It’s no secret that Steve Sarkisian covets speed in his offensive system. Every coach does, but Sarkisian has shown at previous stops that he’s an expert at utilizing players with elite speed, finding ways to get them the ball in open space so they can turn in big play after big play.
Moments ago, Texas added that kind of piece to its 2022 recruiting class with a commitment from Spearman speedster Brenen Thompson.
In Thompson, Texas gets an explosive playmaker that can score from anywhere on the field, and in a variety of ways. He’s a threat to take the top off a defense. He can take a short hitch and turn it into a big play. He’s a weapon on jet sweeps, and he’s also a threat as a special teams returner.
A Rivals100 member who checks in at No. 58 nationally, Thompson chose Texas over a final grouping that also included Texas A&M and Oklahoma State.
The 5-11, 165-pound Thompson had taken official visits to all three of his finalists. He visited A&M and OSU in June, but the tide began turning in favor of Texas after Thompson’s official visit to UT in mid-September. Texas pushed all the right buttons with Thompson and those close to him during that weekend stay in Austin, and it was after that visit that there began to be smoke of Texas having moved into the driver’s seat to land Thompson’s commitment. His decision was finalized moments ago.
On his Texas official visit, the UT staff emphasized to Thompson that he’ll have a chance to play early and often, and they used true freshman wide receiver Xavier Worthy as an example.
“They said they need him. They have a situation where Xavier Worthy is the fast guy and they’re relying on him strongly as a freshman. It’s a great opportunity for Brenen to come in and have a role in the offense,” a source close to Thompson said. “They think he can have an impact early.”
Thompson is also a standout on the track, where he excels at sprint events. He met with the Texas track and field staff on his recent UT visit, and plans to compete in both events in college.
“Thompson has seen action at quarterback, running back, receiver and defensive back for Spearman over the years, and regardless of where he lines up, the electric four-star speedster has a knack for bringing big-play potential,” said Rivals.com recruiting analyst Sam Spiegelman. “Thompson, a verified track star who clocked a 10.4-second 100M this spring and set a Texas 3A record with a 21.27-second 200M, projects as a slot receiver for the Horns. He’s an explosive playmaker that can stretch the field vertically and is equally as dangerous in space, whether it’s on offense or as a return specialist.
“Thompson will give the Texas staff plenty of versatility. He has outstanding feet, a twitchy runner and can seamlessly change direction. He also has enough speed and a willingness to tackle to play in the secondary.”
While he’s a highlight waiting to happen on the field, Thompson likes to keep things pretty low-key away from the field. He doesn’t care about the media spotlight. He’s not overly active on social media.
“You have a guy that’s going to come in and work every single day,” a person close to Thompson told OB. “You might have every news station talking about him, but he’s going to come in and work the same as a person nobody knows. When you have an athlete like that in any program, it’s almost rejuvenating.”
Thompson becomes the Longhorns’ 22nd commitment in the 2022 class and he joins Armani Winfield to become UT’s second wide receiver pledge. Interestingly, Thompson is UT’s first offensive commitment since offensive linemen Connor Robertson and Cole Hutson committed way back on July 2. Texas’ recruiting class ranked No. 3 nationally prior to Thompson’s pledge.
