Texas Longhorns Among Finalists For CB With NFL Ties

The Texas Longhorns have made the cut off for one of the most highly sought after cornerbacks in the country.

Oct 25, 2025; Starkville, Mississippi, USA; Texas Longhorns head coach Steve Sarkisian reacts with defensive linemen Colin Simmons (1) after beating the Mississippi State Bulldogs in overtime at Davis Wade Stadium at Scott Field. Mandatory Credit: Petre Thomas-Imagn Images | Petre Thomas-Imagn Images

The Texas Longhorns have been hitting the recruiting trail hard after the closing of the transfer portal this offseason, in hopes of landing another top-10 class under head coach Steve Sarkisian.

One of their top targets for the 2027 cycle, Josiah Molden, has named the top six schools in his recruiting, and the Longhorns made the cutoff for one of the most highly sought-after cornerbacks in the entire class, according to Hayes Fawcett of On3.

With the Longhorns seemingly emphasizing high school recruiting this past week, Molden would be an impressive addition for a 2027 class that is already shaping up early in the process.

Putting Ducks in a Row

Texas Longhorns defensive back Derek Williams Jr. and defensive back Graceson Littleton celebrate after Littleton intercepts a pass from Oklahoma Sooners quarterback John Mateer. | Jerome Miron-Imagn Images

The Longhorns are once again going to be one of the top recruiting classes in the country, as they have become accustomed to under Sarkisian. After success in the transfer portal, and now trending success on the recruiting trail, they could find gold in Molden.

Ranked as the number 15 cornerback in the class, and an Oregon native, the Longhorns are fighting an uphill battle to land Molden in Austin instead of with the Oregon Ducks, who also made his top six. Other schools that made the cutoff include the Ohio State Buckeyes, USC Trojans, Washington Huskies, and the Miami Hurricanes.

Landing Molden will be a challenging task, though, as he is a legacy Duck. His father, Alex Molden, was one of the star defensive players in the 1990s, when the Ducks won the Rose Bowl and Cotton Bowl in back-to-back years, and was even named an All-American for his efforts.

NEWS: Four-Star CB Josiah Molden is down to 6 schools, he tells me for @Rivals

The 6’0 185 CB is ranked as the No. 1 player in Oregon

He’s the younger brother of NFL CB Elijah Molden and the son of former NFL CB Alex Molden⁰⁰https://t.co/pyzuGPNw1Q pic.twitter.com/KjiyrAAto2

— Hayes Fawcett (@Hayesfawcett3) January 26, 2026

The Longhorns will host Molden on campus soon, hoping to sway him then as he nears his decision time. Still, he comes from a family of success at the collegiate level, something the Longhorns have also found in their secondary in recent years. Both his father and his dad were first- and third-round picks, respectively, so the ceiling is sky-high if they can land him on campus.

As for now, the Longhorns have three commitments for the 2027 class, and only one of them is on the defensive side in safety Greedy James. While the Longhorns are still lacking the quantity, they have made up for it in quality with the number one receiver in the country, Easton Royal, committed, and a top-30 tight end in JT Geraci.

Should the Longhorns find a way to sway Molden away from his hometown school, it would be a massive win for Sarkisian and his staff.