Bobby Burton's personal rankings of the 2021s
".... as much as anyone tries to combine varying opinions into a single bite of content, the more individuality is taken away and the nuance of a single expert’s feelings are diminished. That’s why I’ve always published my own rankings on a Texas recruiting class and its commitments after signing day. Keep in mind, I don’t feel like my ratings are better than others, just that they are my own. Through the years, I’ve been really right on some players and really wrong on others.
1. DL, David Abiara, Mansfield Legacy
2. TE, Ja’Tavion Sanders, Denton Ryan
3. CB, Ishmael Ibraheem, Dallas Kimball
4. RB, Jonathon Brooks, Halletsville
5. WR, Jaden Alexis, Pompano Beach (Fla.) Monarch
6. S, JD Coffey, Kennedale
7. DB, Jamier Johnson, Pasadena (Calif.) Muir
8. LB, Terrance Cooks, Pearland Shadow Creek
9. P, Isaac Pearson, Pro-Kick Australia
10. DL, Byron Murphy, DeSoto
11. TE-HBack, Juan Davis, Everman
12. DL, Barryn Sorrell, New Orleans Holy Cross
13. WR, Keithron Lee, Bryan Rudder
14. WR, Casey Cain, New Orleans Easton
15. LB, Morice Blackwell, Arlington Martin
16. DL, Derrick Harris Jr., New Caney
17. DL, Jordon Thomas, Port Arthur Memorial
18. QB, Charles Wright, Austin High
19. OL, Max Merrill, Houston Strake Jesuit
20. TE, Gunnar Helm, Englewood (Colo.) Cherry Creek
21. OL, Hayden Connor, Katy Taylor
Notes:
- I went with Abiara over Sanders. I think Sanders is a special talent on D. I think he’s very good on O.
- I think Ibraheem was the top cover guy based on potential in the state. He has a ton of upside.
- I’m not sure Jonathan Brooks will be an answer at RB. But I think he was one of the state’s top athletes. I actually think he might be a perfect Big 12 LB prospect but he’s obviously not going to start off there.
- I look for guys who have a single trait that they can rely on at the college level, a trait that makes them different. Alexis has elite speed.
- Coffey may be the most productive player of the entire group. But he’s a tweener for me because he lacks top-end speed. He’s a Chris Brown type.
- Johnson has to prove he can play corner at the college level. Like Ibraheem, he has terrific arm length but he plays more like a safety.
- I like Juan Davis a bunch. I’m intrigued to figure out where Texas finds a place for him. I hope he’s not a tweener size-wise wherever he ends up.
- If Lee were to decide he wanted to be a corner, he’d be a top 5 guy in the class for me.
- Yes, I thought OL recruiting overall was just that bad. It’s not that I think either Merrill or Connor are wasted scholarships or anything like that. It’s just that, for their positions, they were simply way down the line compared to others available in state.