Linebacker
Elijah "Bo" Barnes, Dallas (TX) Skyline 4-Star
South Dallas native high-four-star Elijah "Bo" Barnes is the highest-rated linebacker signee in the Longhorns 2025 class. Barnes did a little bit of everything for Dallas (TX) Skyline's defense this season, leading him to become one of the biggest senior risers in the recruiting rankings from the major recruiting services.
Welcome to the Forty, @ElijahBobarnes1 🤘#AllGas25 x #HookEm pic.twitter.com/paoiR8xNpZ
— Texas Football (@TexasFootball) December 4, 2024
Not only will Barnes provide some very necessary depth for the Longhorns at the linebacker position in 2025 and 2026, but he will also be a valuable future starter for the defensive front in a couple of years. I'd expect Barnes to be a multi-year starter at mike linebacker once sophomore Anthony Hill Jr. is gone in a couple of years for the Longhorns.
Jonathan Cunningham, Fort Worth (TX) North Crowley 3-Star
Fellow DFW native linebacker Jonathan Cunningham will be a very versatile defender for the Longhorns along the defensive front. Cunningham has the proven ability to drop back into pass coverage, come off the edge as a pass rusher, and step up into the box to help with defending the run.
He’s staying in Texas! Welcome to the Forty @Deucethegreat4 🤘#AllGas25 x #HookEm pic.twitter.com/RxAxrg37cU
— Texas Football (@TexasFootball) December 4, 2024
After two or three years of development under PK and Johnny Nansen, Cunningham should be ready to be a significant contributor to Texas's defense at the linebacker position.
For this class to be viewed in a grading lense as anything higher than a C+ or a B-, the Longhorns needed to sign someone like McKinney (TX) five-star Riley Pettijohn, Wiley, or California four-star Madden Faraimo in the 2025 class.