Wednesday was National Signing Day for college athletes across the country.
The day heavily focuses on college football and usually signals the beginning of the period during which high school seniors are allowed to sign National Letters of Intent (NLIs) to play sports in college.
In recent years, the NCAA added an “early signing period” in December, which has taken some of the luster away from the February signing day. Still, schools will continue to add players to improve their teams.
Here are where the local schools stand in football recruiting as of today.
University of Texas-Austin
Rankings- 247Sports: 3rd Rivals: 3rd On3: 3rd
The Longhorns added 24 players in the 2023 recruiting cycle, and 14 enrolled early. The class includes top quarterback prospect Arch Manning, the nephew of NFL quarterbacks Peyton and Eli, and three of the top ten high school players in Texas.
University of Oklahoma
Rankings- 247Sports: 4th Rivals: 6th On3: 7th
Oklahoma adds 26 players led by Gatorade National Player of the Year Jackson Arnold and his high school teammate Peyton Bowen. Overall, the Sooners land five of the top 100 players in the country, according to 247Sports, and bring in an additional 12 players via the transfer portal.
Texas A&M
Rankings- 247Sports: 15th Rivals: 14th On3: 15th
Texas A&M lost many players to the transfer portal after a disappointing year. However, the Aggies still get a good recruiting class, which includes the No. 3 running back in the country, the No. 1 interior offensive lineman, and the No. 1 defensive lineman.
TCU
Rankings- 247Sports: 19th Rivals: 20th On3: 18th
TCU lands three of the top 100 players in the country in wide receiver Cordale Russell, cornerback Mason White, and junior college transfer cornerback Channing Canada. The Horned Frogs also added nine players through the transfer portal, including three from the University of Alabama.
Texas Tech
Rankings- 247Sports: 26th Rivals: 23rd On3: 25th
The Red Raiders add 26 new players, with 11 enrolling early. Mansfield Timberview’s Jordan Sanford and Post’s Isaiah Crawford are the top players in the class, with linebacker CJ Baskerville and defensive lineman Steve Linton among those adding value as transfers.
Baylor
Rankings- 247Sports: 34th Rivals: 30th On3: 33rd
Baylor adds 21 players who are primarily three-star recruits. Arlington Lamar offensive tackle Isaiah Robinson is the only top-300 prospect, and the strength lies with the Bears’ ten transfers. Among the players joining the program via the portal are former Oklahoma State leading rusher Dominic Richardson, North Texas tight end Jake Roberts, Arkansas wide receiver Ketron Jackson Jr., and BYU offensive linemen Clark and Campbell Barrington.
Houston
Rankings- 247Sports: 56th Rivals: 56th On3: 55th
Houston adds 17 new players, with Temple High School’s Mikal Harrison-Pilot leading the way. The Cougars also add four-star wide receiver Jonah Wilson and several highly ranked transfers like Michigan State’s Jalen Hunt, Oklahoma’s David Ugwoegbu, and Texas A&M’s Brian George.
SMU
Rankings- 247Sports: 69th Rivals: 72nd On3: 69th
Six of SMU’s 17 additions will enroll early. Additionally, the Mustangs have one of the best transfer classes in the nation with 17 signees from the portal, including Texas offensive lineman Logan Parr, Texas A&M running back LJ Johnson and offensive lineman P.J. Williams, and Miami (FL) running back Jaylan Knighton and wide receiver Romello Brinson.
University of North Texas
Rankings- 247Sports:111th Rivals: N/A On3: 119th
According to a press release, North Texas had 20 total additions to its program, with 11 being freshmen. Ten of the new additions were from Texas, and four were from the Dallas-Fort Worth metroplex — keeping with head coach Eric Morris’ goal of recruiting better within the state and the local area.
COLLEGE ALL-STAR GAMES
This week is college all-star week, with the top NFL prospects in the country participating in the Senior Bowl in Mobile, Alabama, and the East-West Shrine Game in Las Vegas.
Local prospects playing in the Senior Bowl include TCU’s Max Duggan, Derius Davis, Dee Winters, and Steve Avila, Texas’s DeMarvion Overshown, Houston’s Clayton Tune and Tank Dell, Oklahoma’s Jalen Redmond, Eric Gray, and Wanya Morris, and SMU’s Rashee Rice.
Texas running back Roschon Johnson was also set to participate but suffered an injury in practice. Texas Tech’s SaRodorick Thompson has since replaced him.
Notable local prospects participating in Thursday’s East-West Shrine Game include Baylor’s Connor Galvin, Houston’s Derek Parish, Gervarrius Owens, and Art Green, Oklahoma’s Chris Murray and Michael Turk, and Texas’s Moro Ojomo, Keondre Coburn, and D’Shawn Jamison.
BASKETBALL UPDATE
The major college basketball media outlets updated their bracketology projections earlier this week.
ESPN’s Joe Lunardi has Houston, Texas, Baylor, and TCU safely in the field, with all at least as No. 4-seeds or better. Oklahoma is an 11-seed playing Kentucky in the First Four for the right to join the Round of 64. Texas A&M joins the report this week but is still on the outside looking in.
CBS’s Jerry Palm has the same teams in the field with Oklahoma among his “First Four Out,” while Fox’s Mike Decourcey has the Sooners as a 12-seed playing Arizona State in the First Four.
However, Oklahoma lost 71-61 at home to Oklahoma State on Wednesday night, a severe blow to their tournament chances.
OKLAHOMA SETS RECORD
The University of Oklahoma’s women’s basketball team set a program record with 101 points in a win over TCU on Tuesday night.
The Sooners improved to 17-4 on the season and are currently ranked 20th in the country. Several players scored in double figures during the game.
AWARDS
TCU men’s basketball guard Mike Miles has been named to the top 20 midseason watch list for the John R. Wooden Award. Miles is the second-leading scorer in the Big 12 and was the conference’s Preseason Player of the Year. However, he is now out indefinitely with a hyperextended knee and sat out Tuesday’s win against West Virginia.
Oklahoma women’s basketball forward Madi Williams has been named to the top ten watch list for the Cheryl Miller Award as the nation’s best small forward. Williams is the Sooners’ leading scorer, has over 2,000 career points, and is approaching 1,000 career rebounds.
University of North Texas senior guard Quincy Noble is the Conference USA Women’s Basketball Player of the Week. The Mean Green went 2-0 last week, and Noble scored 39 points throughout the week to win the award for the second time this season.