Texas caps big recruiting month with more high-profile visitors

The busiest month of the modern recruiting era is coming to an end after another important weekend for the Texas Longhorns that included high-profile 2022 visitors and camps that allowed the staff to evaluate prospects in the 2023 and 2024 cycles, players the new staff hasn’t been able to get out and see since arriving on the Forty Acres.

By Monday evening, the weekend was already officially a success, as running backs coach Stan Drayton secured a commitment from Tyler Legacy’s Jamarion Miller, giving the Longhorns pledges from the state’s top two running backs. After missing on De’Anthony Gatson and cancelling the planned visit from Tavorus Jones, the ability to hit the gas on Miller’s recruitment and close quickly was an impressive accomplishment by the staff.

Among offensive players on campus, Texas hosted Van Nuys (Calif.) Birmingham athlete Arlis Boardingham, a two-way standout recruited by tight ends coach Jeff Banks who could factor in on defense if necessary should he choose the Longhorns.

Arizona State looks like the primary competition for Texas after the 6’5, 220-pounder took an official visit to Tempe in early June.

Two big offensive line targets made it to Austin — Arlington Bowie’s Devon Campbell and Duncanville’s Cam Williams. Getting Campbell on campus was a significant development for the staff following official visits to Oklahoma and USC, as the consensus five-star prospect arguably ranks as the must-have offensive lineman in the class given his ranking and longtime affinity for Texas. The Longhorns have held all four 247Sports Crystal Ball predictions for the nation’s No. 10 prospect since mid-February.

Williams will make his decision this week between Miami, Oklahoma, Oregon, and Texas as offensive coordinator and offensive line coach Kyle Flood seeks to build an offensive line in the image of the massive Alabama group he coached in Tuscaloosa. The Duncanville product is listed at 6’5, 360 pounds.

The group of visitors was particularly heavy on defensive linemen, a remaining need in the class.

Jersey City (N.J.) St. Peters Prep defensive tackle Keith Miles Jr. was one of the out-of-state visitors coming off of visits to Georgia Tech and Wisconsin. Position coach Bo Davis is the lead recruiter, but Flood, the former Rutgers head coach, is serving as the secondary recruiter as he tries to take advantage of his ties to New Jersey.

There are currently two Rivals FutureCasts in favor of Wisconsin winning out in the recruitment of Miles. Prior to his visits, Miles named the Badgers, Longhorns, and Yellow Jackets as his finalists.

Top-150 national prospect Justice Finkley, a defensive end out of Trussville (Ala.) Hewitt-Trussville was also on campus.

Texas made the top 12 for Finkley back in late March and hosted the 6’2, 255-pounder after trips to Colorado and Michigan, with the Wolverines considered the leader in the immediate aftermath of his recent time in Ann Arbor.

Finkley plans on releasing his list of top three schools on July 4. Based on his recent visits, the Longhorns should make that list along with the Wolverines. The Buffaloes could also make the cut if his recent visits are indicative of his finalists.

Southaven (Miss.) defensive tackle Aaron Bryant made his way to the Forty Acres, as well, capping a month of June that also featured trips to Georgia and Texas A&M.

In-state defensive tackle Jaray Bledsoe, another top-150 prospect, was on hand following a visit to Texas A&M in early June. The Aggies are well positioned in what could become a head-to-head battle between the two schools.

Texas hosted Alabama linebacker TJ Dudley, too, but he committed to Oregon on Monday.

In the defensive backfield, the Horns received a visit from longtime pledge Jaylon Guilbeau, whose commitment level has wavered at times. Guilbeau recently took a visit to College Station, for instance. The top-150 prospect spent time on his official with Beaumont West Brook safety Bryce Anderson, the top target at the position for Texas.

As Oklahoma did last week, Texas brought out at least one luxury car for photoshoots at the stadium. But, as cornerback Josh Thompson pointed out, the Bentley owned by Michael Huff is not a rental.

Anderson was originally set to commit on July 4, with Alabama and Texas A&M the primary competition as a recommitment to LSU seems unlikely, but on Monday Anderson pushed back this plans to some time before his senior season. So it will take some time to become apparent whether the strong work as a recruiter that Blake Gideon did back in February and March building a relationship with Anderson will pay off for the Longhorns.

The workouts also paid dividends in evaluations with 2024 Carlsbad (Calif.) quarterback Juilian Sayin leaving campus with an offer, the first in his class extended by the Longhorns at his position. The 6’1, 185-pounder now holds 14 offers, including Florida, Florida State, Georgia, Notre Dame, Penn State, and Texas A&M.

With several decisions and top schools announcements set for this week, the Longhorns staff will have a better idea who some of these visits went heading into the dead period that started on Monday and will last until July 24.