One of the more interesting and important recruitments of the 2024 recruiting cycle has come to a conclusion, and it’s a happy ending for the Texas Longhorns.
Five-star wide receiver Ryan Wingo, a player that kept fans, media and college coaches guessing on his commitment decision until the very end, announced moments ago that he has committed to Texas. Wingo chose the Longhorns out of a final grouping of UT, Missouri, Georgia, Texas A&M, Tennessee and Miami. Six teams were labeled as finalists, but for all intents and purposes, this one came down to the in-state Tigers and the Longhorns, with Texas surging in the end to take the tape.
Wingo, out of St. Louis University High, has been an interesting story to track. He’s maintained thought most of his recruitment that he was keeping an open mind, but signs have pointed towards Texas and Missouri setting the pace going back to the summer. Those two teams would seemingly battle back and forth for the top spot until Wingo took an unofficial visit to Texas in September, when the Longhorns hosted Wyoming.
It was after that trip that Texas really began to surge and whispers started to pop up behind the scenes that Wingo was not only leaning strongly towards the Longhorns, but might have given quiet indication to people he’d been around that Texas would eventually be his home.
Fast forward a month and Wingo took multiple visits to see in-state Missouri play, and it was the Tigers that seized the momentum. Just like during his visit to Texas, the grapevine chatter had Wingo telling Missouri people, both in the program and recruits, that he was likely going to commit to Missouri. When the ultra-talented pass-catcher moved his timeline up from December to October 25, all signs were pointing towards him staying home.
That remained the case until Wednesday morning.
Multiple sources on Wednesday indicated Missouri’s confidence level was dropping, while confidence in Austin was on the rise for the first time in a while. In the end, the final momentum shift finished in UT’s favor, with Wingo declaring his commitment to Texas, ending one of this cycle’s most suspenseful story lines.
A 6-2, 200-pounder, Wingo becomes UT’s second 5-star pledge in the 2024 recruiting cycle. Colin Simmons, a 5-star defensive end out of Duncanville, committed to Texas in August.
Wingo becomes a huge addition for first-year Texas receivers coach Chris Jackson, who has made Wingo a priority ever since arriving in Austin. Wingo joins Parker Livingstone and Freddie Dubose as wide receiver commitments for Texas. He becomes the Longhorns’ 19th commitment overall in the 2024 recruiting class. Wingo checks in at No. 19 on the Rivals100 and is the nation’s No. 4-ranked receiver prospect.
