Nation's No. 1 WR Locks in Official Visits to Three Major College Football Programs

Despite a commitment, the top target is moving ahead with official visits

Texas coach Steve Sarkisian has a commitment from the nation's No. 1 wide receiver, but will still have to wait out official visits to rival programs. | Brett Davis-Imagn Images

The recruitment of the nation's top wide receiver recruit is going to heat up. As is not unusual in college football circles, the player has made a verbal commitment for his college pick. But he's still moving ahead with official visits and three are now on the calendar-- two to rivals of the team that he previously "picked."

In the world of college football recruiting, a verbal commitment is significant, but a million miles from binding. Recruits will consider the full run of options and many end up moving off of their early commitment before the events of Early Signing Day. The top pass-catching threat in the 2027 class may be another example.

Royal setting visits

Texas commit Easton Royal is On3's No. 1 wide receiver in the nation (and the No. 7 player in the entire 2027 recruiting class). Despite picking the Horns, On3 notes that Royal is moving on to setting official visits, both for Texas and for two other conference rivals.

Royal will visit Tennessee first, then Florida, and then Texas with all three visits slated for June, according to On3. Royal is looking to set another visit, potentially ahead of the other three, with likely suitors including Ohio State, LSU, and Ole Miss.

Texas commit Easton Royal has three official visits on his recruiting calendar. | Nadia Zomorodian/News-Journal / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Royal is a speedy 5'11" target who has elite downfield receiving skills and can be virtually impossible to tackle in the open field. Royal was noted by 247sports as running a 10.38 100 yard dash as a high school sophomore. That service ranks Royal as the No. 4 wide receiver in the class and the No. 24 player overall.

NEW: Texas 5-star WR commit Easton Royal has locked in official visits to Tennessee, Florida and the Longhorns, @samspiegs reports✈️

Royal is the No. 1 WR in the 2027 class.

Read: https://t.co/YnKlEKThfl pic.twitter.com/sJiQsdaeOf

— Rivals (@Rivals) February 10, 2026

Royal's top schools in the 2027 class

In late November, Royal committed to the Longhorns. Texas ranks No. 9 in the 2027 recruiting class per On3's team rankings. In addition to Royal, Texas claims five other commitments, with one other player, EDGE Cameron Hall, being a four-star recruit.

Tennessee's 2027 class is currently ranked 17th in On3's rankings, with the Vols having nabbed five verbal commitments already. The Vols have nabbed a pair of four-star commits, but no players at the wide receiver position.

Florida coach Jon Sumrall has secured a visit from Royal and is trying to make up for lost time after his hiring by the Gators. | Alan Youngblood/Gainesville Sun / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Florida, under new coach Jon Sumrall, hasn't made a ton of inroads yet in the 2027 class. The Gators have been active in hosting visitors and on-the-ground recruiting, but so far that has translated to just a single verbal commitment. That player is a defensive back, so there's no real impact there on Royal's recruitment.

Whether Royal will ultimately stick with the Longhorns or pick another team is a question that won't likely resolve until the late fall. But his announced visits certainly signal that while Texas may be in the lead, the process isn't finished.