Seven thousand five hundred rushing yards and 133 touchdowns across three high school seasons. Those are the numbers Landen Williams-Callis is bringing to Austin, and they go a long way toward explaining why his commitment to Texas was one of the most talked-about recruiting stories in Houston this offseason. The Gatorade Texas Football Player of the Year, a cousin of NFL veterans Jacquizz and James Rogers, Williams-Callis brings elite vision, a low center of gravity, and the kind of explosiveness that made him one of the top running back prospects in the country.
But Steve Sarkisian's local haul didn't stop there. The Longhorns secured four commitments from the Greater Houston area, and the supporting cast is worth attention in its own right. Columbus Cardinals senior Keyon Hemphill-Woods, a 6-foot-4, 290-pound offensive lineman, gives Texas a road-grader up front. Columbus is also the favorite to win the Class 3A Division II title this season, a program built around running the football — exactly the environment that sharpens a lineman like Hemphill-Woods.
On the defensive side, Atascocita's Jason Johnson brings the same 6-4, 290-pound frame as a bull-rushing defensive lineman. Johnson chose Texas over Cal, LSU, and Vanderbilt, making him one of 11 commitments the Longhorns landed in the month of June alone. Rounding out the group is Shadow Creek's Brandon Shaw, a quarterback with the size and speed — 6-2, 180 pounds — to also compete in track and field as a high jumper. Shaw adds athleticism and versatility to a class that already has plenty of it.
Taken together, the four recruits represent a strong cross-section of Houston-area talent: a generational skill player, two imposing linemen on both sides of the ball, and a dual-threat quarterback. Sarkisian has made the Houston pipeline a priority, and this cycle's results show why.
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