Where Texas should look after missing on five-star WR Evan Stewart

It was a tough day in Austin when the Longhorns found out that their most coveted target, five-star receiver Evan Stewart, had announced his commitment to Texas A&M.

It seemed to be a head-to-head matchup with the Aggies and the Longhorns, but Stewart took to Instagram on Monday to announce that he has decided to play his college football in College Station. He kept his recruitment very close to the chest, and even had Texas fans convinced that they had a shot when he tweeted that he was okay with going to a team that has lost several games.

Surely Steve Sarkisian and his staff were aware that it was a possibility, as they have been recruiting the receiver position hard and are looking to get some more help around freshman star Xavier Worthy.

There are still plenty of viable recruits that can make an impact for Texas, and also a plethora of talented pass catchers in the transfer portal. This remains especially true after Lincoln Riley’s departure from Oklahoma to take the USC job, as multiple Sooners receivers have hit the portal.

While Stewart is surely an elite talent, there are still players out there that could majorly boost Texas’ offense. The Longhorns already have a talented commit in Brenen Thompson, but the more playmakers the better.

Here are five wide receivers that Texas should pursue after missing out on Evan Stewart.

Matthew Golden, Klein Cain High School

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Matthew Golden seems to be very much in play for Texas, but they will have to compete for his services with Baylor and TCU. The Horned Frogs now have a new coach and two elite recruiters in Ra’Shaad Samples Samples and Bryan Carrington which could pose a threat. The four-star out of Houston Texas, was once a TCU pledge, but decommitted after the firing of Gary Patterson.

Golden has had a monster career, accumulating 167 catches for over 3,000 yards and 32 receiving touchdowns. He also offers someone who can be dynamic in the return game as well.

Tarique Milton, Iowa State

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Texas needs someone who can be a consistent pass catcher, and also be a leader on the team as well. It’s not to say that they don’t have a leader currently, but they will be a fairly young offense at certain spots, and having a player like Tarique Milton who is using his extra of eligibility after four productive seasons could be that guy.

Milton had a solid career at Iowa State, accumulating 99 catches for 1,500 receiving yards and seven touchdowns. He had some injury issues this past season that allowed for younger receivers to take some playing time and touches away from him, but maybe a fresh start in Texas where he can contribute his sure hands and leadership would be the perfect fit for both parties. Xavier Worthy is the No. 1 on this team, but after him, every spot in the receiver room is up for grabs due to inconsistency on the field, and inability to stay healthy.

Mycah Pittman, Oregon

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The Oregon transfer may be one of the most experienced players on the market that still has a high upside to explode in production. Pittman did not get as many chances as you would expect at Oregon, as the Ducks’ offense spreads the ball out a ton, while also heavily relying on the run. Oregon has two players with over 100 rushing attempts, and would likely have a third if CJ Verdell wasn’t injured.

Pittman would be a great pairing with Worthy, and has the capability to force defenses not to double or even triple Worthy. Something that we saw multiple defenses do down the stretch, when Texas did not really have a true second option.

Savion Red, Prairie View High School

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This is Texas’ most recent offer in regards to receivers, and they must have seen something they really liked in Savion Red. The three-star out of Prairie View is a former SMU commit, but decided to look at his other options after the coaching change. As it currently stands, Red had just three offers prior to the Texas one he received after an in-home visit by Jeff Banks, from schools such as Kanas, SMU, and Mississippi Valley State.

Red seems like the ultimate gadget player, as he played some quarterback this past season, and has both rushed and caught for 1,000 yards during his high school career. With an offensive minded coach like Steve Sarkisian, the possibilities are limitless for Red.

Theo Wease, Oklahoma

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One of the many players associated with Oklahoma to depart after the Lincoln Riley to USC announcement, Theo Wease and Texas would be a perfect match. It has been speculated that the Longhorns have a great chance to nab the former Sooner, who is an Allen, Texas product.

Wease had over 650 receiving yards over two seasons, as he had not played a down this season due to an injury suffered prior to Week 1. He offers someone with multiple years of eligibility left, and would be a great weapon for an offense that relied heavily on Worthy.

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