3 key recruits impressed by Texas's event this weekend

Blaine Bradford, S

Texas had a couple of elite safety recruits from the 2026 class on campus for unofficial visits this weekend.

Five-star Baton Rouge (LA) Catholic safety Blaine Bradford and five-star Carrollton (GA) safety Zelus Hicks were both on campus to see Texas during spring practice on April 13. For Hicks, it was his second visit to Texas unofficially since the start of the offseason.

Hicks also visited Texas in mid-January. We were expecting a potential offer to come Hicks' way this weekend. But we haven't seen any offer handed out to him yet.

That leaves the No. 1 safety recruit in the nation in the 2026 class in the 247Sports Composite and On3 Industry Ranking, Bradford, as the premier priority defensive back on campus this weekend. Bradford was also making his first return visit to Texas since mid-January.

Bradford has been a priority out-of-state defensive back target for Blake Gideon and the Longhorns in the 2026 class for over a year now. He told Inside Texas (paid content) that he liked seeing Texas practice and how Gideon's philosophy translates on the practice field and the locker room.

Coming out of the visit this weekend, Bradford said that Texas is easily in his top three along with the Notre Dame Fighting Irish and likely the LSU Tigers.

Texas will keep pushing to get Bradford and his family on campus as much as possible over the next few months and during the fall. The combination of Texas's culture within the program, academics, and success on the field should keep them in contention among the top schools in the race to land a commitment from Bradford.