An expected trip to Norman this weekend for Texas Longhorns offensive guard commit Xavier Newman could result in a flip to the Oklahoma Sooners while on campus or in the immediate aftermath of the visit.
The Opening alum’s recruitment has been building towards this moment since late June, when Newman received his offer from Oklahoma. As Texas added former Baylor signees JP Urquidez and Patrick Hudson to the 2016 class over the last month, the long-term calculations for the DeSoto product have changed.
A 6’3, 272-pounder, Newman is the only offensive lineman currently committed in the 2017 class for the Longhorns, but Texas now has 17 scholarship offensive linemen on the roster for the 2016 season, with right tackle Kent Perkins the lone senior. In fact, with the move of former defensive tackle Jake McMillon across the line of scrimmage, 15 of those players have three or more years of eligibility remaining.
So Newman may not consider the ‘Horns the best fit for him any longer as position coach Matt Mattox pursues what will be a small offensive line class in the current cycle. As a result, the need for Newman from the Texas side is not as significant now as it would have been two years ago or even as significant as it was in the middle of June.
However, the Sooners also have two offensive guards committed in the 2017 class — McKinney’s Boyd’s Tyrese Robinson, the No. 5 player nationally at his position, and Missouri product Marquis Hayes, who pledged a little more than a week ago.
As a result, the Oklahoma coaches will have to decide whether the program needs three likely interior linemen in the current cycle.
If the answer is yes, Newman could well leave Norman as the newest member of the 2017 Oklahoma class.
[3:15 p.m. CT update]: Newman says he won’t be able to make it, so a flip may not be imminent, but the odds of him ending up in the Oklahoma class are still high.