4-Star DB Kade Phillips gives Texas much-needed recruiting win

After a really tough last week or so on the recruiting trail for Texas football in the 2025 class, head coach Steve Sarkisian and staff got a much-needed win for this cycle on the night of July 6. Texas landed one of its top-priority defensive back recruits in the 2025 class this weekend.

Texas football gets big win on the trail for 2025 landing 4-Star DB Kade Phillips over LSU

Four-star Missouri City (TX) Fort Bend Hightower defensive back Kade Phillips committed to Texas over the LSU Tigers and Texas A&M Aggies in the 2025 class on Saturday evening. Phillips was arguably Texas's most important in-state 2025 cornerback target this summer.

This is a huge win on the recruiting trail in the 2025 class for safeties coach Blake Gideon and the Longhorns' secondary. Phillips is one of the most talented and athletic in-state 2025 safeties. He joins fellow Houston-area native and three-star Missouri City (TX) Fort Bend Marshall cornerback Caleb Chester in Texas's 2025 defensive back class.

Gideon and the Longhorns did a great job during Phillips' official visit to Texas in late June. It also helped that Texas got the final official visit to get the last pitch with him before his early July decision to commit to the Longhorns in the 2025 class.

"Being around Austin and all the successful people there was big for me. I like how Texas sees me as versatile and someone who can play multiple positions, so they can find a way to get me on the field as fast as possible. Then, I like the family feeling I get from UT. It’s from all the staff and all of the coaches, including coach Steve Sarkisian."

Phillips told On3 that relationships with the coaching staff at Texas and the opportunities the school presents on and off the field won them this recruitment.

It's also important for the Longhorns to win this recruitment not only because Phillips could wind up being the most talented defensive back in this 2025 class for Texas, but also to help build very necessary momentum on the trail heading into late summer.

Outside of landing the uber-athletic and highly touted four-star Houston (TX) Alief Hastings edge rusher Smith Orogbo earlier this week in the 2025 class, the Longhorns were struggling to keep pace with top targets on the trail this cycle after summer official visits. Getting Phillips can be a potential turning point for momentum for the Longhorns on the trail with looming decisions for the rest of the summer.

Phillips brings range and versatility to Texas's secondary

The 6-foot-1 and 185-pound defensive back from Southeast Texas Phillips is one of the most versatile and exciting secondary prospects in Texas in the class of 2025. He has the tools necessary to succeed regardless if he plays at cornerback or safety in college.

The plan for Phillips is to start at safety for the Longhorns. But we know how much this coaching staff values versatility in their defensive back recruits and the ability to cross-train the secondary players.

Phillips could also be a high-level cornerback with good physicality and speed at the collegiate level if that's where the Texas defensive staff ultimately feels he is best fit for this side of the ball in the next few years.

One of Phillips' best qualities is his straight-line speed. He's a sub-21.5 second 200-meter dash timer when running track at Fort Bend Hightower High School. Phillips combines his eye-popping speed for a defensive back with great acceleration, good football instincts, and consistent physicality to make him a very well-rounded safety prospect with high upside at the collegiate level for Texas.

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