The Texas Longhorns impressive early haul in the 2013 recruiting race has received national notice, as ESPN Insider rated the group as the fourth-best in the country, behind only Michigan, Alabama and Florida:
Seven of their 14 commitments are represented in the ESPN 150, including Darius James, who checks in as the No. 17 prospect, No. 2 offensive linemen and No. 1 center overall. He figures to be a future stalwart of Texas' offensive line that will be in charge of protecting quarterback Tyrone Swoopes, the No. 22 prospect overall. The 6-foot-5, 220-pound Swoopes dipped in the latest rankings. He began as the No. 9 prospect and top-rated quarterback. He's now the No. 4 QB on the list.
While the de-commitment of prized five-star WR Ricky Searles-Jones hurts, the two-sport star said it was mostly an issue of wanting to explore his options in college basketball as well, and he may end up back in Austin regardless.
As William Wilkerson of Horns Nation notes in the article, all of the Longhorns current commits are from the state of Texas, a rare luxury for a national power and one of the reasons why Texas is such a dominant recruiting machine regardless of their on-field performance the last two seasons.
For all the latest news and notes on Mack Brown's latest blockbuster class, check back with SB Nation Dallas' exclusive storystream and head over to Burnt Orange Nation and Barking Carnival as well.