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Texas Recruiting Notes 2026: NIL Deals for flying cars

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(Oklahoma On3 (Sooner Scoop) guy.)      

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247 interview with Bell

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Texas kicked off 2024 spring practice on Tuesday with a couple special visitors on hand. 2026 quarterback Dia Bell, along with his father and former NBA star Raja Bell, were on the sidelines watching the Longhorns put in work. The younger Bell, a product of American Heritage in South Florida, left campus with an offer from the UT staff.

“I was very excited to be offered by Coach Sark today,” Bell told Horns247. “Coach Milwee and I have a really good relationship, and I’m good friends with (Texas commit) KJ Lacey.

“Practice was great. It was cool to get a feel for how they run practices.”

The 6-foot-2, 195-pound Bell took notice of the energy exuding out of the Longhorns players on Tuesday.

“The pace of practice stood out,” he said. “Also, the fact that everyone was getting reps and no one was standing around watching for long.”

Texas has arguably the most talented quarterback room in the country with Quinn Ewers and Arch Manning. Steve Sarkisian and AJ MIlwee have turned the UT program into a signal caller destination.

“We talked a bunch about development and how the go about that with their QBs,” Bell said. “They have worked with some really high level guys. We also talked about what its like to be a QB at a program like Texas, and some of the stuff that comes with that.”

Where does Texas stand for the South Florida standout?

“Texas was high on my list even before I was offered,” Bell said. “Getting to meet and spend time with everyone around the program was big for me today.”

Other programs of note that Bell has visited or plans to see this spring include Miami, Auburn, Mississippi State, LSU, West Virginia, Penn State, and North Carolina, among others. 

 

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Funk Doctor Spock

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9 hours ago, texifornia said:

https://www.on3.com/db/troy-huhn-177304/

Sister just transferred from Miami (OH) to UTRGV for basketball

https://miamiredhawks.com/sports/womens-basketball/roster/maddy-huhn/8771

 

Kid has been to Austin something like 5 times. If he's not a Longhorn I'll be floored. He's supposedly the #1 QB for next season (which I'm sure you obviously know). 

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23 hours ago, texifornia said:

https://www.on3.com/db/troy-huhn-177304/

Sister just transferred from Miami (OH) to UTRGV for basketball

https://miamiredhawks.com/sports/womens-basketball/roster/maddy-huhn/8771

 

I’d rather have Will Griffin. Look at the tape. Kid has been to Austin once and headed back next weekend.🤘🏼

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Scruggs Five storylines to monitor for the 2026 recruiting class+Five more storylines to monitor for the 2026 recruiting class
 

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With the 247Sports 2026 class rankings expanding from a Top100 to a full Top247 yesterday, I figured what better time to start breaking down the rising junior class. 

Yesterday's update included three initial five-stars and a full field of four-stars, with the update being fueled by prospect's sophomore seasons as well as the first half of the offseason camp circuit, which has included events from coast to coast. 

I bought a new car back in early September of 2023 and in the time since I've added 19,000 miles to the odometer. On the same note, I've had and have more in-person exposure to prospects in the state of Texas than just about everyone else in the recruiting world including writers or college coaches. 

That being said, here are 10 storylines to follow in the 2026 recruiting cycle based off lots of time on the road evaluating and meeting with prospects in-person, sourcing, and everything in between. This'll be a two-part series with five more 2026 storylines set to release this evening or tomorrow morning. 

Also of note, all of what you are about to read is my personal opinion and only my personal opinion. Some of what I have to say will correspond with the new rankings, some of what I have to say won't. At the end of the day however, none of this has anything to do with what the scouting team at 247Sports thinks or views as again, this is all completely based off my personal opinion.

THE BEST RECEIVER/SAFETY PROSPECT IN-STATE WANTS TO PLAY QB AT THE NEXT LEVEL

Keisean Henderson (Photo: Jordan Scruggs, 247Sports)
Yes, you read that right. 

According to 247Sports, the nation's No. 19 overall prospect, No. 1 "athlete" prospect, and No. 2 overall prospect in Texas, Legacy the School of Sport Sciences' four-star Keisean Henderson is who I'm talking about.  

Ranked as an athlete prospect, Henderson plays quarterback for his high school but during the 7on7 season he'll line up at both receiver and safety. That causes for a lot of intrigue, as Henderson is the only member of the state's 32 prospects that made the Top247 that doesn't play public school UIL ball.

Instead, with Henderson quarterbacking LSSS, the Titans played in 2023 what many TXHSFB nuts refer to as an "outlaw" schedule consisting of schools ranging from Jasper all the way to Tomball Christian school.

In all honesty, Henderson plays weaker competition than just about any prospect from Texas in the Top247, but when you're the caliber of athlete/prospect that Henderson is, the level of competition becomes less of an issue. 

On the 7on7 circuit, Henderson has been the best player at the tournament every time I've been able to see him in person, and that's with him he going both ways at receiver and safety. 

I know it's 7on7, but when you've done this job long enough you're able to look at some prospects when they're still in high school and say with confidence "this guy will be drafted one day as long as he does what is asked of him by coaches once he makes it to college." As a receiver and as a safety, I feel very confident in saying Henderson is one of those special prospects.

On the same note, if Henderson was ever to come out and announce he'll be a full-time safety or receiver, then immediately he'd be the No. 1 prospect in the state at whichever position he chooses, or at least in my eyes he would be. 

But the thing is, he wants to play quarterback at the next level and he's been very adamant in letting that be known. To continue, schools that have told Henderson they'll take him as a signal caller will have an advantage and already have an advantage over other programs that are recruiting the 6-foot-3, 175 pounder as an "athlete", safety, or receiver. 

According to National Recruiting Analyst Tom Loy, the schools that have told Henderson he could play quarterback on their campus include Houston, Baylor, SMU, Florida State, Colorado, Oklahoma, and Texas A&M. 

Texas is in a group with Oregon, Georgia, Alabama, and LSU that have told Henderson they're recruiting him under the "athlete" tag. 

Click HERE for quotes from Henderson on how Texas views him under the "athlete" tag.


Keisean Henderson (Photo: Jordan Scruggs, 247Sports)
Click HERE for a feature story 247Sports National Scouting Analyst Hudson Standish wrote yesterday after Henderson's ranking received a boost. 

Believe it or not, Houston and Baylor are probably the early leaders at this point in time as the Cougars and the Bears have done the best job at pursuing Henderson to play quarterback. If they aren't the early leaders, it's at least worth noting that Baylor and Houston are usually the first two schools mentioned every time I'm able to ask him about current standouts. 

This recruitment will probably be the most interesting one to follow of any of the in-state prospects in 2026 as Henderson is still a dynamic major power five prospect at quarterback, but he's easily an NFL receiver or safety in my eyes. 

All in all, Henderson will have a lot of decisions to make before signing day approaches in Dec. of 2025, and he'll have no shortage of options to choose from either. 

WEAK IN-STATE QB CLASS

Romin Seymour (Photo: Jordan Scruggs, 247Sports)
If you think the group of in-state quarterbacks in 2025 is bad (because it is), boy do I have some news for you because 2026 is looking even worse.  

Obviously Keisean Henderson is somewhere in the discussion, but for now there are currently six in-state QB prospects with a rating/ranking from 247Sports:

El Paso Del Valle's Jake Fette

Forney's Nelson Peterson Jr.

Argyle Liberty Christian's Quinn Murphy

Carthage's Jett Surratt

Fort Bend Ridge Point's Romin Seymour

Conroe Grand Oaks' Grant Smith

To my knowledge, Murphy, Seymour, and Smith have all visited the Forty Acres at least once whereas the other three I'm not completely sure.

To be completely honest with you I don't see a world where Texas would offer any of the six in-state passers, at least for now. If you want my thoughts on each passer I'll give you them as I've been able to see all six throw in-person and even some of them multiple times, but for now I'll skip it. I'm a huge fan of Seguin's Corey Dailey and think he's a big time sleeper, but as much as I like him I don't view him as being a Texas-level talent. Rees Wise is a local product down the street at Westlake that's picked up some decent offers in recent months, but in the small amounts of in-person exposure I got with him I didn't see him as a Texas level talent either. 

Because of how weak the group of quarterbacks is, I don't think anyone is giving AJ Milwee and Steve Sarkisian a hard time for looking at and offering out-of-state guys like Troy Huhn and Dia Bell. 

Jared Curtis is the third quarterback in 2026 with an offer, but he's committed to Georgia and no one sees a flip happening there, or at least for Texas. 

Will Griffin from Tampa is another passer that's caught the intrigue of Milwee and Sark, but they've had him visit Austin two or three times this spring already and he continues to leave campus without being offered, so at this point he could be more of a contingency plan behind Huhn and Bell than anything else but that's just my POV on it. 

All in all, Huhn and Bell will continue to be the top targets at the quarterback position unless someone lands an offer and jumps them on the board out of nowhere. It's still pretty fluid and early on, but Horns247 likes the chances of Huhn ending up in the Longhorns' 2026 class rather than Bell, but that's something we'll have more on the further we get into the spring.

STRANGE GROUP OF IN-STATE WIDEOUTS

Kaydon Finley (Photo: Jordan Scruggs, 247Sports)
Look, the number of in-state receivers in the Top247 (7 currently) isn't anything out of the blue, but the crop of receivers in-state for 2026 just feels super strange to me. It's a bit of a down year that follows the 2025 in-state WR class which is the best in-state WR class I've ever seen, so it's encouraging that Texas is in a good, if not great spot for the majority of their top receiver targets in 2025. 

I'll quickly run through some names I've been able to see in-person below. 

Before that, it's important to remember that Keisean Henderson would likely be WR1 in-state if he ever changed his mind and became a full-time WR prospect, same goes for safety.  

Aledo's Kaydon Finley - The son of Longhorn legend Jermichael Finley, Kaydon has been a mainstay for the Bearcats since his freshman year as in two years he's already racked up 67 receptions for 1,120 receiving yards and 13 touchdowns. Take this how you want to, but Finley reminds me so much of Jaden Greathouse as a receiver as both have unreal TXHSFB production going back to their freshman seasons yet neither has the body type and/or verified testing that usually has prospects finishing in the final Top247. Finley is a legacy prospect though, so things could end up being different than they were with Greathouse and Texas but it's definitely something I'm already monitoring. It is worth noting though while Finley doesn't have the basketball context that Greathouse had, Finley has some decent freshman year track data and he'll likely test better but Finley is 6-foot, 200 pounds whereas Greathouse was 6-foot-1.5, 220 pounds.

San Antonio Madison's Jordan Clay - Bit of a jumbo WR prospect at 6-foot-2.5, 195 pounds that's started at Madison since his freshman year when he won district 28-6A's offensive newcomer of the year after posting 604 receiving yards and 8 touchdowns off 25 receptions. Clay has visited Texas several times with the most recent trip being for the spring game last weekend.

San Marcos' Hank Harris - Another CenTex receiver prospect with a bid-body type at 6-foot-2.5, 185, Harris is much less known than Clay, and for good reason as Harris was a part of the UIL investigation into San Marcos that kept the Rattlers from competing in the postseason along with several two-year varsity bans for some players. Harris was one of the players that was suspended from varsity play for two years, so while he could've had a shot at being WR1 for the Rattlers' varsity squad going back to his freshman year, he instead had to terrorize junior varsity opponents for the last two seasons. Because of that, Harris' recruitment has had a bit of a slow start as he only holds five offers currently. He's on Texas' radar and like Madison, has made several trips to Texas this spring yet doesn't hold an offer for the time being. Expect his recruitment to take off once more schools see him in person as we get further into the offseason and after he gets a season of varsity tape under his belt this fall. 


Brayden Robinson (Photo: Jordan Scruggs, 247Sports)
Red Oak's Brayden Robinson - Robinson was the first in-state WR to pop off with big time offers last spring, and largely because as a freshman he happened to go sub-11 in the 100M on eight of the nine times he ran the 100M in meets, including going sub 10.5 four times with a PR of 10.44. The thing is, while Robinson is lightning with the ball in his hands, he stands at 5-foot-8, 160 pounds and is built more like a running back than your traditional receiver. Because of that, it'll be incredibly interesting to see which schools continue to recruit the 5-foot-8 speedster all the way through the cycle as I expect several schools (including Texas) to eventually look other ways because of issues with size. It's still worth noting Robinson is every bit of a bona fide power five WR prospect, as it's worth noting his father is also the head coach for Red Oak's football program.

Honey Grove's Ryelan Morris - Ranked as a wide receiver, Morris is more so an "athlete" in high school as he plays at the 2A level for Honey Grove while working out at running back in camps. Because of Morris being a power five talent at the 2A level, he has unreal production as in two years of varsity play he's gone 88-167 throwing the ball for 1,430 passing yards, 13 touchdowns, and 14 INTs to go along with 255 rush attempts for 2,740 yards and 46 touchdowns. He also caught the ball 4 times for 100 yards and 2 touchdowns, while also contributing on defense with 44 tackles, 1 TFL, 4 PBUs, 1 fumble recovery, and 4 interceptions. A production machine to say the least, Morris has the potential to face the same issues Robinson might face due to size, as Morris stands at 5-foot-9, 160 pounds. Also like Robinson, Morris routinely tears up the track as he's PRed 10.72 in the 100M, 21.91 in the 200M, and 41-3 in the triple jump. Morris also hoops for Honey Grove which is a fun data point.

Shadow Creek's Chris Stewart - Stewart didn't get ranked in this update, but I think he has a shot to eventually end up in the Top247 for 2026 by the time the rankings have finalized. He hasn't yet cracked sub-11 on the track, but I and the coaches at Shadow Creek feel pretty good that he eventually will. He had his breakout season last year as he finished with 654 yards off 35 receptions for 10 touchdowns. The Longhorns were the first program to offer Stewart, and in the time since he's picked up over a dozen more scholarships from power five programs. While Texas got out to a great start originally, the way things were handled with Deuce Williams along with Oklahoma's current position for Cobey Sellers hasn't helped Texas as of late. Oklahoma also found themselves in a good spot early on because Stewart is a huge fan of CeeDee Lamb as Lamb hails from a nearby part of Houston and the Sooners have done a good job of incorporating that into their recruiting strategy with Stewart. There's still a long way to go though and I expect things to get turned around with Texas long before it becomes crunch time for the 2026 class.

THE 254 AREA WILL PRODUCE, AGAIN

Jamarion Carlton (Photo: Tommy Yarrish, 247Sports)
One of the most slept on talent hotbeds in the state, the 254 area that features Temple, Belton, Killeen, Waco, etc. is back with another cycle that looks to hold lots of promise early on.

The Longhorns are yet to offer anyone on the list besides London Smith, but that's likely to change this spring and/or summer once the Texas staff makes its way through the 254 corridor or invites some of these guys to camp in the summer.

Jamarion Carlton, EDGE, Temple - The headliner of the list coming in as the No. 43 overall prospect in the nation, Carlton wreaks havoc for the Wildcats on the edge and on the hardwood where the 6-foot-4, 215 pounder routinely plays above the rim. I remember being at a Temple practice in the spring of 2022 to see Taurean York, Mikal Harrison-Pilot, and Naeten Mitchell and talking with the Temple coaches about this freak-show eighth grader they were adamant was their next one coming through the pipeline. Well, funny enough, that kid ended up being Carlton. He visited for the Texas Junior Day in January and I would be shocked if he doesn't return this summer for a visit, if not camp. 

London Smith, WR, Waco University - The only one with an offer from Texas on this 254 list and arguably the most feared athlete in the 254 now that Micah Hudson has made his way to Lubbock, Smith has been dominating district 11-5A-II since his freshman year when he took home Offensive Newcomer of the Year and Super CenTex Newcomer of the year by the Waco Tribune. Smith's dominance doesn't end on the gridiron though, as in 2022 he also took home Super CenTex Newcomer of the Year by the Waco Tribune in basketball as well. Once looked at as an athlete prospect with the angle that he'd be either a safety or receiver at the next level, Smith has now made it clear he wants to catch passes and he's now slotting in as our No. 26 WR in the nation. With impressive athletic bloodlines tying him to Baylor, I've been in touch with a source throughout the spring who's maintained Texas for several months that the Longhorns are in the top two. Still a long way to go, but it's encouraging if you're a Texas fan that there's already a lot of buzz about Smith preferring to leave Waco in order to blaze his own path.


Jason Bradford (Photo: Jordan Scruggs, 247Sports)
Jason Bradford, CB, Temple - Welcome to the Jason Bradford fanclub, I'm the president. Verified at 6-2.7, 194 pounds with a plus five wingspan back at Under Armour Houston in March, Bradford is a jumbo cornerback prospect with length for days and an attractive young birthday which'll have Bradford at 17 years old when he enrolls early at his school of choice in January of 2026. I first saw Bradford last summer at a training session and fell in love immediately. I'm personally super high on tall, long corners, so it really caught my attention when I was able to see how well Bradford could move for his age/size last offseason. I was super early on Selman Bridges back in the day as well, and Bradford is light years ahead of where Bridges ever was at this point in his developmental process between his soph. and junior year. Another reason I'm high on Bradford is because he trains with Bam Blake, who I view as one of, if not the best defensive back trainer in the state and he's worked with CenTex guys for years like Jahdae Barron, Drew Mukuba, Latrell McCutchin, Sean Fresch, Jarred Kerr, Taurean York, Bravion Rogers, Jalen Gilbert, Leonard Moore, Peyton Morgan, Dontae Carter, Selman Bridges, etc. Only holding three offers currently from Houston, Oklahoma State, and Texas State, I feel pretty confident that this will be a prospect that leaves high school with at least a dozen and a half offers. Like his teammate and good friend Jamarion Carlton, Bradford also starts for the Wildcats' basketball team and runs track as well. Look for more offers to start coming his way once he gets more polished and gets his testing numbers up, as March's Under Armour Houston camp was the first time he's ever gone through any testing drills of any sort. It's also important to remember that while I view him being much further ahead than other big-time prospects who he shares traits with that were once his age, Bradford is still raw, but again, I feel pretty good about him eventually turning into one of the bigger defensive back names in the state.  Bradford's dream school is Texas and the Longhorns have had him on campus twice this spring for the junior day and the spring game, and with Bradford viewing Jahdae Barron and Drew Mukuba as role models, you'd likely see me enter in a crystal ball prediction pretty quickly following a Texas offer. Bradford is a phenomenal kid that has an amazing story that I hope I'll be able to tell one day, but that will be a story for another day.

Other names of note in the 254 area-

Jamarion Vincent, CB, Waco Connally - Has mostly played QB up this point but is 100% a defensive back prospect. With Vincent having the coveted tall-long corner build that Texas usually targets at 6-foot-2, 165 pounds and the 254 area native hailing from the same program that produced four-star freshman defensive back Kobe Black, he's sure to already be on the Longhorns' radar. When watching him at the Under Armour Dallas camp you could kind of tell he didn't have the reps or experience as other players in the secondary, but he kept showing flashes that caught the attention of many.

Brenden Logan, CB, Killeen Shoemaker - This kid has zero offers right now and is listed at 6-foot, 175 pounds by us but he's likely more in the 6-foot-2, 180 pound-ish range right now. Logan is clearly a defensive back prospect and kind of gets screwed by being forced to play receiver at Shoemaker sometimes, but I've seen him at cornerback in 7on7 plenty of times and he's one of my favorite sleepers in the state. Long, well-built corner prospect that's just starting to tap into his potential on the field and on the track.


Davion Peters (Photo: Jordan Scruggs, 247Sports)
Davion Peters, WR, Lake Belton - Peters was Lake Belton's third leading receiver this past season behind Micah Hudson and Cash Robin (who is former Longhorn Brett Robin's son btw), but with both Hudson and Robin moving on to college Peters is expected to get the lion's share of targets as a junior in 2024. Long jumped 19-1 as a freshman and holds offers from Arkansas, Michigan, and Nebraska amongst 6 others.  

Marques Uini, OL, Copperas Cove - The younger brother of one-time Texas target and four-star Georgia freshman offensive tackle Michael Uini, Marques shares similar size to his older brother as the younger Uini already stands at 6-foot-4, 280 pounds and had one of the better performances at the National Combine back in January. 

Troy Pless, OL, Killeen Shoemaker - 6-foot-5, 293 pound offensive tackle prospect that holds offers from Arkansas, Baylor, and TCU amongst 6 others. Somewhat traditional offensive tackle build that will play big-time power five ball, but not sure how much interest Texas has shown besides a few personnel staff members following him on Twitter.

I need to make him a profile, but Killeen High has a 6-foot-4, 275 pound 2027 offensive lineman named Avery Timms Lathen that will be a national prospect. I was like his 15th Twitter follower back in February and sent his stuff out to a few schools I figured would be interested in him. Arkansas and Houston went out to see him when coaches were able to travel earlier in the spring and offered him on-site once they saw him in person. 

POTENTIAL RECLASSES TO WATCH OUT FOR

Jahkeem Stewart (Photo: Jordan Scruggs, 247Sports)
Jahkeem Stewart, DL, New Orleans St. Augustine - Currently in the 2026 class as our No. 10 overall prospect in the nation, Stewart has been one of the biggest names in the 2026 class going back to the 7th grade when he picked up his first offer by way of Georgia. Texas will likely be in it till the end, but I'd be lying to you if I didn't fully expect Stewart to stay home to play for the Bayou Bengals. I spoke with a source close to Stewart back at the Under Armour Houston camp in March who told me Stewart had already begun the process of taking classes to help him reclass. 

Ethan "Boobie" Feaster, WR, DeSoto, 2027 - A very similar recruiting timeline to that of Stewart as Feaster also received offers and fame as just a middle schooler, Feaster is the next elite receiver in line at the prospect factory that is the defending back-to-back 6A-II state champion DeSoto Eagles. This one seems less likely then the other two on the reclass list and I'll need to do some more confirming, but I've heard from several people throughout the spring that Feaster is likely to eventually reclass to the 2026 class. That said, Feaster is a supreme talent that in my opinion is likely a lock to crack the top 100 for the 2027 class that'll debut in August so it'll be interesting to see where he would fall if he makes the move to 2026. Also while we're here it's important to highlight that Feaster started for DeSoto as a freshman last year and finished as the Eagles' third leading receiver with 32 receptions for 634 yards and 9 touchdowns in 16 games of action which is pretty much unheard of for a freshman at a school like DeSoto. For example, Duncanville five-star WR and LSU commit Dakorien Moore had 15 receptions for 366 yards and 5 touchdowns as a freshman in 16 games of varsity play back in 2021. 

Mark Bowman, TE, Santa Ana (CA) Mater Dei, 2027 - Originally from Denver with a father who grew up in Austin and raised his son Mark to pull for the Longhorns, Bowman is such a good looking prospect that 247Sports National Scouting Analyst Hudson Standish and I thought Bowman might've been 2025 five-star TE Linkon Cure when we first laid eyes on Bowman from about 100 yards away back at the Battle Houston 7on7 tournament in March. Bowman told me several weeks ago that he's already begun the process and started classes to reclass him to the 2026 class. Like damn near every big time prospect nowadays, Bowman was originally held back and was old for his grade so this reclass will put him in the grade he was originally supposed to be in. I know for a fact Stewart is in the same boat when it comes to being held back/age, but I'm not completely sure on Feaster.

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With the 247Sports 2026 class rankings expanding from a Top100 to a full Top247 this week, I figured what better time to start breaking down the rising junior class. 

This week's update included three initial five-stars and a full field of four-stars, with the update being fueled by prospect's sophomore seasons as well as the first half of the offseason camp circuit, which has included events from coast to coast. 

I bought a new car back in early September of 2023 and in the time since I've added 19,000 miles to the odometer. On the same note, I've had and have more in-person exposure to prospects in the state of Texas than just about everyone else in the recruiting world including writers or college coaches. 

That being said, here are 5 more storylines to follow in the 2026 recruiting cycle based off lots of time on the road evaluating and meeting with prospects in-person, sourcing, and everything in between. This is the second part of a two-part series, click HERE for part one. 

Also of note, all of what you are about to read is my personal opinion and only my personal opinion. Some of what I have to say will correspond with the new rankings, some of what I have to say won't. At the end of the day however, none of this has anything to do with what the scouting team at 247Sports thinks or views as again, this is all completely based off my personal opinion.

DEEPEST CLASS OF RUNNING BACKS IN TEXAS SINCE __?

Tradarian Ball (Photo: Jordan Scruggs, 247Sports)
The running back unit in the state of Texas for 2026 might be the strongest group of backs I've ever seen in one in-state class, but to be fair I didn't start really getting my feet wet until the 2021 season when the 2022 class was seniors. 

Continuing on, with the new 2026 rankings, there's now five running backs from the state of Texas ranked inside the Top247, with all five happening to be ranked in the Top 125-

Davian Groce, Frisco Lone Star — No. 17 NATL, No. 1 RB, No. 1 in TX

Tradarian Ball, Texarkana Texas High — No. 47 NATL, No. 2 RB, No. 5 in TX

KJ Edwards, Carthage — No. 64 NATL, No. 4 RB, No. 7 in TX

Javian Osborne, Forney — No. 73 NATL, No. 5 RB, No. 8 in TX

Jonathan Hatton Jr., Cibolo Steele (OU commit) — No. 123 NATL, No. 11 RB, No. 13 in TX

With the Longhorns already holding a commitment from Aledo three-star Raycine Guillory, it'll be incredibly interesting to see how the other running back spot gets filled. 

Hatton committed to OU even earlier than Guillory committed to Texas, and in talking with sources in Hatton's camp I'd be shocked if he ever came off his OU pledge. Groce, who's the No. 1 running back in the nation is the only one of the five backs in the Top247 currently without a Texas offer, but that's likely to change as Groce is a special talent that can get it done at receiver or out of the backfield. Ball, Edwards, and Osborne are all high on Texas and have visited the Forty Acres numerous times each, and at this point in time I see Ball being the most likely to end up in Texas' 2026 class with Osborne just behind as second most likely. Edwards likes Texas, but he seems to be taking his process a little slower and isn't as high on the Longhorns as the other two.

DEEP BLOODLINES THROUGHOUT THE CLASS

Dia Bell (Photo: Andrew Ivins, 247Sports)
I wouldn't say it's uncommon that we come across a prospect or prospects with parents who excelled as athletes, but in 2026 it feels as if there's an abnormally large group of prospects who have a parent that made it to the highest levels if not very close to the highest level. Here's a quick rundown on the bloodlines of several Top-50 ranked prospects and several in-state prospects as well. 

Chris Henry Jr., WR, Santa Ana (CA) Mater Dei  — No. 2 NATL, No. 1 WR, No. 1 in CA 

Connection: Father is Chris Henry, who played receiver at West Virginia before being selected in the 3rd round of the 2005 NFL draft by the Cincinnati Bengals. Had 119 receptions for 1,878 yards and 21 touchdowns in five years with the Bengals before tragically passing away in 2009. Following the death of his father, Henry Jr. and his two siblings were adopted by Henry's long time college and NFL teammate/friend Adam "Pacman" Jones. One of Henry's siblings, Seini Hicks, will be a freshman on the Ohio State Women's Basketball team this fall.

Jackson Cantwell, OT, Nixa (MO) — No. 4 NATL, No. 2 OT, No. 1 in MO

Connections: Father is Christian Cantwell, who attended Mizzou before going to onto be an Olympic thrower that took home a Silver medal in the shot put at the Beijing 2008 games. Mother is Teri Steer, who attended SMU before going to be an Olympic thrower herself as Steer competed in the Sydney 2000 games. Fun fact: Cantwell's PR in the shot is currently 72.3 (22.04m)  and in the discus 205.34 (62.59m).

Calvin Russell, WR, Miami (FL) Northwestern — No. 5 NATL, No, 2 WR, No. 1 in FL

Connection: Mother, Chanivia Broussard, was inducted into the University of Miami's Hall of Fame following a decorated four year career with the Hurricanes women's basketball team. Also was named an ACC Basketball Legend in 2011.

Ryder Lyons, QB, Folsom (CA) — No. 7 NATL, No. 2 QB, No. 2 in CA

Connection: Older brother, Walker Lyons, was a Top247 TE prospect that signed with USC as part of the Trojans 2023 recruiting class. The older Lyons is still yet to officially move in with USC due to him serving his LDS Mission currently. 

Ekene Ogboko, OT, Durham (NC) South Garner — No. 13 NATL, No. 3 OT, No. 3 in NC

Connection: Older brother, Nnamdi Ogboko, was a three-star DL prospect that signed with Georgia as a member of the Bulldogs' 2024 recruiting class. The elder Ogboko moved into Athens in January as an early enrollee.

Dia Bell, QB, Fort Lauderdale (FL) American Heritage — No. 21 NATL, No. 4 QB, No 4 in FL

Connections: Father, Raja Bell, went undrafted in the 1999 NBA draft before churning out a successful 13 year NBA career that saw Bell land on the NBA All-Defensive team twice. Raja's sister and Dia's Aunt, Tombi Bell, played women's basketball four four years at Florida before being drafted in the 3rd round of the 2001 WNBA draft by the Minnesota Lynx. Tobi also spent one season as an assistant coach with the Miami Hurricanes women's basketball team in 2005-2006.


Jett Washington (Photo: Blair Angulo, 247Sports)
Jett Washington, ATH, Las Vegas (NV) Bishop Gorman — No. 25 NATL, No. 2 ATH, No. 1 in NV

Connection: The nephew of the late great Kobe Bryant, Washington's mother is Bryant's sister. 

John Turntine III, OT, North Crowley — No. 27 NATL, No. 5 OT, No. 3 in TX

Connection: Father played defensive line at TCU before a few years in the CFL/NFL. Mother played women's basketball as well. Also of note, one of Turntine's sisters will begin her freshman year at Texas as a student this fall. 

Devin Carter, WR, Ellenwood (GA) Cedar Grove — No. 30 NATL, No. 6 WR, No. 3 in GA

Connections: Father, Dexter Carter, played running back at Florida State before being selected in the first round of the 1990 NFL draft by the 49ers. Also played for the Jets but was a member of the Niners' Super Bowl XXIX winning squad. Older brother, Dexter Carter Jr., played receiver at Georgia Southern 2016-2020. Dexter, Devin's dad, is also cousins with Byron Buxton of the Minnesota Twins, who was the No. 2 pick in the 2015 MLB draft.

Justice Fitzpatrick, CB, Ft. Lauderdale (FL) St. Thomas Aquinas — No. 33 NATL, No. 1 CB, No. 6 in FL

Connection: Older brother is Minkah Fitzpatrick, former Alabama defensive back that won two National Championships in Tuscaloosa as well as the Jim Thorpe amongst other accolades before being selected with the 11th pick in the first round of the 2018 NFL draft. Now a Pittsburgh Steeler, Fitzpatrick has been named a first-team All-Pro three times and is a four-time Pro Bowler. 

Jalen Lott, ATH, Frisco Panther Creek — No. 117 NATL, No. 11 ATH, No. 12 in TX

Connection: Father, James Lott, played cornerback for the Longhorns in the 80s before going on to spend one year with the Chicago Bears. Although the elder Lott experience a lot of success on the gridiron, his main claim to fame comes from his track and field career where he won 3 NCAA High Jump titles and 6 SWC indoor and outdoor titles during his time at Texas. At the time of his graduation from Refugio High School in 1983, Lott held the national high school and world junior record in the High Jump at 7-4.75. The record would only last one year, yet it still stands as the third best jump on the all-time list for high schoolers.

Kaydon Finley, WR, Aledo — No. 143 NATL, No. 22 WR, No. 14 in TX

Connection: Father, Jermichael Finley, played tight end with the Longhorns from 2005-2007 before going to the NFL where he was selected 91st overall by the Green Bay Packers in the 2008 draft. Also of note, Jermichael is half brothers with Jorvorskie Lane and cousins with Rex Hadnot. 

Darryus McKinley, DL, Acadiana (LA) — No. 160 NATL, No. 18 DL, No. 10 in LA

Connection: Older brother, Dominick McKinley, signed with LSU over Texas and Oklahoma as a member of the Bayou Bengals' 2024 recruiting class. Ranked as the nation's No. 18 overall prospect, Dominick still hasn't showed up to LSU as he's a summer enrollee.

London Smith, WR, Waco University — No. 167 NATL, No. 26 WR, No. 19 in TX

Connections: Father, Rodney Smith, started at safety for Baylor for three seasons before finishing 8th all-time in solo tackles for the Bears. Smith's father also played basketball for the Bears and started at guard for Baylors' 1996 basketball team. Smith's mother, Stacey Smith, was a 1999 NCAA National Champion in the triple jump before representing the states in the 1999 world championships. 

Nelson Peterson Jr., QB, Forney — No. 205 NATL, No. 15 QB, No. 27 in TX

Connection: The younger half-brother of Adrian Peterson, the NFL's MVP in 2012 and multiple time pro bowl/All-pro running back by way of East Texas.

Bryce Gilmore, OT, Prosper — No. 229 NATL, No. 20 OT, No. 29 in TX

Connection: Father, Bryan Gilmore, played eight seasons in the NFL as a wide receiver following a successful career at Midwestern State. 

Amante Martin, RB, Port Arthur Memorial — No. 22 RB, No. 38 in TX

Connection: Older brother, Kam Martin, played running back at Auburn for Gus Malzahn before getting into coaching following the conclusion of his playing career. Martin is currently the running backs coach for UCF. Also of note, both brothers are cousins with Longhorn legend Jamaal Charles.

Tatum Bell II, WR, Frisco Heritage — No. 49 WR, No. 40 in TX

Connection: Father, Tatum Bell, played running back at Oklahoma State before being selected in the second round of the 2004 NFL draft by the Denver Broncos. Bell was in the league for five seasons. 

Drew Evers, IOL, Flower Mound — No. 18 IOL, No. 43 in TX

Connection: Older brother, Nick Evers, was a Top247 QB prospect in the 2022 class that spent his freshman season at Oklahoma before entering the transfer portal and ending up at Wisconsin for the 2023 season. Several weeks ago the elder Evers again announced his intention to go into the transfer portal, where he's still available.

Romin Seymour, QB, Fort Bend Ridge Point — No. 23 QB, No. 46 in TX

Connection: Father, Roland Seymour, played defensive end at Florida State from 1996-2000 and was a member of the Noles' undefeated 1999 national championship team. 

Brock Boyd, WR, Southlake Carroll — No. 57 WR, No, 48 in TX

Connection: Older brother, Brady Boyd, is currently a wide receiver for Texas Tech. Originally signed with and spent his first year of college at Minnesota before transferring to Tech. Some of y'all might remember but Brady is very close friends with Quinn Ewers and there were a lot of rumors with no backing back in Dec. of 2021 that Ewers would be joining Boyd at Tech, including a specific Message Board Genius post that went viral (lol). 

Kaedyn Cobbs, LB, Denton Guyer — No. 33 LB, No. 57 in TX

Connection: Older brother Kaedric Cobbs plays running back for UTSA.

EARLY, BUT PROMISING OL CLASS

John Turntine III (Photo: Jordan Scruggs, 247Sports)
The conversation on offensive linemen in 2025 is always centered around the big three of Ty Haywood, Michael Fasusi, and Lamont Rogers, and for good reason. They're clearly by far and away the best OL prospects in the state, so with that in mind let's discuss some names who could make up the following cycle's "big three".

John Turntine III out of North Crowley is without doubt the best OL I've seen in 2026 so far, so he's already a lock for it. After him though, I'm not sure. 

I'm heavily expecting Kyle Flood to swing by Prosper this spring, with the Eagles being home to three Top247 O-linemen in 2026 in Zaden Krempin, Bryce Gilmore, and Sean Stover. Gilmore likely has the highest ceiling of them all, as he's just starting to tap into his potential and is the son of an eight year NFL player.

Mansfield Lake Ridge Top247 offensive tackle Felix Ojo was impressive back at the Under Armour Dallas camp in March, and in the time since he's picked up a bunch of new impressive offers as he now holds a baker's dozen of scholarships from Alabama, Oklahoma, Tennessee, and Texas A&M amongst nine others. He visited Texas in April, and while he doesn't yet hold an offer from the Longhorns, I feel good about him eventually landing one. 

Drew Evers and Day'jon Moore represent two of the better IOL's in the state so far, with both having earned extensive varsity experience up to this point. 

Although he's a year younger, there are people I trust on the PNG staff that believe their 2026 offensive tackle Aaron Wolford is and will be a better prospect than their 2025 offensive tackle Jackson Christian. What a problem to have, two bookend power four OT prospects? Like Christian, Wolford's your classic SETX kid that comes from a blue collar family. I'm not sure how much of a look he'll get from the Longhorns just based off his body type not fitting what Kyle Flood usually targets at the position, but those close to Wolford like the chances of him staying in-state lines at the next level just like they do for Christian.

Euless Trinity IOL Pupunagatoa Katoa has been flying under the national recruiting radar and didn't receive a ranking in this week's update, but he'll end up being one of the most coveted IOL's in the region when it's all said and done. Just the third offensive lineman in the state to receive an offer from the Longhorns following John Turntine III and Drew Evers, Katoa is one of the strongest players in the class and plays with a meanstreak which has earned him early offers from Miami, Oklahoma, and of course Texas. Katoa also comes from a bloodline of athletes spanning across grandparents, uncles, and cousins and I've actually been working on a feature story on Katoa for several weeks that I hope to have out before I really get on the road for spring ball. 

Avery Morcho, Nicolas Robertson, Noah Best, and Pulelei'ite Primus are other offensive lineman names I like in 2026 that don't include guys I wrote about yesterday or in this next section.

STRONG GROUP OF LOCAL 2026S

Jaivion Martin (Photo: Jordan Scruggs, 247Sports)
It feels like the city of Austin and the surrounding area have been in a talent drought since 2023 when it comes to football prospects. 2024 was weak, 2025 is weak, but 2026 has some early promise with some names that have even cracked the Top247 already. 

Hank Harris, Top247 WR, San Marcos — I know this is kind of cheating with Harris being in San Marcos but I'm going to include him anyways. 6-foot-2.5, 185 pound big-bodied receiver that was a part of the UIL investigation into San Marcos that kept the Rattlers from competing in the postseason along with several two-year varsity bans for some players. Harris was one of the players that was suspended from varsity play for two years, so while he could've had a shot at being WR1 for the Rattlers' varsity squad going back to his freshman year, he instead had to terrorize junior varsity opponents for the last two seasons. Because of that, Harris' recruitment has had a bit of a slow start as he only holds five offers currently. He's on Texas' radar and has made several trips to Texas this spring yet doesn't hold an offer for the time being. 

Tiki Hola, Top247 DL, Bastrop — 6-foot-2, 285 pounder that's stronger than an ox with polynesian roots. Texas will at least be in it till the end, but with Hola already holding so many of the coveted out-of-state offers like Georgia and Oregon I'm curious to see which other contenders emerge against the Longhorns for the local product. 

Jaivion Martin, 3-star TE, Pflugerville — 6-foot-3, 245 pounds back at Under Armour Houston. Found this kid after his freshman year and he was at the time and still is easily the best tight end prospect I've seen in the CenTex area for the 2026 class. Was Pflugerville's second leading receiver as a soph. last year with 37 receptions for 557 yards and 2 touchdowns and has been on the Panthers varsity squad since his freshman year. Has a lengthy basketball background and has been on the Panthers varsity hoops team going back to his freshman year as well which is pretty impressive considering Pflugerville has competed at the 5A-DII level both years he's been at the school. Also balances 7on7 with AAU during the offseason. I feel pretty good about Martin eventually being a power four prospect, but he's going to need to cut weight. He doesn't face any issues with his weight right now as he's an incredible athlete even with him being a little heavier, but it's something that will need to be resolved if he wants to continue ascending on a recruiting rise. With UNT and UNLV being the only two schools to have thrown their hats in the ring for Martin so far, expect him to pickup more offers the further we get into the offseason. Martin has visited Texas a handful of times this year already, and if the Longhorns were ever to offer things could potentially get wrapped up pretty quickly with the local product having Texas as his dream school. 


Yaheim "Miami" Riley (Photo: Jordan Scruggs, 247Sports)
Yaheim "Miami" Riley, S, Austin LBJ — Welcome to the Miami fan club, I'm the president of this one too. Ever since I saw this kid for the first time when he was in the spring of his eighth grade year practicing with an 18U 7on7 team, I knew he was different. I saw him at LBJ multiple times as a freshman and after getting to see him at plenty of 7on7 tournaments throughout the spring of 2023, I became confident Riley is a power four safety prospect. He's started for LBJ going back to his freshman season where he was coached by then LBJ head coach and now Texas Director of High School Relations Jahmal Fenner. Fenner departed the J once he took the Texas job in the beginning of 2023, and in the time since Riley's development has continued to excel. He currently holds only two offers from UNT and Campbell, but I promise you his recruitment is far from finished. Riley went both ways for the Jaguars this past fall and is expected to do the same the next two years. Primarily playing on defense, Riley's offensive production from this past fall included 7 receptions for 174 yards and 3 touchdowns. On defense however, Riley led LBJ in tackles as a sophomore with 75 total tackles, 52 solo tackles, 5 tackles for loss, 1 sack, 2 forced fumbles, 1 fumble recovery, 4 interceptions, and 1 pick six. Also of note, Riley was on the Jaguars varsity hoops team this year after taking a year off from basketball during his freshman year. He also competes in track and field and runs in several relays along with the 200M which he's PRed 22.47 in. Riley's recruitment has seen a slower start than others, and I think it's largely because he's at LBJ and the Jaguars spent the last two seasons playing in one of the worst districts in Texas because AISD doesn't know what they're doing. On the same note, Riley isn't able to get out to nearly as many camps, showcases, or visits that other kids are able to which hasn't helped either. That said, I'm a firm believer of the saying "if you're good enough, they'll find you" and it feels like it's only a matter of time before Riley's recruitment pops off. He's on both Texas and Oklahoma's radars and has visited both campuses already, and both programs have been monitoring and in-touch with those in Riley's camp throughout the spring. Again, I'm not sure how long it will take people or coaches to notice, but I feel pretty damn confident Riley will play power four ball one day. And like Jason Bradford, Riley is one of my favorite kids I've come across as he too has an amazing story that I one day hope to tell. 

Jerald "JJ" Mays, IOL, Pflugerville Weiss — Well put together athletic IOL prospect at 6-foot-4, 285 pounds. Has started at Weiss (who plays in 6A) since his freshman season, and has made starts at tackle, guard, and center his two seasons of varsity play but is primarily at tackle. Already holds a handful of power four offers with plenty more on their way. He's visited Texas multiple times and is on the Longhorns' radar, but an offer hasn't come yet. Heads into his junior season with 22 starts at the 6A level across all three OL positions. 

Other names of note in the 512 area—

Jorian Guinn, S, Pflugerville Weiss — Undersized, but a true dawg. Was named district 12-6A defensive newcomer of the year this past fall after he finished with 64 tackles, 6 TFLs, 2 INTs, 1 FF, and 21 PBUs in 11 games. Will be Weiss' lead returning tackler this fall after finishing second on the team in tackles last year, including ahead of third leading tackler in Texas Tech four-star safety signee Peyton Morgan who is/was a production machine in his own right. Can play every position in the secondary too. Might have to play G5 ball out of high school but could one day be one of the bigger names in the portal. 

Caleb Crenshaw, RB, Austin LBJ — The next ultra productive back to follow Sedrick Alexander, Crenshaw actually gets called "lil Sed" by me. Currently holding only one offer from UTSA, Crenshaw got varsity reps backing up Alexander as a freshman when he rushed for 645 yards and 3 touchdowns on 50 carries (12.9 YPC). With Alexander moving onto Vanderbilt last offseason, Crenshaw took the reins as the Jaguars' bellcow in 2023 as he rushed for 1,194 yards and 18 touchdowns on 148 carries (8.1 YPC). Crenshaw also caught the ball 12 times for 240 yards and 3 scores. Also competes with LBJ's track and field program. 


Joshua Austin (Photo: Jordan Scruggs, 247Sports)
Joshua Austin, OT, Pflugerville Weiss — 6-foot-5, 295 pounder that could've made varsity as a freshman, but the Weiss coaches wanted him to get reps on sub varsity since there was much playing time to be had as a freshman with JJ Mays filling in most of the work. Had an up and down sophomore season, and when I last spoke with a coach at Weiss I was actually told they're gonna have him play nose tackle for them this year so I'm incredibly interested to see how that goes this fall. Isn't on many radars and currently holds zero offers, but at 6-foot-5, 295 pounds there's a lot to work with and with the traits Austin has, I'd bet on the chances he ends up playing FBS football. 

Tieson Ejiawoko, EGDE, Georgetown East View — This kid was awesome at Under Armour Houston, but he measured in at 6-foot-2 and just below 220 pounds. He worked out at EDGE that day, but has mostly played linebacker in pads up to this point. With those measurements, he's going to have a much easier job stacking more offers as a LB rather than EDGE. He's visited Texas a few times already as well as several other regional power four programs, and I'm interested to see how much his frame and positional fit could potentially affect his recruitment depending on what he decides on positionally long term. 

Braylen Griffin, S, Lake Travis — The son of Longhorn legend Michael Griffin. Was at Bowie his freshman year before the family moved from his father's alma mater to the Lakeway area where Griffin's cupcake business is. Similar to his father, Griffin is physically a late bloomer so each time I see him he's bigger and taller. Is just starting to tap into his potential. I've watched this kid play 7on7 for several years and it's always super fun because he'll make these crazy instinctual plays where he didn't necessarily even do it on purpose but everyone knows exactly who he got it from. 

Xavier Warren, WR, Georgetown — Most likely the fastest high schooler in the 512 area, Warren ripped a blazing 10.32 (!!!) 100M time back on Mar. 8 of this year. He first popped on my radar last spring when I got a call from a high school coach who was at a track meet that Warren ran his first sub-11 time. It was March 4th, 2023, and a 10.96 at a meet in College Station, and in the time since he's gone sub-11 nine of the eleven times he's touched the track in the 100M. Warren made varsity as a sophomore this past fall and did not disappoint, finishing second on the team in receiving with 20 receptions for 447 yards and 4 touchdowns. I've only seen Warren in-person once and it was back at a 7on7 tryout in November, and while he could easily run past most DBs in attendance it was clear he was raw in most aspects of the game. But that's not nearly as big a worry when you can run 10.32 in the 100M. UNT and Houston were the first programs to throw their hat in the ring, and expect many others to follow. 

Javarlyn Smith, WR, Austin LBJ — Landed his first offer from Jacksonville State in the eighth grade after running in the junior olympics. Since then he's suffered a few lower body injuries that have slowed down his progress on the track, but he ran 11.00 in the 100M earlier this spring and is likely to go sub-11 next spring. Because of the weak competition LBJ faced in district play, the Jaguars didn't air it out a ton but when they did the ball usually went to Fatu Mukuba, Drew Mukuba's little brother and a three-star signee of Sam Houston State. Now that Mukuba has graduated, expect Smith to see an increased role in the Jaguars offense as he looks to build off a soph. year that saw him haul in 21 passes for 312 yards and 4 touchdowns in a season that was shortened due to injuries. Fun fact, Smith is the younger cousin of Dakorien Moore. 

Ben Duncum, DL, Lake Travis — 6-foot-6, 240 pounder that got rotational snaps on the Cavs varsity squad this past year. He set a new PR in the shot put at the beginning of the month with a 52-3 throw, and his older brother Bobby Duncum played defensive line at Westlake before signing with SMU as a three-star in the Mustangs' 2020 class. Older Longhorn fans will know these names, but both of Ben's father Duane Duncum and his uncle (who's also named) Bobby Duncum Jr. played linebacker at Texas back in the day. Ben's grandfather, Bobby Duncum was a big-time professional wrestler from the late 60s to the late 80s. Has 0 offers. 

Carter Buck, DL, Lake Travis — 6-foot-6, 225 pounder that also got rotational snaps on the Cavs varsity squad this past year. Picked up first two offers from UNT and UNLV in the last three days.

LOUISIANA HAS ITS BEST CLASS SINCE __?

Jahkeem Stewart (Photo: Jordan Scruggs, 247Sports)
The state of Louisiana hasn't had 10 prospects in the Top247 since the 2023 class that saw Texas sneak away with the No. 1 and No. 3 overall prospects in the state, Arch Manning and Derek Williams Jr. 

In 2024, the Boot only had eight members finish in the Top247, with two of those ranked inside the final five spots. In 2025 it got even worse, with only five prospects from in-state lines landing in the Top247 as it currently stands. 

I say all that because it's really promising for the state of Louisiana that they already have 10 prospects ranked inside the Top247, and this is the first Top247 update the 2026 class has ever had. 

Lamar Brown, IOL, Baton Rouge University Lab

Jahkeem Stewart, DL, New Orleans St. Augustine

Blaine Bradford, S, Baton Rouge Catholic

Aiden Hall, S, New Orleans Edna Karr

Dylan Berymon, DL, Monroe Ouachita Parish

Brysten Martinez, OT, Gonzalez East Ascension

Jabari Mack, WR, Destrehan

Alvin Celestin, RB, Houma Terrebonne

Richard Anderson, DL, New Orleans Edna Karr

Darryus McKinley, DL, Acadiana

Of the top ten prospects in the Boot listed above, Stewart, Bradford, and Mack have shown the most interest in the Longhorns up to this point. Bradford spoke on record earlier this spring about how his tier one of schools includes the trio of Notre Dame, LSU, and Texas. Stewart's main group feels like Texas, USC, Ohio State, Georgia and LSU. Mack has had Oregon, Texas, and LSU as his main three for several months now. But if I'm being completely honest, I'd be extremely surprised if all three don't end up at LSU because that's kinda just how it is with Louisiana kids most of the time. 

 

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MuellerHorn

MuellerHorn 4049

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The Stampede: Recruits (2025 & 2026) react to Texas' record-breaking NFL Draft showing

Spoiler

Horns247 asked a number of 2025 and '26 targets for their thoughts on the Longhorns' NFL Draft success.

Horns247 Staff

Apr 29th, 8:00 AM

Texas had its best-ever 7-round NFL Draft showing over the weekend, seeing 11 players selected, including two in the first round. It was the Longhorns' first multi-pick first round since 2007. 

It's a testament to the Steve Sarkisian Era rounding into full form, as the program returns to the success it used to enjoy on an annual basis. 

And it all starts with recruiting. Texas has had a lot of success both from the high school ranks and the Transfer Portal in recent cycle, including the class of 2024. 

That doesn't look like it's slowing down anytime soon either. The Longhorns already hold a top 20 class in the 2025 and are in position to pickup some major pieces to continue bolstering the roster. 

Following the NFL Draft this weekend, Horns247 reached out to a number of targets and commits in both the '25 and '26 classes, to get their thoughts on UT having almost a dozen draft picks.

We'll continue adding reactions as they come in throughout the day/week. 

Note: Jordan handled defense, Hank handled offense.

 

2025

Rickey Stewart, 4-star RB, Tyler Chapel Hill (Texas commit) – "Seeing the draft from the Texas people was exciting. Got to see the guys celebrate with they family and friends on TV. Can't wait for that to be me."

Lance Jackson, 4-star DL, Texarkana Pleasant Grove (Texas commit) — "I thought it was really cool and makes me feel good with my decision I know the coaches at Texas are going to develop me into what I want to be and to my goal of going to the NFL it just shows me that all my coaches are going to push me and I'm going to be around an atmosphere of winners."

Bo Barnes, 4-star LB, Dallas Skyline (Texas commit) — "I was just thinking, Texas has developed those guys that got drafted this past weekend and what was going through my mind is that can be me. I will be developed by the best coaches and be surrounded by great people." 

Emaree Winston, 4-star TE, Calhoun (Ga.) — (On Ja'Tavion Sanders getting picked in later rounds) "Lol why so late?" 

Jonathan Cunningham, 3-star LB, North Crowley — "I feel like Texas has a strong football program and having 11 players drafted reflects the quality of their coaching and player development."

Jaboree Antoine, 4-star CB, New Iberia (LA) Westgate (LSU commit) — "It's crazyy to see a school produce 11 players that will have a chance to succeed at the next level!"

Cobey Sellers, 4-star CB, Pearland Shadow Creek — "Very impressive, with the talent that they are bringing back they can only get better. They have a real chance at going into the SEC and turning some heads." 

James Simon, 4-star RB, Shreveport (La.) Calvary Baptist Academy — "I think it shows how good of a developer and coach that Coach Choice is."

Kaliq Lockett, 5-star WR, Sachse — "It's going to keep rolling for the Longhorns. They're on their way to having another big year in the class with Isaiah Bond and more. They're starting to become another one of these schools that are putting wide receivers in the league like others."

Kade Phillips, 4-star CB, Fort Bend Hightower — "That is actually crazy that means they get guys in the league and that's a real good look

Michael Terry III, 5-star ATH, San Antonio Alamo Heights — "Well just being honest I'm not surprised. They're led by great and well experienced coaches and were talented players."

Peter Langi, 3-star IOL, San Francisco (Calif.) Archbishop Riordan — "Man UT did great in the draft and usually schools have about 5 max but it's UT so of course they added another 11 to their NFL list, and it just shows a lot about UT and what they can do to produce that amount of great players to the league and set them up for the future! #HookEm"

Smith Orogbo, 4-star DL, Alief Hastings — "I think Texas is a great place because they have a great coaching staff to help people to develop as great players because it shows in the draft."

2026

Jesse Ford, Top247 DL, Arlington Martin — "It really shows how their program develops their guys really well, they produce a lot of next level talent that I would love to be a part of. Texas is definitely a place that you would want to go to because of how much NFL talent there is and it also shows how great the coaches are as well. 11 players in one draft is pretty crazy…"

Preston Carey, DL, IMG Academy (FL) — "I was very impressed especially with Byron [Murphy] the first defensive tackle being taken in this year's draft in the first round that shows that Texas develops great players at my position."

Christopher Stewart, WR, Shadow Creek – "My thoughts on the players that got drafted from Texas, it's very big because it's the most that they have had drafted in a minute, and it's big for Coach Sark."

Talanoa Ili, 5-star LB, Orange (CA) Lutheran — "I think that says a lot about the program, and the players coming out of it. The hard work and dedication that was put in paid off for those players. Also competition wise they're going against the best in practice which is likely going to translate to the game, helping them getting to the next level!"

Kosi Okpala, 4-star LB, Katy Mayde Creek — "It's a good thing to see how they set their players up for success and develop them for the league"

Keisean Henderson, 4-star ATH – Legacy School of Sport and Sciences – "That was very cool to see."

Tank King, 4-star LB, Port Arthur Memorial — "Not surprised at all because Texas is one of the biggest football programs in college. They always recruit big names and they play at high levels with high players that come out in the draft. They will always have big names." 

Troy Huhn, 4-star QB, San Clemente(Calif.) Mission Hills —"It was something special. It just shows that Texas can develop players into great players to get to that next level!"

Markel Ford, 4-star S, Mesquite Horn — "It was good to see an in-state team send that many people to the league."

Isaiah Williams, S, Fort Bend Marshall — "My thought of it was "wow" if that's what that program does then that's where I want to be."

Dia Bell, 4-star QB, Fort Lauderdale (Fla.) American Heritage – "Having 11 guys drafted says a lot about the level of talent they are able to get at Texas. It says even more about their ability as a staff to develop that talent!"

Tradarian Ball, 4-star RB, Texas High – "It shows how productive their players are, they're very great. My favorite pick was Xavier Worthy going to the Chiefs. They're most definitely getting the 3-peat without a doubt." 

Javian Osborne, 4-star RB, Forney – "This shows that Texas is headed in the right direction. From the recruiting to development. It's big time!"

 

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Vito Andolini

Vito Andolini 9038

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Big hitter, the Lama Zelus. Comes in with his head a bit low on some of his big hits. I thought after decades of “keep your head up” to avoid injury being drilled into these kids that you wouldn’t see much of this, but Zelus don’t give a fuck. He’s a badass. 

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