Texas Longhorns

It's never too early to look ahead at what prospects could be getting all the attention on national signing day, 2013.

The list of the top 100 is out and is headlined by Kenny Bigelow and Caleb Brantley.

In all, there are 13 Texans on the list. The highest rated player from the Lone Star State is Celina OT Jake Raulerson.

Here's the full list.

Here are a few shots of some of the newest Longhorns enjoying national signing day at the International Bowl.

Caleb Bluiett


Tim Cole


Daje Johnson

Remember when Thomas Johnson was flashing the “Hook’em Horns” in just about every photo he took?

Johnson had been committed to the Longhorns for almost a year before decommitting in January.

It seemed like the Dallas Skyline product would be headed to the West Coast after showing interest in Oregon and Cal.

Well, you can forget all of that stuff. Johnson committed to Texas A&M Wednesday in a ceremony at his school.

He surely hoping all those photos don’t come back to haunt him.

Linebacker Peter Jinkens (Dallas/Skyline) has sent in his letter of intent to Texas.

Jinkens (6-foot-1, 215 pounds) is a four-star recruit rated as the No. 5 outside linebacker in the nation and 57th on the ESPNU 150.

He has been committed to the Longhorns since Feb. 26, 2011, and chose Texas over offers from Texas A&M, Florida, Michigan, Baylor, Texas Tech, Iowa, and Kansas State.

Jinkens is one of four linebackers in this 2012 recruiting class along with Tim Cole (Brenham, Texas/Brenham), Alex De La Torre (Denton, Texas/Ryan) and Dalton Santos (Van, Texas/Van).

As a senior at Skyline, the Under Armour All-American racked up 90 tackles (16 for loss), five sacks and four forced fumbles.

Scouts take: This is a tough customer who moves through traffic well showing very good lateral pursuit ability. It appears that this prospect has the quickness and balance to be effective as an edge rusher and in time his ability to play in space should prove beneficial in coverage. This athlete is never out of a play; his athleticism and instincts continually get him to the football. This is a prospect that very early on in his career should develop into an every down player.

Importance to class: Very important. Jinkens joins a Texas linebacking corps that loses seniors Keenan Robinson and Emmanuel Acho. Without them, it’s one of the more inexperienced units of the 2012 Longhorns, so UT coaches went out and locked up four linebackers for this class.

How soon he can make an impact? Projected starters Steve Edmond and Demarco Cobbs are talented but have a combined zero career starts between them. Jinkens is the kind of aggressive playmaker who can get on the field immediately and provide needed depth if he puts in the work.

AUSTIN, Texas - - Four-star defensive end Caleb Bluiett (Beaumont, Texas/West Brook) has sent in his letter of intent to Texas.

Bluiett (6-foot-3, 230 pounds) is the No. 26 defensive end in the nation and the No. 47 player in Texas, according to ESPNU. He could also play tight end.

Bluiett has been committed to Texas since Feb. 26, 2011.

He is one of three defensive end commitments in this class along with U.S. Army All-American Hassan Ridgeway (Mansfield, Texas/Mansfield) and two-star Bryce Cottrell (Plano, Texas/West).

Scouts take: “Bluiett is a kid who will move around the defensive line in high school though he seems to spend a good amount of time inside, which is not where he will play in college. He is a kid who could potentially stand up, but will more likely just slide outside and settle into the end position. Bluiett needs to keep developing aspects of his game as well as developing his frame, but displays the tools to be a good, well-rounded, and productive defensive end at the college level.”

Importance to class: The Longhorns return five defensive ends, including both starters in Jackson Jeffcoat and Alex Okafor. But only one of those (Cedric Reed) will be an underclassman next season. So defensive end was a position of need in this class. Texas missed out on the nation and state’s top defensive end in Mario Edwards, who has decided to go to Florida State. But they were still able to land Bluiett, the sixth-rated DE in Texas and No. 26 DE overall. He is a very versatile edge rusher, who has the athleticism and hands to play tight end if needed.

How soon can he make an impact? It is going to be tough for Bluiett to see the field in 2012 because of the numbers Texas’ returns at the position. Jeffcoat, Okafor, Reed, Chris Whaley and Reggie Wilson all return. So Bluiett could be a redshirt option if everyone stays healthy.

Bluiett on signing with Texas: “It’s going to be great. The whole program, the coaches, you are like family to them. They help you out. Sometimes if you get hurt in a game some schools might take away your scholarship. But at Texas once you are on scholarship you know you aren’t going to come off unless you really screw up. If you got hurt you would still be able to be a part of the Longhorn family and get your degree.”

Defensive back Kevin Vaccaro (Brownwood, Texas/Brownwood) has sent in his letter of intent to Texas.

Vaccaro (5-foot-9, 175 pounds) is the brother of Longhorns safety Kenny Vaccaro and a three-star recruit. He’s rated 65th among cornerbacks by ESPNU.

He has been committed to the Longhorns since Dec. 11, 2011, and chose Texas over an offer from Louisiana Tech, Nevada, Wake Forest and UT-San Antonio.

Vaccaro is one of three cornerbacks in the 2012 recruiting class along with Bryson Echols (DeSoto, Texas/DeSoto) and athlete Orlando Thomas (Copperas Cove, Texas/Copperas Cove).

Scouts take: Vaccaro is an explosive, hard hitting corner/safety tweener with good coverage ability in the defensive backfield. Has the physicality to be a strong safety in college but he is undersized in both height and bulk. Will compete on the perimeter as a cover corner but may struggle with not having elite speed and fluidity to be a potential lock down prospect. Is quicker than fast and shows an explosive burst to gain proper positioning.

Importance to class: Vaccaro is one of the biggest projects of this class. Texas coaches took a chance on him in part to do right by his brother, but obviously they see potential. Vaccaro is a tweener who’s got upside, sure, but he’ll have to become a strong technician as a defensive back to make up for his size.

How soon he can make an impact? Again, Vaccaro will need some time to develop and UT coaches will have to find a role for him that fits his skill set. But if he plays with the intensity of his brother, he could carve out an impact role on special teams early on.

Defensive end Hassan Ridgeway (Mansfield, Texas/Mansfield) has sent in his letter of intent to Texas.

Ridgeway (6-foot-4, 248 pounds) is a four-star recruit rated as the No. 20 defensive end in the nation and the 33rd-best prospect in the state by ESPNU.

The U.S. Army All-American has been committed to the Longhorns since Feb. 16, 2011, and chose Texas over offers from Texas A&M and TCU.

Ridgeway is one of two defensive ends in UT’s 2012 recruiting class along with Caleb Bluiett (Beaumont, Texas/West Brook). As a senior at Mansfield, Ridgeway recorded 57 tackles and collected 7.5 sacks.

Scouts take: Ridgeway is a kid that gives flashes of being a disruptive and productive defender. He has good size and on film looks like a well put together kid with a frame that could support more good size as he continues to physically develop. He flashes the ability to explode off the ball, but does need to work to be more consistent. He can give flashes of being tough to handle when taking on blockers. Ridgeway can be an active kid that can cause some problems.

Importance to class: Texas appears to be in fairly good shape with its defensive ends, particularly thanks to the rise of Alex Okafor and Jackson Jeffcoat in 2011. Clearly Texas wanted to sign three ends for this class, though -- as evidenced by Longhorns coaches’ last-second pursuit of Bryce Cottrell -- and Ridgeway and Bluiett are important to building depth behind those star veterans.

How soon he can make an impact? The knock on Ridgeway’s game is his consistency, so perhaps he’d be a candidate to redshirt since UT coaches likely won’t need to throw him onto the field this fall.

Wide receiver Kendall Sanders (Athens, Texas/Athens) has sent in his letter of intent to Texas.

Sanders (6-foot, 175 pounds) is a four-star recruit rated as the No. 13 cornerback in the nation by ESPNU. He’s open to playing either receiver or corner in college.

He has been committed to the Longhorns since Dec. 2, 2011, and chose Texas after decommitting from Oklahoma State and receiving offers from Arkansas, Notre Dame, Michigan, Missouri, Ole Miss, Baylor, Texas A&M, Texas Tech and TCU.

Sanders is one of three receivers in this 2012 recruiting class along with Cayleb Jones (Austin, Texas/Stephen F. Austin) and Marcus Johnson (League City, Texas/Clear Springs).

As a senior, the do-everything U.S. Army All-American produced 818 rushing yards, 530 receiving yards and 20 touchdowns.

Scouts take: The thing that stands out is his toughness, Sanders will come up and put a lick on you. He delivers big hits and will support the run from the corner spot. Is a functional and consistent open field tackler. There is upside for him as a press corner once he spends considerable time in the weight room.

Importance: Texas coaches continue to tell Sanders they’ll use him as a wide receiver, and his pledge became even more important when Thomas Johnson decommitted in December. But as his two interceptions at the Army game proved, he could grow to be a talented corner if he’d like. Either way, he’s a difference-maker and was a big get for this class.

Early impact: This all depends on what position Sanders ultimately plays in college. He might have a better shot at getting on the field early as a receiver, but if his early play suggests his time is better spent at corner, he’ll have some talented veterans ahead of him.

Quote: “I feel exited and I’m ready to be a Longhorn. I’m ready to get this done.”

AUSTIN, Texas -- Three-star safety Adrian Colbert (Mineral Wells, Texas/Mineral Wells) has sent in his letter of intent to Texas.

Colbert (6-foot-1, 190 pounds) is the No. 20 safety in the nation and the No. 63 player in Texas, according to ESPNU.

Colbert, who will also run track at Texas, has been committed to Texas since Dec. 11, 2011. A one-time Baylor commitment, he chose the Longhorns over offers from the Bears, Texas A&M and TCU.

Colbert, who will be the first person in his family to go to college, is the only pure safety prospect in this class. But he is one of four defensive back commitments along with Under Armour All-American cornerback Bryson Echols (DeSoto, Texas/DeSoto), cornerback Kevin Vaccaro (Brownwood, Texas/Brownwood) and athlete Orlando Thomas (Copperas Cove, Texas/Copperas Cove), who will likely start his career as a cornerback.

Scouts take: “Colbert excels in all three phases of the game and given his measurables and very good range, most likely will develop into a hybrid type safety prospect. Is an aggressive run stopper as a safety in high school with some cover ability. Overall, Colbert is currently falling under the radar and has a lot of ability to develop into a college safety. A good athlete with the ability to see early playing time at the major college level.”

Importance to class: The Longhorns need help at safety as much or more than any other position on the field with the loss of seniors Blake Gideon and Christian Scott. Colbert is the only true safety in this class and will add instant and much needed depth.

How soon can he make an impact? Texas’ top three candidates at safety are sophomores Mykkele Thompson and Sheroid Evans and junior Adrian Phillips. They all played there in spurts last season, but probably not enough to make Texas coaches feel confident that any single one of them is the front-runner heading into next season. Colbert won’t get to Austin until the fall, so he’ll face an uphill battle from the jump. But depth is such an issue he could work his way into the rotation. He’s a dedicated worker who could be coming off the momentum of another state track title at that time.

Colbert on signing with Texas: “It feels great to officially become a Texas Longhorn because now no one else can get in contact with me or bother me. I just want to better myself as a player and get bigger, faster and stronger. Maybe I can get a chance at that Thorpe Award. I am ready to take on any challenge that college gives me, including playing football and running track.”

AUSTIN, Texas -- Four-star defensive tackle Alex Norman (Dallas, Texas/Bishop Dunne) has sent in his letter of intent to Texas.

Norman (6-foot-3, 280 pounds) is the No. 7 defensive tackle and No. 97 prospect overall in the ESPNU 150.

The Under Armour All-American, has been committed to Texas since Feb. 12, 2011.

Norman, whose grandfather Pettis Norman, played tight end for the Dallas Cowboys and San Diego Chargers, is one of four defensive tackle commitments in this class along with Malcom Brown (Brenham, Texas/Brenham), Paul Boyette Jr. (Humble, Texas/Humble) and junior college transfer Brandon Moore (East Mississippi Community College).

Scouts take: “It seems with Norman that when you go against this kid you better have a good pre-game mean and you better buckle your chin strap good and tight because he is going to bring all he has and is going to battle you. He has good size and while his listed weight may not be eye-popping he looks on film to have a fairly thick lower body and he should be able to add some more size with time in a college weight program.”

Importance to class: Norman’s importance to this class might not appear as big due to the commitments of Brown (the No. 2 DT) and Moore (6-foot-7, 335 pounder). But Texas’ defensive tackles are such an important part of what Manny Diaz tries to do defensively that you can never have too many elite tackles, and Norman is one in our opinion.

He entered high school severely overweight but quickly dedicated himself to eating healthier and working out religiously and has dropped 60 pounds to become a top seven tackle in the country.

How soon can he make an impact? The Longhorns are only losing one defensive tackle in Kheeston Randall and have a young stable on returning players ready to make their mark. The presence of Brown and Moore won’t make it any easier for Norman to see the field early, but it’s hard to count this kid out because of his dedication and skill set. Look for Brown and Moore to see time for sure and Norman to push those players and others for his time in 2012.

AUSTIN, Texas - - Five-star running back Johnathan Gray (Aledo, Texas, Aledo) has sent in his letter of intent to Texas.

Gray (5-foot-10, 205 pounds) is the No. 1 running back and No. 2 player in the ESPNU 150, and the highest-rated player in Texas’ class.

He ended his career with 10,908 yards and a national-record 205 touchdowns. Gray, whose father, James Gray, is Texas Tech’s second all-time leading rusher, helped Aledo win three straight Class 4A Division II state titles. He’s also twice been named Mr. Football USA and Gatorade Player of the Year.

Gray has been committed to Texas since April 22, 2011. He chose the Longhorns over offers from Auburn, Arkansas, Colorado, Baylor, Texas A&M, TCU and Texas Tech.

Gray is the only running back committed in this class.

Scouts take: “One of the more productive backs we have seen n recent classes. Gray is a TD machine combining load-back qualities with great top-end speed. Has a supreme blend of size and speed…Has all the physical traits you look for in a college back and should continue that production if he lands in a college system that feeds him the rock in a rock in a downhill scheme and remains healthy.”

Importance to class: Maybe you’ve heard of this guy before. No? Well he finished his career as one of high school football’s all-time great players, set more records than should be allowed and has more awards than Kim Kardashian has magazine covers. He’s the prized recruit of Texas’ class, and one that will add more depth to an already loaded backfield with Malcolm Brown and Joe Bergeron. Gray was a must-get for Texas, and it got him.

How soon can he make an impact? Right away. Sure Brown and Bergeron have a year under their belts, but there shouldn’t be any reason why someone with Grays abilities doesn’t find his way on the field. He can do it all. The Longhorns need someone to fill Fozzy Whittaker’s role in the wildcat formation and Gray would be a perfect fit. He’s also exceptional at catching the ball out of the backfield.

Gray on signing with Texas: “I definitely can’t wait to get down there and play with all of the commits that have committed for 2012. We are all excited to play. There are high expectations but I think we can live up to them. We are going in with the mindset of getting better, win some national championships and get the program back to where it should be.”

Quarterback Jalen Overstreet (Tatum, Texas/Tatum) has sent in his letter of intent to Texas.

Overstreet (6-foot-2, 205 pounds) is a three-star recruit rated as the No. 43 athlete and the No. 75 prospect in the state of Texas by ESPNU.

He has been committed to the Longhorns since Oct. 31, 2011, and chose Texas over offers from Arkansas, Baylor, Kansas, Michigan, Missouri and Texas Tech.

Overstreet is one of two quarterbacks in this recruiting class along with Connor Brewer (Scottsdale, Ariz./Chaparral). Together, they give the Longhorns four quarterbacks for 2012.

As a senior at Tatum, Overstreet threw for 1,471 yards and 13 touchdowns and rushed for 1,190 yards and 23 more scores. He led Tatum to a 24-4 record as its starter.

Scouts take: This guy is a tough customer; makes good decisions with zone/read play and is very effective running inside or off the edge; displays a tough over the pads slashing style capable of gaining inside yardage. His foot quickness and short burst allow him to break out of the pack, resulting in big gainers. Although Overstreet may need some time and perhaps a redshirt year to polish his skills, once accomplished, we see good upside as his career unfolds. He is physically gifted and more than capable of moving to safety or wide receiver if he does not pan out as a QB.

Importance to class: Critical. Remember, Texas had four quarterbacks when fall camp started in 2011, and two bailed by midseason. UT absolutely needed depth behind David Ash and Case McCoy, and Overstreet immediately becomes the most talented runner of the program’s signal callers.

How soon he can make an impact? He’ll have to be ready to get thrown into the fire. All it takes is an injury or a transfer (or both) for Texas to quickly be in trouble at quarterback. Overstreet should also get a chance to shine in special Wild-formation run packages if he’s willing.