UT board could include surprises

AUSTIN, Texas -- Texas recruiting in 2012 played out a lot like usual. Nearly every commit was in the bag by the end of the summer. Not much has changed since then.

But now comes the furious flurry, the final push. We're less than four weeks away from national signing day for the Class of 2013. Texas has 13 commits but several more names left on its board.

This class will be a relatively small one -- Longhorns coach Mack Brown has acknowledged that publicly -- but has a chance to grow in the next month.

Texas has yet to lose any players to transfer, so it's hard to gauge what factor attrition could play. But the Longhorns entered fall camp with only 10 scholarship seniors, so room remains fairly limited. There aren't many vacancies left in the class, but there also aren't many needs.

That being said, expect some surprises this month. Texas showed a flair for the dramatic in finishing last year's class. Its class this year hasn't landed a new commit since Chevoski Collins joined in October, but that could change soon. Here's who you need to keep an eye on.

The needs

Texas offensive line coach Stacy Searels has told prospects he's looking for one more lineman, though he could pick up several in the next few weeks. There's also room for one more wide receiver to fill the hole left by Ricky Seals-Jones, though for now it seems speed is of greater importance than size.

The Longhorns could also stand to take one more defensive lineman, either at end or on the inside. There doesn't seem to be much of a push for another defensive back, but that's an outside possibility. A second quarterback could join the class, too, but such a move is not a total must and only one recruit has been targeted for the spot.

The No. 1 priority

DT A'Shawn Robinson (Fort Worth, Texas/Arlington Heights)
Contenders: USC, Alabama

Robinson is still committed to Texas. He reiterated that at the Army bowl and has said over and over that his pledge remains a strong one. But he's also taking official visits and says this whole situation will be settled on signing day. Make of that what you want, but Texas can't afford to lose Robinson. He'll take an official visit to Alabama, one to UT and then put this all to rest. Or he'll make a signing-day switch. We'll see. Texas should feel confident about his pledge for the time being, but definitely not comfortable.

The top targets

OG Andrew Billings (Waco, Texas/Waco)
Contenders: Baylor, TCU

Hard to get a read on the ESPN 300 lineman, who has repeatedly come close to making a decision only to back off and give himself more time. Texas is still very much in the running for the 6-foot-2, 308-pound interior lineman who can play guard, center and defensive tackle. He'll take official visits to TCU and Baylor in January before reaching his decision. Texas is in good shape, but Billings has never been one to talk much about his recruitment and this battle should go into at least late January.

OT Desmond Harrison (San Pablo, Calif./Contra Costa College)
Contenders: Arizona State, Oklahoma

Official visits? Check. In-home visits? Check. All that's left is a commitment for the 6-8, 310-pound lineman. He's spent a weekend in Austin and hosted Mack Brown and his staff at home in Greensboro, N.C. Texas appears to be the leader at this point and USC is apparently out of it, but Harrison will spend time weighing his options and announce in the next two weeks.

QB Nick Marshall (Pineview, Ga./Garden City C.C.)
Contenders: Indiana, Auburn, Kansas State, N.C. State

Texas is indeed recruiting Marshall as a quarterback and is in good shape to land the dual-threat juco transfer. He'll take an official visit on Jan. 18, then visit Auburn the following weekend. Marshall might seriously shake up the Longhorns' quarterback situation, but it's no sure thing he'll pick them in the end.

LB De'Vondre Campbell (Fort Myers, Fla./Hutchinson C.C.)
Contenders: Tennessee, Minnesota

Campbell has maintained near-complete silence about his recruitment ever since Hutchinson mistakenly reported that he had signed with Texas last month. Now that he's a May grad and not enrolling early, he'll take up to two more official visits before February and then make his final, official decision.

Potential targets

OG Rami Hammad (Irving, Texas/Irving)
Contenders: Committed to Baylor

Hammad would have some serious thinking to do if Texas did offer him a scholarship -- or it might be a very easy decision. At 40-plus offers, Hammad is one of the state's most coveted prospects these days, and Texas has a chance to swoop in and steal him with an offer.