Texas Longhorns score a commitment from elite four-star CB Kobe Black

The Longhorns have added one of its final pieces to their star-studded 2024 class.

On3 Industry Ranking top-50 cornerback Kobe Black went public with his pledge in-state to Texas during his on Wednesday, picking the Longhorns over Texas A&M, Oregon and Oklahoma State. The playmaking defensive back from Waco (Texas) Connally High School made a series of visits to Austin over the spring before officially visiting in June and returning for the regular-season finale on the Forty Acres.

The On3 Industry Ranking’s No. 44 overall recruit returned to the Forty Acres and reconnected with head coach Steve Sarkisian and Terry Joseph. The 6-foot-2, 190-pound playmaker from Central Texas has always put a premium on his relationship with the coaches at Texas.

“Texas is a family atmosphere,” he said of the Longhorns. “They’re building something. There’s a whole bunch of talent there and they’re being developed well, and that’s big for me. They want to move me around and play me at the STAR, at corner, and moving me around — that’s really catching my eye.”

Members of the Longhorns’ coaching staff also frequented by the four-star cornerback’s high school early and often in the spring, which resonated with Black. Joseph was on the sidelines at the start of the month as the Connally Cadets opened their post-season run, and The Black family hosted Joseph and Sarkisian for in-home visits earlier this month.

Atmosphere, development were key factors

“It’s really good to see who really wants me,” Black told On3. “A lot of coaches came out of their way to see me. Defensive coordinators, cornerback coaches, safety coaches. I’ve been taking it all in.”

“They are great people there in Austin,” Black continued. “It’s the people, the atmosphere obviously. I’d say they don’t sugarcoat anything. They always tell the truth. There are good vibes there. Everything’s cool there.”

This fall, Black has seen the blueprint for his future on the Forty Acres with another big-framed DB in Ryan Watts manning a cornerback spot.

“I’m watching them play, watching some of my old teammates play,” Black told On3. “They’ve recruited me hard and shown a lot of love. They’re just fast playing physical and having fun out there.”

“They’re telling me I can be like Ryan Watts, another big DB like me, a boundary corner,” he continued, “and they’re saying that I can come in, and if keep my head on straight and keep working hard, I could come in and play early.”

Kobe Black Scouting Summary

“Big-bodied defensive back with coverage instincts and ball skills. More filled out than most of his highly-rated peers at the position. Checked in at 6-foot-1 and around 185 pounds prior to his senior season. Has plus length for the position with a wing-span over 6-foot-7. Displays strong change of direction in the camp setting, highlighted by a 4.15 second short shuttle at Under Armour’s Dallas camp. Works as an outside corner on Friday nights. Instinctive in coverage. Reads and jumps routes.

… Technically sound in coverage relative to this stage. Smooth in his movements. Has the length, size and strength to reroute receivers at the line. Projects as a plus run defender. Shows ball skills and made plays on the ball as a junior with 9 pass breakups and 2 interceptions. Also lined up at wide receiver for Waco Connally where he showed playmaking skills and overall coordination. Tracks the football over his shoulder and comes down with high-point grabs in traffic. Not an overly twitchy athlete relative to most high-end cornerback prospects. Quicker than fast. Could also project at safety long-term given his strengths and physical skill set. Also plays basketball and runs track. Very young for the cycle with a late June birthday.” — Charles Power, On3 Director of Scouting and Rankings