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Recruiting Scoop: Longhorns Go Coast to Coast to See Top Targets

by: Charlie Williams05/23/25
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Malakai Lee (Scott Schrader/On3)

The Longhorns coaching staff hit the road coast to coast, checking in on elite prospects across the country. From Hawaii to the Florida, Texas is casting a wide net to land top-tier talent.

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The two start with Duncanville EDGE Landon Barnes. While he plays the same position as Colin Simmons and wears his number, Barnes is a different player yet still very talented. He’s one of three top options for the weakside EDGE position in the Longhorns defense, and EDGE coach LaAllan Clark has made him a priority. Barnes also recently took an unofficial to Austin. Where Texas stands with Barnes, Xavier Griffin, and Jamarion Carlton is explained.

The Longhorns visited Justice Fitzpatrick, little brother of Minkah Fitzpatrick, at his spring game with Mark Orphey making the trip to Fort Lauderdale. Texas is battling a number of regional rivals but is in the mix for Fitzpatrick, who visited Texas recently.

Hawaii OT Malakai Lee has Texas in his top group and plans to officially visit Austin. Most of Kyle Flood’s top targets are in the Lone Star State, but Flood visited the Aloha State recently and Lee fits his mold of offensive tackles thanks to his size.

They end with a discussion on Vodney Cleveland, a defensive tackle from Alabama. Texas is a frontrunner for Cleveland, who lives in the Birmingham area. The Longhorns and defensive tackles coach Kenny Baker want to keep a talent pipeline at DT going and Cleveland would fit into it nicely.

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