Texas nabs five-star Californian Brandon Baker, the country's No. 1 prep offensive tackle
Texas picked up a pledge from the possible heir to left tackle Kelvin Banks Jr. on Sunday when five-star recruit Brandon Baker — the No. 1 offensive tackle prospect in the country — announced his commitment to the Longhorns.
Baker, a 6-foot-5, 290-pound lineman from Ontario, Calif., picked Texas over Ohio State, Florida State, Oregon and Nebraska. Baker plays for high school power Mater Dei in Southern California; Texas head coach Steve Sarkisian, who also comes from the Los Angeles area and is a former head coach at USC, has long recruited that region.
Baker said that relationship with Sarkisian as well as with offensive coordinator and offensive line coach Kyle Flood played a crucial role in his commitment. A recent visit to Austin sealed his pledge, he said.
“Coach Sark is a West Coast guy, and he’s really easy to talk with and get along with,” Baker told 247Sports, whose composite rankings list him atop all national tackle prospects for the 2024 recruiting cycle. “All the players really like him a lot, and he’s always been open and honest with me. He was personally involved in recruiting me, and I liked that, too.
More: No. 3 Texas among college football's best at keeping opponents away from its own end zone
“He shows a lot of love and told me I would be a great fit as a player and as a person in the program. He’s big on bringing in guys with character who can represent the program on and off the field and told me I would fit in really well, and that meant a lot to me. I really like the vibe in Austin, too. It’s different than out here, but it’s relaxing and pretty chill.”
And how much impact did Texas’ impending move to the SEC have on Baker?
“That’s the biggest stage there is, and I’m excited for it,” Baker said. “Coming from Mater Dei, I’m used to playing in big games. And in the SEC, every week, you’re playing against the best.”
More: Texas leaves Baylor with a bang: Longhorns stifle Bears for 38-6 win
Replacing Banks?
Baker could eventually replace Banks, Texas' current left tackle and another former five-star prospect who has already drawn rave reviews from NFL scouts. Banks, a sophomore, is in his second season as a starter and cannot declare for the NFL draft until after the 2024 season.
Texas' 2024 class is No. 15 in 247Sports' composite rankings. But no team currently ranked above the Longhorns has fewer pledges.
More: Texas adds another top-rated edge rusher to its 2024 recruiting stockpile
Texas' 2024 class
Texas has received commitments from 18 players for 2024; players can begin signing letters of intent Dec. 20. These recruits are listed in order of their 247Sports composite rankings:
∙ Five stars: Duncanville edge Colin Simmons; Mater Dei (Calif.) OT Brandon Baker
∙ Four stars: IMG Academy (Fla.) RB Jerrick Gibson; IMG Academy (Fla.) CB Jordan Johnson-Rubell; Smithson Valley WR Freddie Dubose; Allen edge Zina Umeozulu; Daingerfield CB Aeryn Hampton
∙ Three stars: Houston Langham Creek TE Jordan Washington; Phoenix RB Christian Clark; Scottsdale (Ariz.) CB Santana Wilson; North Richland Hills OL Daniel Cruz; Houston Cypress-Fairbanks QB Trey Owens; Lucas Lovejoy WR Parker Livingstone; Duncanville DL Alex January; Lafayette (La.) DL Melvin Hills; Humble Atascocita OL Nate Kibble; Orlando (Fla.) DL D’antre Robinson; Fort Lauderdale (Fla.) P Michael Kern
This article originally appeared on Austin American-Statesman: Texas football secures pledge from five-star offensive tackle prospect
