Jason Crenshaw Jr. flips from Georgia Tech to Texas

Thursday morning started with good news for Texas fans, and the beat had it right away.

Justin Wells

@justinwells2424

GOOD MORNING. TEXAS FLIPS LB. 2027 Prattville (Ala.) LB, Georgia Tech pledge Jason Crenshaw Jr flips to the Longhorns. STORY, QUOTES: t.co/2KEELjIWUB (FREE) #HookEm

Georgia Tech looked safe here for a while. Crenshaw committed to the Yellow Jackets back in June, and Texas didn't even offer him until September 21. Will Muschamp and linebackers coach Johnny Nansen went after him hard from there. He took his official visit for the October 24 weekend, watched Texas beat Ole Miss, and 5 days later the Jackets lost a guy they thought they had locked up.

Then there's the timing. RJ Hudson flipped from Clemson to Texas a few days earlier, so Crenshaw makes it 2 linebacker flips in one week. That's a big swing for a class that had zero linebackers committed after Cade Haug decommitted in June, right after his own official visit with Muschamp. The rankings call him a 3-star, No. 73 at linebacker and No. 38 in Alabama for 2027. He's 6-foot-2 and fits what Muschamp wants on defense.

There's one catch on the tape. Texas recruited him as a linebacker, but most of his high school film has him rushing off the edge, not playing off the ball. The film guys still like plenty of what they see.

EricInsideTexas

@EricNahlin

Wish there was tape of new Texas commit Jason Crenshaw at off-ball linebacker but plenty of traits playing EDGE/OLB. Great initial quickness, strong hands, change of direction, and plus closing speed on the ball carrier. Big, physical, and fast. Will be great blitzer.

That blitzer projection matters because of the guys he's eventually replacing. The current Texas linebackers are basically never coming off the field, and nobody has played them this much in the Sarkisian years.

Tyler Horka

@tbhorka

Rasheem Biles and Justin Cryer are playing a higher percentage of defensive snaps than any linebackers ever have during Steve Sarkisian's Texas tenure. "They work well off of each other. They’ve got good command of the defense." For IT: t.co/BYpD3o6LbM via @On3

So why is Texas grabbing 2 linebackers in a week if the starters are this good? Because they're seniors. The twist is that the new eligibility rule might bring both of them back for one more year anyway.

Thomas Jones

@ThomasJonesAAS

How @TexasFootball DC Will Muschamp is rebuilding his LB room. Don’t forget: Rasheem Biles and Justin Cryer are both seniors but both are still eligible next year because of new 5-for-5 rule

HookEm.com

@bevobeat

Georgia Tech pledge Jason Crenshaw Jr. flips to Texas, becomes the second 2027 linebacker this week to choose the Longhorns t.co/Ie1udLK3hq t.co/kSpe5bagSt

That's the best version of this for Texas. If Biles and Cryer return under the 5-for-5 rule, Crenshaw and Hudson get a year to develop behind 2 veterans who already run the defense, instead of getting thrown in as true freshmen. Crenshaw is commitment No. 23 in a class that ranks 9th nationally and 4th in the SEC. Georgia Tech now has to go find another linebacker, and Muschamp's 2027 room went from empty to taking shape in about 5 days.