The Longhorns got a major commitment just one day before the early signing period.
The Texas Longhorns pulled off a major last-minute commitment on Tuesday, flipping 2025 five-star defensive back Kade Phillips from the LSU Tigers.
Phillips, ranked the No. 23 player in the Class of 2025, is a native of Texas, and had initially committed to the Longhorns back on July 6th. However, he flipped to the Tigers just one month later, and had been pledged to LSU until re-committing to the Longhorns on Tuesday, just one day before the early signing period.
The 6’1”, 185-pound cornerback is considered to have one of the higher ceilings in the 2025 class, thanks to his elite athleticism stemming from a strong track background.
.@_KadePhillips locks down half the field for the @HightowerFB secondary. Quarterbacks smartly avoided throwing near him all season long. The game-changing DB will play for @TexasFootball next year and is our Week 16 @ParkerUniv MVP. #txhsfb pic.twitter.com/kBmy44F4ik
— Houston Inside High School Sports (@ihss_houston) December 3, 2024
Phillips has good versatility as well, as he initially committed to Texas to play safety, but is now expected to be a cornerback for the Longhorns, as he was recruited by corners coach Terry Joseph this time around.
With Phillips in the fold, the Longhorns have a top-five class in the 2025 cycle and commitments from five 5-stars: safety Jonah Ball (No. 6 in 2025 class by 247), defensive end Lance Jackson (No. 8 in 2025 class by On3), wide receiver Kaliq Lockett (No. 16 in 2025 class by 247), Phillips (No. 23 in 2025 class by On3), and wide receiver Jaime Ffrench (No. 27 in 2025 class by Rivals).
“They have been pushing really hard to get me back to Texas. Their message has been that they still want me and they want to show what they can do for me,” Phillips told On3. “Sark is building something big and I want be a part of that and have a impact.”
Texas has recruited the secondary hard in the 2025 class, as Ball and Phillips headline the group, while the Longhorns also have commitments from four-star cornerback Graceson Little, four-star safety Zelus Hicks, and three-star cornerback Caleb Chester.
Phillips is the highest-rated cornerback that the Longhorns have landed under Steve Sarkisian and the second-highest-rated defensive back, marking the magnitude of the move.
With his commitment, the Longhorns are up to 23 players in their 2025 class and they’re not done yet.
Texas is involved in the recruitment of one of the top uncommitted players in the country: five-star defensive lineman Justus Terry, who will make his decision tomorrow on early National Signing Day.
In addition, they’re trying to keep five-star offensive tackle Michael Fasusi home, as the Lewisville native is currently pledged to the Oklahoma Sooners. That battle could be a tough one to win, but Texas has the resources and could make a major move in the trenches if they win out there over the next 24 hours.
One five-star recruit that the Longhorns are trending for is Michael Terry III, the top athlete in the country. A native of San Antonio, this one seems to be a battle between Texas and the Nebraska Cornhuskers for the five-star wide receiver, and will be another recruitment to watch on National Signing Day.
Overall, the Longhorns got one of their biggest targets to flip, as Phillips is set to sign with Texas after his last-minute de-commitment from LSU. NIL seemingly played a factor in this recruitment, but it’s a big one for Texas, who get a defensive back with one of the highest upsides in the recruiting class.
