Longhorns snag commitment from elite RB Christian Clark

In his time in Austin, Texas running backs coach Tashard Choice has shown that he’s one of the country’s best recruiters. When Choice targets a prospect, he rarely misses. He did it again moments ago, with Rivals250 member Christian Clark announcing that he has committed to Texas.

Clark, out of Phoenix Mountain Pointe, is one of the country’s top prospects and is another big pick-up for Choice, one recruiting cycle after landing Rivals100 member CJ Baxter. Mountain Pointe head coach Eric Lauer says there’s really not much that Clark cannot do.

“I'll be honest, you hear people say he's the total package, but that's pretty much where that’s at. In reference to size, he's Division I, college ready, with his size and a lot of times you don't see that in high school. But he’s legitimately right around 200 pounds,” Lauer said. “So, he has that physicality. He can separate himself from you. He's able to laterally move, decelerate and quickly accelerate again, which some guys really struggle in doing that. And then his body control when it comes to catching the ball and being able to address maybe some difficult balls, with his size he's still able to get off the ground, explode. He’s probably our best receiver right now. Colleges will not have to pull him out on third-and-long or second-and-long. He's an every down kind of back.”

Clark has drawn natural comparisons to Bijan Robinson, also an Arizonan, who won the Doak Walker award for Texas in 2022 and was taken in the first-round of the NFL Draft in April. Texas was able to use that in its recruiting pitch, convincing Clark that he could come in and follow in Robinson’s footsteps.

“He remembers Bijan when he was here,” Lauer said. “So for Texas, it's kind of an easy transition – ‘Hey, come be, not Bijan, but come be Christian from the same area and maybe have the same type of impact. … He loves the running back coach, the culture there.”

Last year, as a junior, Clark shared the backfield duties with two teammates but was still able to rush for 737 yards on 103 carries, scoring 11 touchdowns. He added 37 reception for 368 yards and added 5 more scores through the air.

A four-star prospect, Clark checks in at No. 155 on the Rivals250. He’s the nation’s No. 3-ranked all-purpose back.