Texas Longhorns Trending for No. 1 Cornerback in Louisiana, Elite LSU Football Target

Originally posted on LSU Tigers on SI | By Zack Nagy | Last updated May 9, 2025 9:00 AM ET

New Orleans (La.) four-star cornerback Hayward Howard Jr. continues his rise as one of the top defensive backs in America heading into his senior campaign.

The Edna Karr star has pieced together an impressive offseason with multiple Power Four programs entering the mix in his recruitment.

For Brian Kelly and LSU Tigers, the program joined a long list of schools extending scholarships Howard's way with Florida State, Texas, Texas A&M, Miami and Ole Miss, among others, pursuing his services.

LSU made the call and dished out an offer to Howard in April with the Bayou Bengals quickly emerging as "top contenders" right off the bat.

The 6-foot-2, 175-pounder ranks as the No. 1 cornerback in Louisiana and a four-star recruit in the 2026 Recruiting Class.

Now, despite recently being predicted to land in LSU's 2026 Recruiting Class, Thursday saw the tide head in another direction.

On3 Sports recruiting expert Steve Wiltfong switched his pick from the LSU Tigers to the Texas Longhorns.

Texas pick for Hayward Howard Jr ()

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ 2026 CB
✍️ By Steve Wiltfong
️ 60% (Confidence)#On3 #AllGas26⛽️‍♂️ #HookEm
— Texas Longhorns Crystal Ball (@UTCrystalBall) May 9, 2025

Steve Sarkisian and Co. have gained serious momentum for the talented Louisiana prospect down the stretch of the spring.

The expectation was that Howard would reveal a commitment sometime in the summer, but according to a recent social media post via his Instagram, he will now commit to the program of his choice on Friday.

Texas pick for Hayward Howard Jr ()

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ 2026 CB
✍️ By Shea Dixon
️ 60% (Confidence)#On3 #AllGas26⛽️‍♂️ #HookEm
— Texas Longhorns Crystal Ball (@UTCrystalBall) May 9, 2025

All signs point towards the Texas Longhorns being the pick with crystal ball predictions coming in bunches for Sarkisian's program to land the No. 1 cornerback in Louisiana.

For the LSU Tigers, the program currently holds the No. 2 overall 2026 Recruiting Class and the No. 1 class in the Southeastern Conference.

The Bayou Bengals hold a pledge from the No. 1 defensive lineman in America, Richard Anderson, with the Tigers looking to stack talent alongside him for the future.

The New Orleans (La.) Edna Karr product committed to the Tigers last June and is teammates with Howard.

Anderson earned 5A All-State honors in 2024 after tallying 44 tackles, 15 tackles for loss, 10 sacks, 18 quarterback hurries, two interceptions and a touchdown in 2024.

The coveted defensive lineman is rated as the No. 1 prospect in Louisiana and a Top-25 overall prospect in America heading into his senior campaign.