2025 CB Zadian Gentry announces top five schools

McKinney (Texas) three-star cornerback Zadian Gentry holds offers from 31 programs. He will be focusing on five of them going forward. 

Gentry announced Baylor, Missouri, Oklahoma State, SMU and Wisconsin as his top schools on Friday. The 6-foot-1, 165-pound defensive back has already visited each of his finalists except for the Badgers, but will make his first trip to Madison on April 22. 

“Wisconsin, they’re up there pretty high with Missouri and SMU,” Gentry told On3. “SMU is talking to me all the time. With Wisconsin, it’s constant communication. When I went up to Missouri, it felt great and I’ve been keeping in contact with the coaches.” 

Gentry is looking to visit spring practices at Baylor, Missouri and SMU later this month. He will then be busy with official visits, as the Lone Star State native is scheduled to be at Oklahoma State from April 26-28, SMU from May 17-19, Wisconsin from May 30-June 2 and Baylor from June 14-16. Gentry is also working to set up an official with Missouri.  

The No. 76 player in Texas believes that his next big announcement will “definitely” be his commitment. He is looking forward to revealing his college destination, which could be shared after any of his official visits. 

“It’s going to come down to development because I want to get developed and go to the league badly,” said Gentry, the No. 461 overall prospect and No. 46 cornerback in the 2025 On3 Industry Ranking. “If I get a coach that’s going to have the right development for me, the sky’s the limit.” 

SMU, Missouri and Wisconsin have made strong impressions on Gentry

Gentry last visited SMU on the weekend of Feb. 4. He likes how the Mustangs’ campus is only 20 minutes away, which would allow family and friends to easily come to his games if chooses the program. 

Multiple coaches are recruiting Gentry to SMU. They include head coach Rhett Lashlee, defensive coordinator/safeties coach Scott Symons and co-defensive coordinator/cornerbacks coach Rickey Hunley Jr.

“Since they’re going into the ACC, they’re emphasizing how they’re going to have a breakout season and keep competing,” Gentry said. “With guys like me on their board, they’re going to keep stocking up.” 

Gentry went to Missouri more recently, visiting the Tigers’ campus on March 20. It marked his first time in Columbia. 

Going into his trip, Gentry knew that Missouri was sending multiple players to the NFL and had a successful season, which included a win over Ohio State in the Cotton Bowl, that really “put them on the map.” When he got there, the three-star quickly felt like a priority and is being recruited by assistant head coach/cornerbacks coach Al Pogue and running backs coach Curtis Luper. Gentry’s trip to the Tigers ended up having a “great impact” on the program making his top five. 

“I had a great time,” Gentry said. “I have a cousin up there who is the running backs coach, coach Luper. When I got up there and talked to him and the whole staff, it made me feel great and I had a great first impression of Missouri.” 

Wisconsin is also making a strong push for Gentry. He talks with multiple Badgers staffers, including cornerbacks coach Paul Haynes. 

During his trip to Madison, Gentry is excited to see Wisconsin’s campus and facilities. He also wants to talk to the Badgers’ players and learn about their experiences of playing for the Big Ten school. 

“The communication they have with their recruits is on point,” Gentry said. “They’re really emphasizing how it’s not a monthly or weekly thing. They are making a constant impact and the more communication, the better I will feel about the school.” 

Baylor and Oklahoma State are hoping to keep Gentry in Big 12 country

Baylor has already hosted Gentry between four and five times since his sophomore year. He was last in Waco a couple of weeks after the Bears’ season ended and “had a great time.” 

Head coach Dave Aranda and cornerbacks coach Kevin Curtis have built connections with Gentry and he feels that he is “definitely a priority” to Baylor. The talented defensive back added that he is “No. 1” on Curtis’ board and the Bears assistant wants to develop him and get him to the NFL. 

“The thing that stands out about Baylor is that they’re not scared to play freshmen,” Gentry said. “At my position, they had two Freshman All-American corners. That’s going to be a big developmental thing for me if I decide to go in there, try to fight for a spot and get on the field early.” 

Like Missouri, Gentry has only visited Oklahoma State once. His trip to Stillwater came on Nov. 4 for the Cowboys’ Bedlam rivalry game against Oklahoma. 

Gentry knows former seven-on-seven and tackle football teammates currently playing for Oklahoma State and they have told him positive things about the Cowboys, which they called “a great program.” Gentry also likes how cornerbacks coach Tim Duffie gets a lot of his players to see the field. 

“We communicate very often,” Gentry said of Duffie. “He talks to me about how he really wants me and he wants me to get on campus. Besides that, he really wants me to come in there and make an impact. I know a linebacker from my tackle team, Jonathan Agumadu, and then I know a safety there from one of my other teams. They talk to me and tell me all the time that, ‘If you come in, you’re bound to play. They say to do what you do, keep your head down and keep working.’”