Impact of Texas signing 5-Star DL Justus Terry

Texas football beat out the Georgia Bulldogs and head coach Kirby Smart to land an elite defensive line recruit from within their own state in the Peach State on Dec. 6, Manchester (GA) five-star Justus Terry. The No. 2 defensive line recruit in the nation in the 2025 class in the 247Sports Composite and On3 Industry Ranking committed to Texas over the Auburn Tigers, Alabama Crimson Tide, and Georgia late Friday morning.

No. 1 ranked 2025 class secured for Texas football with the commitment of 5-Star DL Justus Terry over Georgia

Terry signed with the Longhorns in the 2025 class on the final day of the Early Signing Period on Dec. 6.

It goes without saying that this is a gigantically-important commitment for the Longhorns to get along the defensive line in the 2025 recruiting class. Texas had a massive need along the defensive line from high school recruiting in the 2025 cycle.

Defensive line coach Kenny Baker and the Longhorns had to go out-of-state in Georgia recruiting territory in the Dawgs backyard to win a huge recruitment for one of the most talented DT prospects in the nation.

Baker did fantastic work to go all over the country in this cycle for the 2025 class to land three talented blue-chip defensive line recruits and get them signed early on signing day this week.

Texas made a huge move in Terry's recruitment when he took a surprise official visit to Austin in mid-October for the Georgia game at DKR. He told Horns247 that Texas made a move to heighten his interest in the Longhorns during the official visit to Austin a couple of months ago.

"Just coming out here, they answered a lot of my questions. When I came out here I was just opened-minded. They made a big jump on my recruitment."

- Justus Terry

Adding Terry's commitment and signing today essentially locks up Texas's No. 1 ranked recruiting class in the nation for 2025 in the 247Sports Composite. Texas has really proven its standing in the SEC on the recruiting trail with this No. 1 ranked class in the nation for this cycle for 2025.

The Longhorns had a big need to add depth and talent at the defensive tackle position in the 2025 class from the high school level. Texas needed more numbers and impactful big humans in the trenches to replace the outgoing upperclassmen next year.

Baker and the Longhorns are probably going to lose at least four or five defensive tackles due to the NCAA Transfer Portal and exhausted eligibility next offseason. Redshirt sophomore defensive lineman Jaray Bledsoe had his plans to enter the transfer portal announced on Dec. 5.

With the Longhorns being so thin on proven depth and experienced starters up front along the defensive line for next offseason, getting these incoming high school recruits enrolled early for spring ball will be crucial.

Texas adds a massively-impactful first-year DL in Terry to the front seven

Assuming Texas adds one or two defensive tackles from the portal during the winter transfer window (starting Dec. 9), the Longhorns' defensive line competition next spring will be much-needed.

Terry is the most talented interior defensive lineman the Longhorns signed from high school recruiting in the 2025 class. While he doesn't have the size that other bigger Texas defensive tackles do in this class or that are on campus on the current roster, Terry's disruptiveness and raw athleticism should make up for whatever muscle mass he's lacking in muscle mass and frame in matchups in the trenches.

At 6-foot-4.5 and 275 pounds, Terry's length and lightning-quick first step could help him work his way into the interior defensive line rotation for the Longhorns next year, despite his lighter weight.

Terry's insane raw talent and athleticism should help him get off blocks and be disruptive as an interior pass rusher immediately for the Longhorns' front seven at three-tech or five-tech along the interior of the defensive line.

He probably doesn't need to come in and be a two-gapper right away as an interior linemen for the defense. Texas shouldn't need Terry to anchor the defensive line as a two-gapper for the Longhorns during his collegiate career.

Four-star defensive line signee for Texas Josiah Sharma, at 6-foot-4 and 325-pounds, gives the Longhorns a tremendous future D-Line duo with a talent the level of Terry that Pete Kwiatkowski and Baker can develop and utilize right away in the 2025 season.

Above all, Terry's commitment proves that the Longhorns are among the top recruiting football powers in the SEC. Upsetting Georgia and Auburn for a recruit from the Southeastern United States from the Peach State in the Dawgs' backyard, like Terry, to secure the No. 1 ranked 2025 recruiting class in the nation sets the tone for the Longhorns' position in this conference well into the future on the trail.

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