Texas recruiting for the 2027 cycle already includes one of the nation’s top 2027 running back commitments, but the Longhorns are not finished building the backfield. The Longhorns have continued recruiting Landen Williams-Callis because Jabbar Juluke wants the position completed before the season begins. Noah Roberts committed to Texas on May 1. ESPN ranks the Arizona prospect No. 51 nationally and No. 4 among running backs in the 2027 class.
Williams-Callis will announce his decision Aug. 1st from a final five of Texas, Texas A&M, Houston, SMU, and Missouri. Texas hosted him for his final official visit in June and has remained involved despite Roberts’ decision. The staff is not treating the Randle High School standout as a fallback option or a replacement plan.
Landing both would give Juluke two nationally recruited backs in the same class. It would also keep Williams-Callis away from four programs Texas regularly battles for players inside the state and surrounding region.
Texas Recruiting
Why Texas Still Wants a Second Running Back
Williams-Callis did not move onto Texas’ board after Roberts committed. Juluke continued recruiting him through the spring and brought him to Austin for the final official visit of his schedule. That pursuit gives a direct answer to the most obvious question in his recruitment. Texas has already taken a running back, but the Longhorns still spent one of their June visit weekends showing him where he fits in the class.
Roberts’ commitment could have ended the discussion if Texas planned to sign one player at the position. Instead, the staff remained active and emerged from the official visit with increased confidence about its position. On3 placed a prediction for Texas after the trip.
Williams-Callis now enters August with five choices that offer different recruiting pitches. Houston and SMU can keep him close to Richmond, Texas A&M can offer an SEC roster in College Station, and Missouri has continued pursuing him after taking another running back commitment.
Record of Production at Randle
Few backs in the 2027 class will enter college with Williams-Callis’ level of production. He has rushed for 7,554 yards on 756 carries across 45 varsity games, including 3,502 yards, 59 touchdowns, and 10.8 yards per carry during Randle’s run to the Class 5A Division II championship game last season. (MaxPreps)
The Lions entered the 2025 final with 31 consecutive victories. Williams-Callis had been the constant through that stretch, giving Texas three seasons of production to evaluate rather than one breakout year. Randle did not limit him to handoffs. He added 24 receptions for 266 yards and a touchdown, scored on a kickoff return, and completed three passes for 47 yards and a score last season. (247Sports)
His role would change at Texas. The Longhorns would not need 324 carries from him in one season, especially with Noah Roberts in the same class. Juluke would instead get a back who has already handled a heavy workload, played in two state finals, and could arrive in Austin with more than 800 career rushing attempts.
Texas Has No Clear Replacement on the Board
An Aug. 1st commitment would give Juluke the two running backs Texas has pursued throughout the cycle. A decision elsewhere would leave no obvious replacement already moving toward Austin.
Texas has offered other 2027 backs, including Oregon commit CaDarius McMiller and Texas Tech commit SaRod Baker of DeSoto. However, neither has occupied the same place on the board during the final stage of Williams-Callis’ recruitment. That would leave Juluke to decide whether to revisit another prospect during the season or stop with Noah Roberts as the only back in the class.
Texas can avoid that decision by closing with Williams-Callis. The Longhorns made him a priority before Roberts committed and continued pressing after May. Roberts secured one place in the class. Williams-Callis remains the clearest path to completing the Texas 2027 backfield.
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