Texas Longhorns Make Final 8 for No. 7 DL Recruit in 2027 Class

The Longhorns have solidified themselves as contenders to land an elite defensive tackle from North Texas.

Nov 15, 2025; Athens, Georgia, USA; Texas Longhorns head coach Steve Sarkisian looks on in the first half against the Georgia Bulldogs at Sanford Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Dale Zanine-Imagn Images | Dale Zanine-Imagn Images

The Texas Longhorns are officially contenders for another elite defensive prospect in the 2027 recruiting class. Georga Toia, a four-star defensive tackle from Byron Nelson High School, recently narrowed his recruitment down to just eight schools.

NEWS: Four-Star DL George Toia is down to 8 Schools, he tells me for @Rivals

The 6’2 295 DL is ranked as a Top 85 Recruit (No. 7 DL) in the 2027 Rivals Industry Rankings

Where Should He Go?https://t.co/SHCB7hwRaW pic.twitter.com/9TRRVZhsoK

— Hayes Fawcett (@Hayesfawcett3) February 3, 2026

Along with the Longhorns, Toia is also being recruited by Oregon, LSU, Texas Tech, Penn State, Auburn, Michigan, and Oklahoma. The Sooners appear to be frontrunners to land the standout defensive tackle, but all eight programs have heavily recruited Toia for their 2027 recruiting class.

Toia, a Trophy Club, Texas native, is currently a consensus top-15 defensive tackle in the 2027 class. He's also been rated the No. 12 overall recruit in Texas by Rivals. The elite defensive prospect was originally offered by over 30 Division 1 football programs.

A Disruptive Force in the Making

Nov 30, 2024; College Station, Texas, USA; A detail view of a Texas Longhorns helmet on the sideline during the first quarter against the Texas A&M Aggies. The Longhorns defeated the Aggies 17-7 at Kyle Field. Mandatory Credit: Maria Lysaker-Imagn Images | Maria Lysaker-Imagn Images

Toia arrived on the recruiting radar as a physically imposing prospect with real upside potential. As the younger brother of former UCLA defensive lineman Jay Toia, he brings a similar brand of physicality on the football field. While he's been compared to his older brother, he's quickly proving that he's more than just a familiar last name.

During his time at Byron Nelson, Toia has lined up all over the defensive line, with most of his time at nose tackle. He's often moved to the outsides of the defensive line to avoid constant double-teams. Despite offenses game planning around Toia, he's still been a dominant force on defense for the Bobcats.

What separates Toia from other defensive linemen in the 2027 recruiting class is his consistency. Not only does he have a high motor virtually the entire game, but he's almost always the one disrupting plays for Byron Nelson. That kind of consistency makes him an athlete who can play for any program in the country.

According to 247Sports analyst Greg Biggins, the ceiling for Toia is enormous. Based on what he's shown at the high school level, it isn't an understatement to say that the defensive lineman has NFL potential. With the right development, Toia has the kind of upside that could make him one of the earliest names called in a future NFL Draft.

For the Longhorns, Toia needs to be a high priority on their 2027 recruiting board. At 6-foot-2, 305 pounds, the defensive tackle has the same build as many of the elite returning defensive linemen in college football.

While Texas appears to be on the outside looking in when it comes to Toia's recruitment, head coach Steve Sarkisian and his staff have shown they're capable of quickly closing the gap when they identify a priority target.