DT Terry, No. 7 recruit in 2025, commits to Texas

Five-star defensive tackle Justus Terry, the nation’s top uncommitted 2025 prospect, committed to Texas on Friday, choosing the Longhorns over Georgia and Auburn on the final day of the three-day early signing period.

Terry, No. 7 in the 2025 ESPN 300, began Friday as the last unsigned five-star recruit in the Class of 2025.

With his pledge, the 6-foot-5, 270-pound defender from Manchester, Georgia, becomes the highest-rated of 18 ESPN 300 signees in coach Steve Sarkisian’s incoming class, which began Friday ranked No. 3 nationally in ESPN’s latest recruiting class rankings for the cycle. Terry joins Texas as the program’s second five-star signee in the 2025 class alongside No. 1 athlete Jonah Williams (No. 8 in the 2025 ESPN 300), marking the third straight cycle in which the Longhorns have landed two five-star prospects.

Boosted by Terry’s pledge, Texas jumped to No. 2 in the rankings, with Oregon claiming the top spot, Georgia falling to No. 3 in ESPN’s class rankings for the 2025 cycle on Friday.

A long, physical run-stopper, Terry began his senior season this fall at Georgia’s Manchester with 116 total tackles and 17 sacks across two varsity seasons. Committed to both Georgia and USC within the last year, Terry reopened his recruitment in June when he pulled his pledge from the Trojans, leaving Lincoln Riley’s 2025 class within the same 24 hours as five-star Georgia defensive tackle signee Elijah Griffin (No. 6 in the ESPN 300), the nation’s No. 1 defensive tackle.

Terry maintained an open recruitment through the fall, visiting each of Georgia, Texas and Auburn in October before closing with an official visit to the Tigers on Nov. 23. While the Bulldogs remained favorites to keep Terry in his home state, Texas entered the early signing period confident in its pursuit of Terry, sources told ESPN, before the Longhorns ultimately secured his pledge as the top-ranked member of the program’s 2025 class on Friday.

Between Terry and Williams — expected to play safety at Texas — the Longhorns are set to add a pair of five-star prospects atop a 2025 defensive class headlined by nine ESPN 300 defenders.

Terry leads a cast of newcomers to defensive line that includes top 300 defensive ends Lance Jackson (No. 70 in the ESPN 300) and Smith Orogbo (No. 108) and defensive tackle Myron Charles (No. 180), who flipped from Florida State in September. Four-star cornerbacks Kade Phillips (No. 95) and Gracen Littleton (No. 101) join Williams in a defensive back class that also features four-star safety Zelus Hicks (No. 72), who was ESPN’s No. 1 safety in the 2026 cycle before his reclassification into the 2025 class last month.

Texas opened the early signing period on Wednesday with a commitment from four-star athlete Michael Terry (No. 30 in the ESPN 300), who joined four-star pass catchers Jaime French and Kaliq Lockett as one of three top 30 skill position prospects in the Longhorns’ 2025 class.

The Longhorns closed the 2024 regular season at 11-1 and came in at No. 2 in this week’s College Football Playoff rankings. Texas is set to face No. 5 Georgia for the SEC Championship Saturday night (4 p.m. ET, ABC) inside Atlanta’s Mercedes-Benz Stadium.