The 2021 recruiting class was important to Tom Herman and played a role in why he was fired as head coach.
Not only did Texas miss out on a number of important targets throughout the cycle, the Longhorns also saw six players re-commit. Each of these players ended up signing elsewhere.
Ironically, all six potential players came from the offensive side of the ball. Former offensive coordinator Tim Beck may not have been the best with the X’s and O’s, but he did an excellent job on the recruiting trail. Herman hired offensive coordinator Mike Yurcich after Beck was fired and he was not such a talented recruiter.
Uncompromises are inevitable, especially when making coaching changes twice throughout the cycle. However, Texas tied Kansas and Iowa State with the most disengagements in Big 12. Here are the six players who returned in their initial promise to Texas and where they ended up.
Quaydarius Davis
(Mike Craven / Austin American-Statesman)
Position: Wide receiver
Hometown: Dallas, Texas
Where they ended up: Kansas
247 Sports compound classification: Four stars, 0.9374
Analyze: Quaydarius Davis was an initial appointment for the Longhorns in June 2019. It only lasted five months as Davis decided to reopen his recruitment in November. Over the final 15 months, Davis committed to the USC before decompressing again and then signing with Kansas on Wednesday. He is considered the highest rated recruit of all time for the Jayhawks in the 247Sports compound.
Lake McRee
(Mike Craven / Austin American-Statesman)
Position: Tight end
Hometown: Austin, Texas
Where they ended up: USC
247 Sports compound classification: Three stars, 0.8784
Analyze: An Austin native, Lake McRee attended Lake Travis High School and committed to Texas in July 2019. The tight end was seen as a position of necessity in 2021 and closing in a hometown was a victory for Tom Herman. At about the same time as Davis, McRee reopened his appointment and ended up at USC later that summer. The Longhorns ended Gunnar Helm.
Landen King
(image courtesy of the Houston Chronicle)
Position: Tight end
Hometown: Humble, Texas
Where they ended up: Auburn
247 Sports compound classification: Three stars, 0.8709
Analyze: Another tight end prospect that Texas lost was Humble’s Landen King. The three star was hired for just one month. As soon as he left, Chad Morris, who had recently been hired by Auburn as the offensive coordinator, immediately guaranteed his commitment. Although Morris left the plains after Gus Malzhan’s resignation, King signed his letter of intent during the initial signing period.
Jalen Milroe
(Mike Craven / Austin American-Statesman)
Position: Quarterback
Hometown: Katy, Texas
Where they ended up: Alabama
247 Sports compound classification: Four stars, 0.9633
Analyze: For a long time, Jalen Milroe was the heart and soul of the 2021 class. When Quinn Ewers committed to Texas in August, Milroe gave up and went to Alabama. He landed with Jeff Banks and Steve Sarkisian, who were still in Tuscaloosa at the time. Ewers eventually retired from Texas, but Milroe stayed with the Crimson Tide.
Billy Bowman
Smiley N. Pool / The Dallas Morning News via AP
Position: ATH
Hometown: Denton, Texas
Where they ended up: Oklahoma
247 Sports compound classification: Four stars, 0.9801
Analyze: Outside of Milroe, losing Billy Bowman hurt Texas more, especially where he ended up. The Longhorns and Jay Valai were recruiting him as a defense and when Oklahoma launched and said it could play wide receiver in Lincoln Riley’s attack, it was over. Bowman and teammate Ja’Tavion Sanders were the top two candidates and because Texas fans were excited about the 21 cycle. Losing Bowman to the Sooners hurt.
Michael Myslinski
NICK WAGNER / AMERICAN-STATESMAN
Position: Center
Hometown: Jacksonville, Florida
Where they ended up: Iowa
247 Sports compound classification: Three stars, 0.8581
Analyze: When Texas lost the Brockermeyer brothers, Michael Myslinski was the next man to take center stage in the class. However, when rumors about Herb Hand’s job security began to emerge, he decided it was time to give up. Michigan also put pressure on Myslinski, but the center decided to move to Iowa.