Texas Football: 3 elite recruits trending to UT in March

Elijah Barnes, LB

Linebacker recruiting will be crucial to the Longhorns building out a successful class on the defensive side of the ball for 2025. Since Texas only took one linebacker commit in the 2024 signing class (Jasper (TX) four-star Tyanthony Smith), Pete Kwiatkowski and the Longhorns will be looking to load up on the position in this cycle.

Texas holds a commitment from three-star Pearland (TX) Shadow Creek outside linebacker Anthony Williams in the 2025 class. Williams is a versatile outside backer with high physical and pass-rushing upside.

Among the top in-state linebacker targets for PK, Johnny Nansen, and the Longhorns in the 2025 class is the highly touted South Oak Cliff four-star Elijah "Bo" Barnes. PK and Nansen have made a huge push on the recruiting trail for Barnes early this offseason.

Barnes included Texas among his top 10 schools that he dropped on social media last week. The other nine schools that made the cut for Barnes' top 10 are the Alabama Crimson Tide, Oregon Ducks, Florida State Seminoles, Ohio State Buckeyes, USC Trojans, SMU Mustangs, Nebraska Cornhuskers, LSU, and Texas A&M.

Texas has done a nice job of making Barnes know how much of a priority he is for them at linebacker in the 2025 class. Since he was hired to replace former Texas co-DC/LB coach Jeff Choate early this offseason, Nansen has quickly formed a good relationship with Barnes.

Nansen and Barnes stay in constant communication and he'll visit Texas during spring practice on April 6. A summer official visit to Texas is also a possibility for Barnes in the next few months.