Gerry Hamilton
Recruiting News: New Fitzpatrick OV date; Texas trending in battles
Fort Lauderdale, Fla. - The Texas Longhorns knocked the April unofficial visit out of the park with 4-star++ CB/N Justice Fitzpatrick (Fort Lauderdale/St. Thomas Aquinas) last month.
The 6-foot-1, 185-pounder didn't hold back with his praise for the Longhorns.
"I definitely had a great visit over there. Especially knowing Coach O (Orphey) already. We have a good relationship. And building a relationship with Coach Akina, knowing he's a legendary defensive backs coach."
Fitzpatrick also dropped some new regarding official visits. He will make his Texas OV June 20-22, a change from the 13-15th. He will make OV's to Georgia May 30-June 2, Miami June 6-8, Florida June 9-10 and Ohio State June 13-15 prior to Texas.
Georgia has been considered the team to beat the entire way due to long standing family relationships with Kirby Smart and Glenn Schumann.
Sunshine State battles ...
OnTexasFootball gives percentages for top targets in the Sunshine State.
Samuel Roseborough, OT, 4-star++ (Clearwater/High) - 70%
Kendall Guervil, DL, 4-star++ (Fort Myers/High) - 65%
James Johnson, DL, 4-star++ (Miami/Northwestern) - 40%
Justice Fitzpatrick, DB, 4-star++ (Fort Lauderdale/St. Thomas Aquinas) - 45%
Derrek Cooper, RB, 5-star (Hollywood/CXhaminade-Madonna) - 35%
Jake Kreul, EDGE, 4-star++ (Orlando/IMG Academy) - 30%
Couple of notes ...
Xavier Griffin, LB, 5-star (Gainesville, Ga./High) - OTF posted Wednesday afternoon that Texas coaches were making an in-home visit with the USC decommit. The coaches are also expected to be at Gainesville High today for spring practice. Texas will receive a June 13-15 OV, and have as good of a shot as any. Texas' competition is Alabama and Ohio State, with FSU on the peripheral.
Luke Wafle, EDGE, 4-star++ (Princeton, N.J./The Hun School) - OTF is expecting a decision a Texas vs. Penn State decision for the 6-foot-3, 250-pounder from the Garden State. Wafle has been to Texas three times already, and will return June 20-22 for an OV. LaAllen Clark and Kyle Flood are expected at The Hun School Monday.
Davon Benjamin, DB, 4-star++ (Westlake Village, Calif./Oaks Christian) - OTF was told by a source that Texas cornerbacks coach Mark Orphey and area recruiting Johnny Nansen are expected by Oaks Christian early next week for a second time in May. Benjamin is scheduled to make his OV to Texas June 6-8, and the Texas staff is leaving zero doubt that the Longhorns are all in on the 6-foot, 175-pound versatile DB.
OL recruiting ...
Texas coaches Johnny Nansen and Kyle Flood made a trip to Honolulu last week to see 4-star+ Malakai Lee (Honolulu, Hi./Kamehameha). And make no mistake, the 6-foot-6, 320-pounder is a take and wanted by Texas.
Texas would currently accept commitments from OT John Turntine (Fort Worth, Texas/North Crowley), OT Felix Ojo (Mansfield/Lake Ridge), OT Malakai Lee (Honolulu, Hi./Kamehameha), OT Samuel Roseborough (Clearwater, Fla./High) and IOL Zaden Krempin (Prosper, Texas/High). The key here is timing of decisions for all five of the lineman. Texas is taking five OL's in the 2026 class, so that means one or two very talented prospects could lose a spot depending on how the dominoes fall.
And Texas may add another OL to the mix of contenders for three (Joel Ervin of Fort Myers High).
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Interesting we get Fitzpatrick's last visit, although does that matter as much in this era?
I wonder what the staff's actual preference of OT's is? From just piecing together all the articles it definitely feels like Ojo is ahead of Turntine. I don't know much about the Hawaii guy but it seems like he's the prototype that Flood loves.