Relationships at Texas helped land On3 No. 1 RB Cedric Baxter

Before Texas hired running backs coach Tashard Choice last offseason, the Longhorns were on the outside looking in with On3’s No. 1 back, Cedric Baxter Jr.

At the time, he was all about Alabama and Georgia. But Choice, the one-time Georgia Tech star and six-year NFL veteran, had been recruiting him at Georgia Tech for some time. Then, he continued that pursuit during a brief stint at USC. When Choice got to Texas, though, the Longhorns went all in on Baxter.

The culmination of a multi-year relationship came on Wednesday, when Baxter announced for Texas over the likes of Alabama, Florida, Miami, Texas A&M and others.

“Over the summer, Texas started coming to mind day after day,” he told On3. “Even after I announced my commitment date, and schools turned it up, Texas just kept showing up. That is when I knew 100% of my decision.

Cedric Baxter’s bond with Choice was unmatched

While Baxter built strong relationships with coaches at each of his final schools, the longstanding bond he had with choice was a big factor in his decision. Add on to that his connection with head coach Steve Sarkisian, who offered him last summer, and the Longhorns made a compelling case.

“Coach Choice has been one of my favorite coaches since he started recruiting me,” Baxter said. “He is real, he is easy to talk to, and we just connected as soon as he started recruiting me. As a coach, he has played in the NFL, he has had success, and I know he can teach me a lot.

… Our relationship is real. Coach Choice stays the same. He started recruiting me at Georgia Tech, then real quick at USC, and he has been on me hard since he got to Texas. From day one, he has been the same guy and never changed. How genuine he is really stands out to me.”

Baxter also has a major belief in what Sarkisian is building on the Forty Acres. His background as one of college football’s best offensive minds, combined with how the Longhorns have developed the likes of Bijan Robinson, made him a believer in Sark.

“I believe any coach that comes from Coach Saban’s coaching tree is going to have success,” he said. “Coach Sark is smart, he is creative, and he has been around some winners. He has been around greatness and I expect Texas to do big things starting this season.”

Elite offensive class building in Austin

Along with Baxter, the Longhorns also have commitments from coveted four-star receivers Johntay Cook and Ryan Niblett, as well as Five-Star Plus+ quarterback Arch Manning, the No. 1 player this cycle.

He and Baxter have connected throughout the recruiting process, and they discussed playing together, whether that was at Texas or elsewhere.

“It is great to team up with Arch Manning,” Baxter added. “He is a great quarterback, and we have talked a few times about teaming up. Even before he committed, we talked about potentially teaming up at Alabama and Georgia too, so it is something we have talked about. Arch has the talent and it will be fun to team up with him at Texas.”

Visits sealed the deal

Baxter was on campus twice in Austin over the past six months, visiting unofficially in March before coming again for an official visit in June. Each time he came to campus, he learned more about the program and the coaching staff. Ultimately, after the official visit, he had a strong feeling about where he wanted to commit.

“Things started getting clearer for me in the spring, then over the summer,” he said. “Visits were so important. I learned a lot during my visits. Seeing everything is nice, but to sit down, talk football, and see how the coaches really coach is very important to me. Those visits played a role in me committing to Texas.

… I love it (there). The thing that makes me feel at home is how genuine the people are. Everyone is friendly, the people are welcoming, and even though it is not in my home state, it has that home feeling.”