Texas flips local four-star defensive end Colton Vasek from Oklahoma

Texas pulled off a monumental flip on Tuesday afternoon as the Longhorns were able to steal Austin (Texas) Westlake four-star defensive end Colton Vasek away from Oklahoma after his pledge to the Sooners over the summer.

Vasek's commitment to Oklahoma in early August did not prevent the Texas staff from pursuing one of their top targets on its defensive board as Steve Sarkisian and defensive coordinator Pete Kwiatkowski maintain communication through his first commitment in order to eventually be in the position to flip the local product.

"Everything stands out," Vasek said about Texas. "The staff, the winning culture, the tradition."

Rumors around a potential flip to Texas began to circulate early in the season, and those rumors began to pick up substantial steam after Vasek took a visit to Texas for the Longhorns' game against Iowa State on Oct. 15 despite Oklahoma's no-visit policy for commits. It was around that time that Vasek started to put the flip into motion.

"My mind has been made up and I've been wanting to get this thing over and done with so that I can focus on my team and season," he said. "We're coming for that fourth straight state title."

However, Oklahoma continued to fight to keep one of its defensive cornerstones in the class following his visit to Texas, but it was to no avail as the Longhorns were officially able to snatch Vasek away from their rival Sooners on Tuesday.

"I really do think they're getting things turned around," he said. "Coach Sark and Coach PK have both proved that they are championship-caliber coaches. They both have a track record of developing players and getting them to the league."

At 6-foot-6, 230 pounds, Vasek is ranked as the No. 82 prospect in the country for the class of 2023, according to Rivals. He is ranked as the No. 7 weakside defensive end in the country and the No. 17 recruit from the state of Texas.

Despite being a shade underweight for the college level, Vasek has one of the more mean streaks in all of Texas high school football with his ability to crash into the backfield.

A son of a defensive line coach, Vasek has pristine technique off the edge and uses his combination of moves to out-finesse bigger, but less agile offensive linemen. His violence when making contact with a ball carrier makes him one of the more entertaining defensive players in the class.

During his breakout 2021 junior campaign, Vasek totaled 56 tackles including 16 for loss and 10 sacks, three of which came in the 6A Division II State Championship where he earned Defensive MVP honors. He also accounted for one pass breakup and two forced fumbles on the season.

If Vasek can retain his athleticism while adding more weight to his already massive frame, first round potential could be attained during his time in Austin. Entering an improving defensive system under Pete Kwiatkowski and Gary Patterson will help develop Vasek into a key piece to Texas' immediate future.