Jan 10, 2025; Arlington, TX, USA; Texas Longhorns defensive back Jahdae Barron (7) in action during the game between the Texas Longhorns and the Ohio State Buckeyes at AT&T Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jerome Miron-Imagn Images Jerome Miron-Imagn Images

Four-Star Texas Longhorns Target Moves Up Commitment Date

Originally posted on Texas Longhorns on SI
By Payton Blalock | Last updated Jun 23, 2025 7:31 PM ET

Following four consecutive weekends of official visits to his top contenders, four-star cornerback Samari Matthews announced to Rivals’ Sam Spiegelman that he has bumped up his commitment date by nearly a month.

He will now make his decision on July 11 between Miami, Florida State, South Carolina and Texas.

With over 40 offers under his belt to begin with, Matthews has narrowed his search down significantly to reach this stage in his recruitment. Rivals ranks him as the No. 2 overall recruit from North Carolina and the No. 3 cornerback in the country.

At 6-foot-1 and 185 pounds, Matthews maintains a frame within the ideal range for his position group. According to 247Sports, the prospect also posted a 22.95-second 200-meter dash time in his sophomore year as a track & field athlete.

He took his official trip to Texas on June 13, making the Forty Acres the second-to-last stop on his four-weekend stint.

He visited South Carolina this past weekend, and his decision to commit earlier than previously planned came shortly after the visit. South Carolina also sits closest to his hometown of Cornelius, North Carolina, which could prove advantageous to them in their efforts to obtain Matthews.

He still has two more weeks until this newly set commitment date, and with the visits out of the way, this period could be instrumental to his decision-making process.

Texas has two other cornerback commits in the class of 2026, four-stars Hayward Howard Jr. and Jermaine Bishop. Bishop plays both ways in high school, and it’s unclear yet which side of the ball the Longhorns intend to utilize him at during this time.

Adding Matthews to the roster could create a solid group of three for the Longhorns and put them in a strong spot as the summer recruiting season pushes forward.

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

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