Longhorns land 2022 4-Star D-Linemen JaRay Bledsoe & J'Mond Tapp

On Monday, the Longhorns landed a commitment from 2022 four-star defensive lineman JaRay Bledsoe and 2022 four-star edge rusher J'Mond Tapp. Moreover, Steve Sarkisian and Defensive Line Coach Bo Davis also landed a commitment from 2022 four-star defensive lineman Aaron Bryant last Thursday.

Today, I will discuss these defensive linemen and will list all of Texas's offers since my last article.

J'Mond Tapp:

The Longhorns open their season against Louisiana-Lafayette on Saturday but their week is already off to a great start thanks to the addition of J'Mond Tapp and JaRay Bledsoe. On Monday night, the 6'3" and 245 pound native of Donaldsonville, Louisiana announced that he would be taking his talents to Texas to play college football. 

As of Monday, the Louisiana native has earned 19 scholarship offers from schools such as Alabama, Florida, Georgia and LSU. Prior to his commitment, it appeared that Tapp would ultimately elect to commit to Louisiana State, having been the recipient of four 247Sports crystal ball predictions to LSU. However, Tapp elected to surprise fans when he announced that he would spend his college years on the Forty Acres.

According to the 247Sports Composite, Tapp is ranked as the ninth-best EDGE in the nation's 2022 recruiting cycle. Following Monday's commitments, the Longhorns now hold the nation's sixth-best recruiting class in the nation's 2022 cycle per 247Sports. Tapp's commitment also pushed Texas's pledge total to 20 in their 2022 recruiting class.

Last season, Tapp accumulated 64 tackles and 5.5 sacks in high school for the Ascension Catholic Bulldogs.

JaRay Bledsoe:

JaRay Bledsoe was the first player to commit to the Longhorns on Monday and showcased Texas's ability to keep a recruit within the state's borders. In fact, according to the 247Sports Composite, Bledsoe is a top-25 player in the state of Texas's 2022 recruiting cycle. Thanks to Bledsoe's size, standing in at 6'4" and 270 pounds, Bo Davis will have a lot to work with on the defensive line in the near future.

Prior to Bledsoe's senior season, the four-star recruit transferred from Bremond to Marlin to finish out his high school football career. During the 2020 season, Bledsoe tallied a total of 114 tackles, 4 forced fumbles and 2 sacks. It is worth noting that Bledsoe also contributed to Bremond as a running back and rushed for 1,259 yards and 21 touchdowns.

Aaron Bryant:

Along with Bledsoe and Tapp, Aaron Bryant also recently announced his commitment to Texas. Bryant, a native of Southaven, Mississippi, chose the Longhorns over the likes of Alabama, Georgia, LSU and Texas A&M. Furthermore, Bryant represents a big haul for the Longhorns as the 247Sports Composite has listed him as the ninth-best recruit in the state of Mississippi's 2022 recruiting class.

Now, the 6'4" and 306 pound Mississippi native is set to join five other defensive linemen in the Longhorns 2022 recruiting class. Like many other of the pledges, Bryant has proven to be a productive player at the high school level, totaling 68 tackles, 6 sacks and 4 forced fumbles last season for the Southaven Chargers.

This recent trio of pledges on the defensive line represents a series recruiting victories for the Longhorns, particularly due to the fact that these prospects were also heavily recruited by several SEC programs. While Texas has had solid depth on the defensive line throughout the years, the Southeastern Conference frequently has linemen, on both sides of the ball, drafted in the first round of the NFL Draft. As a result, it will be critical for the Longhorns to continue to win recruiting battles in the trenches in order to compete with their future rivals.

Offers:

2024 Offers:

• Stacy Gage - Four-star Running Back - IMG Academy