Commitment No. 16 was a huge one for the Texas Longhorns.
The Horns and head coach Steve Sarkisian just landed five-star cornerback John Meredith III over their rivals, the Texas A&M Aggies, as well as the Alabama Crimson Tide.
Meredith is the No. 2 overall prospect in the class of 2026, and his commitment to Texas came exactly when Sark and his staff could take the most advantage of the announcement.
John Meredith commits to Texas ahead of Horns' 3rd OV
This weekend, the Longhorns are scheduled to host more than a dozen prospects, and most of them have yet to commit to a team. Meredith's commitment was the cherry on top of everything that the Longhorns can offer those recruits, because who wouldn't want to play with one of the best players in the country?
Meredith was the 16th prospect to commit to the Horns, propelling the group into the top 10 of the national rankings. A few of his future Texas teammates will also be in the group taking official visits to Texas this weekend.
At 6-foot-2 and 175 pounds, Meredith is still slightly undersized for a collegiate cornerback, but his speed and sure-handedness have made him an absolute monster downfield. In the 2026 Under Armour All-America game, he earned one tackle and one picture-perfect interception.
He's also a two-sport athlete, and while he will likely only play football during his tenure at Texas, he has an impressive track and field resume as well. He recorded a 43-foot, 5-inch personal best in the triple jump as well as a 21.74-second finish in the 200-meter dash.
Also read: Highly touted 4-star EDGE doubles down on his commitment to Steve Sarkisian
That includes five-star wide receiver Easton Royal, who has been playing both sides of the coin when it comes to his commitment to Texas, as well as four-star safety Greedy James, three-star linebacker Cade Haug, and three-star quarterback Ty Knutson.
When he committed to Texas, Meredith usurped Royla as the No. 1 prospect in the Longhorns' recruiting class of 2026. While Royal would play on the opposite side of the ball as Meredith should he stick to his commitment, James will line up alongside Meredith in Texas's defensive secondary.
Read more: Commitment from in-state 4-star OT keeps the recruiting train rolling in Texas
Beyond the players already committed to Texas, the Horns are hosting nine other prospects this weekend, including Houston Cougars commit Jerrell Bridges.
Since the Longhorns' official visit weekends kicked off, Texas and Sarkisian have received five official commitments, including Meredith's, joining four-star wide receiver Briceson Thrower, four-star defensive lineman Kasi Currie, four-star edge rusher JaBarrius Garror, and four-star offensive tackle Brian Swanson.
The rest of the class is composed of blue-chip or three-star prospects at nearly every position that takes the field on offense and defense (no, there are no kickers or punters in the class quite yet).
It won't be any surprise when, after Meredith's commitment and a third weekend of recruits coming to the 40 Acres, more commitments keep coming in Texas's direction.
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