/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/34755691/ryan_newsome.0_standard_709.0.0.jpg)
As explained in last week's post on WR recruiting, Texas is looking to take at least 2 wide receivers in the 2015 class. Thanks to the efforts of Baylor and Texas A&M, however, the Longhorns' have missed on most of the in-state talent at the position - notably with Damarkus Lodge, a long-time UT lean who gave a verbal commitment to Texas A&M last Friday.
One of the most likely WR prospects to come to Austin next year is Ryan Newsome, a lightning-fast wide receiver and kick returner for Aledo HS in Texas. Standing at 5' 8" and weighing in at 175 lbs, Newsome is a prototypical slot receiver with excellent speed and athleticism. At the Dallas Nike Football Training Camp, he put up very good testing results in most of the categories pertaining to wide receivers (as reported by ESPN).
TESTING RESULTS | |
40-yard dash | 4.56 s |
20-yard Shuttle | 4.15 s |
Vertical Jump | 33.9 in |
Power Throw | 35.0 |
SPARQ Rating | 99.36 |
To say Newsome is a highly touted recruit would be an understatement - he is in possession of nearly 30 offers. Long considered a Texas lean, Newsome recently took several out-of-state visits to marquee schools such as Oregon, Notre Dame, and UCLA in an attempt to solidify his top five programs. On June 21st, Newsome finally released that top 5 (in "no specific order") - and the Longhorns made the cut.
The Fab Phive. ✋. pic.twitter.com/ie70oEB2BR
— Ryan Newsome (@NewBoi17) June 22, 2014
As of today, Newsome has already scheduled official visits with Oregon, UCLA, and Notre Dame; he plans to do the same with Oklahoma and Texas later in the month. When asked about his feelings toward Austin in an interview with 247Sports, Newsome emphasized the importance of academics and brought up his long-time relationship with running backs coach Tommie Robinson:
"I want to go somewhere that can first and foremost give me a good education to set me up down the road... Getting a degree from UT is big. The alumni aspect of Texas is also huge to me. They are a school who's turning things around and Charlie Strong is a good coach. I have a good relationship with some of the staff members there, and I've had a personal relationship since I was three years old with Tommie Robinson. They've got an all-new staff so I am still evaluating them and getting to know them better."
Ryan Newsome's talent would be an excellent addition to the Longhorns' receiving corps in 2015 and beyond - he would likely seek to battle for the void left by Texas slot receiver Jaxon Shipley, who will be graduating after the 2014 season. The fact that Newsome's interest in Texas has not wavered after his out-of-state visits is a very positive sign for his recruitment. Hopefully, Charlie Strong & Co. can fend off interest from other programs and secure the services of this talented speedster.
S/O & congrats to the 118th official @TheOpening2014 invitee, @Aledo_Football WR Ryan Newsome (@NewBoi17) #GOTOPEN pic.twitter.com/Wd5nvB8kIH
— The Opening (@TheOpening2014) May 22, 2014