2024 Texas tight end target Ryner Swanson sets his decision date
It’s time for a decision for Laguna Beach (Calif.) tight end and On3 four-star Ryner Swanson on June 15th, the 6-foot-4, 230-pounder announced on Wednesday.
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Swanson took recent official trips to Texas, Oregon, and BYU, his final three schools, and now appears set to shut down his recruitment and commit. Each program received rave reviews.
With his LDS religious ties, BYU could be the family route. With the Ducks, Swanson sees himself thriving. And with the Longhorns, the offense and his relationship with Jeff Banks is a significant data point.
“The style of offense (Texas) plays,” Swanson recently told Inside Texas regarding what stands out about the Longhorns. “They always tell me if you come to Texas, you will learn an NFL offense your freshman year. And I have a good feeling that Texas will get me ready for the NFL. Banks is such a good coach too. I can just tell.”
Excerpt from the Recruiting Notebook:
How he fits at Texas
Ryner Swanson is your prototypical, modern flex tight end. He has some burst and his Hudl includes a lot of clips where he’s doing damage on “small guy” concepts like bubble screens. He’s also very dangerous on flat routes of the sort an off-ball tight end would regularly run in the Steve Sarkisian offense. You can also see the athleticism on his defensive film as a defensive end. Perhaps most importantly, he’s already proficient going over the middle on Over routes and snagging crossing patterns in traffic, which is probably the most valuable skill for an inside receiver. Swanson is a really good overall prospect for a receiving tight end who shares the field with a bigger blocker or slides inside in spread passing sets. Blocking will need to come with time but the receiving acumen is what could make him a star. – Ian Boyd
Coach Says
Strengths — A tall athlete with a good frame for the position. Good size for the H-back/detached-Y position. Shows good upper body strength. As a receiver, comes out of his stance under balance. Acceleration appears decent for the position and shows surprising straight-line, top-end speed on some highlights. Runs an extensive number of short area/crossing routes effectively. Looks like a competitor on 50-50 balls, shielding the defender with his body. Adjusts well to the poorly thrown pass. Catches the ball away from his body with soft hands and secures it quickly. After the catch, looks to get up field quickly. Once turned up field, he is a punishing runner, frequently using an effective stiff arm, or lowering the shoulder into a defender. Makes short work of smaller players. Very good balance after contact and keeps his legs moving. Won’t easily be tripped up by arm tackles.
Areas for improvement — Tends to round out his patterns, suggesting he might be a little tight in the hips. Change of direction would suggest the same. Does not exhibit a significant amount of lower body explosiveness. In-line highlights and round blocking are generally lacking in his film.
Swanson is the No. 337 overall prospect and No. 22 tight end in the 2024 cycle, according to the On3 Industry Ranking, a weighted average that utilizes all four major recruiting media companies. He is also the No. 28 player in California. For On3, he’s the No. 21-rated tight end and No. 27-rated prospect in California for the 2024 cycle.
