Linebacker Jonathan Cunningham of Fort Worth North Crowley made a commitment to the Texas Longhorns on Friday, choosing them over the TCU Horned Frogs and Utah Utes.

I’m fully committed.Picture: http://twitter.com/vu3qbuyQBZ #HookEm @CoachSark @therealraygates @CoachEReinhart @Coachi_21 @MikeRoach247

— July 13, 2024, Jonathan Cunningham (@Deucethegreat4)

The 6’2, 195-pound player paid visits to the Horned Frogs, Utes, and Jayhawks—who did not make his final three—and made an official visit to the Forty Acres on June 14. Texas was one of the 19 schools that made offers to Cunningham; it was the last to join the ranks of Arizona State, Arkansas, Baylor, Miami, Missouri, Oklahoma State, and Oregon State. Texas made its offer on February 1.

Although coordinator Andy Avalos’ defensive evaluations of Fort Worth are less significant now that Gary Patterson is no longer the head coach, Cunningham’s offer and pursuit of Kyle Whittington and the Utes speak highly of him as a prospect.

Undoubtedly, Cunningham’s capacity to play in space gives him an intriguing degree of positional versatility. He can function in a box safety capacity as well as as something akin to a big nickel on the strong side at linebacker, as evidenced by his ability to operate in space after taking coverage drops.

Cunningham has to focus on gaining strength and muscle bulk to complement his slim, rangy physique. Cunningham’s ability to put on 25–30 pounds with ease or reach a weight of 210–215 pounds may determine whether or not he can project as an SEC inside linebacker. Given his frame, the latter option obviously seems more feasible. Cunningham’s weakness in high school is most noticeable when he plays tackle since he lacks the perfect thump and frequently drags opponents down.

The floor for the North Crowley prospect appears to be a special teams contributor, possibly even early in his collegiate career, given the quantity of noteworthy special teams plays that Cunningham produced in his junior highlight tape. Given a longer-term developmental schedule indicated by the recruiting rankings, Cunningham’s ceiling and likelihood of becoming a defensive player could ultimately depend on how many years he is prepared to commit to his physical maturity on the Forty Acres.

Cunningham, a three-star prospect by consensus, is rated as the No. 47 linebacker and the No. 461 player in the country by the 247Sports Composite rankings. After the Horns lost to the Buckeyes recently, Cunningham joins Dallas Skyline’s Elijah Barnes in the 2025 Texas class, which now has 14 pledges and is ranked No. 16 nationally after surpassing Rutgers in the 247Sports Composite team rankings. Riley Pettijohn is the nation’s No. 4 linebacker.