Five-star wide receiver Easton Royal committed to Steve Sarkisian’s Texas on Nov. 29, but he hasn’t completely shut down his recruiting process. As the top-rated commit in the Longhorns’ 2027 class, he is a talent the Longhorns can’t afford to lose.
Head Coach Steve Sarkisian Confronts Growing SEC Interest in Elite Commit Easton Royal
Florida, Tennessee, and Ole Miss are still aggressively recruiting Royal in an effort to pull him away from Sarkisian’s Texas.
“Florida, Tennessee, I just came back from Tennessee last night,” Royal said on March 29. “And I’ve also taken Ole Miss, all of them have been great, making my decision harder. Just continue to recruit me harder cuz schools usually back off on what you commit. But the schools that continue to push even harder, those are schools that are gonna separate themselves.”
After he visited Knoxville on Saturday, Royal spoke highly of the experience.
“It was better than I expected,” Royal told On3. “This was my first time here, and in the state itself, so I was kind of expecting the country and farm-like, but it is really like a city connected with a college town, so you get the best of both… I got to meet Coach [Kelsey] Pope and all of the coaches. I had a great experience meeting them and having them treat me like a need and not a want.”
Royal’s recruitment schedule remains busy, with official visits lined up with Ole Miss on May 1 and Florida on June 11, according to On3. Texas will have the final opportunity to make its case on June 19, giving Sarkisian and his staff a crucial chance to reinforce his commitment and keep him locked in heading toward the 2027 National Signing Day.
Texas wide receivers coach Chris Jackson has played a major role as Royal’s primary recruiter, while defensive ends coach LaAllan Clark has also been instrumental in building the relationship. He will be a huge addition to the Texas offense, which finished last season ranked No. 38 in the PFSN College Football Offense Impact Metric.
The Longhorns have a total of seven committed players in the 2027 class, including EDGE Cameron Hall, linebacker Cade Haug, quarterback Ty Knutson, and tight end JT Geraci, among others.
Meanwhile, Royal remains a hot commodity in the recruitment world as he is the No. 2 wide receiver in the 2027 class, according to the Rivals’ Industry Ranking. He is also the No. 1 recruit in Louisiana and the No. 9 prospect in the nation.
Royal attends Brother Martin High School in New Orleans, Louisiana, where he earned first-team honors as a MaxPreps Junior All-American last season. He recorded 57 receptions for 1,374 yards and 19 touchdowns last season, while also rushing for 277 yards and five touchdowns.
