Rivals100 safety B.J. Foster the latest major commitment for Texas

The rich got richer on Monday afternoon, when Rivals100 defensive back B.J. Foster committed to Texas in an announcement via Twitter.

Many have thought that Foster’s commitment had been a long time coming, but his announcement is the latest in a recent string of high-profile prospects choosing the Longhorns. On Sunday, Rivals250 linebacker Ayodele Adeoye announced his commitment to Texas, and the Longhorns have also added four-stars Keaontay Ingram and DeMarvion Overshown in the last week.

While head coach Tom Herman and company look as though they can do no wrong as they continue to build this recruiting class, it wasn’t lost on Foster how much personal attention he received from the Longhorns staff prior to making his commitment.

“The coaching staff really showed me something,” he said. “The way they recruited me and my family - my parents and my sister - that really played the biggest role in me choosing them.”

Foster is now the third defensive back in Texas’ class, joining Overshown and fellow Rivals100 safety Caden Sterns. For as long as Texas has been involved with Foster’s recruitment - going back to the Charlie Strong era - he said that specifics as far as his future role in what should be something of a defensive overhaul over the next few seasons haven’t really been discussed.

Although all three project as safeties, Foster and Sterns especially have shown the ability to man-up with receivers and can cover as effectively, if not better, than many of the cornerbacks in this class.

“We all talk about playing together in the group message that we’ve had going,” he said. “We’re always talking about how we all can get on the field together if we keep training hard and push each other to be better.”

If there is any trepidation associated with Foster, it may be where he is physically after a knee injury caused him to miss much of his junior season. As recently as this spring, he was still not completely ready to compete at camps or other off-season events, but he said that as summer approaches, he’s ready to pick up where he left off.

“My last checkup day is Tuesday,” he said. “I’m all healed-up and ready.”

Texas already had already pushed into the top ten recruiting classes in the nation prior to Foster’s commitment, but as the Longhorns continue preparations for their first fall with Herman at the helm, their work is not done - and neither is Foster’s. Once he’s shaken off the rust and completely returned to form, there is plenty of optimism that he could finish his high school career as one of the truly elite players in the country.

Beyond that, Foster is looking to help to continue adding pieces to the Longhorns’ class, starting with even more help in the secondary. Texas is still very much in the running for Houston-Lamar teammates Anthony Cook and D’Shawn Jamison as well as Houston-Heights Rivals250 defensive back Jalen Green.

“We’re trying to build the No. 1 recruiting class in 2018,” he said. “We’re getting out to all the guys that Texas has offered because we’re trying to get Texas back in that top spot.”