This is from Kaelen Jones of The Athletic about a couple of our 2021 targets --
Savion Byrd, OT (Duncanville, Texas) 6-foot-5, 265 pounds
Five-star, No. 29 overall, No. 4 offensive tackle
Byrd is an in-state prospect who has starred at Duncanville High along the offensive line and at defensive tackle. He’s currently the No. 3 player in Texas.
Byrd could add more weight to his frame, but he has displayed good agility and movement that suggest he’d have success on the edge at the next level. Considering UT is losing at least three players to graduation next season, attaining a highly rated prospect like Byrd to play in the trenches would be a boost. Byrd received an offer from Texas in January 2019. He made a handful of unofficial visits to UT last year and last visited in September.
Ishmael Ibraheem, CB (Kimball/Dallas) 6-foot-1, 175 pounds
Four-star, No. 121 overall, No. 12 cornerback
The Longhorns will lose nickel cornerback Josh Thompson to graduation after the 2020 season and return at least six corners for 2021. However, there’s a likelihood that four cornerbacks — juniors Jalen Green, D’Shawn Jamison, Anthony Cook and Kobe Boyce — move on. So UT could try to get a headstart on getting new talent on campus.
That means adding at least one cornerback for the 2021 season should be a high priority. And there are a few players the Longhorns have their eye on, but Ibraheem is one of the most interesting. He is long, physical and twitchy. He’s an ideal cornerback for defensive coordinator Chris Ash’s system.
JoJo Earle, WR (Aledo, Texas) 5-foot-9, 170 pounds
Four-star, No. 75 national, No. 13 wide receiver
The Longhorns offered Earle back in November 2018. The Aledo product boasts electric speed that would make him a weapon out of the slot in UT offensive coordinator Mike Yurcich’s system. He’s dynamic with the ball in his hands. The Longhorns aren’t due to lose any receivers to graduation or the draft after the 2020 season, so landing a receiver during this cycle wouldn’t seem imperative. However, finding players who fit Yurcich’s system could be crucial for the long term. And Earle presents a skill set that would make him a valuable addition.
Landon Jackson, WDE (Pleasant Grove/Texarkana, Texas) 6'6, 240 pounds
Four-star, No. 94 national, No. 4 weak-side defensive end
The Longhorns are due to lose three defensive linemen to graduation after the 2020 season: Ta’Quon Graham, Marqez Bimage and Jacoby Jones. With the Longhorns also switching to a four-man front under Ash and making an effort to highlight their talent within the trenches, their pursuit of Jackson is logical, if not highly important. The Longhorns offered Jackson in September 2018. He visited UT in January.