5-star defensive finish Richard Wesley has dedicated to Texas, the No. 18 general prospect within the 2026 ESPN 300 introduced on social media Sunday evening following an official go to with the Longhorns this weekend.
Wesley, a 6-foot-5, 250-pound go rusher from Chatsworth, California, is the nation’s third-ranked defensive finish within the present cycle. After reclassifying from the 2027 class earlier this 12 months, Wesley initially dedicated to Oregon on Might 10 earlier than he pulled his pledge from the Geese and reopened his recruitment solely weeks in a while Might 28. Wesley now follows quarterback commit Dia Bell (No. 6 general) because the second five-star pledge in Texas’ 2026 class.
As soon as ranked among the many high prospects in 2027, Wesley instantly earned five-star standing atop the 2026 ESPN 300 upon his reclassification in March. He is tallied 99 whole tackles and 19 sacks by two varsity seasons at California’s Sierra Canyon Excessive Faculty. A rising highschool junior, Wesley will enroll at Texas in January after finishing his third highschool marketing campaign.
Ohio State, Oregon, Tennessee, Texas, Texas A&M stood among the many front-runners this spring in what was anticipated to be a slow-moving recruitment for Wesley.
These plans appeared to vary in Might when Wesley introduced his dedication to Oregon in a video with Geese coach Dan Lanning throughout an unofficial go to with this system final month. Nevertheless, sources advised ESPN on the time that Wesley’s recruitment “remained open”, and the 16-year-old recruit subsequently decommitted from Oregon simply 17 days later.
ESPN sources view Wesley’s pledge to Texas on Sunday as a extra agency dedication, touchdown because the second-ranked of 10 ESPN 300 recruits in coach Steve Sarkisian’s incoming class.
Wesley’s addition additionally places a hefty exclamation level on a sizzling run of line of defense recruiting for the Longhorns this month. 4-star defensive deal with Vodney Cleveland (No. 201 general) Saturday afternoon dedication to Texas adopted pledges from high 300 defensive tackles Corey Wells (No. 178) and Dylan Berymon (No. 183) early this month. With Wesley now within the fold, the Longhorns have a foundational pillar in one of many nation’s most gifted line of defense lessons.
After signing this system’s first-ever No. 1 class within the 2025 cycle, Sarkisian and Texas are anticipated to proceed bolstering the Longhorns’ 2026 class within the coming months. Alongside Wesley, Texas hosted various elite skills over the weekend together with No. 1 exterior linebacker Tyler Atkinson (No. 13 general), offensive deal with John Turntine III (No. 43) and vast receiver Kaydon Finley (No. 111), son of Tremendous Bowl Champion tight finish Jermichael Finley.