When Texas hosted a number of recruits on campus in late July for a pool party/barbecue, no player in attendance made a further trek than did tight end Jaxon Howard. The Minnesota native and Rivals100 member traveled more than 1,000 miles to get a look at the UT program, and Howard said it was worth the effort.
“I spoke with coach (Jeff) Banks, just picked his brain a little bit about football, regular things. He’s a good guy,” Howard said. “We haven’t spoken too much just because the staff change and all that but it’s good for me to speak to him. It was just an amazing experience.”
Howard picked up a Texas scholarship offer from the previous coaching staff but the contact with the new UT staff had been a bit inconsistent as that group got settled in. He’s hoping after his recent visit that he’ll be a priority target for Texas in the 2023 class.
“The new staff, I haven’t spoken to them too much yet because they were getting situated. But I used to talk to coach Giles. He was the one that was recruiting me, but now I’ll be talking to Coach Banks, getting to know him and build that relationship,” Howard said.
During his swing down south, Howard also stopped by to see Oklahoma. Those two programs will head to the SEC at some point, and Howard said he finds the move intriguing.
“They’re not scared. They’re scared of anybody,” Howard said of Texas. “They’re ready to go knock some heads off and I think that’s going to be something that I think about, especially in the future. I want to play the best, so let’s get at it.”
One of the biggest takeaways from his trip to Austin, Howard said, was the hospitality he and his family were shown. From top to bottom, from the moment they walked through the doors, he said the Texas staff treated him exceptionally well.
“Right when I walked in, the hospitality. The first thing, there were some people with cameras. That was a very cool experience for me because it’s not always like that up north. So that was cool,” Howard said. “Then right away there was coaches, even assistants just coming up to shake my hand. It felt like great hospitality. You don’t get that everywhere.”
At 6-4 and 235 pounds, Howard ranks No. 64 on the 2023 Rival100. He has yet to formulate a list of favorites but said Texas will definitely be a school that will draw consideration. A return trip to Austin for a game is a possibility.
“I’m not sure about my top schools yet. It’s going to be a while for me but it’s definitely a place I like so I’m going to look into it more,” Howard said. “I think this fall me and my dad are going to see some places that I can get to for game day visits. I’ve done the online recruiting, I’ve called a bunch of coaches, I’ve been able to shake hands and see people personally but now I need to see a real live game. I’m ready to get to it.”