5-Star Johnathan Gray Commits to Texas Over Finalists TCU and Texas A&M

At midnight on Thursday 2012 5-star running back Johnathan Gray of Aledo, Texas announced his decision to play football for Mack Brown and the Texas Longhorns. Gray had narrowed down his final three schools to Texas, TCU, and Texas A&M months earlier and though he rarely tipped his hand it was widely assumed that the Longhorns were favorites by a wide margin. 

Gray had this to say about his recent commitment:

"This was a difficult decision. I chose UT because I get a chance to be teammates with very good players. Getting a chance to work with Malcolm Brown will make me a better player. I also feel that having a young staff and playing in a new offense will be exciting. I feel really blessed to have this opportunity.

 

From the TCU perspective landing Gray was always a bit of a pipe-dream but I think it speaks volumes that TCU made his top 3 when in the past a player of his caliber wouldn't have even given TCU a second thought.  While the Frogs would have loved to have landed Gray, running back is not a position of great need for the Frogs so Gray will not make or break the Frogs 2011 recruiting class.  TCU currently has a 2012 RB commit in LaDarius Anthony who is on the Rivals 250 Watch List and the current running back depth chart at TCU looks like this:

1. Ed Wesley (JR)
2. Matthew Tucker (JR)
3. Waymon James (SO)
4. Aundre Dean (JR)
5. Dwight Smith (RS FR)