New jersey numbers for Texas' 2024 early enrollees

With 80% of Texas’ Class of 2024 currently enrolled on campus and working out in the football program, we checked with sources on the jersey numbers for some of the newest Longhorns.

[Join Inside Texas and get ONE MONTH of Longhorn intel for just $1!]

**we will add new numbers as we receive them

WR Ryan Wingo will wear No. 5. Think about a mixture of Brandon Collins and Billy Pittman.

On3 Personal Life: Wingo is the youngest in the successful Wingo family from St. Louis. In the Class of 2009, Ronnie Wingo Jr. was one of the nation’s most coveted athletes. Wingo had a solid career with Arkansas, rushing for more than 1,090 yards. He played pro football with the Atlanta Falcons, Buffalo Bills and Hamilton Tiger-Cats. Then in the 2014 class, Raymond Wingo was a four-star defensive back that played at Missouri. Next in line is Ryan, and many believe little brother has the biggest upside. 

CB Kobe Black will wear No. 6. Quandre Diggs would be proud.

On3 Personal Life: Black is the youngest from a family of college-level players. His oldest brother played hoops in junior college, his middle brother, Korie, plays football for Oklahoma State, and his father Keith was at Kansas State under Bill Snyder. His father was roommates with College Football Hall of Fame quarterback Michael Bishop. Black is a multi-sport star on the football field, hardwood in basketball and on the track for the Connally Cadets, where he excels in the 4×100, 4×200 and 4×400 relays. 

RB Jerrick Gibson will wear No. 9. Make Dakari Pearson proud.

On3 Personal Life: Gibson was a star long before he arrived at IMG Academy. He was known as one of the top youth football stars in the country before he emerged on the national recruiting scene as a freshman at Gainesville (Florida) High School, where he participated in the FBU Freshman All-America Bowl. He then transferred to Jonesboro (Georgia) Mundy’s Mill as a sophomore, where he earned all-region honors after rushing for 626 yards and four scores in seven tackles. He then transferred to IMG Academy ahead of his junior season. At football powerhouse IMG, Gibson rushed for 608 yards and eight scores in 2022.

RB Christian Clark will wear No. 6, taking the number from former QB Maalik Murphy who transferred to Duke this offseason.

The Projection: Clark reminds me of the last blue chip running back to come out of Arizona and draw Texas’ interest at running back, Bijan Robinson. He has some similar dynamism as a runner with some shocking lateral agility and the ability to stop and change directions on a dime. Backs like Clark can make most any scheme work because they can threaten multiple windows across the front at the same time, he’d be a slam dunk in the Texas offense. – Ian Boyd

EDGE Colin Simmons will wear No. 11. Channeling his inner Derrick Johnson.

On3 Personal Life: Duncanville coach Reginald Samples has built one of the top football factories in the country, and he annually sends a long list of players to the next level. So, it speaks volumes when he gushes about Colin Simmons. “He’s quick off the ball like EDGE rushers have to be,” Samples said. “He is relentless. He doesn’t give up. People know that he has a lot of sacks. He’s very disruptive, and he continues to do it game after game.” That included in 2022 when he set the Texas UIL state sack record and captured defensive MVP honors in the state title game against Galena Park North Shore. “I’m the heart of the defense, if I’m not sparking them up no one does,” Simmons said.

WR Parker Livingstone will wear No. 13, formerly Jordan Whittington‘s digits.

The Reasoning: “It’s Texas. If UT asks you to take an official visit, you say okay and do it. My family had a great time. The players were awesome, the coaches were great. It’s just a really good culture down there. You can tell the team likes being around each other.” – Livingstone

QB Trey Owens will wear No. 15. He’s digging on the Patrick Mahomes vibes.

The Projection: Owens is an excellent fit for Steve Sarkisian’s play-action passing offense and will need the development time the presence of Quinn Ewers and Arch Manning will afford to him before he’s contending to see the field. He could function as Texas’ third-string quarterback during his freshman season in Austin.

Safety Jordon Johnson-Rubell will wear No. 23, so prepare for the Air Jordon references.

On3 Personal Life: Before his junior season, Johnson-Rubell transferred from Fort Worth (Texas) Brewer to football powerhouse program IMG Academy in Bradenton, Florida. When he was in Texas, Johnson-Rubell was a MaxPreps Freshman All-American. He backed that up with a 2021 season that saw him earn Texas 3-5A-I honors after racking up 60 tackles and six pass breakups. After his junior season at IMG, Johnson-Rubell was named a MaxPreps Junior All-American.

LB Tyanthony Smith will wear No. 26.

The Recruitment: Texas knew the 2024 linebacker class would be light in numbers, and Smith was one of the players Jeff Choate and company focused on as the cycle continued. A number of suitors from around the country were recruiting Smith into June including Texas A&M and USC. Smith and family couldn’t find a weekend to officially visit Texas then, and as a result the Longhorns lagged in the pursuit. Smith chose A&M, but when the Aggies’ season crumbled and Steve Sarkisian and company amped up their pursuit, Smith followed in the footsteps of Hill to join the Longhorns’ 2024 class.

DL Alex January will wear No. 97, hopefully channeling his inner Frank Okam and Chris Nelson.

The Final Word: Big humans who move like January does are rare. The Longhorns worked to overcome a number of quality regional and national programs to claim a major pickup at a defensive tackle position that needed quality prospects. Adding a legacy helps, too.