Texas Football Recruiting 2018: 5 most important commits for Longhorns

4. Ayodele Adeoye, Linebacker

Texas must replace Malik Jefferson and Naashon Hughes from last year’s linebacker corps, who happen to be two of the top four tacklers from the position group (with Jefferson being the leading tackler on the team and No. 3 in the Big 12 last season). Jefferson (one of the 30 college football players leaving big shoes to fill in 2018), will be particularly difficult to replace.

However, four of the top five players returning on the 2018 depth chart are rising seniors, including Gary Johnson, who finished fourth on the squad with 49 tackles a year ago and tied for second with 12 run stuffs. Anthony Wheeler, Breckyn Hager, Jeffrey McCulloch and Edwin Freeman are also scheduled to return. As a result, linebacker was a major position of need for the Longhorns, but not a position of immediate need.

Missouri native Ayodele Adeoye, who signed with Texas out of IMG Academy in Florida, surprising many who expected him to end up with archrival Oklahoma. Adeoye is the highest rated of two linebacker prospects that signed with the Longhorns during the early signing period. Ranked No. 117 overall in the 247Sports Composite, and the fifth best inside linebacker, Adeoye flashes good quickness and physicality and is a solid tackler.

Though Adeoye enrolled early and will go through spring practice, he isn’t likely to start as a true freshman. Nevertheless, the 6-foot, 231-pound four-star prospect is talented enough to contribute on special teams in 2018 before making a push to start in 2019.