Trinity high school in Euless (TX) hasn’t been a big pipeline for the Longhorns. The powerhouse program produces prospects each year, and last season Texas signed Trinity guard Patrick Vahe. Today they were able to tap back into that pipeline when defensive tackle Chris Daniels announced he would attend college in Austin. The former Oklahoma commit picked Texas over offers from Texas A&M, Alabama, Tennessee, Arkansas, Baylor, Michigan, TCU, and USC.
Daniels committed to Oklahoma in December, but he always seemed to have an ear open to the Texas program and Charlie Strong. The Longhorns offered Daniels late in the year, and he ended up visiting Austin in January. Daniels enjoyed his time in Austin, and despite a late visit to A&M, he chose to become a Longhorn. Daniels comes in as a prospect in an area of great need. Texas needed to load up on defensive tackles in this class and it appears they are on their way to doing just that.
Film Analysis:
At 6’3, 300 lbs. Daniels has plus size with room to add more weight. He’s thick in the lower body and provides a strong anchor against the run. He occasionally shows a quick first step, but not as consistently as you’d like to see. Daniels has tremendous upper body strength and uses violent hands to drive linemen back collapsing the pocket. Daniels can open up and run after the ball carrier to track plays down from the backside, and he doesn’t mind getting physical. He uses the bull rush almost exclusively, and could stand to develop some additional pass rush moves. He moves pretty well for a man his size, and shows good balance and agility. Daniels plays with a good motor and is always in pursuit. He shows good athleticism for his size and uses his long arms at the line of scrimmage to bat down passes. While Daniels can play multiple positions, he’s probably best suited to play on the nose and clog two gaps against the run.
Final Verdict:
Texas needed quality depth at the position, and Daniels gives them just that. It was a big win for Charlie Strong to sign Daniels away from their two biggest recruiting rivals in Oklahoma and Texas A&M. Daniels tried to add additional weight this season, which hurt him a bit. He may need to re-shape his body a bit, but his size and athletic ability along with his work ethic give him the chance to reach his potential. Daniels has the ceiling to become an all-conference level performer with an NFL future.
