Key 5-star OT target Tyler Johnson announces commitment to Texas

Another key piece of the Texas Longhorns 2019 class is now in place.

The latest addition comes in the form of elite Conroe Oak Ridge offensive tackle Tyler Johnson, who announced his commitment to Texas on Friday afternoon.

Rated as a five-star prospect, Johnson has long been a must-have for the ‘Horns this cycle, given his tremendous upside and instant-impact potential at a position of need. With that in mind, Texas began to prioritize Johnson shortly after extending an offer early last year, and that pursuit only intensified once the Longhorns hired offensive line coach Herb Hand away from Auburn.

Johnson has made the trek to Austin on numerous occasions this spring, including a trip for Junior Day, another in early March, again in early April, and most recently, in early May for an official visit.

Even prior to his most recent visits, Texas was considered the favorite for his services — the ‘Horns held 100 percent of Johnson’s Crystal Ball projections throughout his entire recruitment. As the spring went on, the feeling that Hand the and the ‘Horns would land Johnson became more a question of when, not if.

Oklahoma did pose some semblance of a threat, as the Sooners hosted Johnson for a pair of visits for Junior Day, and then later for an official visit for OU’s spring game on April 14, but of course, that push wasn’t enough to keep Johnson away from the burnt orange nation.

He originally planned to prolong the recruiting process, but as evident by his commitment, Johnson elected to pull the trigger and pledge to Texas much earlier than initially expected.

Now committed to the Longhorns, Johnson becomes the seventh member of Herman’s 2019 class and significantly bolsters the bunch as the No. 2-ranked offensive tackle in Texas.

247Sports detailed what makes Johnson such a prized prospect:

“Johnson is a prospect with a high ceiling. He is a prospect who has the size and frame to project out as a true offensive tackle, but with the size and natural strength to play anywhere on the line. Johnson is a block-finisher who will take his man to the ground if presented the opportunity. His size, physical nature, and run-blocking ability suggest that he could provide position versatility at the next level.”

A 6’5, 308-pound talent, Johnson is ranked as the nation’s No. 33 player, No. 7 offensive tackle and the No. 5 player in Texas, per the 247Sports Composite. He’s now Texas’ first five-star offensive line commit since Darius James in 2013.