Texas Commit A’Shawn Robinson Taking Visits

The 6-5, 300-pound Robinson is a consensus five-star prospect who had visited USC back in December and Alabama in January, despite maintaining that he was solidly committed to Texas the entire time. He was the third pledge in the Texas class when he committed in February of 2012.

A former crucial piece of the Texas class as the top-rated prospect in the group, Robinson is classified by 247Sports as an offensive tackle, though his preference is to play defensive tackle or defensive end, both positions he will have a chance to play at Alabama in the 3-4 defense employed by head coach Nick Saban. Now Robinson is “merely” one of six five-star prospects in the Crimson Tide’s top-rated class.

The report from Orangebloods came on the heels of a report from Hookem.com that “it doesn’t look good for Texas,” according to a source close to the situation. Texas defensive tackle coach Bo Davis visited Robinson at his home on Saturday, when he apparently received the news.

The major threat to the Longhorns for some time had appeared to be USC, a school that Robinson favored growing up. But the buzz died down about USC after Nick Saban visited Robinson at Arlington Heights last week, at which time talk began to heat up that Robinson was thinking about switching his commitment to the Crimson Tide.

Robinson has also taken official visits to USC, Alabama, and Florida State, though the Seminoles are not considered to be contenders.

There has been increasing buzz in Texas circles over the last few days that Alabama has made serious progress with the 6-5, 300-pounder after Crimson Tide head coach Nick Saban visited Arlington Heights earlier in the week.

The 6-5, 300-pound Robinson, who committed to the ‘Horns last February, took official visits throughout the fall, first visiting Florida State, then USC, and Alabama last weekend. The trip to Los Angeles occurred the weekend that most 2013 commits were in Austin for the football banquet in December, when the Longhorn staff likes committed prospects to visit.

He has maintained throughout the process that he is solid to Texas and communicates well with the coaches.

After taking visits to Florida State and USC during the fall, along with several unofficial visits, 2013 Fort Worth (TX) Arlington Heights defensive tackle A’Shawn Robinson will wrap up his official visit schedule on consecutive weekends in January.

The following weekend, the Texas commit will finally make his way to Austin for his official visit -- Robinson missed the banquet weekend back in early December, when the Longhorn coaches prefer their committed prospects to come to town, because he was out in Los Angeles visiting USC.

The 6-5, 300-pounder was at practice watching the Trojans prepare for the Sun Bowl.

Robinson is still considered a fairly solid verbal to Texas, the school that he committed to back in February without taking visits. Florida State was a destination earlier in the fall for the game against Clemson, while an Alabama trip was cancelled, through Robinson still plans on making it to Tuscaloosa before Signing Day.

Don’t worry though, Tide fans, as Robinson still plans on making it happen at a later date that has yet to be determined.

The longtime Texas commit instead stayed at home in Fort Worth and watched TCU lose to Kansas State.

Then, following the completion of his senior season, Robinson will take his official visit to Texas for the team’s banquet in early December before flying out to Los Angeles.

A few days ago, the Trojans didn’t look like an overly serious threat to the Longhorns, as the 18-man class was full, but with the decommitment of California safety Max Redfield, there is now a spot for Robinson in the class.

And the bad news for fans of the burnt orange and white continued Thursday, because Robinson isn’t done taking visits -- he told 247Sports that he’s also planning on taking official visits to USC and Alabama ($) before the process is through, even though the Trojans already have a full class with 18 pledges.

A source close to the Arlington Heights program considers USC to be a serious threat to the Longhorns.