Jan 10, 2025; Arlington, Texas, USA; Texas Longhorns linebacker Colin Simmons (11) celebrates after a pass break up during the third quarter of the College Football Playoff semifinal against the Ohio State Buckeyes in the Cotton Bowl at AT&T Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Tim Heitman-Imagn Images Tim Heitman-Imagn Images

Texas Longhorns Finalists for 4-Star EDGE in 2026 Recruiting Class

Originally posted on Texas Longhorns on SI
By Payton Blalock | Last updated May 17, 2025 8:00 AM ET

According to Hayes Fawcett for On3 Recruits, four star edge recruit and Middletown, New Jersey, native Luke Wafle has named Texas as one of his top five schools.

Ohio State, USC, Penn State and Florida constitute the other four remaining programs in contention for the 6-foot-6, 250 pound recruit. On3’s Industry Ranking currently ranks him as the No. 10 edge in the nation, along with the No. 1 recruit in New Jersey.

Although New Jersey stands a long way from Texas geographically, Wafle has had the opportunity to visit Texas four times unofficially now. He has met with Texas head coach Steve Sarkisian, edge coach LaAllan Clark and several other figures within the program.

His official visit to Texas, along with the other schools on his list, will likely bring him closer to a decision. Certain factors will reveal themselves in more direct ways as he sees the schools in a more formal setting.

Proximity to home could be one of these factors. While this hasn’t been an issue in terms of getting the recruit down for visits, it could potentially work against Texas’ ultimate pitch to win Wafle over. Penn State wins the nearness to home competition by a long shot, which isn’t lethal for the Longhorns’ pursuit, but certainly worth considering.

A few elements that the Longhorns do have working for them include recent success in the development of NFL caliber players and the class that they are currently building out of 2026 recruits.

Between landing No. 8 athlete recruit Jermaine Bishop earlier in the week and becoming finalists for both Wafle and another top defensive recruit on May 14 alone, the Longhorns have been busy assembling a defense capable of shutting down opposing offenses in the SEC.

They also added three star Defensive Back and Austin native Yaheim “Miami” Riley last Friday, adding to the list of talented recruits set to represent the Longhorns in the next few years to come.

The Longhorns are assembling what looks to be a promising future defense, and Wafle could be the next piece of the puzzle.

This article first appeared on Texas Longhorns on SI and was syndicated with permission.

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