The defensive tackle position remains a high priority for the Texas Longhorns with only one commitment in the 2025 recruiting class, leading to position coach Kenny Baker and the Longhorns hosting Lorena’s Jackson Blackwell on Saturday as Texas opened the 2024 season against the Colorado State Rams.

With the Longhorns kicking off at 2:30 p.m. Central at Darrell K Royal-Texas Memorial Stadium, Blackwell was in Austin for an unofficial visit and then made the 90-minute drive up I-35 to watch the Baylor Bears take on the Tarleton Texans.

A 6’2.5, 305-pounder who also competes in weightlifting and track and field, Blackwell committed to Baylor on July 1 after taking official visits to Arizona, Houston, Kansas State, and Texas Tech during the summer period, the five Power Four programs that have offered Blackwell.

Texas has not yet extended an offer to Blackwell, who is nonetheless squarely on the recruiting radar of the Longhorns with Saturday’s visit and only three defensive tackles ranked inside the state’s top 50 players in the 247Sports Composite rankings — there’s simply a dearth of highly-rated interior defensive linemen in this year’s in-state class.

A consensus three-star prospect, Blackwell is the No, 695 player nationally and the No. 76 defensive lineman.