National Signing Day is officially in the books, which means the 2023 recruiting cycle is essentially completed. After some ups and downs in 2022, Texas football is rebuilding its core with many new faces.
The Longhorns finished with the third-best recruiting class in the nation with 305.09 points, according to 247Sports' rankings. They were only behind the Alabama Crimson Tide and Georgia Bulldogs. Texas ended up signing four five-stars, 13 four-stars and seven three-star recruits.
With that being said, here are the 24 commits that make up the Texas Longhorns' 2023 recruiting class after national signing day.
Texas football 2023 recruiting class
Enrollees
QB Arch Manning
The No. 1 player in the 2023 recruiting class, quarterback Arch Manning chose Texas over other powerhouses such as Alabama, Georgia and Clemson. He scored 100 total touchdowns in his first three years of high school (81 passing and 19 rushing). As a senior, Manning had 37 total touchdowns. Notably, he is the grandson of former NFL quarterback Archie and nephew of Eli and Hall-of-Famer Peyton Manning.
LB Anthony Hill
A five-star out of Denton, Texas, Anthony Hill is the No. 2 linebacker in the class. He also had offers from schools such as Alabama and Oklahoma. In his junior season in 2021, Hill finished with 131 total tackles, 18 tackles for loss and eight sacks. He also had three pass breakups, two forced fumbles, three fumble recovers, two interceptions and two defensive touchdowns.
RB Cedric Baxter Jr.
From Edgewater in Orlando, Cedric Baxter Jr. is the No. 1 running back in the class. Despite playing in just nine games as a senior, he still carried the ball 174 times for 1,375 yards and scored 15 touchdowns. The five-star recruit had four 200-yard performances, including a season-high 272 yards against New Jersey powerhouse Don Bosco.
WR Johntay Cook II
From DeSoto, Texas, Johntay Cook II is the No. 3 wide receiver of the nation. The five-star is multi-sport athlete as he was also part of the track and field team. He helped his team reach the Texas 6A D-I regional finals in back-to-back years as he eclipsed 10 touchdowns in both seasons.
CB Malik Muhammad
A four-star out of Dallas, Malik Muhammad is the No. 4 cornerback of the class. Like Cook II, he also competes in track and field. In 2021, he played a key role as his high school team won the Texas 5A D-II state championship.
WR DeAndre Moore Jr.
From California, DeAndre Moore Jr. is a four-star prospect and the No. 19 wide receiver in the class. He originally committed to Louisville but opted to join Texas in December.
EDGE Colton Vasek
A four-star and the No. 16 EDGE in his class, Colton Vasek earned a Texas District 26-6A first-team selection as a junior. He was the Defensive MVP of the state championship. Additionally, he is the son of former Longhorns' defensive end Brian Vasek.
LB Derion Gullette
Derion Gullete is a four-star prospect and among the top 20 edge players in the nation. He missed his entire senior season due to an injury. As a junior, he was the Texas District 8-2A-I Co-MVP. Gullete also played as a wide receiver and punter.
OL Jaydon Chatman
The four-star is the No. 9 interior offensive lineman in the country. Chatman had offers from multiple schools, including Alabama, TCU and Tennessee, before committing to Texas. He was a Texas District 12-6A first-team as a junior.
DL Sydir Mitchell
The No. 25 defensive lineman in the nation, Mitchell recorded 40 tackles, 4.5 tackles for loss and two sacks as a junior. The four-star had offers from other programs such as LSU and Texas A&M.
LB Liona Lefau
Liona Lefau is the No. 2 player out of Hawaii in this class and No. 32 linebacker in the nation. He also spent some time as a receiver in high school. The four-star also had an offer from Oklahoma in his recruiting process.
OL Payton Kirkland
Out of Dr. Phillips in Orlando, Payton Kirkland is a three-star interior offensive lineman and No. 47 for his position. As a senior, he played snaps both as a left and right tackle. He was a MaxPreps Junior All-American Second Team member in 2021.
OT Connor Stroh
A three-star out of Frisco, Texas, Stroh chose the Longhorns over Arkansas, Auburn, Florida and Texas A&M. The No. 41 offensive tackle in the country also competed in track and field (throws) and powerlifting.
OL Andre Cojoe
Cojoe, a three-star prospect out of Arlington, Texas, is the No. 71 interior offensive lineman in the nation. He played in multiple positions on the offensive line in high school, primarily as a left tackle.
Signed Letter of Intent
S Derek Williams
A four-star, Williams is the No. 4 safety in the country. He chose Texas over Alabama and Colorado prior to national signing day. He also played as a cornerback and running back for Westgate in Louisiana.
WR Ryan Niblett
Niblett, a four-star wide receiver, is the No. 15 for his position in the class. He also competed in track and field and was a Texas District 14-6A All-Purpose Player of the Year as a junior.
ATH Jelani McDonald
McDonald, a four-star, is the No. 2 athlete in the 2023 class and announced he had signed with Texas in early January, a few weeks before national signing day.. In high school, he played as a quarterback, wide receiver and in multiple defensive positions. He also played basketball and competed in track and field. He chose the Longhorns over in-state rival TCU.
LB Tausili Akana
The No. 10 linebacker in 2023, Akana is a four-star prospect who was the second-best player out of Utah. He also had offers from LSU, Oklahoma and Texas A&M.
LB S'Maje Burrell
Burrell is a four-star prospect and the No. 29 linebacker in the class. He was the Texas District 3-6A Co-Defensive MVP as a junior, and signed with Texas in mid-December, about six weeks before national signing day.
OT Trevor Goosby
The No. 26 offensive tackle in the class of 2023, Goosby is a four-star player out of Melissa, Texas. He had offers from TCU and BYU before signing with Texas.
RB Tre Wisner
A three-star prospect, Wisner is the No. 33 running back in the class. As a junior, he won Texas District 9-4A-II Co-Offensive MVP at Waco Connally.
EDGE Billy Walton
The No. 47 EDGE in the nation and a three-star player, Walton registered 12 sacks as a junior for a South Oak Cliff squad that won the Texas 5A D-II state title after going a perfect 16-0.
TE Spencer Shannon
Spencer Shannon is a three-star prospect and the No. 36 tight end. He chose Texas over offers from two home-state programs UCLA and Cal.
TE Will Randle
The No. 44 tight end and a three-star prospect, Randle has experience as a defensive end as well. He also played basketball and baseball in high school. Notably, he had an offer from Alabama before accepting Texas'.
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