Jeff Howe wrote an excellent article about the role of the 2021 class over on OTF. The article isn't paywalled and here's the link: https://ontexasfootball.com/news/articles/the-importance-of-the-2021-recruiting-class-to-steve-sarkisians-texas-program-r1935/
In reading it, I got curious about the totality of the class, versus just the contributors. I found some of the results in looking these guys up to be kind of fascinating. Below, by OTF rank:
-Ja'Tavion Sanders - TE- 5 star ride or die for Texas recruit who signed and stayed without knowing much about Sarkisian. Had a great career at Texas and ended up being a 4th round pick in 2024.
-Xavier Worthy - WR - Sarkisian's first HS signee and a near 5 star. Had a terrific career at Texas, set the 40 time record at the combine, 1st round pick and the 1st Longhorn to ever score a TD in the Super Bowl, and then he scored another. A budding star in the NFL.
-JD Coffey - Safety - 148th ranked player in the country. Couldn't crack the 2 deep at Texas, now a productive starter at ASU with eligibility remaining.
-Ishmael Ibraheem - CB - I remember this guy, 215th ranked player in the country, running into problems with the law. I assumed football would be behind him, but he's playing at Southern Miss after not doing much for Marshall the prior two seasons. A pure bust as far as a recruit goes.
-Terrence Cooks - LB - a guy that TCU tampered with and Texas didn't want to see leave. He rushed out the door before NIL could fully be explained/sold to the roster. Looks like we dodged a bullet. He hasn't done shit at TCU either. Another bust.
-Jonathan Brooks - RB - workhorse RB who bided his time, never threatened to leave, played his ass off and became a 2nd round pick in 2024. NFL future is now uncertain, sadly, due to multiple knee injuries, but he became a star at Texas and a great story.
-Morice Blackwell - S/LB - became a major contributor on STs and a solid role player on defense for multiple years, even if a tweener. He's camped/camping for one of the NFL teams, KC maybe, but he goes down as a quality collegiate performer. The type that plays a role for elite programs.
-Byron Murphy - DT - came in and quickly established himself as a potential force, which he became. Ultimately an All American, a 1st round draft pick in 2024, and a massive contributor to the rise of Sarkisian's culture at Texas.
-Hayden Conner - OG - the less heralded Katy Taylor OL prospect in this class, he went on to have a much better career than his teammate, Bryce Foster, did at ATM. Multi-year starter who still has not blocked anyone in the run game, wound up a 6th round pick in the NFL draft in 2025.
-David Abiara - DE/Edge - came in as a low 4 star, did jack shit at Texas, and promptly split for SMU. While at SMU, he did nothing there either. Now he's headed to Texas State where he'll likely matter, by which I mean he'll have mass and take up space.
-Jamier Johnson - CB - couldn't crack the depth chart early at Texas so he left and wound up at Indiana. He's been a productive player there and is likely to be so again this season.
-Jordan Thomas - Edge - weird deal here where he signed and then left the team due to a family issue. Came back, didn't play, transferred and disappeared. He's apparently on the SFA roster, but I couldn't find any stats.
-Derrick Harris Jr. - LB - seemed like a good dude who was vocal with keeping the class together. Never saw any PT at Texas and transferred. He's currently at USF, but I didn't find any stats.
-Jaden Alexis - WR - I forgot this dude. Never did shit at Texas, transferred to USF, had some success in 2023. Missed 2024 due to injury but is expected back this season.
-Keithron Lee - WR - we were excited about this guy helping at WR. He threw his opportunity in the trash by apparently putting a relative in a chokehold at a party and then buttfucking that person. He was convicted for that felony and 5 others, eventually, as well 12 different misdemeanors involving drugs, guns and other shit. He's currently in prison serving multiple sentences. Sounds like a stand-up guy. Robert Joseph thinks this guy needs to take it easy. https://wtaw.com/guilty-pleas-to-18-criminal-charges-in-14-brazos-county-district-court-cases-in-16-months/
-Juan Davis - TE - lowly-ranked recruit who simply came to campus and took care of his business. Patiently waited and developed into a regular contributor late in his career at Texas. UFA as of 2025, solid late in college though.
-Barryn Sorrell - Edge - another lowly-ranked recruit who maximized his capabilities and potential at Texas and became a decorated starter. Eventual 4th round pick in the 2025 NFL draft and one of the key pieces in establishing the Sarkisian regime at Texas.
-Gunnar Helm - TE - yet another lowly-ranked recruit who maximized everything at Texas and finished with an excellent career on a semifinal playoff team. 4th round draft pick in the 2025 NFL draft.
-Casey Cain - WR - played a little at Texas when Texas was desperate for WR depth. Got passed over by youth and transfers on the DC and left for UNLV. Played some there and is now at Liberty. Meh recruit, really.
-Charles Wright - QB - stanners on this site will tell us he's a great guy who loves UT. That's cool and all, but I want guys on the roster to have a greater impact than being a clipboard holder. Transferred to App State, then disappeared. Allegedly made it back to UT in some form, but who the fuck cares?
-Max Merril - OL - this nepo baby showed up and stood around for 4 years, collecting a degree and NIL money. Hopefully he goes on to do great things with his family fortune and contributes to Texas football monetarily in the future.
-Isaac Pearson - Punter - this guy came over from Australia and then shit himself at Texas. One punt for 15 yards. He later transfers to SMU and becomes one of the better punters in college football. Thanks, bud.
****
Transfers:
-Ben Davis - Edge - 5 star recruit who signed with Bama. Never did much, came to Texas, helped Sarkisian and Co. establish a no-nonsense culture. I can't remember who he knocked out, but I believe he whipped someone's ass at practice in 2021 who deserved it. Didn't do much on the field at Texas, but cost us nothing and helped right the ship.
-Ray Thornton - LB - came over from LSU. I don't remember him doing a fucking thing while on campus and not sure where he's at these days in life. He could be selling insurance or playing rugby in New Zealand, you tell me.
-Keilan Robinson - RB - came over with Sarkisian and became a multi-year contributor and a great story. Drafted in the 6th round of the 2024 NFL draft after never really being a starter at Texas.
-Ovie Ogfunanabdfugbo - Edge - transfer from Notre Dame who looked like Tarzan and played like Jane. Helped on some level on defense for a year or two before leaving to LSU. At LSU, he apparently looked good in early practices and that led to the room temperature IQ coonasses honking that they'd stolen one from Texas. I believe he wound being a non-entity for one of the worst LSU defenses ever.
-Devin Richardson - LB/FB - came over from New Mexico or NMSU, doesn't matter, and promptly did nothing at Texas. Have no idea what happened to him.
So this was an unheralded transition year class that wound up contributing 8 draft picks, including 2 1st rounders, and double digit starters. It also included a future hedge fund manager, a prison gang leader, and multiple starters for other programs. This was a pretty good group and they overachieved compared to this board's expectations.