In the midst of the second-half meltdown by the Longhorns in Boulder, somehow the rest of the world failed to join the Texas basketball fanbase in complete and total shock. Who knew? In particular, the second Texas Junior Day continued on with the commitment of Harker Heights OL Camrhon Hughes, a 6-6, 270-pounder who fills a major need in the class by projecting as a tackle for the Longhorns.
Like all three of the other commitments on the day -- Peter Jinkens, Caleb Bluiett, and Paul Boyette -- the only real drama surrounding Hughes was whether he would receive his offer today. Despite offers from A&M, Baylor, Notre Dame, Oklahoma State, and Texas Tech, it's been public knowledge for some time that Hughes would jump on a Texas offer, making him the biggest lock to commit on the day.
The question with Hughes surrounded the approach to recruiting along the offensive line and at the tackle position in particular. With four spots likely available in the class, Texas needed to land three tackle prospects after receiving a JD1 commitment from Curtis Riser, who projects at guard. While Hughes does look like a future tackle, he's not on the same level as Kennedy Estelle, Michael Starts, or any of the OOS prospects.
The Texas coaching staff apparently decided that Hughes worth offering, leaving two spots left for Starts, Estelle, and whichever OOS player decides to give the Longhorns a look, likely Andrus Peat from Arizona. Given that it was unlikely for Texas to land all three of their top targets on the board, taking Hughes early and hoping for two out of three from the top group makes sense.
Physically, Hughes is a project and probably isn't a guy the Longhorns can ask to come in and contribute early. However, Hughes does a good job making plays on the perimeter in the wide receiver screen game and moves well for someone his size, with some ability to re-direct in space. Like most high school linemen, Hughes will have to work hard on his technique and gaining strength when he gets to Texas.