Texas Longhorns land another five-star receiver for QB Arch Manning to target in 2025
New WR commitment Jaime Ffrench pairs with Kaliq Lockett to give Longhorns a lethal, national-best 1-2 recruiting combo
Texas is loaded at receiver this season, but there’s always room for one more five-star prospect who wants to play with Arch Manning.
Speedy wideout Jaime Ffrench, who had previously committed to Alabama, announced early Friday that he’s now picking the Texas Longhorns over LSU, Tennessee and Miami. And this time, it should stick, much like the footballs that fly into his hands at Mandarin High School in Jacksonville, Fla.
Ffrench’s commitment gives Texas just two receivers for the class of 2025 and 19 commitments overall. But they are two top-five blue chips that anyone would covet. Current Texas commitment Kaliq Lockett is the nation’s third-best receiver prospect. Ffrench is ranked fourth nationally, according to the 247Sports composite rankings.
Every receiver wants to know who their quarterback will be. All indications are that current Texas starter Quinn Ewers will head into the 2025 NFL Draft and, barring the unforeseen, Manning will take the reins for the Longhorns next season.
Ffrench caught 62 passes for 1,247 yards and 14 touchdowns as a junior. He averaged 8.6 points per game playing basketball at Mandarin as a sophomore and ran 11.67 in the 100 meters in March 2022.
Ffrench first committed to Alabama in July 2023 but decommitted in January 2024 when coach Nick Saban retired.
“As far as pure natural catcher, being able to control his body, manipulate his body for the catch, those type of things he’s the best I’ve ever seen,” Ffrench’s high school coach Toby Bullock told On3.
Ffrench’s older brother, Maurice, the season receptions record at Pittsburgh with 96 catches in 2019. The Panthers made a hard push to land Jamie Ffrench. “They always stayed on me,” Ffrench told On3. “It’s always been like that all the way up. I grew up in it. There are a lot of great receivers out there but definitely model my game as a Calvin Ridley.”
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247Sports director of scouting Andrew Ivins said Jamie Ffrench can become a trusted target no matter the offensive style.
“Owns good size and somehow plays bigger than he measures as he’s rarely disturbed by press and frequently the one in control at the catch point,” Ivins said in his analysis. “Blessed with larger hands that are almost automatic when he’s open, although he has fallen victim to a few concentration drops over the years. Might lack a true turbo but can create separation by varying speeds as he gets vertical and has the initial burst to get away from the first defender.
“Projects as a potential multi-year impact player at the Power Four level that can handle a high volume of targets and more importantly, score touchdowns,” Ivins wrote for 247Sports.
On3’s scouting report is just as emphatic. “Shows wiggle off the line of scrimmage,” On3 said of Ffrench. “Adept at attacking the intermediate area of the field. Lethal on back shoulder fades. Has high level body control and is able to twist his body in air while high-pointing the ball. Shows flashes of high-end ball skills, making one-handed grabs in camps and 7-on-7’s.”
Oral commitments are non-binding. The first day a football athlete can sign a national letter of intent is Dec. 4.
