Tennessee Volunteers Land Four-Star Linebacker Over Texas Longhorns

Many of the remaining targets in the Texas Longhorns' 2026 recruiting class has scheduled commitment dates in the upcoming weeks. And while Texas looks to keep adding to its 2026 recruiting class, it will not be able to add one of the top remaining linebacker prospects in the 2026 class.

As four-star linebacker Brayden Rouse announced on a livestream on his Instagram, his decision to commit to the Tennessee Volunteers' 2026 class. Rouse picked the Volunteers over other top programs in the country, like the Longhorns, Michigan Wolverines, and Alabama Crimson Tide.

The Vols add one of the more sought-after linebacker prospects in the 2026 class, as Rouse ranks as the No. 7 linebacker in the class per On3's Industry Rankings. The Marietta (G.A.) native ranks as the No. 10 player from the state of Georgia and the No. 100 player nationally.

What Texas' 2026 Recruiting Class Looks Like After Missing Out on Brayden Rouse

Across May and June, Rouse was busy taking official visits to the final four teams vying for his commitment, visiting with Alabama in May and in June visiting with Michigan, followed by Texas, and ending with Tennessee. And while the official visit with the Longhorns was positive and Texas built some momentum in the recruitment of Rouse, it was not enough, even though Rouse spoke highly of his visit to Austin.

"The way this visit went, it made me feel like I was a priority for them," Rouse told Sam Spielgelman from Rivals.com after he visited with the Longhorns.

After missing out on Rouse, the Longhorns' 2026 recruiting class remains with just one highly rated prospect at the linebacker position after receiving the commitment from four-star Kosi Okpala late last week. The Longhorns' 2026 class currently sits very far removed from the No. 1 spot they had a season ago, ranking as the No. 16 recruiting class in the country and No. 7 in the SEC per On3's Industry Rankings after losing Rouse to another SEC team.

While the Longhorns take another hit on the recruiting trail, there are still many months between now and early signing day late in the year, which could see Texas build momentum with any remaining uncommitted prospects or potential flips.

As for the current status of the Longhorns linebacker room heading into 2025, the position is in a good spot with Anthony Hill Jr. now being projected as a potential first-round pick in the 2026 NFL Draft, and the development of Liona Lefau, who worked his way up towards a starting role in his sophomore season after playing primarily on special teams his freshman year.

The linebacker room also includes Trey Moore, who returned for his senior year, and Arkansas transfer Brad Spence to add to the depth in the linebacker position.

The Longhorns also have young talent coming down the pipeline in second-year player Ty'Anthony Smith, who could grow into a role in the upcoming season. And highly ranked freshman Elijah Barnes, who, as a prospect, was the No. 3 linebacker in the 2025 class and could find a role early on in his career.