Longhorns land No. 3 RB prospect Williams-Callis
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- Landen Williams-Callis, ESPN's No. 3 running back and No. 46 overall recruit in the 2027 class, committed to Texas on Saturday, choosing the Longhorns over late pushes from Missouri and Texas A&M, with Houston and SMU also among his finalists.
- Steve Sarkisian's 2027 class moved to No. 3 in ESPN's latest ranking after the commitment, boosted by 14 pledges since June 1 — including 10 from the SC Next 300 — with Williams-Callis checking in as the second-ranked commit behind five-star receiver Easton Royal.
- Williams-Callis, the reigning Gatorade Texas Football Player of the Year, brings three varsity seasons of staggering production from Thomas E. Randle High School: 7,551 career rushing yards and 125 touchdowns, including 3,502 yards and 59 TDs as a junior en route to a state runner-up finish.
- Williams-Callis' family tree is loaded with NFL pedigree — he is a cousin of former Oregon State All-Americans Jacquizz and James Rodgers and a nephew of former Colorado All-American Michael Lewis, a nine-year NFL veteran and first-team All-Pro in 2004.
- Texas' 2027 running back haul is on track to be historically deep: combined pledges from Williams-Callis (No. 3 RB) and Noah Roberts (No. 4 RB, No. 51 overall) would give the Longhorns their first class ever to sign two of ESPN's top five rushers.
- Texas' 2027 backfield reload comes after the program lost four of its top five rushers from last season, a void already filled by portal additions Raleek Brown and Hollywood Smothers plus five-star freshman Derrek Cooper, ESPN's No. 1 RB in the 2026 class.
Why it matters: Texas is reloading its backfield after losing four of its top five rushers, and the Williams-Callis commitment pairs with No. 4 RB Noah Roberts to put the Longhorns on track for their first class ever signing two of ESPN's top five rushers. The 14 pledges since June 1 have pushed the 2027 class to No. 3 nationally — the strongest recruiting benchmark of the Sarkisian era for a cycle still in its early stages.
