Texas strengthens its roster, adds fourth ex-Baylor recruit
AUSTIN — Texas picked up another Baylor defection on Wednesday, when four-star offensive lineman Patrick Hudson committed to the Longhorns.
“Class of 2016 keeps getting Stronger! #LetsRide,” Texas coach Charlie Strong tweeted.
Hudson is the fourth Baylor player to pick UT this summer after being released from a binding letter of intent. The Silsbee product was the nation’s second-ranked guard.
“(Shout out) to all of my close friends and family members for supporting me during this process, God is good,” Hudson tweeted. The 6-5, 325-pounder could instantly compete with Brandon Hodges for a starting position.
Now, Strong must become a roster manager. With Hudson joining the mix, the Longhorns are at full capacity, possibly even one or two spots over the 85-man scholarship limit, based on the current roster.
Two sources with knowledge of UT’s scholarship totals did not seem concerned. The Longhorns, like all college football programs, lose players for all sorts of reasons. Natural attrition is part of the sport. Players transfer out in search of more playing time, some get hurt and receive medical waivers, and others simply quit.
Last year, UT signed three players in February who didn’t even make it to training camp — Florida tight end Devonaire Clarington, Cypress Falls defensive tackle Du’Vonta Lampkin and Florida/Georgia wide receiver Gilbert Johnson. A fourth signee, middle linebacker Cecil Cherry of Florida, quit the team and transferred after one week of practice. Those departures suddenly opened up four scholarship slots.
Going into just his third season, Strong has turned the roster over almost completely. There remain only 12 scholarship players who were signed by former coach Mack Brown. Only six remain from Texas’ 2013 class, including quarterback Tyrone Swoopes and defensive end Naashon Hughes.
Approximately 85 percent of the roster is made up of players Strong has signed the last three years. The bulk of that total came in 2015 and 2016, two classes that earned high grades from the recruiting services.
By adding Hudson, the Longhorns’ freshman class now sits seventh nationally, according to both 247Sports and Rivals. The Horns’ final ranking also got a boost when offensive lineman J.P. Urquidez and brothers Devin and Donovan Duvernay left Baylor and chose UT.
Texas now has seven of the state’s top-20 rated players from the 2016 recruiting cycle, by far the most of any school.