When the Texas Longhorns take on the Kentucky Wildcats on Saturday afternoon, some of the top recruits from the 2025 and 2026 classes will be in attendance. That list includes four-star linebacker Elijah Barnes. The Texas native is ranked as the fourth-best player at his position in the 2025 class.
As Barnes’s college debut inches closer, he will get to see what his future holds on Saturday. The Longhorns are heavily favored and have only lost one conference game. They are also coming off a win in which they held the Arkansas Razorbacks to ten points.
With Barnes in the mix next season, the defense should only continue to improve. He has made headlines due to his excellent vision and anticipation as a run defender and a blitzer. According to 247Sports, he projects to be a multi-year impact starter with a clear NFL Draft upside.
I will be at the 🏡 Saturday @TexasFootball #HookEm @GHamiltonOTF @BobbyBurtonOTF @CJVogel_OTF pic.twitter.com/t9Gx53P5iX
— Elijah Bo barnes (@ElijahBobarnes1) November 20, 2024
While Barnes will be watching from afar on Saturday, he did not hide his excitement on social media. In a post on his X account, Barnes posted a video of Darrell K Royal Memorial Stadium.
As the Longhorns look to end their home slate with a win, they will be hoping to impress Barnes and other prospects as the start of their Longhorns career inches closer to the day. Many in Austin are excited for Barnes to make his mark and live up to the high expectations.