Four-star S Chace Calicut commits to Georgia despite silent pledge to Texas

Things change quickly in recruiting, especially in the current environment.

Of the 44 prospects hosted on official visits by the Texas Longhorns in June, 17 have committed or will commit in the next two weeks.

So the numbers say that the Longhorns are going to miss out on some of those prospects, even at need positions like running back — the nation’s No. 2 back, Ezavier Crowell, committed to home-state Alabama on Thursday — but Friday’s commitment of Galena Park North Shore safety Chace Calicut to the Georgia Bulldogs over Texas is notable for a number of reasons.

The public narrative of why Calicut chose Georgia over finalists Texas and Michigan is one of them.

“There’s not a better program producing dbs than UGA. Dawg nation I’m home!” Calicut told On3.

“You’re playing for Kirby, you’re playing for Donte, T-Rob, you’re going to the league,” Calicut told 247Sports.

That’s certainly a psychic hit for the Longhorns given the program’s reputation for developing defensive backs that waned in tune with fortunes of Texas, but just re-hired Duane Akina, the architect of DBU, and is rapidly re-establishing its reputation for developing players at every position.

So while the staff turnover as Terry Joseph and Blake Gideon took promotions as a result of their developmental success potentially contributed to Calicut’s decision, the hire of Mark Orphey, a North Shore alum, was supposed to smooth that transition and ultimately help add the consensus four-star prospect to the 2026 Texas recruiting class.

And, in fact, in the most notable aspect of Calicut’s decision, the 6’3, 190-pounder was a member of the class behind the scenes after giving a silent commitment to the Horns, he told 247, before reversing course and pledging to the Dawgs.

It’s certainly not an unprecedented situation in recruiting, but it is unusual, especially within the context of Texas’ recent success.

A consensus four-star prospect, Calicut is ranked as the No. 162 player nationally and the No. 13 safety, according to the 247Sports Composite rankings. Texas currently holds verbal pledges from two defensive backs and one athlete who could project to the position in Jermaine Bishop.