Commitment Spotlight - Savion Red

The most thrilling part about recruiting or scouting is finding that diamond in the rough. The player that everyone else has overlooked for whatever reason but you see something special in them. Coach Sarkisian may have found that player in the newest Texas commit, Savion Red.

Red is a unique prospect that stands 5’10 yet weighs 210-pounds. Per the 247Sports Composite, he’s a three-star prospect. He’s ranked as the 185th wide receiver in the nation for his class and the 202nd ranked player overall in the state of Texas.

Last season at Grand Prairie, Red did it all for them, as he was the entirety of the offense. He led the Gophers to a 7-5 record while also leading the team in passing yards and rushing yards along the way. He threw for 769 yards with eight touchdowns to just two interceptions on 128 attempts. He also burned defenses with 1,358 yards rushing and 20 touchdowns on over nine yards a carry. He even caught seven passes for 92 yards and a touchdown along the way. All of this was good enough to be honored as the District MVP at the end of the year.

Red was more of a pure receiving threat as a junior and sophomore hauling in 53 passes for 909 yards and eight touchdowns in those two years. While the talented athlete did it all for the Gophers it didn’t result in a ton of offers. Per 247Sports, Red only holds four offers from Kansas, Mississippi Valley State, SMU, and Texas. 

While SMU is certainly closer to home for him, and a school he was once committed to, Red has decided to take his talents a little more south to join the Texas Longhorns.

Player Information

Name: Savion Red
Position: Wide Receiver
High School: Grand Prairie
City, State: Grand Prairie, TX

Measurables

Height: 5’10
Weight: 210
Shuttle: 4.5 seconds (2019)
Vertical: 29.3 inches (2019)

Film

https://www.hudl.com/video/3/11891125/5de86b114bb31c0c382bd379

Three Best Traits

Athleticism - Red, as evident by all the positions he plays, is a freaky athlete. He can really do it all on the football field. He has the speed to go from sideline to sideline but also the size to power right through you. He’s also a great basketball player as well. As a sophomore, he averaged eight points a game with three and a half rebounds and two and a half assists per game as well. In just three games in his senior season, he’s averaging 12 points a game with three rebounds, one steal, and one block per game as well.

Slot Receiver - Red is an absolute nightmare in the slot. Watching him work from that position, it’s clear that Sarkisian and this staff have a plan for him. Red has a chance to be a new-age Jordan Shipley in the Sarkisian offense.

Team Player - Made evident by his high school resume, Red can and will do it all on the football field. No challenge is too big for him. Whatever this staff asks him to do, Red will do it with 110% effort. It’s special to find a kid like that who’s all about the team all the time.

Areas of Improvement

Playing Outside the Numbers - Red doesn’t really possess the tools needed to be effective as a one-on-one wide-out on the outside. Granted, I don’t think he’ll see much time there as he’s a slot receiver first and foremost. However, that is an area for him to improve on if the opportunity ever arose.

Finding the Hole in Zone - If you try and match up with Red in man to man coverage in the slot, it’s over for you. He has the speed and size to separate from you entirely from the snap. If there’s one part of his game from the slot he can work on, it’s finding the hole in zone coverage. The masters of the position can find that hole, sit right there, and pick up a first down every time. This ability can transform Red’s game.

Summary

Red will be a guy that fans will fall in love with at Texas. If used properly he can be a slot assassin on every down. He has a chance to be Ewers' security blanket as a guy who he can always look towards underneath in critical spots. He’s a speedy yet big slot receiver who’s a matchup nightmare for nickel corners and linebackers alike.

Final Verdict

Texas head coach Steve Sarkisian has landed two wide receiver prospects for the 2022 class. Red joins fellow slot receiver and four-star commit Brenen Thompson. Add those two to running back Jaydon Blue and those three make up the only skill position players that Texas has signed for the 2022 class. Sarkisian and company have valued quality over quantity in that aspect, however each player has a defined role they will fill. This is a great move for the future of the Texas Longhorns offense.