Texas Longhorns head coach Steve Sarkisian. Tim Heitman-Imagn Images

Steve Sarkisian, Texas lands commitment from five-star ATH with Travis Hunter-like skills

By Andrew Kulha | Last updated May 14, 2025 7:28 PM ET

In-state recruiting is vital for a program like Texas. That's true for every college football program, but the Longhorns have a ton of competition for the top recruits in the state.

Not only does Texas have to battle with the likes of Texas A&M, TCU, Baylor and Houston, but plenty of programs outside of state lines try to come into the state to poach its top talent on a yearly basis.

That's what makes the commitment of five-star athlete Jermaine Bishop so important for head coach Steve Sarkisian and his staff. Not only is Bishop an elite athlete recruit nationally, but he's ranked as the No. 3 recruit from the state of Texas, according to 247Sports.

Landing Bishop is huge for the Longhorns, especially since he's the first top-10 player in the state from the 2026 class to commit to Sarkisian.

BREAKING: Elite 2026 ATH Jermaine Bishop Jr. has Committed to Texas, he tells me for @on3recruits

The 6’0 170 ATH from Willis, TX chose the Longhorns over Texas A&M, Florida, & USC

“I’ve been doing it since 3, why would I stop now”https://t.co/Xmi29RM7vb pic.twitter.com/1SEVaC4il3
— Hayes Fawcett (@Hayesfawcett3) May 14, 2025

Early this year, Bishop spoke about Texas and revealed that his draw to the Longhorns is the culture Sarkisian has built.

“The culture is what keeps me coming back,” he told InsideTexas in February. “Those guys are really great and treat me like family. I got an offer from (Texas) two years ago, so them being able to keep that culture and that bond is pretty special.”

What are the Longhorns getting in Bishop? According to 247Sports, he's the No. 1 athlete recruit in the country, meaning he could excel at multiple positions. He could play receiver, defensive back and return kicks at the college level.

As a junior for Willis High School (Willis, Texas), Bishop caught 83 passes for 1,656 yards and 18 touchdowns. He had a rushing touchdown, added another via a kick return and also notched 26 tackles, three interceptions, two forced fumbles and six pass breakups on the defensive side of the ball.

Travis Hunter just won the Heisman Trophy because he could do it all, and the Longhorns just landed that type of athlete. Where he'll stick at Texas remains to be seen, but Bishop is absolutely a talented football player.

Andrew Kulha

Andrew Kulha is probably the only sports writer you know who also doubles as a mortician. Spooky! @KulhaSports

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