Texas is losing head-to-head recruiting battles in the 2026 class, so what’s behind the Longhorns’ strategy?

Recruiting is a give-and-take, but lately Texas seems to be losing more than winning. It’s almost a déjà vu moment, echoing nearly this exact time last year when the Longhorns missed out on several priority targets — only to rally and finish with the No. 1 class in the nation. So, what’s going on in Austin this time around?

The momentum shift began over the Fourth of July, when former Big 12 rival Texas Tech spoiled Texas’ holiday weekend by pulling off a stunner: landing top-rated offensive tackle Felix Ojo in the final days before his commitment. The Longhorns were widely seen as the favorite for the five-star prospect until the Red Raiders swooped in late with a lucrative revenue-sharing offer.

But Ojo isn’t the only blue-chip target Texas has missed so far. Many other highly ranked in-state recruits have committed elsewhere, leaving Texas struggling to gain traction and watching priority prospects opt for rival programs.

The trend raises serious questions: Is this another slow start before a late-cycle surge? Or is Texas truly losing ground in key recruiting battles as summer heats up? The Longhorns rank No. 9 nationally in the 2026 team rankings and No. 5 in the SEC after an important commitment from Top247 cornerback Samari Matthews last Friday. It’s a step in the right direction, but the recent misses still loom large over Texas’ summer swing.

We checked in with Horns247 insider Hank South to get the lowdown on what’s behind Texas’ misses on the recruiting trail.

Big misses threaten Texas’ 2026 class

Texas needs answers. It also needs a prized offensive tackle, if not multiple, in this cycle — which makes the loss of Ojo sting that much more. Especially given the timing.

“The Longhorns poured in a lot of resources recruiting Ojo…

Source link : https://www.cbssports.com/college-football/news/texas-is-losing-head-to-head-recruiting-battles-in-the-2026-class-so-whats-behind-the-longhorns-strategy/

Author : Cody Nagel

Publish date : 2025-07-14 15:58:00

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