The Texas Longhorns and Steve Sarkisian have begun to kick the tires on the 2028 recruiting class. Searching for their first commitment, they have made safety Jalen Flowers out of Palos Verdes Peninsula, California, a top priority.
At 6-foot-2 and 180 pounds, he is a four-star recruit, the No. 9 safety and the No. 86 player in the nation, according to Rivals Industry Rankings. Last season for Palos Verdes High School, he recorded 50 tackles, two tackles for loss, five interceptions and three pass deflections.
Flowers' recruiting process is beginning to heat up. He made his way to Austin on Friday for an unofficial visit with Texas. Following the trip, he spoke to Rivals' Greg Biggins to recap the experience.
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“This was the best visit I’ve been on so far,” Flowers said. “I had a great time and I loved being able to compete and build up my relationships with the defensive staff. It was great to get know coach [Blake] Gideon, coach [Will] Muschamp and coach [Mark] Orphey better and really get coached up by them. I was able to learn a lot and understand how they do things at Texas.”
It's high praise for Texas, considering the other programs Flowers has taken a closer look at. The safety has already had six unofficial visits with the USC Trojans and one with the Ohio State Buckeyes.
While the Longhorns made a strong impression, they have work to do to catch up in this recruiting battle. As of now, the Trojans are the clear favorite with a 57.5% chance of landing his commitment according to the Rivals Recruiting Prediction machine.
As Flowers' recruiting process unfolds, the Longhorns are aiming to turn a successful visit into lasting momentum.
