4 must-win recruitments for Steve Sarkisian this summer

Riley Pettijohn, LB

Texas's top priority linebacker prospect in the state in the 2025 class, McKinney (TX) high-four-star Riley Pettijohn, started his summer official visits at Ohio State last weekend. The Longhorns are trying to get the No. 2 linebacker recruit in the nation in the 2025 class in the On3 Industry Ranking in the boat for them, along with the highly touted four-star Dallas (TX) Skyline linebacker Elijah "Bo" Barnes.

There was a lot of buzz for Ohio State potentially cutting into Texas's lead with Pettijohn coming out of his official visit to Columbus within the last few days.

It does sound like Ohio State made a big impression on Pettijohn. But this is just the beginning of the four official visits Pettijohn is scheduled to take this summer.

Pettijohn is also scheduled to officially visit the USC Trojans (June 7), Texas (June 14), and Texas A&M Aggies (June 21) this month. The other out-of-state visit Pettijohn is scheduled to take in June, to see USC this upcoming weekend, could generate more buzz considering how much he's like his Southern California visits in the last year or so.

But it wouldn't surprise me if this recruitment ultimately boils down to Texas and Ohio State. That is assuming that the momentum Ohio State built in this recruitment lasts through the next few official visits for Pettijohn for the rest of this month.

Pettijohn trimmed his list of top schools to the four he's officially visiting this summer as he's looking to narrow his decision to before the start of his senior season.