Sep 8, 2019; Arlington, TX, USA; Dallas Cowboys tight end Jason Witten (82) in action during the game between the Cowboys and the Giants at AT&T Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jerome Miron-Imagn Images / Jerome Miron-Imagn Images
With commitments coming in hot and fast for their 2026 recruiting class, the Texas Longhorns are already setting some groundwork for the 2027 recruiting class.
Texas offered four-star linebacker Cooper Witten on May 15th, per Horns247. Witten is ranked as the No. 1 linebacker and the No. 25 overall player in the 2027 class by 247 Sports and holds a total of 24 offers from schools like the LSU Tigers and the Ohio State Buckeyes, among others.
The 6-1, 210-pound rising junior from Liberty Christian High School in Argyle, TX is the son of Dallas Cowboys legendary tight end Jason Witten, who is head coach for his son’s high school team.
Dec 15, 2019; Arlington, TX, USA; Dallas Cowboys tight end Jason Witten (82) smiles on the sidelines during the fourth quarter against the Los Angeles Rams at AT&T Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Matthew Emmons-Imagn Images / Matthew Emmons-Imagn Images
Per Horns247’s Hank South, Jason Witten says that they will be taking a visit to Austin on June 1 for a Texas Longhorns camp.
In his first two years of varsity football, Witten played in 23 total games. Through his two seasons, he has been a tackling machine, totaling 127 tackles, 98 of them solo, per his stats on MaxPreps. The rising junior has also been a ball hawk, with seven interceptions and 14 pass deflections through two seasons.
247Sports scouting analyst Gabe Brooks raves about Witten’s potential at the college level.
“Experienced at safety, but physical specs and play style would easily translate to off-ball linebacker in the long term,” he writes. “Presents high-floor competency with simultaneous high-ceiling developmental potential as one of the most intriguing defensive prospects at this early stage in the 2027 class.”
The Texas defense, coached by defensive coordinator Pete Kwiatkowski and linebackers coach Johnny Nansen, has been a great spot for linebackers in the past couple of years. With Jaylan Ford being drafted in 2023 and the developments of Anthony Hill Jr. — who projects as a first-round pick in the 2026 NFL Draft — along with former four-star Liona Lefau, the Longhorns have had some notable talent at the position. Texas also added four-star linebacker Elijah Barnes in the 2025 recruiting cycle.
The Longhorns have just one commitment so far in their 2027 recruiting class, fellow four-star linebacker Taven Epps out of California, and the No. 5-ranked linebacker in the class, who recently committed to the Longhorns in early April.
With Witten’s recruitment process just beginning, the battle with other top schools for his commitment will be interesting to follow in the coming years.
