Texas football steals major defensive target for recruiting class of 2026 right under Georgia’s nose
Chalk up yet another recruiting victory for Texas assistant coach Blake Gideon. He keeps finding talented defensive backs.Zelus Hicks, a hard-hitting safety from Carrollton, Ga., announced his commitment to the Longhorns for the class of 2026. Hicks is the first defensive player to join the 2026 class and just the third player overall.Still, he’s one […]
Chalk up yet another recruiting victory for Texas assistant coach Blake Gideon. He keeps finding talented defensive backs.
Zelus Hicks, a hard-hitting safety from Carrollton, Ga., announced his commitment to the Longhorns for the class of 2026. Hicks is the first defensive player to join the 2026 class and just the third player overall.
Still, he’s one of the top-three safeties in the country at his position and Hicks wants to be a Longhorn.
“Things moved quickly with Texas,” Hicks told On3, which first reported the decision. “They came out in the spring and offered, they came heavy after me, and after that visit, I felt great about Texas. I liked the school, I meshed with coach Blake Gideon, they just kept applying pressure like no other school and I made my decision.
“They tell me I am No. 1 on their board, and they are No. 1 on my board, so it is a perfect match. Me and my dad have been talking about it and I made my decision earlier this week.”
Hicks chose Texas over Auburn, Clemson and Ohio State. He could reclassify for the class of 2025, but that remains to be seen at this point. Hicks told On3 that his family ties to Texas made the decision easier. His aunt, Faith Johnson, was the first Black female to be Dallas County district attorney.
“Texas is a top program,” Hicks told On3. “I want to be an impactful player that is competing for championships at a top program like Texas. They are elite with elite players. I can come in, make an impact and help the program keep winning.”
Inside Texas recruiting analyst Justin Wells said, “You’re going into Georgia and taking Georgia-level talent. He is aggressive. He plays the alley. He comes down in the box and helps out with run support. This guy, he’s just one of those old-school headhunters of sort.”
Fellow Inside Texas analyst Joe Cook said Hicks visited UT in mid-April for a spring scrimmage. Then, he came back to campus for camp in June.
“This is someone who’s on the fringe of five-star status,” Cook said. “And this is why you get people on campus.”
The Longhorns have already set themselves up for a huge secondary haul for the class of 2025. Five-star safety Jonah Williams headlines the class, and cornerback Caleb Chester can develop into a talented contributor.
