For reference on the best in-state players in this year's class: Top 500 2018 recruits in Texas

TEXAS LONGHORNS
Composite 247 team recruiting ranking: No. 3 (No. 1 in Big 12)
Average 247 recruiting ranking (2014-17): 14.75
Top recruit: Caden Sterns, S, Cibolo Steele
Top Texas recruit: Caden Sterns, S, Cibolo Steele
Notable: Seven of the Longhorns’ signees are ranked in 247 Sports’ national top 100, and 14 of the class’ members are in the national top 125.

Tom Herman is still waiting for results on the field, but classes don’t get much better than what the Longhorns reeled in with Herman’s first full year of recruiting to the 40 Acres. It’s Texas’ highest-rated class since 2012, when Johnathan Gray and Malcom Brown gave the Longhorns two of the nation’s top 10 players. Six of Herman’s top eight signees are in the secondary, and he also grabbed a quarterback. Cameron Rising is the nation’s No. 11 pro-style passer, and Sunday, Texas added receiver Joshua Moore, the nation’s No. 96 overall prospect. Texas signed 19 players in December but added four more commits in the six weeks that followed. Herman brought two of Houston’s best recruiting classes ever to the city when he ran that program. When the Longhorns hired Herman back in December 2016, fans in burnt orange hoped he’d bring the same kind of results to Austin on the recruiting trail. So far, those hopes have been realized.

TEXAS A&M AGGIES
Composite 247 team recruiting ranking: No. 17 (No. 5 in SEC)
Average 247 recruiting ranking 2014-17: 11.75
Top recruit: Leon O’Neal, S, Cy Springs
Top Texas recruit: Leon O’Neal, S, Cy Springs
Notable: Texas A&M has the No. 17-ranked recruiting class in the nation, a remarkable achievement for a transition class. And yet, it’s good for just 5th in their conference, and 4th in their own division. Jimbo Fisher has his work cut out for him.

If National Signing Day had come and gone with no substantive changes in College Station, Jimbo Fisher’s maiden recruiting voyage at the helm of the Aggies would’ve been considered a solid venture. Instead, Texas A&M closed very strong on NSD and put together arguably the best transitional class in state history. The late surge began with the recommitment of blue chip Cy Springs safety Leon O’Neal, and finished off with the addition of Arlington Lamar defensive tackle Bobby Brown (a flip from Alabama), and dual-threat quarterback James Foster and guard Tank Jenkins from Alabama. The strength of the class is in the trenches, on both sides of the ball. Cy Ranch tackle Colten Blanton is the headliner, but Jenkins, Fort Bend Elkins guard Luke Matthews (the latest in a long line of outstanding linemen from that bloodline) and Fort Bend Marshall guard Barton Clement add to a deep and talented front. Defensively, Brown will team with Katy Taylor defensive end Max Wright, who was a superstar prospect before injury cost him his senior year. But there’s plenty of playmakers, too — Manvel receiver Jalen Preston, Yoakum safety Jordan Moore and Clear Brook receiver Caleb Chapman chief among them. This is a great class on its own, but what it represents for the future under Jimbo Fisher is even more tantalizing.

TCU HORNED FROGS
Composite 247 team recruiting ranking: No. 25  (No. 3 in Big 12)
Average 247 recruiting ranking 2014-17: 32.75
Top recruit: Justin Rogers, QB, Parkway (Bossier City, LA)
Top Texas recruit: Atanza Vongo, DB, South Grand Prairie
Notable: This is the highest rated recruiting class for TCU since those ratings have existed.

Even as this ranks as the top class for Patterson at TCU, he still hasn’t had a breakthrough group as far as rankings are concerned. Then again, it hasn’t really mattered since no Texas coach has a track record of developing players like he does. South Grand Prairie DB Atanza Vongor is the best in-state land (23rd overall according to our player rankings) for the Horned Frogs, while Rogers is the top overall recruit. Patterson also hauled in three other 4-stars in Texas High WR Tevailance Hunt, Hattiesburg RB Fabian Franklin and Iowa Western C.C. OT Anthony McKinney. Two other guys to keep an eye on: Smithson Valley CB Trevon Moehrig-Woodard and Lovejoy WR Chase Van Wagoner. Both were a lot of fun for high school football junkies to watch the last two years.

BAYLOR BEARS
Composite 247 team recruiting ranking: No. 27 (No. 4 in Big XII)
Average 247 recruiting ranking 2013-17: 33.6
Top recruit: Gerry Bohanon, Dual-QB, Earle (AR),
Top Texas recruit: B.J. Hanspard, ATH, DeSoto
Notable: Despite slightly dropping in the national rankings compared to previous seasons, this is slated to be Baylor’s highest rated class.

The biggest question surrounding Matt Rhule’s hire at Baylor was how well could the New York native recruit in Texas? When he hired former prominent high school coaches Shawn Bell, David Wetzel and Joey McGuire, it was believed to be the right move to ingratiate himself to the high school coaching fraternity. That appears to be paying off in dividends in what is one of Baylor’s best rated classes in program history. Rhule’s porous first season in Waco didn’t sway recruits away from what he has planned for Baylor Football. Baylor theoretically has its quarterback for the near-future in Charlie Brewer, however, four-star Arkansas product and early-enrollee Gerry Bohanon is an option ahead of spring camp. For comparison, Rhule’s first official recruiting class is set to be only four spots below TCU who is on the verge of completing its most decorated class under Gary Patterson (Ranked 20th). Katy’s Connor Galvin provides a boost to the Bears’ offensive line a much-needed boost and despite missing out on Schertz-Clemens receiver Tommy Bush, the offensive haul is still highly touted with additions such as as Cedar Hill wideout Joshua Fleeks and Crosby running back Craig Williams.

TEXAS TECH RED RAIDERS
Composite 247 team recruiting ranking: No. 63 (No. 9 in Big 12)
Average 247 recruiting ranking (2014-17): 41.25
Top recruit: Erik Ezukanma, WR, Timber Creek HS
Top Texas recruit: Erik Ezukanma, WR, Timber Creek HS
Notable: This is Texas Tech’s lowest-rated class since 2008, a group that featured just 11 signees.

Kliff Kingsbury beat Texas in the season finale to save his job, but he needs more than a 6-7 year to reverse the downward trend of the Red Raiders’ recruiting since the initial boost of his hiring on the plains. His program has become a tougher sell with a future in flux. No amount of reassurance from AD Kirby Hocutt will change the reality that Kingsbury is coaching for his job again next season. The Red Raiders have won just 22 games in four years, and with just 17 signees, are ninth in the Big 12, ahead of only Kansas State. Recruits have seen it. In 2013, Kingsbury signed five of the state’s top 100 players and its top overall juco prospect. This year, Kingsbury has just five players ranked in the top 200 in the state, according to Next Level Athlete. That said, there’s talent in this class, especially at receiver. Ezukanma caught 20 touchdowns and racked up 1,447 yards as a junior in 2016, and Miller Royals of Abilene Cooper had 91 catches for 1,475 yards and 16 scores this year.

HOUSTON COUGARS
Composite 247 team recruiting ranking: No. 69 (No. 3 in AAC)
Average 247 recruiting ranking (2014-17): 67.25
Top recruit: Julon Williams, ATH, Converse Judson
Top Texas recruit: Julon Williams, ATH, Converse Judson
Notable: The Cougars signed 22 players in December, with six early enrollees. They didn’t add any signees in the period between the early signing period and national signing day.

Tom Herman’s legendary 2016 class (36th overall, No. 1 in AAC) highlighted by Ed Oliver was an unrealistic expectation moving forward, but second-year coach Major Applewhite has held strong on the recruiting trail, giving the Cougars some of the best talent in the conference. They have one of the conference’s best locations and the effects of Herman’s #HTownTakeover have still left the program doing well in one of the country’s hot spots for talent. DB Zaire Taylor gave Houston one of the state’s top 100 prospects, according to Next Level Athlete, and they added a quarterback in early enrollee Clayton Tune from Carrollton Hebron. They also added a pair of immediate impact players in OT Bo Alexander and S Gleson Spreewell, who are both top 200 national juco recruits. Applewhite’s first year at Houston was slightly underwhelming, but he’s kept recruiting consistent, putting the Cougars in great position to compete annually for the AAC title.

UTSA ROADRUNNERS
Composite 247 team recruiting ranking: No. 84 (No. 6 in C-USA)
Average 247 recruiting ranking 2014-17: 104
Top recruit: Deven Boston, RB, Santa Ana College (CA)
Top Texas recruit: Spencer Burford-Watts, OT, San Antonio Wagner
Notable: The Roadrunners landed not one but two three-star running backs (Boston and Cibolo Steele's Brenden Brady) and Wilson, a defensive line guru, signed six players along the front four in this class.

Watch out, Conference USA: Frank Wilson is starting to spread his wings. The 2018 recruiting class is not the best in UTSA history — last year’s 2017 class has that honor — but digging deeper, it represents a wider net that the Roadrunners are casting. Whereas the first few classes for the young program focused hyper-local — with a glut of San Antonio, Houston and Austin-area players — this class is much more wide-ranging, including players from California, Tennessee, Louisiana, Mississippi and Oklahoma. The stars here are a pair of playmakers from out-of-state — Deven Boston, a bruising junior college transfer who totaled more than 2,000 rushing yards in two seasons; and Tykee Ogle-Kellogg, a long receiver from Tennessee. They look like immediate impact guys. Defensively, the strength is up front, with a pair of Texas defensive ends in Trumane Bell from Lake Highlands and TJ King from Navarro Junior College. And if you’re worried about UTSA losing its local edge, don’t worry — tackle Spencer Burford-Watts from San Antonio Wagner and running back Brenden Brady from Cibolo Steele prove the local connections are still very strong.

SMU MUSTANGS
Composite 247 team recruiting ranking: No. 89 (No. 8 in AAC)
Average 247 recruiting ranking 2014-17: 79
Top recruit: Treveon Johnson, WR, Brenham
Top Texas recruit: Treveon Johnson, WR, Brenham
Notable: Five JUCO players means the Mustangs are looking to keep the momentum rolling.

Considering the transition the program went through when Chad Morris left for Arkansas and Sonny Dykes took over, this is a really solid class. A lot of times that kind of transition can tank a cycle, but it appears the Mustangs will wind up around the same national ranking they’ve been accustomed to the last few years. It remains to be seen if this staff can pick out gems as well as the last one could, but that may not matter with this class as many of the top players are instant impact types from the JUCO ranks. Navarro College finished last season as one of the hottest 15 college programs in the state, and SMU noticed, picking up OT Levon Livingston, LB Trevor Denbow and OG Nick Dennis from the Bulldogs and getting them in as early enrollees. In the high school ranks, keep an eye on Angleton RB TaMerik Williams, Lamar Consolidated QB William Brown and Permian LB Preston Ellison.

NORTH TEXAS MEAN GREEN
Composite 247 team recruiting ranking: No. 100 (No. 9 in CUSA)
Average 247 recruiting ranking 2013-17: 106.6
Top recruit: Alex Morris, S, Atascocita
Top Texas recruit: Alex Morris, S, Atascocita
Notable: Per 247, North Texas has made back-to-back bowl games despite cracking the top half of CUSA recruiting rankings just once over the past three seasons.

Last season, North Texas struck gold in Jalen Guyton making an immediate impact Trinity Valley C.C. This year, the Mean Green hope to get a similar playmaker on the other side of the ball in former Purdue outside linebacker Tim Faison out of Independence C.C. In addition to Faison and the recently committed Alex Morris out of Atascoita, the Mean Green added multiple three-star prospects in the secondary in the form of Grand Prairie safety Reggie Williams, Ennis safety Kevyon Davis and The Colony safety Jaxon Gibbs back in December to a defense that surrendered 36.6 points per game and 444.2 yards per game.

TEXAS STATE BOBCATS
Composite 247 team recruiting ranking: No. 108 (No. 6 in the Sun Belt)
Average 247 recruiting ranking 2013-17: 97.6
Top recruit: Jacoby Hopkins, WR, Houston Heights
Top Texa srecruit: Jacoby Hopkins, WR, Houston Heights
Notable: Over the last two years, no program has signed more Texas high school football players than Texas State (42).

Despite another 2-10 season, head coach Everett Withers’ recruiting acumen is still speaking for itself. Although a slight dip from last season’s highly-touted class in terms of rating, the Bobcats were able to snag athletes like West Orange-Stark’s Jarron Morris and Cy-Creek’s LaDarius Anthony in the secondary. Add in three-star San Antonio MacArthur quarterback Tyler Vitt and Withers’ son, three-star Austin Bowie safety Pierce Withers, and Texas State is starting to repair its roster devoid of depth ever since Withers’ 2016 roster purge.

RICE OWLS
Composite 247 team recruiting ranking: No. 123 (No. 12 in C-USA)
Average 247 recruiting ranking 2014-17: 110.75
Top recruit: Cameron Valentine, DE, Richmond Foster
Top Texas recruit: Cameron Valentine, DE, Richmond Foster
Notable: Only three of Rice's 18 signees are from out of state, but the best overall player in the class is Minnesota linebacker Antonio Montero, the nation's No. 157 outside linebacker.

The deck was stacked against Mike Bloomgren for the 2018 class. It’s already hard to recruit to Rice with its overwhelming academic standards, and a transition class with a new coach makes things even more difficult. But all things considered, it’s hard to call this class anything but a measured success. Bloomgren went to the blue bloods of Texas high school football for his talent, snatching players from Richmond Foster (DE Cameron Valentine), Southlake Carroll (RB Jacob Doddridge), The Woodlands (OL Jake Syptak), Arlington Martin (RB Juma Otoviano), Cedar Hill (OLB Kebreyun Page) and Fort Worth All Saints (WR Brendan Harmon) to fill out his class. And it’s heavy on versatility — Otoviano played QB for Martin his senior year, Doddridge could play either side of the ball, and early signee Jason White from Bishop Dunne can be moved around the secondary. The sleeper in this class may be quarterback Wiley Green out of Plano Prestonwood, who put up boffo numbers for the private school powerhouse. Rice may never have a Top 20 recruiting class, but Mike Bloomgren has already put his stamp on the program in a short period of time.

UTEP MINERS
Composite 247 team recruiting ranking: No. 132 (No. 14 in CUSA)
Average 247 recruiting ranking 2014-17: 126
Top recruit: Kai Locksley, QB, Iowa Western C.C.
Top Texas recruit: Andrew Nwachukwu, WR, Wylie
Notable: Dana Dimel’s first class includes 6 JUCO players and 7 out-of-state commits.

Unfortunately for the Miner faithful, anytime UTEP hires a new coach, the recruiting cycle is bound to be an uphill climb. This class comes in well below the previous 4-year average, and those were some of the lowest-rated in the FBS ranks. Still, there are some intriguing pieces in Dana Dimel’s first class. Remember Kai Locksley? The former Texas QB was an afterthought on the 40 Acres, transferred to Iowa Western and now is the brightest hope for the future in El Paso as far and away the best player in this class.