Texas DC Will Muschamp and LB Coach Johnny Nansen are currently working through their list of prospects for the 2028 class, and they both agreed that Kamehameha High School (Honolulu, HI) LB Taualii Purcell should be one of their main focuses.
According to Purcell himself, the Longhorns just offered him, and hopefully this is the start of a journey that ultimately ends with Purcell committing to Texas.
Texas officially offers 2028 ATH/LB Taualii Purcell
AG2G, Grateful to receive an offer from Texas! @BrandonHuffman @coach_lafaele @GregBiggins @TexasFootball pic.twitter.com/TqEHWShmen
— Taualii Purcell (@TauPurcell) May 12, 2026
The 6'1", 190-pound linebacker is a tad undersized right now, but he's incredibly versatile. He already has experience playing safety, linebacker, defensive end, and nickel throughout his short career at Kamehameha HS, consistently being able to dominate wherever his coach puts him.
It's unclear as to where the Longhorns would want him to play in Austin, but it's pretty safe to say that it'll most likely be at WILL or strong safety unless he manages to gain 25-30 pounds by the time National Signing Day 2028 rolls around. In that case, he might even be seen as a potential MIKE in Will Muschamp's defense.
Purcell's processing skills and overall athleticism are what stand out on tape, consistently being able to remain in advantageous positions on the field in both phases of the game. He has a relentless motor and a surprising amount of "pop" in his hands that allows him to take on and shed blocks at the second level of the defense.
Honolulu (Hawaii) Kamehameha 2028 linebacker Taualii Purcell continues to rack up offers https://t.co/hs1TIpf7wd pic.twitter.com/XPCDddKbR1
— Brandon Huffman (@BrandonHuffman) January 29, 2026
Watching him drop back into coverage as a linebacker is also incredibly impressive, as he moves around the intermediate level of the field like a safety when strafing laterally. He does an excellent job of watching the quarterback's eyes and had a couple of nice interceptions as a sophomore in 2025.
Very few high school linebackers can move around like Purcell can, and it's what makes him such a special player in the 2028 class. He'll be getting a lot more recognition going forward as teams start to get a hold of his tape, and he just received an offer from Oregon last week as well.
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