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Get to know 2026 signee and four-star CB Samari Matthews

by: Charlie Williams12/03/25

Whether you’re a diehard recruiting aficionado in need of a refresher or a casual recruiting fan needing only the particulars, this will be the series for you.

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The first national signing day for college football is Wednesday, December 3. This series will give you the chance to familiarize yourself with the next class charged with keeping Texas near the top of the college football world.

To win at a consistently high level requires talented class after talented class. The top-10 2026 class does that following a No. 1 class in 2025.

On the first national signing day, Inside Texas will offer profiles of each member of the 2026 signing class. Up next, Samari Matthews.

The Player:

Samari Matthews, CB, Huntersville (N.C.) Hough

The Rating:

93.23 (four-star)

The Ranking:

  • No. 124 nationally
  • No. 17 cornerback in the nation
  • No. 9 overall player in the state of North Carolina

The Highlights:

The Recruitment:

This recruitment began long before Texas was even a serious contender. It started back when Coach Mark Orphey was coaching at Rutgers and identified Matthews early. The two built a strong relationship that stayed intact even after Orphey moved on and eventually landed at the University of Texas.

When I met Matthews in April at the OT7 tournament, he was already talking about Texas. He mentioned how interested he was in the program, how he wanted to visit Austin, and how impressed he was with Texas’ track record of development and sending defensive backs to the NFL — before he even had a visit set up.

Once he finally made the trip, Texas became the clear favorite. Matthews watched a practice, saw the competition level, how operations ran, and experienced Austin for himself. He was blown away by the visit.

From there, the Longhorns took control of the recruitment. Matthews took official visits to Florida State, South Carolina, and Miami, and each program pushed hard — particularly South Carolina late. But the connection with Coach Orphey, combined with what Texas offered on and off the field, kept Texas in the driver’s seat.

Matthews returned to Austin for an official visit in June, and that sealed everything. His family loved it. He loved it. They all bought in. He committed in July and has been firmly locked in ever since. He cannot wait to get to Austin.

The Quote:

“When I first did my visit, I was there a couple of days. I didn’t want to leave. My time around the coaches, seeing everything really opened up the doors for Texas. I truly wanted to stay. Then at the official visit in June, I knew my family loved it. I liked it. We all did. We all bought in as a family on Texas after the visit. The official visit just solidified my decision.”

The Projection:

Matthews can line up at boundary or field corner. He has the size and physicality to hold down the boundary, while also possessing the twitch, athleticism, and long speed needed to excel on the field side.

He doesn’t shy away from contact, will come up and tackle, set the edge, and force things back inside. In coverage, he’s sticky, disciplined, and plays with strong technique.

He has the versatility to slide inside and play star because of his physicality and processing ability.

The Final Word:

Texas is getting a long, athletic corner who can play on an island and erase receivers. He understands leverage, situational football, and how to turn and run step-for-step with most receivers.

He brings versatility, polish, and toughness to the secondary — and he’s a quality young man who just wants to work, grind, and shut down whoever lines up across from him.

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