BREAKING: Five-star S confirms commits to Texas over Clemson, Ohio State, others
The Texas Longhorns’ 2026 recruiting class got a significant boost on Thursday with the commitment of five-star safety from Carrollton, GA. who also considered Auburn, Clemson, and Ohio State, opted for Texas after visiting the Forty Acres twice this year—once in the spring and again in the summer. The 6’2″, 190-pound prospect is highly sought after, holding more than 30 offers from schools like Florida, Georgia, LSU, Miami, Michigan, and Texas A&M.
In an interview with On3, He shared, “Texas came after me hard after offering in the spring, and after my visit, I felt great about the program. I connected with coach Blake Gideon, and they kept the pressure on, which led to my decision. Texas is No. 1 on my board, and they tell me I’m No. 1 on theirs, so it’s a perfect match.”
Hicks had a standout sophomore year at Parkview in the Atlanta metro area before transferring to Carrollton. He posted 67 tackles, 5.5 tackles for loss, two sacks, two pass breakups, and two forced fumbles.
247Sports describes Hicks as a modern boundary safety with a physical presence, sharp football instincts, and a high football IQ. He’s a reliable tackler and valuable blitzer but is still improving his consistency in man-to-man coverage. He projects as a boundary safety with the potential to become a multi-year starter with NFL Draft potential.
BREAKING: Elite 2026 Safety Zelus Hicks has Committed to Texas, he tells me for @on3recruits
The 6’3 185 S from Carrollton, GA chose the Longhorns over Georgia, USC, & Ohio State
Ranked as a Top 25 Recruit in ‘26 🤘🏼
“Just the beginning.”https://t.co/aWFLAuTaIC pic.twitter.com/XQXyWUxWrz
— Hayes Fawcett (@Hayesfawcett3) September 12, 2024
Ranked as the No. 25 overall prospect in the 2026 class, Hicks is the No. 3 safety and No. 5 player in Georgia. He joins quarterback Dia Bell and wide receiver Chris Stewart in Texas’ 2026 class but may reclassify to 2025, which would be a timely addition after the recent decommitment of safety Kade Phillips. Along with Jonah Williams and Xavier Filsaime, Hicks’ commitment highlights Blake Gideon’s growing reputation as a top recruiter for Texas.