Rivals100 linebacker Taven Epps has taken multiple early visits to check out the Texas Longhorns, including a trip in late March. That trip moved the needle enough with the 2027 standout that he decided on Sunday to give the Longhorns a verbal commitment.
Out of Tustin (CA), Epps visited Texas in the fall and then returned again a little more than a week ago. It was on that visit when he made up his mind that he wanted to be a Longhorn.
“It’s the coaching, the environment,” Epps said. “It’s just home for me.”
A 6-5, 210-pounder, Epps said on his most recent visit, he really connected with Texas team members and he likes the UT staff’s message of how he’d be used and how he could develop. Originally from the DFW area, Epps moved to California four years ago. Having family in the state of Texas certainly didn’t hurt UT’s efforts, but Epps said the decision to be a Longhorn was more about the overall fit.
“That’s where I’m from, and I get along with the coaches really well and the players too,” Epps said. “(On the visit), coach Nansen was showing me how he could develop me, what it would take for me to be a starter and to play at Texas.”
Epps visited TCU before visiting Texas in late March. He was considering committing to Texas on April 1, his mother’s birthday, but decided to give USC and UCLA one last look before making it official. Those two programs were the Longhorns’ main competition.
“Coach Nansen was hyped, really excited,” Epps said of the moment he told Nansen he wanted to commit. “I think I woke him out of sleep.”
Epps ranks No. 97 on the Rivals100 and is the nation’s No. 4-ranked linebacker prospect.
“He started out his high school career as a safety and then really grew into a linebacker. He might actually grow into an edge. He keeps getting bigger and bigger, but he’s kept that fluidity and athleticism from when he played safety,” said Rivals.com national recruiting analyst Adam Gorney. “He’s a alented kid, lot of length, looks really good in person. He has a ton of potential to be one of the better players in his class at his position.
Epps is Texas’ first commitment in the 2027 recruiting cycle.
