Four-Star DL Donivan Moore Includes Texas Longhorns in Final Six Programs

The Longhorns are one of six programs looking to land a top-5 defensive lineman in the 2027 recruiting class.

Dec 31, 2025; Orlando, FL, USA; Texas Longhorns head coach Steve Sarkisian looks on before a game against the Michigan Wolverines at Camping World Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Matt Pendleton-Imagn Images | Matt Pendleton-Imagn Images

The Texas Longhorns are looking to add another elite defensive prospect to their 2027 recruiting class. Rivals' Hayes Fawcett revealed earlier this week that four-star defensive tackle Donivan Moore is down to his final six schools.

Along with the Longhorns, Ohio State, Ole Miss, Alabama, LSU, and Auburn are also in contention to land the star defender from Hueytown, Alabama. Moore is currently rated the No. 77 overall prospect and the No. 5 defensive tackle in the 2027 recruiting class.

As of right now, the Auburn Tigers appear to be the most aggressive when it comes to Moore's recruitment. The Hueytown High School prospect took a visit to Auburn on four different occasions in 2025, resulting in the Tigers having the most momentum with the four-star. Moore also seems to be seriously considering the Ole Miss Rebels in his recruitment as well.

Late, But Not Out of the Race

Dec 31, 2025; Orlando, FL, USA; Texas Longhorns head coach Steve Sarkisian, Texas Longhorns wide receiver Parker Livingstone (13) and offensive lineman Brandon Baker (73) run onto the field before a game against the Michigan Wolverines at Camping World Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Matt Pendleton-Imagn Images | Matt Pendleton-Imagn Images

Of the six remaining programs in Moore's recruitment, the Texas Longhorns were the most recent to officially offer the defensive tackle. While Auburn has been able to build a solid relationship with the Hueytown native, the Longhorns have had to make a last-second effort for the star defender. Still, there's something to be said about Texas making the final stage of the four-star's recruitment in just over seven months.

Even with the Longhorns making Moore's final six programs, the work isn't done for head coach Steve Sarkisian and his staff. In fact, they'll likely have to push for the recruit even harder from here on out. With how the Longhorns have dominated in their recruiting efforts in recent years, there's certainly reason to believe that the program is capable of swaying Moore's opinion on the program.

At 6-foot-4, 280 pounds, Moore has the ideal build for a high school defensive lineman entering his final year of high school. With a strong showing during the 2025-26 high school football season, the defensive tackle shot up the recruitment ratings for the 2027 class.

While the standout defender is expected to end up in the SEC no matter what, counting out the Ohio State Buckeyes in a recruiting battle is a mistake. With how the Big Ten has performed in the College Football Playoff in recent years, many elite recruits have started to entertain the idea of heading north or west to continue their collegiate career.

Texas may be playing a bit of catch-up, but momentum in recruiting rarely follows a straight line. Making Moore's final six this late in the process speaks to the pull of the Longhorns' brand. If a few things go right for Texas, they could find themselves firmly in the mix for the elite defensive tackle.