It’s been five long years since the Texas Longhorns last won 10 games on the gridiron, going 28-20 with two wins and a loss in the Alamo Bowl during that stretch.
Year Three of the Steve Sarkisian era in Austin kicks off against former SWC rival Rice on Sept. 2, as the Longhorns look to improve upon their 8-5 record from a year ago.
Texas will have to replace do-it-all running back Bijan Robinson, who declared for the NFL Draft after winning the Doak Walker Award this past fall, but welcomes top-ranked quarterback recruit Arch Manning into the fold this year.
Oddsmakers at BetMGM Sportsbook see things turning in Texas’ favor this fall, listing the Longhorns at +2000 to win the program’s first title in 18 years, good for a tie for seventh nationally with Tennessee.
BetTexas.com wanted to see how the Longhorns best high school prospects since the 2013 class fared on the field to better determine how the program got to this juncture.
There is no legal Texas sports betting.
But the state legislature is in session this year, and a new Texas online sports betting bill was introduced earlier this month.
Texas Top 10 Recruits Since 2013
Malik Jefferson (OLB, 2015)
- Recruiting Ranking: Five stars/.9934 overall
- Years: 2015-2017
- Stats: 231 tackles, 26.0 TFL, 13.0 sacks, 5 pass deflections, 2 forced fumbles, 1 TD, 1 fumble recovery
- Accolades: 2nd team All-American (2017), Big 12 co-Defensive POY (2017), 1st team All-Big 12 (2017), Freshman All-American (2015), Big 12 Defensive Freshman of the Year (2015)
Bijan Robinson (RB, 2020)
- Recruiting Ranking: Five stars/.9928 overall
- Years: 2020-2022
- Stats: 539 carries, 3,410 yards, 33 TDs; 60 catches, 805 yards, 8 TDs
- Accolades: Doak Walker Award (2022), Unanimous All-American (2022), Two-time 1st team All-Big 12 (2021-2022)
Caden Sterns (S, 2018)
- Recruiting Ranking: Five stars/.9886 overall
- Years: 2018-2020
- Stats: 173 tackles, 8.5 TFL, 2.0 sacks, 5 INTs, 8 pass deflections
- Accolades: Big 12 Defensive Freshman of the Year (2018), 1st team All-Big 12 (2018)
B.J. Foster (S, 2018)
- Recruiting Ranking: Five stars/.9865 overall
- Years: 2018-2022 (2022 Sam Houston State)
- Stats: Texas: 173 tackles, 17.5 TFL, 5.0 sacks, 5 INTs, 11 pass deflections, 2 forced fumbles; SHSU: 29 tackles, 3.0 TFL, 1.0 sacks, 1 INT, 1 pass deflection
- Accolades: 1st team All-WAC (2022), Big 12 honorable mention (2021), 3rd team All-Big 12 (2020)
Darius James (OG, 2013)
- Recruiting Ranking: Five stars/.9837 overall
- Years: 2014-2017 (Auburn)
Jordan Whittingham (RB, 2019)
- Recruiting Ranking: Five stars/.9836 overall
- Years: 2019-2022
- Stats: 99 carries, 1,252 yards, 4 TDs; 4 catches, 58 yards, 1 TD
Kent Perkins (OT, 2013)
- Recruiting Ranking: Five stars/.9814 overall
- Years: 2013-2016
Devin Duvernay (WR, 2016)
- Recruiting Ranking: Four stars/.9803 overall
- Years: 2016-2019
- Stats: 176 catches, 2,468 yards, 16 TDs
- Accolades: 1st Team All-Big 12 (2019)
Brandon Jones (S, 2016)
- Recruiting Ranking: Four stars/.9794 overall
- Years: 2016-2019
- Stats: 232 tackles, 14.0 TFL, 1.0 sacks, 3 INTs, 7 pass deflections, 3 fumble recoveries, 2 forced fumbles
- Accolades: 2nd team All-Big 12 (2019)
Jalen Green (CB, 2018)
- Recruiting Ranking: Four stars/.9762 overall
- Years: 2018-2022 (Mississippi State)
- Stats: 133 tackles, 6.5 TFL, 18 pass deflections, 5 INTs, 2 fumble recoveries
How Texas’ Top Recruits Fared
Six of the 10 top-ranked Texas recruits since the class of 2013 went on to be named to at least one All-Big 12 team during their time in Austin.
One of those players, in Robinson, will likely be a first-round selection in this year’s draft, while former Longhorn cornerback Jalen Green exhausted his eligibility at Mississippi State this fall and will also be eligible for the draft.
Others, like Jefferson, Sterns, Duvernay and Jones, heard their names called at various points in NFL drafts between 2018 and 2022, though the program’s last first-round pick (defensive tackle Malcom Brown) was in 2015.
Average Recruiting Class Ranking Since 2014
Where Texas’ Top 10 Recruits Rank Overall
Perhaps unsurprisingly, given Texas’ lack of on-field success since Mack Brown’s run with the program, the Longhorns ranked last out of the five power programs surveyed when it came to average recruiting ranking at .98459.
The Longhorns trailed Alabama (.99746), Georgia (.99615), Ohio State (.99369) and Florida (.98765) by that metric, showing how far their recruiting has fallen.
Our rankings do not consider any current Longhorns, however, so Texas’ consecutive top-five recruiting classes are not added into that number.
The Longhorns will have their shot at proving naysayers wrong come early September, when they’ll head to Tuscaloosa to challenge the Crimson Tide in a Week Two showdown that should have major CFP implications.
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