Texas football has ‘open communication’ with 5-Star UGA LB commit

A big run on the recruiting trail for Texas football and head coach Steve Sarkisian getting elite talent in the 2024 class continued this week when they landed a commitment from five-star St. Louis University (MO) wide receiver Ryan Wingo. Texas secured Wingo’s commitment over the Mizzou Tigers on Oct. 25.

Wingo is Texas’ third five-star commitment in the 2024 class in as many months. And the Longhorns aren’t slowing down anytime soon with their momentum with top five-star talent on the recruiting trail in the 2024 and 2025 classes.

Among the top recruits the Longhorns are pursuing on the trail as flip candidates is the elite five-star Conroe (TX) Oak Ridge linebacker and Georgia Bulldogs commit Justin Williams. The 6-foot-2 and 210-pound elite in-state prospect is the No. 1 linebacker recruit in the nation in the 2024 class, according to all the major recruiting services.

Williams committed to Georgia over the Oregon Ducks in the summer (specifically on July 24). But that hasn’t stopped Sark and co-defensive coordinator/linebackers coach Jeff Choate from keeping an open line of communication with Williams this fall.

Texas football has open communication with 5-Star UGA LB commit Justin Williams

Justin Wells of Inside Texas reported this week (paid content) that Williams “stays close” to Sark and Choate and his “relationship with Texas is stronger than expected and growing”.

It won’t be easy for the Longhorns to flip Williams’ commitment from Georgia, but Sark and the staff are playing the long game in this recruitment. The fact that Williams is receptive to the communication Texas has with him this fall at least gives the Longhorns a flicker of hope as they work to chip away at his commitment to Georgia.

Moreover, Texas won’t be a real threat to flip Williams’ commitment from Georgia until he shows up on the Forty Acres for a gameday visit this season. Texas is working to get him to campus for a gameday this fall. And they have a few more chances to do so, most notably in the next two weekends against the BYU Cougars on Oct. 28 and Kansas State Wildcats on Nov. 4.

Williams among Texas’ top flip targets at LB in the 2024 class this fall

While Williams is clearly the grand prize among the flip targets for the Longhorns at linebacker in the 2024 class, there are a couple of other names of note at the position Texas is working on. The linebacker target Texas has communicated with the longest is four-star Jasper (TX) product and Texas A&M Aggies commit Tyanthony Smith.

Smith remains locked in with the Aggies, but the Longhorns are still trying to chip away at his commitment to A&M this fall.

The other flip target at linebacker of note for the Longhorns this fall in the 2024 class is the touted four-star Jonesboro (LA) Summer Creek product and LSU Tigers commit Xavier Atkins. Atkins has interest from multiple Power Five schools that are working to chip away at his commitment to LSU, including the Arkansas Razorbacks, Colorado Buffaloes, Texas A&M, and Texas.

Pete Kwiatkowski, Choate, and the Longhorns are content without taking a linebacker recruit in this class. But they are working to get one of Williams, Atkins, or Smith in this class heading into signing day in December.