One of Houston's Top Commits Is 'Locked In'
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The Houston Cougars' football team is one of the youngest in not only the Big 12, but also the entire Power Four, having only begun play in 1946. That, combined with the fact that they share a state with several programs who've been established for far longer, means it's been a long road to being able to attract quality recruits.
However, they're now firmly on the right track. Their 2026 recruiting class is currently ranked No. 37 in the country and No. 5 in the Big 12 (per 247Sports), putting it on track to be one of their best in program history.
The Cougars should continue to add to their class before early signing day in December, but just as important - if not more so - is ensuring their current commits don't leave. Luckily, one of their best commits doesn't plan on going anywhere.
Kaleb Walker Reaffirms Commitment to Houston Cougars
Kaleb Walker, a three-star defensive lineman from Lindale High School, made it very clear that he's "locked in" with the Cougars following his team's 35-23 win over Gilmer on Friday. Walker, who committed to Houston on June 23, also announced that he will attend the Cougars' game against Texas Tech on Oct. 4.
"Oh, I'm locked in," Walker told Mallory Hartley of Dave Campbell's Texas Football. "I'm not moving, I'm locked in. I love it."
Walker also shed some light on his recruitment process, revealing that Houston, while not his first choice initially, made a strong push later on. He also directly mentioned his relationship with defensive line coach Oscar Giles as a factor in his commitment.
"That was a process," Walker said. "I had a lot of offers, it was a process. So, like, I wanted to go to K-State, and then K-State, somebody committed before me, and I liked H-Town also. I was like, 'I love Coach Giles,' and I was like, 'I'm going to go to Houston.' I love Houston, I went down there twice, it was awesome."
Walker is far from the only high-profile recruit set to join the Cougars in a few months. The crown jewel of the class is five-star quarterback Keisean Henderson, whom 247Sports ranks as the No. 2 recruit in the entire country. A pair of four-star recruits in wide receiver Jayden Warren and two-way athlete Paris Melton Jr. are also very intriguing prospects.
"I'm excited for all of it," Walker said. "Keisean's a dog, we have a good receiving corps from Houston. It's awesome to get guys from Houston to stay in Houston. So I'm excited for that and also Zay [Xavier] Fleming, another defensive tackle, he's awesome, he's really good. So, I'm really confident about that squad."
