Texas HC Steve Sarkisian visits Florida 5-star safety commit Xavier Filsaime

Texas has ramped up its pursuit of McKinney (Texas) five-star safety and Florida commit Xavier Filsaime as National Signing Day nears.

Steve Sarkisian and the Longhorns have kept consistent contact with the in-state defensive back and continue to try and flip him away from the Gators. After multiple visits to the Forty Acres this fall, Filsaime is scheduled to take an official visit to Texas on Dec. 15.

On Thursday, Sarkisian and UT safeties coach Blake Gideon went in-home to visit the No. 32 overall prospect and No. 2 safety in the 2024 cycle.

Texas HC Steve Sarkisian and safeties coach Blake Gideon visited Florida 5-star safety commit Xavier Filsaime tonight🤘

Filsaime is taking an official visit to Texas next weekend👀https://t.co/ueo4TnX0Ib pic.twitter.com/BPZqvE2hhO

— On3 Recruits (@On3Recruits) December 8, 2023

“I think things continue to trend a little bit towards Texas here. That official visit, as you know, you make two visits in a short amount of time, that’s not good news for Florida,” Texas recruiting insider Gerry Hamilton said on The Inside Scoop.

Florida is expected to make an in-home visit with Filsaime ahead of his trip to Texas. Billy Napier and the Gators remain under serious pressure to keep the five-star recruit on their pledge list.

“Florida doesn’t have to get him back on campus to sign him,” Hamilton said. “The key there is can they weather the storm? Texas is now a College Football Playoff team. There’s a lot of momentum with this Texas program and it’s the opposite with Florida … Florida continues to leak oil in that class and that only helps Texas.”

Filsaime has an On3 NIL Valuation of $231K. The On3 NIL Valuation is the industry’s leading index that sets high school and college athletes’ projected annual value (PAV). The NIL valuation does not act as a tracker of the value of NIL deals an athlete has completed to date. It rather signifies an athlete’s value at a certain moment in time.

Xavier Filsaime Scouting Summary

“Athletic, physical safety with versatility on the back end. Measured at over 5-foot-11.5, around 180 pounds prior to his junior season. Has average to below average length for the position with a 30.75-inch arm. Turned in very strong track times as a sophomore, with multiple sub-11.0 second marks in the 100 meters, highlighted by a personal best of 10.52 seconds. Primarily worked as a safety as a junior, lining up deep and in the slot. Makes most of his plays as a cover down defender.

…Physical and throws his body around. Shows pop as a striker. Closes quickly when moving forward. Sniffs out quick passes. Plays with some attitude. Has the speed and fluidity to line up on receivers in man coverage. Did not have much ball production as a junior at safety but was a wide receiver as a sophomore, alleviating questions about ball skills. Did not replicate his sophomore track times as a junior. Younger for the class with an April birthday.”