Texas’ 2019 class finishes ranked No. 3 nationally, No. 1 in Big 12

For the second time in as many cycles, Tom Herman and the Texas Longhorns have signed and sealed the nation’s No. 3-ranked 2019 recruiting class, according to the 247Sports Composite. Such a feat marks the first time throughout the modern recruiting era that Texas has tallied back-to-back top-three finishes.

Trailing only Alabama and Georgia, which finished with the No. 1 and No. 2 classes, respectively, the Longhorns also boast the best recruiting haul in the Big 12 to cap a second consecutive cycle.

Less than two weeks ago, Texas was comfortably positioned for a top-five finish, but the unexpected addition top-ranked 2019 athlete and former USC wide receiver Bru McCoy by way of the NCAA Transfer Portal allowed the Longhorns to leapfrog rivals Oklahoma and Texas A&M to capture the third-best 2019 class.

The cherry atop the cake then came on Wednesday afternoon with four-star Houston North Forest offensive tackle Javonne Shepherd putting pen to paper and solidifying his longtime pledge to the Longhorns.

Aside from any potential grad transfer additions in the coming weeks and months, Texas’ 2019 class concludes as a 24-man recruiting haul. Included in that bunch are two five-star talents and the nation’s No. 1 and No. 2 athlete prospects in the aforementioned McCoy and Jordan Whittington, respectively, which are each already on campus as early enrollees. Texas also signed the National Gatorade Player of the Year, four-star Scottsdale (Az.) Notre Dame Preparatory star receiver Jake Smith.

17 of Texas’ 24 signees — JUCO prospects included — are ranked within the top 300 nationally, and 10 are ranked within the top 10 at their respective positions. Furthermore, half of the Longhorns’ 2019 class hauls from outside of the state lines, with Texas signing talents from California (4), Arizona (2), Georgia (2), Missouri (2), Florida (1), and Louisiana (1).

10 members of Texas’ 2019 class are already on campus as early enrollees:

• Bru McCoy — 5-star ATH — Santa Ana (Calif.) Mater Dei / USC
• Jordan Whittington — 5-star ATH — Cuero
• Tyler Johnson — 4-star OT — Conroe Oak Ridge
• De’Gabriel Floyd — 4-star ILB — Westlake (Calif.) Village
• Roschon Johnson — 4-star QB — Port Neches-Groves
• Jacoby Jones — 4-star SDE — Butler C.C.
• Marcus Tillman Jr. — 3-star OLB — Orlando (Fla.) Jones
• Peter Mpagi — 3-star WDE — Richmond George Ranch
• Caleb Johnson — 3-star OLB — Fullerton College
• Jared Wiley — 3-star TE — Temple