Elite Recruits Recap Weekend Visit With the Texas Longhorns

The Texas Longhorns are looking to find their way back into the College Football Playoff after finding themselves on the outside looking in last season, failing to reach their lofty goals for the season.

Now their attention turns to the upcoming season, as they progress through spring practices, learning more about what their team will look like in the future and the years beyond that as well.

As it pertains to that, the Longhorns hosted some top recruits over the weekend during spring practices, and the Texas Longhorns On SI caught up with some of them to detail their visit over the weekend.

Kendrick Harris

Harris is one of the rising prospects in the 2028 cycle, and currently ranks as the number seven interior offensive line recruit in the country. The Longhorns had him visit the Forty Acres and extended an offer to the Duncanville native, and it meant everything to him. The 6-foot-4, 290-pound recruit already has an impressive offer sheet, but the Longhorns' extending an offer might have given them an early leg up.

"It meant a lot, for real," Harris said about getting an offer from the in-state flagship program. "I’ve been working for this, so getting that offer from Texas just showed me I’m on the right track, and it pushed me to keep going."

"Texas is high on my list," Harris said about where the Longhorns are at in his recruitment for now. "The coaches, the culture, and how they made me feel really stood out it feels like a place I can grow."

Deshawn Simmons

Simmons is an elite prospect and already holds an offer from the Longhorns. At 6-foot-2, 200 pounds, the San Antonio native is the number 11 linebacker in the country and the number 17 recruit in Texas. He holds multiple offers from other schools in the SEC, and the Longhorns have made an early impression on the 150th-ranked player in the country.

"Everything impressed me from the program to the players and not only that but the love and understanding the coaches have for the kids their is just outstanding." Simmons said about his time in Austin, and what is currently setting the Longhorns apart in his recruitment. "They're just really interested and willing to build a healthy relationship and invest in me as one of their top backers for class of 2028"

Carter Zingelmann

Zingelmann is one of the top in-state quarterbacks, ranking as the seventh-best quarterback in the country and the ninth-best player from the Lone Star State. He is yet to get an offer from the Longhorns, but being invited out for a practice could be a sign that the Longhorns like what he is doing at Coppell High School.

"What I took away from Texas is definitely the culture and how many greats have been there. I also took away how nice the facilities were. Definitely watching arch learn and prepare for next year." Zingelmann tells Texas Longhorns On SI.

There is still plenty of time in the 2028 cycle, but the Longhorns made early impressions on three significant in-state players, an area of focus that head coach Steve Sarkisian said would be a priority for the Longhorns over the years. As the Longhorns continue blazing the recruiting trail, they have already set critical foundations.

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