Texas Longhorns 4-Star EDGE Target Makes Commitment Decision

One of the top edge rushers in the 2026 recruiting class is now off the board. Jamarion Carlton, the four-star prospect from Temple, Texas, announced his commitment Thursday, and despite being among the finalists, the Texas Longhorns didn't land him.

Carlton decided to remain in the state of Texas. However, instead of the Longhorns, he will be playing his college football with the Baylor Bears. He chose Baylor over Texas, LSU, and Texas Tech.

Carlton joins four-star linebacker Brayden Rouse, five-star offensive tackle Felix Ojo, and four-star linebacker Xavier Griffin as recent high-profile misses on the recruiting trail for the Longhorns.

Texas Loses Out on In-State Four-Star

At 6-4 and 238 pounds, Carlton ranks as the No. 4 defensive lineman in the 2026 class according to the 247Sports composite. He is the No. 5 player from the Lone Star State and ranks No. 40 nationally.

As for his scouting report, 247Sports' Gabe Brooks says this of the four-star defensive line prospect:

"Physically and athletically gifted front-line defender who could play from the edge in the long run, or bulk to a true defensive lineman thanks to immense frame space, ..." Brooks writes. "Plays upright at times and will need to work on fluidity and flexibility. Move set should expand with experience. Looks like one of the higher-upside front-line defenders in TXHSFB's 2026 class."

Even after losing out on Carlton, the Longhorns still have a talented set of defensive linemen committed. June was not only a big month for the Texas 2026 class as a whole, but specifically the defensive line.

Of the seven commits Texas landed last month, four of them were defensive linemen. This includes five-star edge rusher Richard Wesley and four-star defensive tackle Vodney Cleveland among others.

After signing the nation's No. 1 class in 2025, head coach Steve Sarkisian is looking to find similar success in 2026. Although, it has been a slower start to the class, as it currently ranks No. 13 with 17 commitments thus far.

However, it is still very early in the process for this recruiting cycle. Players will not be able to officially sign with their school of choice until December at the earliest. So just because a players commits now, doesn't mean the door is shut on a potential flip.

Texas will kick off the 2025 regular season on the road against the defending national champions, the Ohio State Buckeyes, on Aug. 30. Kickoff is set for 11 a.m. CT.