Texas lands top-25 2026 safety recruit Zelus Hicks

Given that the recruiting class of 2025 is still fully underway, it's understandable that most fans have yet to learn of the exploit of Zelus Hicks . That won't last, in part because he became a high profile future Longhorn on Thursday.

Hicks, a 6-foot-3, 185-pound prospect from Carrollton, Ga., became the latest Texas football recruit when he chose the Longhorns ahead of scholarship offers from Georgia, USC and Ohio State, not to mention nearly 30 other programs. The four-star safety -- who is ranked as a 5-star by some publications -- has prototypical size and athleticism for the position, and is already ranked as a top-25 overall recruit for the class.

Hicks is the third member of Texas' Class of 2026, and two of the three are among the most elite prospects in the nation; Texas' perceived quarterback of the future, Dia Bell , is a fellow 4-star -- some would claim 5-star -- and top-25 overall prospect. Per ESPN's recruiting rankings, Hicks is the nation's top-rated safety and Bell the No. 2-ranked pocket passer in the Class of 2026. Texas' third commitment to the class is Chris Stewart, a 4-star wide receiver who is rated as one of the top-35 wide outs in the class.

Yet there is additional intrigue surrounding Hicks, with whispers on some message boards that he could potentially reclassify to the Class of 2025, which would land him in Austin next fall. Should that happen, he would have an immediate impact on the class rankings for Texas' current class rather than its next one.

Either way, Hicks stands as a major recruiting win for Texas coach Steve Sarkisian and his staff, from the middle of Georgia Bulldogs country at that.