Texas A&M may have the No. 1 recruiting class in the 2027 cycle, but Texas just made sure everyone remembered who still has the stronger pull inside the state lines.
The latest proof came with five-star running back Landen Williams-Callis choosing the Longhorns over the Aggies. For a Texas native ranked as the No. 3 prospect in the Lone Star State, the No. 3 running back in the class, and a top-50 overall player in the 247Sports Composite, the decision landed as another big win for Steve Sarkisian’s program and another miss for Mike Elko’s staff.
Williams-Callis’ commitment pushed Texas even further into the spotlight on the in-state trail. The Longhorns now hold two of the top five prospects from Texas after landing five-star interior offensive lineman Ismael Camara earlier this summer.
That gives Texas a clear edge in the most important recruiting battles at home. The list of top Texas prospects shows the Horns with Williams-Callis and Camara, while Texas A&M’s highest-rated in-state pickup is five-star interior offensive lineman Kennedy Brown. Oklahoma has four-star linebacker Cooper Witten, and Texas Tech has five-star defensive lineman Jalen Brewster.
The in-state breakdown only sharpens the contrast. Texas landed the higher-rated interior offensive lineman in Camara, while the Aggies settled for the second-highest-rated IOL in Brown.
Texas A&M has built plenty of its class from beyond the state, and that shows up in the rankings of its top commitments. Brown and four-star safety JayQuan Snell are the only Lone Star State products among the Aggies’ ten highest-rated pledges.
Texas, meanwhile, has loaded its top 10 with homegrown talent. Along with Camara and Williams-Callis, the Longhorns’ group includes four-star defensive lineman Cameron Hall, four-star interior offensive lineman Brian Swanson, and four-star cornerbacks Brandon Sherrard and Montre Jackson, all from Texas.
And this isn’t just about recruiting bragging rights. On the field, Texas has had the upper hand too. Since entering the SEC in 2024, the Longhorns are 2-0 against Texas A&M, including a 17-7 win in College Station in 2024 and a 27-17 victory over then-undefeated Texas A&M in 2025.
For the moment, the message is pretty clear: Texas A&M may be building a strong class, but Texas still owns the state’s biggest recruiting moments.
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Texas Awaits Massive Decision From Elite In-State Sarkisian Target
Landen Williams-Callis is set to make one of the biggest recruiting calls in the state on Saturday, with the Richmond Randle High School star choosing between Texas, SMU, Texas A&M, Houston and Missouri. The five-star running back has spent his prep career piling up records and accolades, and his rise has made him one of the most closely followed prospects in Texas high school football history.
For Texas, the interest is obvious. Sarkisian and his staff have chased elite in-state talent aggressively, and Williams-Callis sits near the top of that board as the No. 3 running back in the country. His announcement will be carried live by Dave Campbell's Texas Football, adding another layer to a decision that already feels like a major swing moment for the Longhorns' 2026 recruiting picture. [Read more 🡒]
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For Texas, the practical impact is simple: there are several players who could wind up back in Austin if their pro paths do not stick. Burke, Hutson, Guilbeau and Finkley are among the Longhorns whose situations are worth tracking, especially since some have already signed undrafted free agent deals and may still choose the NFL route if they make final rosters. It is not a certainty, but it is the kind of late-summer development that can quietly change a teams roster math in a hurry. [Read more 🡒]
Texas Roster Crunch Leaves Former Contributor In A Brutal Spot
Chendall Weavers path back to Texas has hit a hard roster wall. The former Longhorns guard was granted an extra year of eligibility, a development that would normally create a chance to continue where he left off, but the numbers on the roster have already closed that door. Texas has moved on from that possibility as Sean Millers team fills out its scholarship chart for the upcoming season.
The final spot went to Marcus Spears Jr., whose accelerated arrival gave Texas the last available opening on a 15-scholarship roster. With that in place, Weaver has to look elsewhere even after his previous contributions to the program, a reminder of how quickly roster management can change in the modern game and how little margin there is once a team is full. [Read more 🡒]