Steve Sarkisian is proving to be quite the charmer when recruiting elite prospects. On August 24, the Longhorns coach landed 5-star recruit Jonah Williams, a massive win for Sarkisian and his team.

Williams is among the best safeties in his 2025 class and will surely be an asset in the secondary. But that’s not all — he’s also a versatile player who can play linebacker. And as a cheery on top, he’s a baseball star, too! Looks like the Longhorns have effectively hit two birds with one stone.

Elite Jonah Williams lands with the Longhorns

Steve Wiltfong from On3 couldn’t help but rave about Williams and his impact on Texas’ recruiting efforts. “Jonah Williams was one of the first prospects in the 2025 class to see his recruitment go national,” Wiltfong said, kicking off the hype. Coming out of Galveston’s Ball High School, Williams was highly sought after, with around 30 big programs like Texas A&M, Oregon, and LSU vying for his commitment. After making his last visit to Austin in July, Williams gave his final commitment to Texas just a month later.

And Wiltfong explained why Texas made the cut: “He checks all the boxes he wants in a college. You know they send guys to the league. He’s got family in the Austin area.” But Jonah Williams’ list isn’t that short. “He’s going to play football and baseball for the Longhorns,” Wiltfong added. Now, Texas also has a new baseball coach, Jim Schlossnagle, who had previously tried recruiting Williams while at Texas A&M. According to the On3 expert, Schlossnagle would have played a key role in securing Williams’ commitment. 

Interestingly, Schlossnagle joined the Longhorns last month after his Texas A&M  lost a close game to the Vols in the College World Series. After that, he decided to switch to the fellow in-state team. 

Not only did his facility get a great baseball coach, but it also got a talent like Jonah Williams, who will join other elite talents. 

Steve Sarkisian builds an elite roster

Steve Sarkisian is making a big splash as he prepares to enter the SEC. The conference is highly dominated by recruiting masterminds like Kirby Smart and Kalen DeBoer. Now Sarkisian is just proving that he’s a tough new competitor for them on the recruiting front. The Longhorns had a standout summer, landing a bunch of elite recruits. Thus, the 5-star Jonah Williams will join wide receiver Kaliq Lockett and elite edge rushers Lance Jackson and Smith Orogbo. And to these big-name commitments, the Longhorns have jumped six spots in the On3 Industry Team Recruiting Rankings, overtaking Oklahoma and Texas A&M.

Well, Sarkisian’s efforts to pull off these impressive signings have been nothing short of extraordinary. In June, his team partnered with Lamborghini Austin to create a flashy recruiting experience. The luxury car brand provided the team with high-end cars in Texas’ colors—white, orange, and black—on display at their university entrance when top recruits came to visit. But it’s not just 5-star talents that Sarkisian is bringing in. Even 4-star offensive tackle Nick Brooks committed to Texas just a day before Jonah Williams. “Texas is the school that had my heart,” Brooks said when he made his commitment.

It’s clear the Longhorns are giving all their recruits that home feel, and it’s making them ride high on their recruiting stints.