Texas Longhorns

Our recruiting analysts have updated the class rankings, and the biggest Big 12 (Save it. For the purpose of this post, humor us) mover is Texas A&M, whose class dropped three spots from No. 9 to No. 12.

That puts the Aggies' class behind Oklahoma for third in the Big 12.

Here's where the league's teams rank in the new update:

No. 2: Texas Longhorns (last update: No. 2)

Nine ESPNU 150 commits, including the nation's top running back, Johnathan Gray (Aledo, Texas/Aledo), headline Texas' well-stocked class. Gray, No. 2 in the ESPNU 150, joining 2011 five-star running back Malcolm Brown is a huge step in the right direction for the Texas offense.

No. 10: Oklahoma Sooners (last update: No. 10)

The Sooners added three potential difference-makers at the offensive skill positions and retained the top two in-state prospects. Receiver Sterling Shepard (Oklahoma City/Heritage Hall) might lack ideal measurables, but this guy simply makes plays and can move the chains from a variety of positions. Fellow ESPNU 150 receivers Durron Neal (St. Louis/De Smet Jesuit) is just as well-rounded but might actually be more of an explosive package, while Derrick Woods (Inglewood, Calif./Inglewood) has a nice combination of size and athleticism.

No. 12: Texas A&M Aggies (last update: No. 9)

Texas A&M got out of the gate fast, and despite a coaching change, is still holding strong on the recruiting trail with 23 commits, including five ESPNU 150 prospects. Outside linebacker Jordan Richmond (Denton, Texas/Billy Ryan) is the Aggies' highest-ranked player. The ESPNU 150 prospect is rangy, athletic and should have plenty in front of him to keep blockers occupied in the future with five defensive linemen also on board, including four-star end Michael Richardson (DeSoto, Texas/DeSoto). Running back Trey Williams (Houston/Andy Dekaney) is undersized, but a water bug of a runner who is tough to keep up with.

No. 17: Texas Tech Red Raiders (last update: No. 17)

The Longhorns and Aggies are doing well on the recruiting trail, but don't overlook Tommy Tuberville's Red Raiders. The class features three ESPNU 150 prospects led by wide receivers Dominique Wheeler (Crockett, Texas/Crockett), a tall receiver with the ability to make plays in space, and Reginald Davis (Tenaha, Texas/Tenaha), a speedy and athletic playmaking prospect. The other ESPNU 150 member in this class is offensive tackle Michael Starts (Waco, Texas/La Vega), a physically good-looking player with the athleticism for the tackle position.

No. 22: TCU Horned Frogs (last update: No. 22)

Conference hopping hasn't hurt the Horned Frogs on the recruiting trail. They have two ESPNU 150 prospects in defensive end Devonte Fields (Arlington, Texas/Martin) and athlete Daje Johnson (Pflugerville, Texas/Hendrickson). Fields is big, strong, athletic and active as both a run defender and pass-rusher. Johnson, who is expected to play running back, is a typical underrated prospect TCU lands and he has a ton of ability in a scat-back type role. Quarterback Tyler Matthews (McPherson, Kansas/McPherson) is fundamentally polished with a quick release and a lot of tools to develop at the next level.

Baylor and Missouri have classes that ESPNU ranks just outside the top 25, too.

Tune in to ESPNU at 5:30 p.m. ET today for RecruitingNation. Tom Luginbill, Craig Haubert and national and local writers from RecruitingNation break down the latest recruiting news from across the country.

Thursday's show will look at the impact on Gunner Kiel’s decision to attend Notre Dame, what the pledge does for the Irish and where does LSU go now at quarterback? There will also be analysis on Mario Edwards’ decision to eliminate Texas from consideration on Thursday, what Jameis Winston is going to do and how Oklahoma is going do to recover from losing one of its best recruiters.

Luginbill and Haubert will also review the new ESPNU 150 rankings that were released on Thursday and highlight some of the big risers and fallers.

The broadcast can also be seen on WatchESPN.

The final ESPNU 150 rankings are out, and Longhorns fans might not be happy with two big moves.

Quarterback commit Connor Brewer (Scottsdale, Ariz./Chaparral) was ranked No. 3 among passers and No. 34 overall in the previous rankings. He’s now ESPNU’s No. 7 quarterback and ranked 130th overall.

(Read full post)

We're marching along in our recap of 2011 here on the blog, and today it's time to look back on the most improved players of 2011.

Here's a few other posts you might want to check out:

• The best in-game atmospheres of 2011
• The best games of 2011

In no particular order, here are the players who showed the most growth during 2011 or from 2010 to 2011.

Frank Alexander, DE, Oklahoma: The physical tools had always been there for Alexander, but he'd never quite progressed into what he looked like he could be as a freshman in 2008. Until this year, that is. Alexander was a monster all season, leading the Big 12 in tackles for loss (19) and finishing second in sacks (8.5) to win defensive player of the year honors.

Collin Klein, QB, Kansas State: Nobody knew exactly what to expect from Klein this season, but he exceeded anyone's expectations on the ground, and developed into a serviceable passer by season's end. That growth should only continue into 2012. He ran for more than 1,000 yards and tied the Big 12 single-season record with 27 touchdowns, which also tied an FBS record for quarterbacks.

Carrington Byndom, CB, Texas: Byndom was a huge question mark when the season began, but by December, he'd developed into arguably the league's best shutdown corner. Players like that don't often put up big stats, but ask around the league's receivers about Byndom and look at how many big plays the Longhorns gave up. Both are testaments to Byndom's talents.

Kendall Wright, WR, Baylor: Wright, like Alexander, was a good player who became truly elite in 2011. Wright, believe it or not, had never enjoyed a 1,000-yard receiving season before 2011, even though he'd led the Bears in receiving in the three previous seasons. But who led the Big 12 in receiving this year? It wasn't Biletnikoff winner Justin Blackmon. It wasn't Ryan Broyles. It was Wright, with 1,663 yards and 17 scores. Insane. Robert Griffin III is the biggest reason for Baylor's rise, but Wright is a much closer second than most realize.

Texas' offensive line: Tough to pick one guy out of this group, which was dreadful last year but was a big part of Texas' moderate rebound this year. Stacy Searels coaches the unit, which ranked third in the Big 12 in rushing offense this season.

Ryan Swope, WR, Texas A&M: Jeff Fuller earned the headlines at Texas A&M this year, but Swope was the man for the Aggies. He actually had the same number of catches as Fuller in 2010, but had almost 250 fewer yards and eight fewer scores. Fuller battled injuries this year, but Swope caught 89 balls for 1,207 yards and 11 touchdowns, far surpassing the future NFL receiver's output.

Leonard Johnson, CB, Iowa State: Johnson, like Byndom, didn't quite get the press of other cornerbacks in the Big 12 like Brodrick Brown, E.J. Gaines or Justin Gilbert who broke up tons of passes and intercepted lots of others, but he quietly earned a reputation as one of the league's premier lockdown defenders.

James Franklin, QB, Missouri: Franklin looked shaky in a season-opening win over Miami (Ohio), throwing for just 129 yards and looking generally unimpressive. He wouldn't have another game like that the rest of the year. He topped 285 yards passing in four games this season and was sixth in the Big 12 in total offense, throwing for 2,872 yards as a first-year starter, and equaling the eight wins produced by Chase Daniel and Blaine Gabbert in their first years as starters.

Texas has struggled for two seasons, winning just 13 combined games when it had won 10 in nine consecutive seasons before it.

The Longhorns put their hopes in the Garrett Gilbert basket on the recruiting trail, but when Gilbert struggled in 2010 and was benched in 2011, they were left without a big-time prospect.

But has too much blame gone to the quarterbacks? They have the ball in their hands the most, but Gilbert hasn't gotten much help from his receivers.

Texas has recruited some of the nation's best over the past few years, and here's a look at how they shook out:

2008 (three ESPNU 150 receivers):

• D.J. Grant: Grant, an Austin native, was the nation's No. 5 receiver and the best signee in the 2008 class. He moved to tight end this year after missing the 2009 and 2010 seasons with a knee injury and redshirted in 2008. He caught 13 passes for 143 yards and a team-high three touchdowns this year.
• Dan Buckner: Buckner was the nation's No. 6 receiver, and caught 45 passes for 442 yards in Colt McCoy's senior season back in 2009, but transferred to Arizona after the season. He caught 42 passes for 606 yards and two scores for the Wildcats this year.
• DeSean Hales: Hales was No. 95 in the ESPNU 150 and the nation's No. 17 receiver, and caught 10 passes in 2010 before catching one pass in 2011.

2009

• Only receiver signee was Greg Timmons, who never made a catch and left the program before 2011.

2010 (Three ESPNU 150 receivers)

• Mike Davis: Davis was the team's leading receiver in 2011 (45 rec., 609 yards, TD) after being No. 2 in 2010 with 47 catches for 479 yards.
• Darius White: White had six catches for 71 yards in two seasons at Texas. He left the team after 2011 and plans to transfer to Missouri.
• Chris Jones: Redshirted in 2010 before transferring in November, during the 2011 season.

2011

• No ESPNU 150 signees but four-star recruit Jaxon Shipley emerged as one of the team's best weapons before suffering a knee injury that slowed his progress and caused him to miss three games. He finished with 44 catches for 607 yards.
• Miles Onyegbule also caught four passes for 51 yards.

So, there you have it.

Six top-flight recruits. Zero impact players among them. Shipley looks the part of future star, and Davis did as a true freshman, but he didn't show a ton of improvement in 2011.

The quarterback play has a lot to do with it, but Texas has swung and missed on so many receivers along the recruiting trail in recent years, perhaps the blame has fallen too heavily on the quarterbacks' shoulders.

Texas lost ESPNU 150 member Thomas Johnson, and has just one receiver committed for the 2012 class, which will sign letters of intent on Feb. 1. Johnson was the nation's No. 4 wide receiver, but he's not coming. Texas is still chasing the nation's No. 1 receiver, Dorial Green-Beckham, but it seems Arkansas, Oklahoma and Missouri have the inside track in that race.

In 2012, ESPNU 150 recruit Cayleb Jones is set to join the Longhorns. He's the nation's No. 3 receiver.

Marcus Johnson, the nation's No. 79 receiver, and Kendall Sanders are the only other players signed up to come to Austin and play receiver in 2012. Sanders is rated as the nation's No. 10 cornerback.

Can they change the trend?

Cast blame for the receiving troubles wherever you'd like: Coaches' development, poor recruiting evaluation, poor work ethic by the receivers. You could probably come up with a few more.

But it's clear that quarterbacks haven't been the only problem at Texas the past two years.