Texas makes big jump in Rivals Industry Team Recruiting Rankings after latest flip

Texas is getting hot at the right time — both on the field and the recruiting trail.

Less than 24 hours after an impressive win over rival Texas A&M, the Longhorns beat out a host of other programs for 2027 five-star wide receiver Easton Royal out of New Orleans (La.). The nation’s top junior wideout, he had been considered a lean to LSU, but Texas won out in the end. Just a few hours later, they made another huge addition, this time to their 2026 class.

After a yearslong pursuit, Steve Sarkisian and Co. flipped four-star defensive lineman Jamarion Carlton away from Baylor on Saturday afternoon.

The recruiting win gives the Longhorns another elite mauler up front, and in the process, it moves them from No. 10 in the Rivals Industry Team Recruiting Rankings up to No. 7. In doing so, they move past the Aggies, as well as Miami and Tennessee, less than a week before National Signing Day.

Carlton himself is the No. 99 overall prospect and No. 8 defensive lineman in the 2026 class. The 6-foot-4, 250-pounder out of Temple (Texas) is the eighth top-100 prospect in the fold for the Longhorns now. He joins a group headlined by Five-Star Plus+ quarterback Dia Bell and is now part of an elite defensive class heading to Austin.

The Longhorns also have commitments from five-star EDGE Richard Wesley, five-star linebacker Tyler Atkinson, and elite defensive lineman James Johnson, who Rivals ranks as a top-50 recruit in the cycle.

Texas Longhorns commitments by position

Quarterback
Five-star Dia Bell, No. 8 NATL. (No. 3 QB)

Running back
Four-star Derrek Cooper, No. 74 NATL. (No. 3 RB)
Three-star Jett Walker (No. 737 NATL. (No. 46 RB)

Wide receiver
Four-star Chris Stewart, No. 262 NATL. (No. 46 WR)
Three-star Kohen Brown, No. 610 NATL. (No. 95 WR)

Offensive tackle
Three-star Kaden Scherer, No. 1155 NATL. (No. 86 OT)

Interior offensive linemen
Four-star John Turntine, No. 79 NATL. (No. 3 IOL)
Three-star Nicolas Robertson, No. 443 NATL. (No. 42 IOL)

Defensive line
Five-star James Johnson, No. 87 NATL. (No. 8 DL)
Four-star Jamarion Carlton, No. 99 NATL. (No. 10 DL)
Four-star Vodney Cleveland, No. 252 NATL. (No. 29 DL)
Four-star Corey Wells, No. 278 NATL. (No. 32 DL)

EDGE
Five-star Richard Wesley, No. 13 NATL. (No. 4 EDGE)
Four-star Kosi Okpala, No. 131 NATL. (No. 17 EDGE)

Linebacker
Five-star Tyler Atkinson, No. 19 NATL. (No. 1 LB)
Three-star Rocky Cummings, No. 622 NATL. (No. 53 LB)
Three-star Charlie Jilek, No. 1333 NATL. (No. 118 LB)

Cornerback
Four-star Samari Matthews, No. 124 NATL. (No. 17 CB)
Four-star Hayward Howard Jr., No. 279 NATL. (No. 33 CB)

Safety
Three-star Yaheim Riley, No. 1133 NATL. (No. 105 S)

Athlete
Four-star Jermaine Bishop Jr., No. 62 NATL. (No. 3 ATH)

Specialists
LS Trott O’Neal
P Mikey Bukauskas
K Jake Collett