Texas Longhorns' Top Safety Target Sets Commitment Date

The Texas Longhorns have made the final three for one of the best safeties in the country, and now he has set his commitment date

Texas Longhorns head coach Steve Sarkisian looks on prior to a game against the Georgia Bulldogs at Sanford Stadium. | Brett Davis-Imagn Images

The Texas Longhorns are in the midst of their spring practice schedule, trying to identify what their roster will look like ahead of the 2026 season, but that isn't stopping them from looking to make an impact on the recruiting trail.

They'll look to add to their 2027 class, as they have made the final three schools for Semaj Stanford, the No. 3 safety in the country, according to 247Sports.

The top-60 recruit in the country will announce his commitment on April 23, and he would be a significant pick-up for the Longhorns if they are able to land him.

Border States

Texas Longhorns defensive back Michael Taaffe (16) tackles Oklahoma Sooners quarterback John Mateer (10) in the first half of the Red River Rivalry college football game | SARAH PHIPPS/THE OKLAHOMAN / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Stanford is one of the top safeties in the country and one of the most sought-after due to his ability to use his 5-foot-11, 180-pound frame to play physically while maintaining good speed and acceleration. As a track athlete, he boasts good numbers in the 100 and 200 meters and carries that top-end speed over to the football field as well.

The Longhorns seem to have the early edge to land Stanford, but they will face two of the titans of college football, the Oregon Ducks and the Georgia Bulldogs, as the other finalists for the top safety. However, the Longhorns have an edge in proximity to home, as Stanford is a native of Broken Arrow, Oklahoma.

As one of the top recruits out of Oklahoma, landing him would be a great sign on the recruiting trail and a victory to lure him away from their bitter rivals in the Oklahoma Sooners. New defensive coordinator Will Muschamp has been making a hard push for Stanford since stepping on campus, and it's paying off in the pursuit.

"They have a legendary defensive coordinator, Coach Muschamp," Stanford told Tom Loy of 247Sports. "That is something that sticks out to me off the rip. Also, Coach Gideon is someone I could see myself around every day."

Landing Stanford would be a big addition for the Longhorns 2027 class, which currently sits at 12th in the country, and he would make the eighth commit of the class. That class, headlined by the number one receiver in the class, Easton Royal, also has a safety currently committed in Greedy James, a top-100 secondary recruit in the country.

With under three weeks to go until Stanford announces his decision, the Longhorns should feel good about where they stand in the process, as Muschamp continues to make significant headway on the recruiting trail.

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