2015 Recruiting Class (List+Threads+Updates)

QB
Kai Locksley
Matthew Merrick

RB
Tristian Houston
Kirk Johnson
Chris Warren III

WR
John Burt (1) and (2)
Gilbert Johnson - Not on campus
DeAndre McNeal
Ryan Newsome

TE
Devonaire Clarington - Not on campus

OL
Brandon Hodges - Early enrollee
Ronnie Major - Not on campus
Tristan Nickelson - Early enrollee
Garrett Thomas - Early enrollee
Patrick Vahe
Connor Williams - Early enrollee

DL
Du'Vonta Lampkin - May not enroll
Charles Omenihu
Quincy Vasser - Early enrollee

LB
Cecil Cherry
Breckyn Hager
Malik Jefferson - Early enrollee
Cameron Townsend
Anthony Wheeler

DB
Kris Boyd
Davante Davis
DeShon Elliott
Holton Hill
James "PJ" Locke

 

OL Ronnie Major update:

 

Not worried about Major, Clarington, or Johnson. At this point, I don't care about Lampkin.

 

The following is some of the best news I've heard in years (assuming it's accurate)...

Cool update on the 2015 class from Chip Brown:

I’m told Breckyn Hager got into it with senior FB Dominic Cruciani during a recent workout and fists were exchanged. Some upperclassmen walked away from the altercation thinking Hager is an arrogant freshman who doesn’t listen to seniors and doesn’t know when to fall in line.

Those close to Hager say Texas means too much to him (his father, Britt Hager, is UT’s all-time leading tackler) for the program to be entrusted to those who put forth the kind of effort/results from last season.

Basically, Hager and a bunch of the young guys have come in and shaken things up. Cherry has sort of taken over the weight room with his personality. Elliott is a talker who players are gravitating toward. Jefferson is already drawing comparisons to Jordan Hicks in the way he thinks and plays the game and because he relates so well to teammates. Freeman’s switch flips to cut-throat in competitive situations. Townsend is an outside-the-box thinker who grasps big-picture concepts. Wheeler looks like he’s already two years into a college strength program. Hill carries himself as the baddest man on the field. Vahe and Williams are already two of the most respected OL on the team.

The common thread in all of them is they’ve brought attitude and toughness, because that’s who they are, and they’re not waiting to be led. If their take-charge attitude has pissed some of the upperclassmen off, so be it. In the young Horns’ minds, maybe it will bring forth more fire, competition and passion, because their expectation is to win now.
​

[Per a poster subcribed to most/all Longhorn sites]

 

This is what our program has been missing!! The new guys see the older players as just empty laundry on the field that is replaceable. Glad to read this about Hager. I was wondering if he's like his father, and now I know!

 

I tend to view this as a young lion challenging for the Pride. For too long we've maintained a zoo with various "animals" including lions, bears, peacocks, and sheep. Give me a Pride or a Pack - I'm ready for some carnage.

 

Per HornSports:
We mentioned last week the football team is focused on strength & conditioning as opposed to 7-on-7 work. A defensive player we talked to this week had this to say when we asked him how the summer was going:

“Everything is going good. We’re just going through workouts. All the freshmen are doing good and are learning the defense.”

When we started talking specifics, the conversation eventually turned to Malik Jefferson and how the former Poteet Pirate is handling things. First take, the answer we got is a little blunt:

“I don’t really pay attention to him. I’m more worried about myself.”

More thought about that answer and it’s most likely the kind of answer Charlie Strong wants to cultivate in the Texas program. If you don’t want sunshine, unicorns, and rainbow-filled practice reports, file that quote away and read it weekly until the end of August.

 

TE Devonaire Clarington is still waiting to get the clearinghouse's ok so he can enroll and get on the field of dreams.

 

I hope he gets to the promise land.

 

Man! I feel bad for him.

 

The coaches aren't counting on Kai Locksley to be an answer at quarterback in 2015, but Strong made it clear the staff has every intention of keeping him there.

The one-time Florida State commit looked like a receiver with a reasonably high upside during the Under Amour All-America Game practices in last December. That said, Strong likes Locksley's pedigree and football acumen enough to keep him behind center where he feels his work ethic and passion will pay off.
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One of the positive changes within the offense is the presence of the incoming freshmen wide receivers. [Duke] Thomas said DeAndre McNeal has been a matchup nightmare during 7-on-7 sessions, Ryan Newsome has already established himself as one of the fastest guys on the team and John Burt might have the best high-point ball skills on the roster.

Strong indicated McNeal could indeed be the versatile chess piece he was projected by many in the recruiting industry to eventually be as opposed to being exclusively a wide receiver. The official roster already lists him a 6-1, 236 and, “he's still eating,” according to Strong.
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The offensive line was bolstered in the spring by the arrival of four enrollees... [Taylor] Doyle loves the way all four have continued to work throughout the summer, especially [Connor] Williams. The former Coppell tight end earned a starting spot at right tackle in the spring, Doyle made it sound like Williams could be a true cornerstone the line can be built around.

“He acts older that he actually is,” Doyle said. “He's a real competitor and an unbelievably hard worker.
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Malik Jefferson won his teammates over in the spring with the way he came in and hit the ground running. His work ethic has been impressive, but what he's brought to the table as a leader has been huge in getting the summer enrollees adjusted.

“He's really the leader for the freshmen,” Thomas said. “If I see an issue with the freshmen, I don't even worry about it. I just tell Malik and he handles it.”

Strong said Jefferson is up to 240 pounds and it's looking more and more like he'll run out with the first defense as one of the starting linebackers against Notre Dame. The message from Strong on Tuesday regarding the young players on the roster is the coaches are willing to deal with the growing pains because, “he might in the wrong spot sometimes, but when he's in the right spot he's going to have a chance to make a big play for you,” Strong said.
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Holton Hill, Kris Boyd, Davante Davis, DeShon Elliott and P.J. Locke, along with their linebacker counterparts, have cranked up the competition this summer. That's one thing the Longhorns have been missing throughout the program and Thomas, for one, is thankful for what the newcomers have done.

“That's the way it should be at Texas,” Thomas said. “When the seniors leave you shouldn't be able to take it easy. The new guys coming in should be just as good or better than the ones who just left. Everybody should have to compete every day.”

[247Sports article]

 

^^^^^