On Texas Football: Biggest Surprise of Recruiting Class?
On the latest episode of On Texas Football, Justin Wells and Joe Cook deliver Questions Answered with topics covering UT’s 2024 class shaping up, Big 12 Media Days prep, and what the Horns’ class could be ranked by August in this edition of OTF.
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In this episode, Justin and Joe discuss…
- Justin and Joe start the ever-popular Questions Answered with the most exciting part of Daniel Cruz’s recent commitment to Texas. Justin likes that Kyle Flood and company have identified their center take for the 2024 cycle. Often guards and tackles are interchangeable, but the center position can be incredibly important. Joe remarked about how Texas beat schools like Ohio State, OU, and Texas A&M. It led to the next question about the last great center take at Texas. Justin mentioned Dallas Griffin, while Joe went with Zach Shackelford.
- Justin and Joe next ask with two offensive line spots occupied (Cruz, Nate Kibble), who would be the dream haul for the last two o-line takes in the 2024 cycle? Justin goes with the Santa Ana (Calif.) Mater Dei duo of Brandon Baker and DeAndre Carter. Joe mentions Baker and Georgia native Daniel Calhoun as his top two remaining. The best news from the weekend OVs? Justin goes in-depth on Colin Simmons, who probably had the best time of all the recruits on campus. It’s hard to top the nation’s top EDGE, but Joe went with newly committed tailback Jerrick Gibson, who in a matter of two days closed out running back recruiting for Texas in the 2024 class.
- Justin and Joe discuss will we ever get the over/under right on weekend commits. After being wrong before the first OV weekend, Justin and Joe nailed the under prop bet in last weekend’s haul (2.5). That leads into the next question; O/U commits by July 7th (3). Justin goes emphatically goes over while Joe agreed as well.
- Justin and Joe shift to Big 12 Media Days and what would we ask each Longhorn that’ll be in attendance next month from AT&T Stadium. Justin would ask Quinn Ewers if he’s more streamlined post-mullet, what is Jordan Whittington‘s favorite ice cream of the month, and he’d ask Xavier Worthy who has the strongest arm in the Texas QB room. Joe would ask Ewers how much he studies the offense this offseason, why Whittington agreed to return to Texas, and how much did Worthy’s broken hand affect his play in 2022.
- On defense, Justin would ask Jahdae Barron what is his hottest stock tip, and for Jaylan Ford, what was the thought process about flipping from Utah to Texas right before the end of the cycle. Joe would ask Barron what position does he prefer playing in the secondary between STAR/nickel, and asking Ford what his conversations with former Texas linebacker legend Derrick Johnson have been like this offseason.
- Next question is who has been the biggest surprise of the 2024 class so far. Justin chose Christian Clark’s announcement at lunch last week. Joe went with Nate Kibble and how fast that recruitment seemed to wrap up over the weekend.
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- Lastly, will Texas’ 2024 class be ranked in the top 10 before August’s training camp commences? Justin and Joe both agree that the Horns will likely be in the top 10 range by the end of July.
