Texas Longhorns Recruiting Update – Rhodes Chooses Baylor

We started digging around on Robbie Rhodes (wide receiver, District 6-4A Fort Worth Southwest High School) quite some time ago when the news began to circulate about the great things he and junior quarterback Wesley Harris were doing on the field on Friday nights in Cowtown.  While Rhodes consistently performed in just about every football game last season, more than likely it was the eight touchdown receptions for 394 yards he put up  against Arlington Heights High School last October that became the catalyst for what ultimately would become the Robbie Rhodes sweepstakes.  Rhodes set a state record and tied a national record with the performance against Arlington Heights, and the relatively unknown receiver with a 3-star rating evolved into a premier recruit wanted by many programs including national champion Alabama.  Playing college football in Austin was a strong possibility for Rhodes (who received an offer from Mack Brown last month) but the Longhorns could not overcome one foe in their bid for his commitment:  Baylor.  Yes, Baylor.  The same Baylor that out played the Texas Longhorns in every major sport this season… but that’s another story.  Today Art Briles and Baylor had plenty of reason to celebrate as Robbie Rhodes committed to play college football for the Bears in Waco, Texas.

Losing Rhodes to Baylor certainly stings a bit but it is only a sliver of the “what ifs” facing Texas recruiting as the days progress.  The reality is Texas now stands at 14 commitments after Sealy High School wide receiver Ricky Seals-Jones decommitted last week and the Longhorns still have needs at specific positions.  The 2013 class will be a tight one and sitting with 14 commits, Mack and company only have around 5 more scholarships to offer the 2013 class.  Unless Seals-Jones recommits, Texas needs to pick up at least one more wide receiver (perhaps 2) and probably another tight end.  Wideouts Jake Oliver and Jacorey Warrick look to be steadfast in their commitment to Texas and Dallas Skyline’s Ra’Shaad Samples is the only non-committed receiver that possesses an offer from Texas.  Eldridge Massington was a guy most thought Texas should pursue but Massington committed to USC in early May, never receiving an off from Texas.   Samples is a 4-star recruit and the top wide receiver left on the recruiting boards.  He has offers from a myriad of schools too lengthy to mention.  Samples injured his ankle back in March at the Nike Elite 11 Camp at Cowboy Stadium and has since been recovering from the injury.  He is more than likely going to stay and play football in Texas and Texas A&M is a viable candidate for Samples’ services.  Samples and Texas wideout Mike Davis are friends, as Davis played high school ball at Skyline for Samples’ dad Reginald, which can only help Texas in their courting of Samples.  If Texas can grab Samples, it would seriously help some of the sting the RSJ decommittment provided.

Oh, and on Robbie Rhodes – I am disappointed more than can be explained that he choose Baylor over Texas.  I am a graduate of Fort Worth Southwest High School (Class of 1991) and really hoped I could follow (with passion) Rhodes’ collegiate successes.  With that said I will be looking for the Texas defense to remind him why he made the wrong decision.  Hook’em.