Jaylen Waddle Joins Texas Longhorns Recruiting Push for Elite 5-Star Wide Receivers

Texas head coach Steve Sarkisian got help from his former player, Jaylen Waddle, on the Longhorns’ recruiting pitch.

Alabama Crimson Tide wide receiver Jaylen Waddle against the Ohio State Buckeyes in the 2021 College Football Playoff National Championship Game. | Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images

Texas is on fire. The Longhorns have climbed into the top 10 in Rivals’ average recruit ranking and overall team ranking. Less than a month ago, they were outside of the top 20.

An aggressive recruiting approach has paid dividends for Texas. The No. 2 prospect in the nation, cornerback John Meredith III, capped off an exciting month with five total athletes committing to the Longhorns.

The staff has not stepped off the gas pedal. The Longhorns brought in an NFL star familiar to head coach Steve Sarkisian to help recruit a pair of five-star wide receivers.

Texas Brings Jaylen Waddle for Easton Royal, Monshun Sales Visit

Lawrence North High School sophomore Monshun Sales makes a catch in the end zone to score while being defended by Lawrence Central High School junior DJ Summers during the first half of an IHSAA varsity football game, Friday, Aug. 23, 2024, at Lawrence Central High School. | Doug McSchooler/for IndyStar / USA TODAY NETWORK

It’s no-holds-barred for the Longhorns. Texas is trying everything to ensure it can continue stacking wins in the 2027 recruiting class. With multiple five-star wide receivers in Austin, Texas, on an official visit, Sarkisian received some help from a former player.

NFL star Jaylen Waddle made a trip to The Forty Acres while blue-chip recruits Easton Royal and Monshun Sales were on campus for their official visits. Royal is already committed to Texas, but Sales remains uncommitted.

The Denver Broncos star played under Sarkisian with the Alabama Crimson Tide in 2019 and 2020 when the latter was the offensive coordinator/quarterbacks coach. Waddle was one of the most explosive players in the country with Sarkisian at OC, averaging 18.9 yards per catch over his final two seasons.

#Texas has Jaylen Waddle on campus the same weekend as Easton Royal and Monshun Sales

Sark and Jeff Banks coached Waddle at Alabama@ontexasfootball https://t.co/kgQDjKdvJF pic.twitter.com/fKW6Uyz8Wh

— Hank South (@HankSouthOTF) June 20, 2026

Royal and Sales are among the most athletic receiver prospects in the nation. The former ran a 10.3-second 40-yard dash as a sophomore at Brother Martin High School in New Orleans and is one of the fastest players in the country. Sales also recorded an impressive time of 10.81 seconds at 6’5”.

During his junior season, Royal averaged nearly 20 yards per catch. He caught 54 passes for 1,065 yards and 15 touchdowns with Brother Martin. Sales had similar efficiency; he caught 37 passes for 794 yards (21.5 yards per catch) with nine touchdowns.

This is where Waddle can contribute to the pitch. He is one of many wide receivers who thrived in Sarkisian’s offense. Some recent Texas pass-catchers drafted to the NFL include Xavier Worthy, Adonai Mitchell and Matthew Golden.

Sales received multiple predictions from Rivals insiders in May to land with the reigning champions, the Indiana Hoosiers. He is ranked as the No. 2 receiver prospect in the country and the overall No. 8 player.

Brother Martin Crusaders wide receiver Easton Royal scores a touchdown against John Curtis Patriots linebacker Benjamin Barron during the first quarter at The Shrine on Airline. | Matthew Hinton-Imagn Images

Meanwhile, Royal has been committed to Texas since November 2025, the longest of any player in the Longhorns’ 2027 class. The future on offense would be bright with a wide receiver duo of Royal and Sale alongside Class of 2027 tight end Brock Williams and Class of 2026 quarterback Dia Bell.

Royal and Sale came to Texas during the final weekend of official visits. The recruiting process will resume in the fall, when athletes can travel for game-day visits ahead of the early signing period in December.

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