Blockbuster Trade: Four-star Georgia Safety Commits To Texas.

Four-star recruit Zelus Hicks, a safety from Georgia in the 2026 class, verbally committed to Texas on Thursday, as reported by On3 Recruits.

Hicks chose the Longhorns over in-state options Georgia and Georgia Tech, along with other contenders like Ohio State, Clemson, Tennessee, and Auburn. At 6-foot-2, he is ranked as the eighth-best safety in the 2026 class by 247 Sports and is also the 10th best in Georgia.

During his sophomore year at Parkview in Lilburn, Hicks tallied 67 tackles (5.5 for loss), two sacks, two pass breakups, and two forced fumbles. He transferred to Carrollton, a top football program in Georgia, this summer. After his freshman season at Parkview, Hicks was invited to the FBU Freshman All-American Bowl and was noted as a “top performer” by 247 Sports.

There is a possibility that Hicks could join Texas a year earlier than planned, as he is reportedly considering reclassifying to the 2025 class, though this has not been confirmed.

If Hicks remains committed to the 2026 class, his commitment would be the third for Texas and the first on defense. The Longhorns’ earlier commitments for the 2026 class include Dia Bell, a four-star quarterback from Fort Lauderdale, who committed on June 17, and Chris Stewart, a three-star receiver from Pearland, who committed shortly after on June 25.Should Hicks choose to reclassify, he would strengthen Texas’s already impressive 2025 recruiting class, which features Jonah Williams, a five-star safety from Galveston. Hicks and Williams would form a formidable pair for defensive coordinator Pete Kwiatkowski, complemented by four-star edge rusher Lance Jackson and four-star linebacker Elijah Barnes.