DALLAS — Texas has landed the Dallas area’s top recruit for the second recruiting cycle. This time, it came at the expense of an in-state foe.
Denton Ryan five-star linebacker Anthony Hill Jr., the No. 1 player on The Dallas Morning News’ top 100 recruits list, announced his commitment to Texas on Thursday. Hill, the nation’s top-ranked linebacker per 247Sports.com, had decommitted to Texas A&M in July but backed off of his pledge in November.
Hill, 6-foot-2, 225 pounds, was one of the state’s top defensive players in his final three years of high school football. Limited to six games as a senior due to injury, Hill still totaled 67 tackles, 2 sacks and five forced fumbles. He totaled 236 tackles, 11 sacks, 29 tackles for loss and four forced fumbles in his sophomore and junior seasons, and helped Ryan to the 2020 5A Div. I state championship.
As most Ryan stars do, Hill thrived as a two-way player and rushed for 378 yards and 13 touchdowns in three seasons. He’ll join former Ryan two-way star Ja’Tavion Sanders — a former area utility player of the year and standout tight end in college — in Austin.
Steve Sarkisian and Texas signed nine players on The News’ top 100 recruits list in the class of 2022 — including No. 1 overall prospect Devon Campbell, an Arlington Bowie offensive lineman — and leads all universities with nine commitments from players on the class of 2023 top 100. Three are ranked within the top five: Hill, DeSoto wide receiver Johntay Cook II (No. 3) and South Oak Cliff cornerback Malik Muhammad (No. 5).
