SMU took a big hit earlier this week as elite four-star quarterback Keelon Russell flipped his commitment away from Mustangs over to the Crimson Tide of Alabama.
The move was one that was not a surprise given the level of interest Alabama has expressed to Russell in the past months and Russell's openness that the Tide could very well be his eventual choice.
But now that Alabama has reeled him in, SMU has an open spot at quarterback in the 2025 class they were hoping to not have to circle back on. I doubt they just elect to not bring anyone in after Russell's departure, so I would expect they eventually add someone to the class. SMU has a budding future as a new power four member as well as a strong NIL presence. So who are some options SMU can look to to fill their open spot? Let's take a look.
My No. 1 option for the spot
SMU lost the No. 1 ranked quarterback in the state of Texas, so why not go for No. 2 in the state? San Antonio (Texas) Johnson four-star Ty Hawkins has had an incredible offseason heading into his senior season after throwing for 4,260 passing yards and 54 touchdowns to just 12 interceptions in two varsity seasons at quarterback.
Hawkins, an Elite 11 Finalist, has been committed to TCU for a full year now, but SMU, who has a major NIL backing, may have the resources to sway him away. Hawkins would still be playing among the power four, and for arguably, a program with an brighter immediate future than TCU.
Another reason for SMU to pursue Hawkins would be the potential playmakers that could follow. There are wide receivers in the state of Texas that are interested in TCU simply because of the idea of playing with Hawkins. SMU, who already holds a commitment from four-star Daylon Singleton and three-star Xavier Johnson, could sell the idea of playing with a blue-chip arm talent, just as they were doing with Russell.
Dallas-based options
The SMU staff is looking to prioritize recruiting the Dallas-Fort Worth area, as they should be. When filling their class, they are looking at Dallas first, then expanding out when needed. There are few DFW prospects who SMU could look at.
Wisconsin commit Landyn Locke out of Rockwall has been committed to the Badgers for one year, but there could be some interest in staying closer to home. SMU has previously offered Locke, who measures in at 6-foot-4, 185-pounds. As a junior, he threw for 1,702 yards and 19 touchdowns to four interceptions, completing 60-percent of his passes.
Dallas Christian quarterback Luke Carney is a lower rated four-star prospect who committed to Syracuse earlier this year. Extremely accomplished in his high school career, Carney has thrown for 8,160 yards and 91 touchdowns. As a junior, he completed a ridiculous 80-percent of his passes on 248 attempts.
Desoto's Kelden Ryan has been committed to Virginia Tech since last July, but just the others that are committed to programs in different parts of the country, staying home might be appealing. The Mustangs already hold commitments from a pair of Desoto prospects in the aforementioned Singleton and defensive back Sael Reyes. SMU was an early offer for Ryan back in 2021.
Another option that could be intriguing is Austin (Texas) Lake Travis three-star Chaston Ditta. He has had less of a sample size than the others with just one starting season under his belt, but there is a lot to like. He holds double digit offers from programs such as UNLV, UNT, Arkansas State, and Marshall.
Outside the box options
If SMU is not interested in the various options in the Dallas area, they could look around the country, both for uncommitted prospects or ones they feel they could flip.
Severn (Md.) four-star quarterback Malik Washington is a big, 6-foot-5, 200-pound prospect that remains uncommitted. He has taken a handful of official visits to Virginia Tech, UCF, Syracuse, and Maryland. He also has a visit ahead for Maryland.
Warner Robins (Ga.) Houston County Four-star Antwann Hill was previously committed to Colorado but now has Florida and Memphis as the duo in major contention. Another big prospect at 6-foot-4, 210-pounds.
A bit closer to Texas is Edmond (Okla.) Memorial three-star David McComb. McComb is committed to Kansas, but the resources that SMU is putting in place could be appealing.
