Texas is moving up the recruiting team rankings following a four-star addition on Saturday.
The newest addition comes in the form of Missouri City (Texas) Hightower four-star cornerback Kade Phillips.
Phillips chose Texas over LSU, Texas A&M, Baylor, and numerous others.
the 6-foot-2, 170-pounder is the second defensive back in Texas' 2025 recruiting class, joining fellow Missouri City native Caleb Chester.
Texas was in a tough battle down the stretch, primarily with LSU, as both programs hoped to add Phillips to their classes.
The Longhorns were the eventual winner, and there was a very clear reason for Phillips.
"With Texas, it's really just the whole coaching staff, I feel like they really want me."
Phillips was very complimentary of several members of the staff in Austin, from the top to the bottom.
"Talking with coach (Steve) Sarkisian, coach (Blake) Gideon, and coach (Terry) Joseph, it's just like a home feel from the whole staff and like all the whole of Texas."
What Texas is getting in Phillips
There is a lot to like about Phillips as an athlete, starting with his length at 6-foot-2 and speed with reported 40-yard dash times in the 4.4's. He is also an explosive athlete with a verified 24' 7/5" long jump. The explosion shows up on tape as Phillips regularly is making plays crashing down on ball carriers or covering ground to make a play on the ball in the air.
While a good chunk of his time is spent at cornerback, Phillips also has the ability to play safety, where he will man the centerfield role. I think he is at his best, especially against the run, when he is on top and able to read and react towards the line of scrimmage. He is a willing tackler, and a thumper at times. Possesses great ball skills with a knack for reeling in interceptions, which translates from his time also spent as a wide receiver. In his junior season, Phillips caught 15 passes for 423 yards and five touchdowns.
There is high upside for Phillips, especially given he has yet to focus on purely playing cornerback at this point in his development. His athletic profile and skills on the offensive side of the ball lend well to a bright future on defense.
