Editor's Note: This story first appeared in The Daily Texan's March 2 print edition.
Before head coach Steve Sarkisian was hired Jan. 2, the class of 2022 football recruiting cycle indicated the confidence surrounding the Texas football program was deteriorating among high school prospects.
The Longhorns had only one commitment in the class and Southlake Carroll quarterback Quinn Ewers, the No. 1-ranked player in the nation, had decommitted. Here is what Sarkisian has done on the recruiting trail in his first two months as head coach:
Retaining a commitment in the secondary:
Four-star cornerback Jaylon Guilbeau out of Port Arthur, Texas is the only player out of Texas’ seven commits to have pledged to the Longhorns under former head coach Tom Herman. Upon accepting the head coaching position, Sarkisian honored Guilbeau’s offer and retained his commitment. Guilbeau has good size and length for the position at 6 feet tall and 175 pounds, and he earned First-Team All-District honors at Memorial High as both a sophomore and junior. He is a two-sport athlete, running both the 400- and 800-meter dash in track as well.
Landing high-profile wide receivers:
Sarkisian picked up commitments from two four-star wide receivers. Frisco Liberty High product Evan Stewart is the smaller of the two at 6 feet tall and 175 pounds, but his tape shows eye-popping athleticism and straight-line speed. Stewart is also a track star, running a 10.74 100-meter sprint as well as competing in the long jump and triple jump. Armani Winfield, a 6-foot-2-inch 180-pound receiver from Lewisville, Texas, serves as a complement to Stewart’s skillset. He is a bigger receiver who uses his frame to bully smaller cornerbacks and make contested catches with ease. These two both have the ability to be key contributors as soon as they step on the Forty Acres.
Finding a replacement for Ewers:
Sarkisian parlayed his clout in California from coaching in the Pac-12 Conference to landing five-star quarterback Maalik Murphy, a 6-foot-5-inch 225-pound pro-style prospect out of Junipero Serra High School in Gardena, California. Murphy lacks both the experience and production normally seen out of five-star prospects after his school didn’t play in 2020 due to COVID-19 protocols, but his physical tools are that of an NFL quarterback. He has the size, athleticism and a strong arm that can throw the ball over 70 yards. Sarkisian has a great track record coaching quarterbacks, so if he is able to unlock Murphy’s untapped potential, there is no ceiling for how good he could be.
Scoring another running back pledge:
Texas has continued to add to the offensive side of the ball with a commitment from four-star running back Jaydon Blue, a 6-foot, 205-pound running back from Klein Cain High School in Houston, Texas. Blue possesses a nice blend of speed and power, as well as a knack for breaking tackles and using his incredible balance to bounce off defenders. He enjoyed a prolific junior campaign, rushing for 2,155 yards and 30 touchdowns on 227 carries.
Beefing up the defensive side:
Trevell Johnson, a 6-foot-1-inch three-star linebacker from Martin High School in Arlington, Texas, flew under the radar in recruiting circles. However, he gained attention from Power 5 schools with his strong junior season, accumulating 109 tackles and four sacks. The Longhorns most recent commit is four-star safety Bryan Allen Jr. from perennial powerhouse Aledo High School. Allen is athletically gifted and marks another UT commit with a track and field background, showing versatility in the secondary. He pairs his strong coverage skills with a willingness to tackle in the run-game.
