Texas football receives crystal ball for 5-Star 2025 LB

Texas football has kicked off the 2025 recruiting cycle on a high note early this offseason. Texas has five commitments in the 2025 class, including four blue-chip recruits from four different states.

Head coach Steve Sarkisian and staff have done a nice job of recruiting the southeastern United States, landing commitments from top 2025 recruits such as four-star Alabama quarterback KJ Lacey and four-star Georgia tight end Emaree Winston.

Texas football an early leader for 5-Star LB Riley Pettijohn?

But the in-state crop of recruits for the Longhorns in this cycle could take the 2025 class to the next level. Texas is targeting many elite five-star recruits in the 2025 class in-state at key positions of need.

Among the biggest positions of need in the 2025 class for the Longhorns is linebacker. And the top priority among in-state linebacker recruits in the 2025 class is the elite McKinney (TX) five-star Riley Pettijohn.

Texas has made a big impression since early in Pettijohn's recruitment. He's had multiple successful visits to Texas since last fall, including for the first big Junior Day of the offseason on Jan. 20.

There was some doubting whether Texas would remain one of the top schools in the race to land a commitment from Pettijohn after the loss of co-DC/LB coach Jeff Choate earlier this offseason. But new Texas co-DC/LB coach Johnny Nansen has meade a quick connection with Pettijohn.

Nansen made a good first impression on Pettijohn during his Junior Day visit to Texas a few weeks ago.

Texas the trendy pick in the last few weeks for Pettijohn

The combination of Pettijohn's multiple successful visits to Austin along with his good relationship with Nansen has the Longhorns in a good spot with the elite linebacker recruit early this offseason.

Hank South of Horns247 entered a crystal ball prediction projecting Pettijohn's commitment to Texas on Feb. 8.

Parker Thune of Rivals also entered a FutureCast just after Pettijohn's Junior Day trip to Austin, projecting his commitment to the Longhorns on Jan. 22.

The only industry forecasts for Pettijohn have both projected his commitment to Texas in the last three weeks.

This recruitment still has a long way to go. But Texas is in a great spot among Pettijohn's top schools early this offseason.

Some of the other top schools to watch in the race to land a commitment from Pettijohn entering the spring are the Florida State Seminoles, Florida Gators, Auburn Tigers, Georgia Bulldogs, and Michigan Wolverines.

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