Texas Lands No. 3 RB Williams-Callis Over Missouri, A&M
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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 finalist programs Missouri, Texas A&M, Houston, and SMU.
- Williams-Callis, a 5-foot-8, 185-pound back from Richmond, Texas, rushed for 3,502 yards and 59 touchdowns as a junior at Thomas E. Randle High School and enters his senior season with 7,551 career yards and 125 touchdowns — 3,828 yards shy of the Texas high school career rushing record.
- Williams-Callis is the reigning Gatorade Texas Football Player of the Year and the latest in an NFL-adjacent football family: he is a cousin of former Oregon State All-Americans Jacquizz and James Rodgers (2009) and nephew of former Colorado All-American and 2004 first-team All-Pro Michael Lewis, who played nine NFL seasons.
- Williams-Callis is the second-ranked pledge in Texas's 2027 class behind five-star wide receiver Easton Royal (No. 8 overall, committed in November), with the Longhorns holding 14 pledges since June 1 and ranking No. 3 in ESPN's latest class rankings.
- Texas spent the offseason rebuilding its running backs room after losing four of its top five rushers from a year ago, adding portal transfers Raleek Brown and Hollywood Smothers alongside five-star freshman Derrek Cooper, ESPN's No. 1 running back in the 2026 class.
- Williams-Callis and fellow 2027 pledge Noah Roberts (No. 4 RB, No. 51 overall) put Texas in position to sign two of ESPN's top five rushers in the same class — a first in program history — with Williams-Callis having been the top uncommitted prospect on the 2027 SC Next before his decision.
Why it matters: Williams-Callis is the centerpiece of a Texas running backs rebuild that started with massive portal and 2026 attrition; landing him plus No. 4 RB Noah Roberts gives the Longhorns a shot at signing two of ESPN's top five rushers in one class for the first time in program history, deepening a position group that lost four of its top five carriers from last season.
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