“I’m a winner and I love to compete and play with and against the best, so I felt like I needed to be at a place where I could really do that,” said Aden Starling after decommitting from Houston. Starling now focuses on the final five SEC programs, including Texas, Georgia, Missouri, South Carolina, and Ole Miss. Ranked No. 72 overall in the 2027 WR class, Starling’s skill set attracted eyeballs, and Shane Beamer’s South Carolina could be in a dogfight.

The saga unfolded when Starling attended Austin summer camps and received an offer from Texas. He made an impression on wide receivers coach Chris Jackson, securing his position as one of the top SEC targets. But the script’s flipped: The Longhorns are slight favorites, posing a severe threat to Shane Beamer’s dreams of securing Aden Starling.

On3 predicts a 41.7% chance for Texas and 36.5% for South Carolina. Aden Starling is training with Deche Milburn, a receiver specialist known for developing top players in the Houston area who have received offers from Texas. Chris Stewart, Alvin Mosley, Mike Brown, Jadyn Robinson, and Jacorey Watson are all part of his training group. Texas is so active with its players owing to the success of Milburn’s receivers, underscoring the program’s credibility.

On the other hand, Shane Beamer’s excitement could hit a roadblock after the latest developments. Beamer and the South Carolina Gamecocks exchanged pleasantries at the beginning in a bid to land the three-star recruit. The Gamecocks’ impression of Starling changed after he participated in Shane Beamer’s football camp in July 2024. Since then, Beamer had his eyes on the unearthed diamond. Yet, the decision solely remains with Starling to make.

Starling has benefited from the close relationship that wide receivers coach Chris Jackson developed with Milburn. That puts the Longhorns firmly in contention to attract elite talent in Houston. Winning the wide receiver MVP award after impressing scouts in the Elite 11 regional in Austin is a testament to his hard work. Defensively, it is challenging to stay up with him as he explodes off the line of scrimmage, moves through routes easily, and shows great body control.

Reflecting on his drive, Starling said, “A family-like environment with a culture of toughness and excellence – I want to be coached hard and developed into being the best WR I can possibly be.” While Texas is monitoring Starling, the program also focused on another elite 2027 recruit as his commitment date draws closer.

A chess match unfolds with Texas and other SEC teams

Texas has pushed to land a four-star quarterback, Kavian Bryant, in the 2027 class. The talented wonderkid reached the final five list with Texas, Colorado, Florida State, Texas Tech, and SMU. With Bryant’s November 1 commitment date coming up, Texas hopes to tie him down and add another elite signal-caller to a squad with five-star quarterback Dia Bell.

Moreover, rivals rank Bryant as the No. 1 quarterback in the 2027 class. They could be advantageous because of Bryant’s connections to the Longhorns’ program and recent recruiting success. Last year, he led Westwood into the Texas 3A playoffs as a dual-threat quarterback. Coaches love Bryant’s two-sport athleticism across football and basketball.

He “provides excellent playmaking ability with his arm and his legs in football, along with elite skill and instincts in basketball,” according to Gabe Brooks of 247Sports. Bryant’s flexibility might significantly influence Texas’ offense in the future. With their history of producing outstanding QBs despite some recent setbacks with Arch Manning at quarterback, the Longhorns are hopeful he remains at home and follows in the footsteps of past outstanding Texas quarterbacks.

Beyond football, Texas has much to offer Bryant and other athletes off the field. “Maybe we get a guy for a little bit less than another school’s offering,” says head coach Steve Sarkisian, highlighting the program’s excellent infrastructure, elite recruiting classes, and NIL potential.

Texas fans are on high alert as the November decision draws closer. He has the potential to give the Longhorns a significant boost at quarterback. Rest assured, it’s up to Kavian Bryant to sign that thing.