The Texas Longhorns have signed top-five classes every year since hiring head coach Steve Sarkisian, with this past class being the highest-ranked group that he’s signed as they were the nation’s best.
Yet, the 2025 class may not be the only No. 1 class that Sarkisian has signed for long as the Longhorns continue to trend in the right direction for several top 2026 prospects.
One of the latest being Landon Barnes, the in-state edge rusher who just visited Austin this past weekend, is reportedly “trending” toward making the trip back to Texas in a few months for an in-season official visit, per Rivals’ Sam Spiegelman.
“I liked it. They came in and showed love to me,” Barnes said during a recent interview with OrangeBloods about his visit to Texas.
An in-season official visit would be huge for the Longhorns and potentially an advantage over the other contenders. As things stand, Barnes has already scheduled official visits to Ohio State, Ole Miss, and Georgia. However, all three will be in June.
Barring other schools scheduling Barnes for an in-season visit, the trip to Austin could be his final visit before a potential decision. That final trip, if it is to Austin, could be the time that the Longhorns close on Barnes and get him to commit, or use it to make up ground on a potential other school.
Barnes, a star at Duncanville High School like current Longhorns Colin Simmons and Alex January, is rated as a four-star by Rivals, where he ranks as the No. 15 edge rusher, No. 20 player in Texas, and is No. 154 nationally. The Longhorns are seemingly viewed as the frontrunners to land by Cody Carpentier, who has futurecasted Barnes to Texas.
Texas starts the season against Ohio State on Aug. 30 in Columbus.
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