2026 five-star S Zelus Hicks commits to Texas instead of Clemson, Ohio State and others

The Texas Longhorns’ 2026 recruiting class received a new boost on Thursday when widely considered five-star safety Zelus Hicks of Carrollton, Ga., joined the Horns instead of the Auburn Tigers, Clemson Tigers and Ohio State Buckeyes.

The 6’2″, 195-pound player chose Texas after traveling to the Forty Acres twice this year, once in the spring and once in the summer. Hicks is a nationally-promising player and has more than 30 offers, including Arkansas, Florida, Florida State, Georgia, LSU, Miami, Michigan, Notre Dame, Tennessee, Texas A&M, USC and Washington.

“Texas was a quick move,” Hicks told On3. “They came in the spring and offered me, they were very committed to me and after that visit I had a great feeling about Texas. I liked the school, I got along with coach Blake Gideon, they just kept pushing like no other school and I made my decision.”

“They tell me I’m No. 1 on their board and they’re No. 1 on my board, so it’s a perfect fit. My dad and I talked about it and I made my decision earlier this week.”

Before moving to Carrollton, Hicks played an impressive sophomore season at Parkview in the Atlanta area, where he recorded 67 tackles, 5.5 tackles for loss, two sacks, two passes intercepted and two forced fumbles.

Here is Hicks’ rating from 247Sports:

A modern-day boundary safety who uses his physical frame, football instincts and athleticism to get off to a quick start downhill and operate as an enforcer against the run or first-level passing game. Verified at 6’2″, 195 pounds with an above-average wingspan and ideal Combine testing data in February 2024. Highly productive as a sophomore at Lilburn (Ga.) Parkview in Georgia’s AAAAAAA classification before transferring to Peach State power program Carrollton prior to his junior season. Excellent football IQ is regularly showcased when attacking from deep, operates with a determined mentality and takes excellent angles. A sure tackler who can bring down slot receivers in open space or play above his weight class against larger receivers or tight ends. Offers significant value relative to his position as a blitzer. Still working on becoming a more consistent man-to-man defender and can sometimes get lost in the deep third. Should be viewed as a high-potential defensive back who is currently projected as a boundary safety but could eventually develop into a nickel with a larger frame. Potential to develop into a multi-year starter with NFL Draft potential.

Hicks is the 25th-ranked prospect nationally, the No. 3 safety and the No. 5 player in Georgia, according to the 247Sports Composite rankings. Texas currently has two other players committed to the 2026 class, five-star quarterback Dia Bell and four-star wide receiver Chris Stewart, but there are reports that Hicks could transfer to the 2025 class, an attractive possibility for the Longhorns after they recently lost the commitment of safety Kade Phillips. Five-star prospect Jonah Williams is the only safety committed to the Horns in the current cycle.

The signings of Hicks and Williams, along with the transfer of Xavier Filsaime from Florida late last year, have helped turn the tide around Texas safeties coach Blake Gideon, who has made it clear that he is an influential talent scout who can sign some of the best players in the country for his position.