Texas makes move in On3 Industry Team Recruiting Rankings after latest commitment

It’s been a slower start on the recruiting trail for Steve Sarkisian and Texas this cycle, but the Longhorns picked up a nice blue-chip commitment on Friday.

New Orleans Edna Karr four-star cornerback Hayward Howard Jr. told On3 that he’s headed to Austin, committing to Texas over LSU and others. He becomes commitment No. 6 for the SEC program this cycle.

With the addition of the nation’s No. 35 CB and No. 11 player in Louisiana, Texas now has the No. 19 class in the On3 Industry Team Recruiting Rankings. It has now jumped Iowa, Maryland and Louisville and will continue to push for top-10 status this summer.

“What stands out to me about Texas is the way they came on in my recruitment,” Howard previously told On3’s Chad Simmons.

The class also ranks No. 9 in the SEC, ahead of Oklahoma, Mississippi State and Arkansas, among others.

Looking at Texas’ 2026 class thus far

The pledge list is buoyed by Fort Lauderdale (Fla.) American Heritage five-star quarterback Dia Bell, the son of former NBA guard Raja Bell. Now On3’s No. 4 overall recruit and No. 2 QB in the nation, Bell has been committed since last June and he remains fully locked in with AJ Milwee and UT.

“A precision passer with the arm talent, size, and athleticism to translate to college football and beyond,” On3’s Scouting and Rankings team writes of Bell. “Mechanically clean with a smooth throwing motion that he replicates with consistency. Has polished footwork that is married to his upper body. Shows high-level arm talent, delivering well-placed passes to multiple levels of the field. A dangerous operator from the pocket.”

Just over a week after Bell committed, Pearland (Texas) Shadow Creek four-star wide receiver Chris Stewart did the same. He’s the highest-ranked of the four in-state commits in the class to date, checking in at No. 231 recruit overall.

February brought a commitment from Melissa (Texas) four-star offensive tackle Max Wright, a towering 6-foot-8, 310-pound trench monster. Spring (Texas) Klein three-star interior offensive lineman Nicolas Robertson committed at the end of March.

Howard is now the second commitment of the month for the Longhorns, following Plano (Texas) Prestonwood Christian three-star long snapper Trott O’Neal, the No. 2 player at his position this cycle.