Houston Looking to Add to Already Stellar Recruiting Class With Coveted Flip Target
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On Monday, the news broke that Coach Willie Fritz and the Houston Cougars (4-1) were looking to flip a local UNLV commit. Isaiah Broughton, a 3-star defensive lineman from Cy Ridge High School, has been steadily gaining interest among Power 4 programs. Broughton is the No. 209-ranked prospect in Texas and the No. 226 defensive lineman in the 2026 class.
TGBTG! Wy Blessed to announce that I'm officially committing to @CoachLogo and Coach Mullen & UNLV! #GoRebels #UNLV @yadiva71 @justinallen_13@awilliamsusa @mikeroach247 @demetricdwarren @samspiegs @jackson_dip @WillTurboff @dctf @On3Recruiting @247recruiting @adamgorney pic.twitter.com/o7S0S0RTCs
— Isaiah Broughton 3⭐️⭐️⭐️2026 (@IsaiahBrought10) July 6, 2025
Because of Houston's location in proximity to Cy Ridge, the Cougars have been labeled a front-runner to land the Houston, TX native. Other schools that have shown interest in the senior defensive tackle include Florida and Miami. Broughton has also been offered by schools like SMU, Texas Tech, and Auburn.
During his visit to Florida this past weekend, Broughton watched the Gators get a 29-21 win over No.9 Texas. The top 10 wins could play a crucial role in Broughton's decision if the defensive lineman decides to flip his commitment from UNLV in the future. Other programs have recently gained interest in the 3-star, but Houston, Florida (2-3), and Miami (5-0) seem to be leading the charge as of Monday.
A Pivotal Moment for the Houston Cougars
Coach Fritz and the rest of his staff have done an excellent job recruiting over the past year. With Fritz's efforts, the Cougars currently have the No.5 recruiting class in the Big 12 for the 2026 season. Across all conferences, Houston's 2026 recruiting class ranks No.36 in the country, featuring one 5-star, two 4-stars, and 13 3-star prospects.
The fact that the Cougars are even in a recruiting battle between schools like Florida and Miami is noteworthy. Both the Gators and the Hurricanes have excelled at recruiting out-of-state talent in the past. Only a few years ago, Houston's interest in the local prospect would have been considered an afterthought.
If Fritz and his staff are able to land Broughton over schools like UNLV, Miami, and Florida, it could be a sign of a massive shift in Houston's ability to keep in-state talent. When Fritz originally took the Houston job in late 2023, the head coach not only placed emphasis on keeping high school talent in Texas but also stressed the importance of keeping talent in Houston as well.
Cy Ridge 2026 defensive lineman Isaiah Broughton really impressed the National Combine.
— Grayson Grundhoefer (@GrayGrundhoefer) January 10, 2025
The 6’4, 315-pound prospect should be a major riser after his performance today. pic.twitter.com/sylEkeCWw6
Broughton's decision could come in the near future, but his recruitment appears to be open for now. On October 18, the 3-star prospect will return to Florida as the Gators will take on a seemingly talented Mississippi State program, and will make his first official visit to Houston on November 1, where the Cougars are slated to take on the West Virginia Mountaineers.
