Commitment Spotlight: Isaiah Hookfin

Winning recruiting battles in the trenches is what turns good programs into elite ones. This cycle, Texas has looked for big bodies that can play outside, and found a hidden gem in Isaiah Hookfin. Hookfin made a significant leap from his junior to senior season, and Texas jumped into the race for his services at exactly the right time.

Hookfin started blowing up earlier this year, receiving offers from Auburn, Mississippi State, and others. After a visit to Austin for the West Virginia game, Hookfin received an offer from the Longhorns. Ultimately, he decided not to pass up the opportunity to play for what is becoming one of the best offenses in the Big 12. Hookfin will be a nice addition to a solid offensive line room, and has the potential to leave a mark after his time in Austin concludes.

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Pros:

• Hookfin plays with the type of aggression coaches drool over. He is always searching for the next player to drive into the ground.
• He carries his weight very well. Hookfin is agile for his size, but also looks like he could add some weight and be around 300 pounds during his college career.
• His ability as a puller really stands out in the run game. His athleticism allows him to get to his assignment quickly and work to the second level.
• Does a nice job of latching onto defenders and getting leverage to move them where he wants them to go.
• Very effective as a down blocker and on double teams.
• Comes off the ball hard consistently and brings the fight to the defender. [/one-half-first]

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Cons:

• Like most high school offensive lineman, Hookfin is more polished as a run blocker than in pass protection.
• He overwhelmed much of his high school competition, so it’s tough to get a true read on his ability when he goes against elite defensive linemen.
• Hookfin can play high at times. Herb Hand will need to tap into his strength and help him develop as a drive blocker in the run game.[/one-half]

Summary

Hookfin has really blown up in recent weeks, catching the attention of many schools around the country, particularly Mississippi State and Auburn just prior to his November 3rd visit to Austin. It is easy to see why many schools wanted to throw their hat in the ring for his services. The big, athletic tackle has a knack for seeking out opposing players and putting them on their backside. Hookfin has long arms and an ideal frame to grow into the perfect tackle for Herb Hand the Texas offensive line.

It is not unusual for most high school offensive linemen to be more advanced in run blocking than pass protection, and the same could be said for Hookfin. He has all the tools to develop into a solid pass protector, but will need to develop his set and use his length to his advantage. Hookfin overwhelmed much of the high school competition he faced, but he will almost assuredly get a redshirt year to adjust to the speed of the college game.

Final Verdict

Texas is in a very good spot with offensive line recruiting for the 2019 cycle. Hookfin joins Tyler Johnson and Javonne Shepherd as the offensive linemen in the class. It is likely the Longhorns will look to add 1 or 2 linemen to close out the class, with an emphasis being placed at the junior college level.

The addition of Hookfin to the class has a lot of similarities to when Sam Cosmi and Derek Kerstetter were offered later in the 2017 cycle. Both players ended up turning into solid players for the Longhorns, with Cosmi turning into one of the best linemen on the team and Kerstetter starting at RT as a freshman. Herman hopes to have similar success with another prospect who flashes major potential as the Longhorns look to continue to improve the offensive line for years to come.