about five years after putting pen to paper in late 2019 and signing up to play for the Texas Longhorns under head coach Tom Herman, members of Texas’ 2020 recruiting class have played their last snaps in the burnt orange.

[BOOKMARK: Check Inside Texas daily for FREE Texas Longhorns content]

The Longhorns welcomed 21 commits in that No. 9 class, with all but one player from the Lone Star State. That one was special in that it was Bijan Robinson, who eventually turned into a unanimous All-American, the Doak Walker Award winner, and a first-round pick.

There aren’t many more success stories from that class, but those who were standouts for the Longhorns later in their career were critical parts of back-to-back playoff runs by the Texas Longhorns.

Bijan Robinson, RB, Tucson (Ariz.) Salpointe Catholic

Without a doubt one of the best football players and human beings to wear the burnt orange. Robinson finished fourth in school history in rushing yardage with 3410, posting 1580 yards and 18 touchdowns during his award winning senior season in 2022. He also broke a record at Texas many thought would never be approached when he topped Jimmy Saxton’s yards per rush record in 2020 with his 8.2 ypc mark. Robinson was picked No. 8 overall by Atlanta in the 2023 draft and left Texas living up to just about every expectation.

Hudson Card, QB, Austin (Texas) Lake Travis

While waiting his turn to play quarterback at Lake Travis, Texas took Card’s commitment as part of a two-QB class along with Ja’Quinden Jackson. At Texas, he played in two games in 2020, maintaining his redshirt in preparation for a battle with Casey Thompson to succeed Sam Ehlinger. Card won, at first, then ceded the starting job before trading opportunities. Card stuck around and played in several games in 2022 as Quinn Ewers‘ backup before heading off to Purdue.

Alfred Collins, DT, Bastrop (Texas) Cedar Creek

Collins career started with a promising feat of athleticism when he intercepted Colorado in the 2020 Alamo Bowl, but the excellence of other defensive tackles on the roster plus Collins’ own inconsistency made finding extended playing time difficult. He returned for the 2024 campaign and posted his best season yet in a contract year, earning first-team All-SEC and second-team All-American honors. He finished 2024 with 55 tackles including six for loss and one sack, plus a forced fumble.

Ja’Quinden Jackson, QB, Duncanville (Texas)

Jackson arrived at Texas nursing a torn ACL suffered in the state semifinals during the 2019 season. He elected to transfer out following his first year to Utah. He was eventually converted to running back, and found success in that role in Salt Lake City before moving closer to home to play for Arkansas. In the SEC, he notched 790 rushing yards and 15 touchdowns as part of Arkansas’ 7-6 2024 campaign.

Vernon Broughton, DT, Houston (Texas) Cy-Ridge

Much like Collins, Broughton made the most of the opportunity the 2024 season provided. He became one of the key members of Texas’ stout defense and even made massive tackles in the Longhorns’ final five games. His 39 tackles in 2024 outpaced his combined total from 2020 through 2023. A massive recruiting win over Arkansas and Texas A&M, Broughton is an example of development in Steve Sarkisian‘s program.

Xavion Alford, S, Pearland (Texas) Shadow Creek

Alford left Texas for USC following the 2020 season after registering four tackles. An injury-plagued career at USC ended when he transferred to Arizona State and became a critical part of the Sun Devils’ Playoff team, earning first-team All-Big 12 honors in 2024 in the process. He notched 85 tackles and two interceptions during the 2024 season, and even recorded three stops against Texas.

Prince Dorbah, EDGE, Dallas (Texas) Highland Park

Dorbah left Texas for Tempe after the 2022 season. During his Longhorns career, he posted 11 tackles with one for loss. He became a regular contributor at Arizona State, and even sacked Ewers during the Peach Bowl. He posted 9.0 sacks and 14 TFL during his time in Tempe.

Kitan Crawford, DB, Tyler (Texas) John Tyler

Crawford was a special teams ace over his first two years as a Longhorn before seeing increased time in the defensive backfield in 2022 and 2023 at safety. He tallied 49 tackles and an interception during the 2022 and 2023 seasons, making a number of key plays both on defense and in the third phase. After the 2023 season, Crawford entered the portal and followed Jeff Choate to Nevada. There, he posted 76 tackles and two interceptions, including a pick-six.

Jerrin Thompson, DB, Lufkin (Texas)

A mainstay in the Texas defensive backfield for most of three seasons, Crawford accumulated 176 tackles and five interceptions during his four years at Texas. He elected to enter the portal following the 2023 season, transferring to Auburn where he had 65 tackles and two interceptions for the Tigers.

Jaylen Garth, OL, Port Neches (Texas) Port Neches-Groves

Garth battled injury at Texas and eventually transferred to Houston. He spent 2022 and 2023 with the Cougars, playing in seven games in 2023 before transferring to UTSA for the 2024 season. He started several games for the Roadrunners at right tackle, including most of the second half of the season.

Logan Parr, OL, San Antonio (Texas) O’Connor

Parr was on the field goal unit at Texas in 2022 and played very sparingly in 2020 and 2021 before transferring to SMU, where he became an All-AAC selection in 2023 and earned third-team All-ACC honors for the Mustangs in 2024.

Jake Majors, OL, Prosper

The all-time leader in Texas history in games started with 57, Majors leaves Texas after starting almost every play for the Longhorns since the end of the 2020 season. A player who had to learn how to play center at Texas, Majors was everything a staff could ask for out of a center and a team leader.

Troy Omeire, WR, Sugar Land (Texas) Fort Bend Austin

Two straight offseasons with debilitating knee injuries grounded Omeire’s Texas career, though he did eventually notch one reception for nine yards in a Longhorn uniform in 2022. He transferred to Arizona State ahead of the 2023 season, and has been limited in his production since. He will finish his career at UNLV.

Andrej Karic, OL, Southlake (Texas) Carroll

Karic stepped in for Derek Kerstetter during the 2020 Kansas State game and helped the Longhorn offense post gaudy numbers in the final three games. He played in 11 games in 2021 then found a role in 2022 as the Longhorns’ extra tight end in jumbo 12 personnel sets. Karic transferred to Tennessee and became a regular starter at left guard.

Kelvontay “Moochie” Dixon, WR, Carthage (Texas)

Dixon, the brother of Keaontay Ingram, logged 12 catches for 176 yards and one touchdown during his two seasons at Texas before transferring to SMU. In three years with Rhett Lashlee, Dixon has 1204 yards and eight scores.

Jahdae Barron, CB, Pflugerville (Texas) Connally

Barron signed with Baylor but was released from his letter of intent in the spring of 2020 and signed with Texas in an expedited process. He became quick contributor, returning a blocked punt for a touchdown against Texas Tech in 2020 and then posting 18 tackles in 2021. The Longhorns moved him to Star in 2022, where in the next two years at the position he posted 138 tackles, 17 TFL, and 3 interceptions. In 2024, he became a Longhorn legend by winning the Thorpe Award and earning consensus All-American honors as a versatile cornerback.

DaJon Harrison, WR, Hutto (Texas)

Injuries derailed Harrison’s career. He transferred to UConn and then again to Utah Tech.

Jaden Hullaby, ATH, Mansfield (Texas) Timberview

Hullaby transferred to New Mexico ahead of the 2022 season and posted 13 rushes for 59 yards for the Lobos. Hullaby tragically passed away in May of 2023.

Sawyer Goram-Welch, DT, Longview (Texas)

Goram-Welch arrived as a defensive tackle but later switched to offensive guard. Following the 2023 season, he transferred to Coastal Carolina to play for former Longhorn assistants Tim Beck and Craig Naivar.

Jaylan Ford, LB, Frisco (Texas) Lone Star

The lowest ranked player in the class eventually became an All-American. Ford, who flipped from Utah, burst onto the scene at the end of 2020 when he had seven tackles versus Kansas State followed by four tackles against Colorado in the Alamo Bowl. He became a prolific presence in the middle of the Texas defense from that point on, logging 100-plus tackle seasons in back-to-back years in 2022 and 2023. He was picked in the fifth round of the 2024 draft.

---

The 2020 class features two players who have already been drafted out of Texas and at least four likely to join them in the upcoming draft. Fourteen of the 21 signees elected to finish their career elsewhere, most of them failing to make major contributions at Texas.

The 2024 season also closes the book on the 2019 class as David Gbenda is finally seeing his career come to a close. The returns on the 2020 class are better than those of the 2019 group, believe it or not.

The 2021 class also is through at Texas, and that class’ exploits will be explored in a forthcoming piece.

The 2020 group saw it all at Texas, and while there were mostly flameouts in the group that signed up to play for Herman, a number of key players were critical parts of the Longhorns’ return to prominence.