Texas hosting pair of in-state 5-stars this weekend
The Forty Acres is a recruiting hotbed this weekend, as Steve Sarkisian and Texas look to build an elite 2025 recruiting class.
The Longhorns are hosting a loaded list of elite recruits, including a pair of in-state five-stars in Galveston Ball five-star linebacker Jonah Williams and Sachse five-star wide receiver Kaliq Lockett.
Texas is in the thick of things in each respective recruitment and is battling a host of high-profile for both. The Longhorns are currently trending for Lockett in the On3 Recruiting Prediction Machine, but it’s Oklahoma that’s currently out in front for Williams.
Williams is the No. 11 overall prospect and the top-ranked LB in the 2025 cycle, according to the On3 Industry Ranking, a weighted average that utilizes all four major recruiting media companies. Lockett is right behind as the No. 14 overall recruit and the No. 2 wideout in the nation.
Williams, Lockett talk Texas Longhorns
Texas is doing all it can to make both Lone Star recruits feel like a top priority in Austin. Last month, Lockett joined On3’s Phillip Dukes on ‘The Five Star Flex’ to talk about his interest in his top schools, including the Longhorns.
“Being a kid from the Dallas area, that’s all people talk about. It’s Texas, Oklahoma, SMU, but mainly it’s Texas. I liked Texas growing up,” Lockett said. “What I like about them is how balanced their offense is. You saw Xavier Worthy and AD Mitchell, they moved around different spots in the field. They all were in-sync with each other’s play style. That’s what I like about Texas.”
As for Williams, the likes of OU, Ohio State, LSU and Oregon all appear to be in the mix for his pledge. He recently visited Columbus and is beginning to lock in official visit dates. Texas has a chance to re-stamp its position as a top contender with the do-it-all defender this weekend.
“After Coach (Jeff) Choate just left, they moved me back to the safety room before the playoff game. So now I’m getting recruited by Coach (Blake) Gideon, the safeties coach. I have always had a relationship with Coach Gideon since my sophomore year. He came down (to the school) before break to see me. He told me I need to get to the Junior Day and have a meeting with the coaches,” Williams told On3 of Texas earlier this year.
“They love my parents, and it’s an ongoing relationship with my parents and myself. Texas was actually the first school to talk baseball and football. They invited me to an invite only camp, and I showed out there. They have been contacting my high school baseball coach a lot.”
Texas Class Breakdown
The class was kicked off with a bang back in June, as Saraland (Ala.) four-star quarterback K.J. Lacey pledged to the Longhorns. The gunslinger has continued to rise in the On3 Industry Ranking and now checks in as a top-10 player at his position.
“So some of the main things that stood out to me about Texas were how much they value relationships,” Lacey told On3 upon his commitment. “What coach Sark and coach Milwee preached to me was that they don’t just offer quarterbacks because they are talented. They also want to know what type of person you are towards your teammates and peers and see if the leadership role comes to you naturally or not.
Lacey has been flanked by three others since December. Calhoun (Ga.) four-star tight end Emaree Winston and Melbourne (Fla.) Eau Gallie four-star defensive lineman Brandon Brown committed to UT on back-to-back days.
Texarkana (Texas) Pleasant Grove four-star athlete Lance Jackson pledged in January to add some in-state defensive flair to the pledge list in Austin.