Texas has jumped into the race for another big-bodied defensive line prospect, offering 2028 Florida lineman Josiah Taylor as Steve Sarkisian keeps building out the Longhorns’ next recruiting class.
Taylor made the news himself Tuesday, announcing that Texas had entered his recruitment. The 6-4, 315-pound Vero Beach High School product is a three-star prospect in the 247Sports Composite rankings, where he sits at No. 479 nationally, No. 55 among defensive linemen and No. 62 in Florida.
The rankings may not pop off the page, but Taylor’s profile has drawn plenty of attention because of his frame, his improving technique and the fact that he has already shown he can produce against strong Florida competition. In his sophomore season in 2025, he finished with 34 tackles, 4.5 tackles for loss and two sacks as Vero Beach went 14-1.
Texas is entering a crowded fight. Baylor, Boston College, Syracuse, Georgia Tech and Florida had already offered Taylor during the summer, and Mississippi State joined the mix earlier this month.
For now, Florida looks like the team to beat. The Gators have put real work into Taylor’s recruitment, bringing him in for multiple unofficial visits in September. Recruiting projections currently point toward Gainesville, and Taylor has also spoken positively about Florida’s push, previously naming the Gators an early leader.
Still, Texas has already shown it can land talent from the Sunshine State. Four-star quarterback Neimann Lawrence, who plays at American Heritage in Plantation, Florida, is the Longhorns’ first commitment in the 2028 cycle.
Last week, they added another Florida tie with four-star running back Micah Rhodes, who flipped from Oklahoma to Texas. Rhodes, a standout at Klein Oak High School near Houston, gives Texas an early offensive base alongside Lawrence.
Taylor would give the Longhorns something they still want to sharpen in this class: an early defensive anchor. Texas has made line-of-scrimmage depth a priority, especially with the grind of SEC football ahead, and Taylor’s size gives him the kind of body that could eventually fit inside on the defensive front.
With Texas officially in the picture, Taylor’s recruitment just got a lot more interesting.
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