Texas junior day set to feature many of the state’s premier prospects

Now that the Texas Longhorns 2017 class is signed and sealed, Tom Herman and his staff have shifted their full focus towards a tremendously deep 2018 class whose importance simply can’t be overstated. The state of Texas is abundantly rich with talent and with Herman placing emphasis on keeping the best talent at home, there’s no better opportunity than his first full recruiting cycle.

Though the staff is already in constant contact with its priority targets — a list that features no shortage of star power — Texas’ Feb. 25 junior day will provide the staff with its first major opportunity to leave a lasting impression on some of the best talent the state has to offer, as well as a handful of out-of-state prospects.

Here’s a look at who’s expected to be on the Forty Acres this weekend:

2018

• BJ Foster - 5-star S - Angleton
• Anthony Cook - 5-star CB - Houston Lamar
• Terrace Marshall - 5-star WR - Parkway (La.)
• Jalen Preston - 4-star WR - Manvel
• Joshua Moore - 4-star WR - IMG Academy (Fla.)
• Keondre Coburn - 4-star DT - Houston Westfield
• Atanza Vongor - 4-star S - South Grand Prairie
• DeMarvion Overshown - 4-star S - Arp
• Erik Ezukanma - 4-star WR - Timber Creek
• Casey Thompson - 4-star QB - Southmoore (Okla.)
• D’shawn Jamison - 4-star CB - Houston Lamar
• Verone McKinley III - 4-star CB - Carrollton Hebron
• Chad Bailey - 4-star ILB - Ridge Point
• Justin Rogers - 4-star QB - Parkway (La.)
• Jordan Moore - 4-star S - Yoakum (Texas A&M commit)
• Brennan Eagles - 4-star WR - Aleif Taylor
• Jaqualyn Crawford - 4-star CB/WR - Rockdale
• Keaontay Ingram - 4-star RB - Carthage
• Mustapha Muhammad - 4-star TE - Ridge Point
• Malcolm Epps - 4-star TE - Dekaney
• Al’Vonte Woodard - 4-star WR - Houston Lamar
• Byron Hobbs - 4-star OLB - Eastern Hills
• Barton Clement - 4-star OG - Fort Bend Marshall
• Dylan Wonnum - 4-star OG - Tucker (Ga.)
• Max Wright - 4-star SDE - Katy Taylor
• Jarrell Cherry - 4-star WDE - Dallas Carter
• Leon O’Neal Jr. - 4-star S - Cy Springs
• Isaiah Humphries - 4-star S - Sachse
• Justin Watkins - 4-star ATH - Vangard (Fla.) (Florida State commit)
• Jalen Green - 4-star CB - Houston Heights
• Jaylen Waddle - 4-star WR - Houston Bellaire Episcopal
• Josh Proctor - 4-star S - Owasso (Okla.)
• Tommy Bush - 3-star WR - Schertz Clemens
• Chasen Hines - 3-star OG - Marshall
• Rafiti Ghirmai - 3-star OT - Frisco Wakeland
• Tanner Mordecai - 3-star QB - Waco Midway
• Miles Battle - 3-star WR - Houston Cy Creek
• Bralen Taylor - 3-star TE - Cuero
• Jonathan Shepherd - 3-star WR - Kilgore
• Miles Emery - 3-star WDE - Blue Valley North (Kan.)
• Michael Woods - 3-star WR - Magnolia (SMU commit)
• Trey Stratford - 3-star OT - Allen
• Shabazz Dotson - 3-star DT - Cedar Hill
• Kalon Barnes - 3-star WR - Silsbee
• Patrick Fields - 3-star S - Tulsa Union (Okla.)
• Joshua Landry - 3-star DT/SDE - Houston Lamar
• Chance Amie - 3-star QB - Tyler Lee
• Jordan Redmond - 3-star DT - Osceola (Fla.)
• Ta’Zhawn Henry - 3-star RB - Houston Lamar
• Izaih Filikitonga - 3-star WDE - Euless Trinity
• Joseph Ossai - 3-star WDE - Oak Ridge
• Kaitori Leveston - 3-star OT - Waco Midway
• Trent Gordan - 3-star CB - Manvel
• DeKalen Goodson - 3-star OLB - John Tyler
• Taye Barber - 3-star WR- Cy Springs
• Bryson Jackson - 3-star WR - St Pius X
• Silas Robinson - 3-star DT - Yoakum
• Kam Scott - 3-star WR - Manvel
• Tahj Brown - 3-star ILB - Donaldsville (La.)
• Jamarcus Chatman - 3-star SDE - Rome (Ga.)
• Julon Williams - 3-star ATH - Converse Judson
• Gemon Green - 3-star CB - DeSoto
• German Green - 3-star CB - DeSoto
• Jordan Kelley - 3-star SDE - Tulsa Union (Okla.)
• Taylor Upshaw - Unranked SDE - Braden River (Fla.)
• Joshua Reed - Unranked ILB - Houston Heights
• Starrland Baldwin - Unranked CB - Houston Cy Falls
• Hakeem White - Unranked OG - Waco Midway
• Tyler Lacy - Unranked SDE - Sachse
• Malik Johnson - Unranked OG - Elysian Fields
• Ja’Kori Morgan - Unranked WR - Houston Clear Lake
• Juan Henry Jr. - Unranked OLB - Cibolo Steele

2019

• Theo Wease - 4-star WR - Allen
• Grant Gunnell - 4-star QB - St Pius X
• Kenyon Green - 4-star OT - Atascocita (LSU commit)
• Jordan Whittington - 4-star WR - Cuero
• Kardell Thomas - Unranked OT - Southern University Lab School (La.) (LSU commit)
• Roschon Johnson - Unranked QB - Port Neches-Groves
• Brannon Webb - Unranked CB - Aledo
• Austin Stogner - Unranked TE - Prestonwood Christian
• Lloyd Murray Jr. - Unranked DT - Hirschi
• Jade Ashalintubbi - Unranked OT - Elysian Fields
• Brannon Brown - Unranked OT - San Antonio O’Connor
• Patrick Bayouth - Unranked SDE - Bellaire Episcopal

While the visitor list now includes upwards of 80 prospects, including a handful of 2019 talents sprinkled in, expect a few more names to emerge in the coming days. But with names like BJ Foster, Anthony Cook, Joshua and Jordan Moore, Jalen Preston and Keondre Coburn headlining a lengthy list of talents that Texas is in a good position with early, the staff already have their work cut out for them. But just as with the 2017 class, expect many of the nation’s premier prospects to wait things out and see what the ‘Horns are able to do when it comes time to play football in September.

If Herman can turn things around in his first season in Austin, expect more than a few names on this list to be playing football on the Forty Acres in 2018.

Texas’ junior day visitor lists includes reports from Burnt Orange Nation, 247Sports, Scout, Inside Texas, The Football Brainiacs, and HornSports.