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Three Texas Longhorns DT targets set to announce at noon on NSD

Coincidence? Seems unlikely.

By Wescott Eberts
Brendan Maloney-USA TODAY Sports

After what promises to be a wild morning for the Texas Longhorns on National Signing Day 2016 with numerous targets announcing their respective decisions, three key defensive tackle targets will all announce their destinations at noon CT.

Late Sunday morning, the decision time for New Orleans (La.) McDonogh 36 defensive tackle Stephon Taylor came out:

Then it was New Orleans (La.) St. Augustine defensive tackle D'Andre Christmas-Giles announcing his decision time on Sunday evening:

Previously, Houston Westside defensive tackle Jordan Elliott revealed on Friday evening that he would announce at the same time.

The three talented interior linemen are part of a group of six defensive tackles still left on the board for the Longhorns. With only one commit currently, Destrehan (La.) product Gerald Wilbon, the position represents the most pressing remaining need for Texas, as position coach Brick Haley may otherwise only have four scholarship players there next season following the early departure of Hassan Ridgeway to the NFL if Alex Norman does not return for medical reasons, as anticipated.

Landing all three would represent a major coup for head coach Charlie Strong that did not appear remotely possible a month when Elliott was committed to Michigan, Christmas-Giles had just picked up a potentially game-changing offer from home-state LSU, and Taylor also looked like a strong candidate to remain in The Boot. But that's why Strong and his staff don't take no for an answer until the faxes are signed, sealed, and delivered.

Here's the breakdown of where things stand with Elliott, Christmas-Giles, and Taylor:

D'Andre Christmas-Giles

Now down to LSU, TCU, and Texas, Christmas-Giles looks like another Longhorns lean at this time with the Tigers likely full at defensive tackle and the Horned Frogs seemingly a fringe contender recently. Christmas-Giles publicly pondered the possibility of a Monday decision on Twitter Thursday evening, but opted against it.

BON prediction: Texas

247Sports Crystal Ball:

Jordan Elliott

Once so committed to Michigan that he wasn't even speaking with the Texas staff, Elliott re-opened the lines of communication recently and took an official visit to Austin on January 22 before officially decommitting from the Wolverines. Now it doesn't even look like there is any serious competition for the Longhorns, as Elliott is done taking visits and hosted head coach Charlie Strong and a number of assistants on a final in-home visit on Saturday.

BON prediction: Texas

247Sports Crystal Ball:

Stephon Taylor

How about Texas landing three defensive tackles from Louisiana? It's certainly a possibility, assuming the Longhorns can hold off the Seminoles following Taylor's official visit to Tallahassee.

Here's the take from SB Nation recruiting analyst Bud Elliott, who also runs Tomahawk Nation:

I'm going with Texas here. The Longhorns can offer early playing time more than Florida State, and even after his official visit FSU did not pull ahead.

BON prediction: Texas

247Sports Crystal Ball:

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