Official newspaper of The University of Texas at Austin

The Daily Texan

Official newspaper of The University of Texas at Austin

The Daily Texan

Official newspaper of The University of Texas at Austin

The Daily Texan

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October 4, 2022
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State’s top prospects flock to Red River Rivalry

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Elisabeth Dillon

Texas and Oklahoma meet on the field Saturday, but the rivalry will extend past the scoreboard. Top recruits in the area will be paying close attention to the results as they decide where to commit. 

“It’s a reason that young people go to Texas and go to OU, because they want to play in this game,” Longhorns head coach Mack Brown said. “Every prospect in this state will be in this game.”

Case McCoy saw his older brother, Colt, make a name for himself in the Red River Rivalry and understands the magnitude of the game, along with its significance in the minds of recruits across the state. 


“You get recruited and you get sold on this game, and this is why a lot of us came here, to play in this game,” McCoy said.

Here are some of the top prospects for whom Texas and OU are currently battling.

 

Coppell DE Solomon Thomas (Class of 2014)

Thomas is one of the best defensive ends in the country and attended the Red River Rivalry last year. The 6-foot-, 3 256-pounder is a hard-nosed player who has the athleticism to play the end position and the raw strength to move inside to defensive tackle if warranted. Thomas is still considering a handful of schools, with Texas and Oklahoma, along with Stanford, being considered to be the top contenders. He has a good relationship with the Longhorns staff, but a second straight blowout loss to the Sooners can’t help the Texas cause.

 

Arlington Bowie S Edwin Freeman (2014)

Freeman is a complete safety. He is a big, fast and explosive athlete who isn’t afraid to hit people. But in addition to his physicality, he has good discipline and defensive awareness. He has very good range in coverage and his capable of using his finesse to get interceptions. He’s been rising up the rankings of all the various recruiting services and should continue to do so. Right now the Longhorns are ahead of the Sooners for his services, but Oklahoma is still one of the top schools he is considering.

 

Dallas Bishop Dunne DB Nick Watkins (2014)

The versatile playmaker from Bishop Dunne High School is one of the 10 best cornerback prospects in the country, according to the ESPN 300. He has good size for the position and great ball skills. Watkins is capable of playing on both sides of the ball, but his speed and fluidity are more coveted at the corner position. Watkins is really high on Notre Dame, but if he decides to stay a little closer to home, Texas and Oklahoma are two of the favorites, with the Longhorns holding a slight lead.

 

Mesquite Poteet OLB Malik Jefferson (2015)

One of the top linebackers in his class, Jefferson is being targeted by just about every major program in the country. He has excellent pursuit speed and is a high level tackler. He needs to gain a little weight to be a star at the FBS level, but that shouldn’t be much of a problem for him. Jefferson’s athletic ability is off the charts and he plays with an intensity level rare for someone his age. Texas and Oklahoma are both at the top of his list of preferred teams, but it’s a long list that also includes Texas A&M, Baylor, Michigan, Ohio State, Ole Miss, and USC among others.

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State’s top prospects flock to Red River Rivalry