Steve Sarkisian may have more than one recruiting battle on his hands this fall, and Easton Royal is right in the middle of it.
The five-star wide receiver and Texas commit is expected to be on the sidelines when the Longhorns host Ohio State in Week 2, and that alone has turned that game into a major checkpoint for Sarkisian. Royal’s name has already become part of the conversation around possible commitment flips, and Texas will get another chance to keep him locked in when LSU comes calling later in the season.
That date is Nov. 14, when the Longhorns travel to Baton Rouge to face the Tigers. Royal is now scheduled to attend that game, and because he is a Louisiana native, LSU has been pushing hard to flip his pledge. What would normally be a regular-season road game now carries extra weight for Texas and its 2027 recruiting class.
Royal has also lined up two more game-day visits. He plans to be in Baton Rouge again when LSU opens the season against Clemson in Week 1, and he has also set a visit for Florida’s game against Ole Miss.
At the same time, Texas is still working to bring in other elite talent during the season. The Horns are also trying to get current Indiana commit Monshun Sales, another five-star receiver, to Austin for a game.
Recruiting around big games has become part of the job in college football, and Sarkisian has plenty of experience handling it. He’s entering his sixth season at Texas, and the Longhorns have hosted top prospects during marquee weekends before, including quarterback Dia Bell last year.
Texas and Ohio State are set to kick off at 6:30 p.m. CT on Saturday, Sept.
- The Texas-LSU game is scheduled for Saturday, Nov. 14, with kickoff time still to be determined.
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