2023 All-American Bowl Primer: Who, What and How to Watch

The Longhorns will be well represented on Saturday at the All-American Bowl, with several top signees taking center stage.

Author:
Connor Zimmerlee
Jan 6, 2023 1:00 PM EST

The Texas Longhorns finished the 2023 Early Signing Period with the No. 3 overall recruiting class in the country, behind only Alabama and Georgia.

That elite recruiting class will be well represented in the All-American Bowl, as multiple of Texas' top signees are set to take center stage on Saturday afternoon. As well, a potential top target will be playing and could add to a stacked recruiting class should he commit.

Here is who, what and how to watch anything and everything Texas Longhorns on Saturday afternoon:

Who and What to Watch From Longhorns Prospects

LB - Anthony Hill - Ryan (TX)

There were several big names in the Longhorns' 2023 recruiting class, but landing linebacker Anthony Hill after he de-committed from rival Texas A&M was a big win for the Longhorns. Hill is the No. 1 linebacker in the state of Texas and brings an elite presence to a Longhorn defense trending upward. He's already shown in practice that he's a hard hitter, and should make an instant impact once he steps foot on the 40 Acres.

WR - Ryan Niblett - Aldine Eisenhower (TX)

While fellow 2023 receiver Johntay Cook II gets a lot of attention, Ryan Niblett is not a name to sleep on. At 6-0, 170 pounds, Niblett is a perfect candidate to become the next great Texas slot receiver. In an offense featuring guys like Xavier Worthy, Isaiah Neyor and other elite weapons, Niblett has the potential to cement himself early. He has dangerous speed and is deadly after the catch, which should fare well in a Steve Sarkisian offense.

WR - DeAndre Moore Jr. - St. John Bosco (Bellflower, CA)

Speaking of elite receivers added in the 2023 class, the Longhorns were able to flip DeAndre Moore Jr. from Louisville. Hey, who said having too many receivers is a bad thing? Moore is the third receiver in this recruiting class, joining the aforementioned Cook and Niblett. He excels at the jump ball, using his 6-0, 185-pound frame to his advantage, and can add another element for Sarkisian and his staff to scheme around on offense, skills that will be on full display on Saturday.

LB - Tausili Akana - Skyridge (Lehi, UT)

Linebacker Tausili Akana joins fellow Longhorn linebacker signee Anthony Hill at the All-American Bowl, as the duo will look to show what they bring to the table. However, Akana is likely to come off the edge and put his pass-rush skills to full use for the Longhorns. He finished his senior campaign with 63 tackles, 21 tackles for loss, 12.5 sacks, and 19 quarterback hurries, showing just how lethal he can be off the edge.

OT - Payton Kirkland - Dr. Phillips (Orlando, FL)

When Steve Sarkisian took over in Austin, the offensive line was a definite area of weakness. He addressed this heavily in the 2022 cycle, with Kelvin Banks already looking like a future Top 10 pick in his freshman season. Now, they went out and added another monster in the trenches in Payton Kirkland, who comes in at a whopping 6-6 and 345 pounds. He might not start right away, but could become an elite tackle under offensive line coach Kyle Flood.

ATH - Jelani McDonald - Connally (TX)

Jelani McDonald is one of Texas' highest remaining priorities, and is set to announce his commitment on Saturday afternoon during the game. If they can land the talented athlete, he likely sees the field on the defensive side of the field for the Longhorns, and can play at any level of the defense. As the Longhorns look to continue to grow defensively under Pete Kwiatkowski, adding McDonald to the mix could go a long way in doing so.