After welcoming a talented recruiting class ranked by 247Sports as the sixth-best in the nation, plenty of talented young Longhorns are now fighting for snaps to make an impact.
Former five-star defensive end Colin Simmons headlines the class, a huge recruiting coup for Head Coach Steve Sarkisian and his staff as the game-wrecker was torn between signing at Texas or new conference foe LSU. Simmons is seen as a future first-round NFL Draft pick by 247Sports scouting analyst Gabe Brooks.
So it's no surprise that On Texas Football’s Gerry Hamilton reported that Simmons has stood out in practices and scrimmages as the edge rusher set a school record at Texas 6A Division 1 state champion Duncanville with an outrageous 22.5 sacks in his junior season.
“Him (Simmons) and Trey Moore brought a different twitch and ability to rush the passer to this program than Texas has had in a long time,” Hamilton said of Simmons.
Moore, the 2023 AAC Defensive Player of the Year, is a new arrival in the transfer portal from UTSA and will likely bookend the defensive line along with Simmons, Barryn Sorrell and other rotational ends. Simmons has also reportedly lined up as a strong-side linebacker, which may earn him extra snaps during his freshman year with Texas’ relatively thin linebacker group.
Related: Texas Football: Three Players Who Need A Big 2024 Season
Outside wide receiver Ryan Wingo was also one of the crown jewels of Sarkisian’s 2024 recruiting class. The former five-star recruit out of St.Louis reportedly stood out to On Texas Football’s Bobby Burton as soon as spring practice.
“I saw him once or twice in the spring,” Burton said. “I immediately said this is as good of a receiver prospect, full prospect, we’ve seen at Texas since Roy Williams out of Odessa-Permian almost 25 years ago.”
Here’s how 247sports scouting analyst Gabe Brooks evaluated Wingo:
“Hails from a running back family and possesses a running back's build (6-1.5, 210), but make no mistake, represents one of the top receiver prospects in the 2024 cycle. Experienced in all three phases with exciting functional athleticism that fuels playmaking juice. Bit of a build-up speed runner but capable of finding another gear in the 15- to 20-yard range when pushing downfield. Possesses an excellent multi-sport athletic profile that includes 10.55 100-meter speed and multiple sub-21.50 200-meter reps. Fun return option with some initial lateral elusiveness to get free into the open field. Below average hand size, but good length to foster larger catch radius. Above average ball-tracking acumen with size and dexterity to win contested throws when required. Size and urgency in gait allow for slippery strength through traffic. Still developing route tree and technical nuance in that department. More run-by than leverage-oriented as a route runner. May have a bit more juice to squeeze out of the top-end gear, as evidenced by excellent track times. Bona fide playmaker who could get on the field early in the return game and possesses immense long-term upside given size, frame length, and verified athleticism. Owns traits that suggest the potential to become an impact high-major receiver with an NFL Draft early-round ceiling.”
While Sarkisian said that Wingo is the only one in the receiving corps currently restricted to being an outside receiver because of the learning curve, it stands to reason that he can earn some snaps in less competitive games, such as the Longhorn’s opener against Colorado State on August 31.
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