The Texas Longhorns are thriving in their first season in the SEC, starting 7-1 and checking in at No. 5 in 2024’s inaugural College Football Playoff ranking on Tuesday night.
While Texas certainly has its eyes on the prize this season, it wasn’t the only piece of good news the team received on Tuesday.
Safety Zelus Hicks, one of the Longhorns’ top players in the class of 2026, told ESPN that he would be reclassifying to the class of 2025 and joining Texas next season.
“I’ve been debating this decision since my sophomore year after starting as a freshman and playing against the best talent in the nation. Many colleges have been telling me I should do it. With prayer and talks with my family I decided it was the best move to make,” Hicks told ESPN.
Hicks committed to the Longhorns in September. He chose the Longhorns over the Georgia Bulldogs, USC Trojans, and Ohio State Buckeyes.
“Things moved quickly with Texas. They came out in the spring and offered, they came heavy after me, and after that visit, I felt great about Texas. I liked the school…they just kept applying pressure like no other school and I made my decision. They tell me I am No. 1 on their board and they are No. 1 on my board, so it is a perfect match. Me and my dad have been talking about it and I made my decision earlier this week,” Hicks told On3 after his commitment.
Hicks is the 14th ESPN top 300 recruit in Texas’ class of 2025. Recruiting experts expect Hicks to be a top 50 player in the class of 2025 when the new rankings come out.
