Karic commits to Texas

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The 2020 class just added its fourth offensive lineman.

Southlake Carroll OL Andrej Karic has committed to Texas over competing offers from Auburn, Florida State, Baylor, Michigan, Nebraska, Oregon, USC, and TCU.

https://twitter.com/KaricAndrej/status/1154031868926484480

Eric Nahlin on the commitment: Often you'll see an unheralded take celebrated because there's a lot of trust in the staff, but I've long been a fan.

Andrej Karic, Southlake Carroll, 6-5, 240: I think his weight is outdated. In pictures I've seen he looks bigger and with the frame to carry 300. This doesn't appear to be a Connor Galvin situation where you wonder what he's going to weigh in three years. If his frame is as good as I think that's a big development because he could be a take as a left tackle. I'd prefer to grow left tackles rather than shrink giants anyway. I caught up with a college source on Karic: "Baller. Like him a lot. Very athletic and tough. Like the way he bends and moves." Karic is perhaps the cleanest left tackle projection in the class. - July 2018

OL Andrej Karic (Southlake Carroll): I liked his sophomore tape with size being the main concern. He's only listed at 240 but looks bigger and I've heard he'll be able to carry 300. I love his overall quickness and aggressiveness. I subscribe to the 'grow your tackles' approach which he fits. - October 2018, I had him just outside my personal 'covet list'

I had him as my No. 30 player in state in February. So, needless to say I'm a big believer in his long-term trajectory.

Now, to figure out how this came together.

Yesterday I was asked if they were pushing for Lindberg and/or Karic. At the time I thought they were still waiting out Lindberg but I circled back to the board last night to say I'd check further. Something felt imminent and I felt Karic could be a take but I wanted to check further today. Karic saved me a few calls.

Texas gets an upside offensive tackle not dissimilar to Sam Cosmi. Cosmi, I think, had more upside coming in and was already bigger, but there are some similarities: finishing blocks, project well to both pass and run blocking, potential at left tackle, etc.

I've felt Texas only wants four offensive linemen in the class barring someone being too good to turn down. What that means for Lindberg we'll have to wait and see. He's clearly unsettled on a decision and Texas didn't want to miss out on Karic.

For now, UT's class features two tackles and two interior linemen. It will probably shake out with Garth as a left tackle, Parr as a guard, Majors as a center, and Karic as a right tackle.

Joe Cook on the commitment: Texas taps into one of the state's best high school football programs for an offensive linemen they plan to grow in Yancy McKnight's strength and conditioning program.

Eric posted in June that he believed his listed weight of 240 was outdated, and that number didn't mean a whole lot anyway because he had the frame to make it to 300 pounds.

At his current weight, he plays with an athleticism and quickness that allows him to stay in front of defensive linemen whether he's moving backwards in pass protection or moving up to the second level.

A few of his plays remind me of some of the clips I saw on Jake Majors' film. He appears to do a good job of quickly establishing a new base and using upper-body strength in order to escort defenders away from the play.

In his run blocking plays, he goes all the way through the whistle. Once he adds even more weight to his frame, that tenaciousness will be 300 pounds falling and punching instead of someone sub-260.

In the current offensive line class, Logan Parr, Jake Majors, and Jaylen Garth are a closer to their likely playing weight than Karic currently is. Texas does well to find the right guys who aren't *too* big for spots, while leaving spots open in the class for either a late-developing, senior film superstar or an athletic big guy who needs to add weight but can move.

Karic is the 11th member of Texas' 2020 class joining Van Fillinger (Corner Canyon - UT), Vernon Broughton (Cy-Ridge), Prince Dorbah (Highland Park), Kitan Crawford (Tyler John Tyler), Ja’Quinden Jackson (Duncanville), Jaden Hullaby (Dallas Bishop Dunne), Jaylen Garth (Port Neches-Groves), Jake Majors (Prosper), Logan Parr (Helotes O’Connor), and Hudson Card (Lake Travis).