Texas picked up a major recruiting win on Thursday morning when four-star running back Micah Rhodes flipped his commitment to the Longhorns, landing the announcement just over 48 hours before kickoff of the Red River Rivalry.
Rhodes, a Texas native and one of the top 10 running backs in the class of 2028, had originally committed to Oklahoma over Texas. That made this latest move sting a little extra for Sooners fans, especially with the rivalry game so close. Rhodes delivered the news with a line built for the moment: "Continue the legacy, Hook'Em," he said when he committed.
The timing only sharpened the spotlight. Rhodes made the announcement just after midnight on Thursday morning, meaning he did it on his 17th birthday. He later posted, "Committed to The University of Texas #HookEm"
There’s also a family connection that gives the decision some added weight. Rhodes is a legacy recruit, with his grandfather, Bobby Rhodes, having played linebacker for Texas in the 1980s.
So when he first chose Oklahoma, it hit hard. This new commitment made the turnaround feel even bigger for the Longhorns.
On the field, Rhodes looks every bit like the kind of back Texas wants in its future. He is already a two-time All-American and has put up huge numbers early at Klein High School, piling up 587 rushing yards and seven touchdowns through the first four games of his varsity career.
For Texas, that gives the 2028 class another high-end offensive piece. Rhodes joins four-star quarterback Neimann Lawrence as the Longhorns’ only commitments so far in that cycle. Even with such a small group, the direction is obvious: Texas is leaning hard into offensive talent.
Oklahoma has four commitments in the class of 2028, but the Longhorns can point to the higher-end names in their own group. Lawrence is the No. 8 quarterback in the class, while Oklahoma quarterback commit Trey Tagliaferri sits 15th in the cycle.
That pattern has shown up in the 2027 class, too. Texas currently holds the No. 2 class nationally, with Oklahoma at No. 3, and the Longhorns’ haul includes five-star wide receiver Easton Royal, five-star interior offensive lineman Ismael Camara, and five-star running back Landen Williams-Callis.
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For Texas, the concern is not just protection, but rhythm. The Longhorns have already shown against stronger competition that moving the ball consistently can be a problem when the run game stalls and drives bog down on third down. Manning will be part of the answer, but this feels like the kind of game where Texas needs balance to avoid putting its quarterback in constant catch-up mode against a defense built to punish one-dimensional attacks. [Read more 🡒]