Texas football hasn’t placed a high focus on recruiting linebackers in the 2024 cycle. Only a small number of linebacker recruits in the 2024 class have been given priority by co-DC/LB coaches Pete Kwiatkowski and Jeff Choate this fall. This autumn, Justin Williams, a five-star prospect from Conroe, Texas, and Tyanthony Smith, a four-star prospect from Jasper, Texas, both committed to the Georgia Bulldogs and Texas A&M Aggies, were the two linebacker flip targets for Texas.
Texas’s attempts to unseat Williams from Georgia were never very promising. However, he is the kind of recruit that Longhorns staff head coach Steve Sarkisian brings all the way to the finish line on signing day.
Smith, on the other hand, had a better chance of switching from Texas A&M to the Longhorns after the Aggies fired Jimbo Fisher, their previous head coach, on November 12. Following Fisher’s firing by Texas A&M a few weeks ago, Smith was exploring some other recruiting options.
It was rumored a few weeks ago that Smith intended to schedule an official visit with Austin in December prior to the signing day on December 20. All he had to do was wait and see when his schedule would clear. Jasper remains in the playoffs for the state.
However, that was prior to Texas A&M replacing Fisher with Mike Elko, the head coach of the Duke Blue Devils and former defensive coordinator.
Following the Aggies’ announcement this week that Elko will take over as head coach in College Station, Horns247 stated on Nov. 28 (paid content) that they anticipate Smith to reiterate his dedication to Texas A&M. That obviously means that after Jasper High School’s run in the Texas UIL state playoffs is over, Smith is expected to postpone his scheduled official visits.
The Longhorns most likely won’t take a high school linebacker in the 2024 class because Williams and Texas haven’t communicated as much in recent weeks and it’s expected that Smith will remain committed to Texas A&M. In an attempt to bolster its linebacker depth this offseason, Texas may target the NCAA Transfer Portal.
