4-star LB Nathaniel Owusu-Boateng not visiting Texas this weekend

Texas is hosting a plethora of elite prospects this weekend as it hosts Kentucky for its penultimate regular season game.

Manassas (Va.) IMG Academy four-star linebacker Nathaniel Owusu-Boateng was one of the more intriguing official visitors on the list for the Longhorns, but his plans have changed. On Thursday night, Owusu-Boateng announced via X that he will not be in Austin in the coming days.

I will not be attending Texas this Weekend

— Nathaniel Owusu-Boateng (@_nob11) November 21, 2024

Texas, while one of six named finalists in his recruitment, has not been mentioned as a serious contender nearly as much as others — though it certainly could have made up some ground with an impactful trip this weekend. The 6-foot-0.5, 200-pounder is currently one of the top 10 uncommitted prospects in the nation with National Signing Day less than two weeks out.

“Each school is doing their job with me, but Michigan and Notre Dame are doing a really good job. They recruit me so hard. Texas would be right there too. A few schools recruit me on another level, but all six do a great job. The relationships I have with the coaches at all six schools are strong,” Owusu-Boateng told On3 earlier this fall.

The Virginia native is the No. 133 overall prospect and No. 13 LB in the 2025 cycle, according to the On3 Industry Ranking, a weighted average that utilizes all four major recruiting media companies. He’s also the No. 18 player in Florida, coming out of IMG Academy.

Contenders making final pitches to Owusu-Boateng

The fall has been busy for the blue-chipper as he continues to work through his options. Michigan, Notre Dame and Colorado have each had him on campus across the last few weeks. The Buffaloes have emerged late in Owusu-Boateng’s recruitment, but are certainly in the mix.

“The buzz had been around Michigan since Owusu-Boateng was in Ann Arbor for the Oregon game, but Colorado is making this race very interesting. He was back in Boulder last week and one source feels the Buffaloes have “pulled ahead” in this race,” On3’s Chad Simmons wrote earlier this week.

Michigan made the biggest move of the entire cycle on Thursday night, flipping Five-Star Plus+ quarterback Bryce Underwood from LSU. The Wolverines are charging for multiple other top recruits to go with the No. 1 prospect, including Owusu-Boateng, who could be one of the pledges that takes U-M into the top five of the On3 Industry Team Recruiting Rankings.

“I left Michigan feeling great about them,” Owusu-Boateng told On3 after his visit earlier this month. “I feel the best about Michigan that I ever felt. They were always a top contender on my list and they keep getting better over time.”

Notre Dame continues to be a constant in the race for Owusu-Boateng, too. The Irish have had him in South Bend multiple times, including this month, and they aren’t going anywhere until he makes his announcement on Dec. 4.

“I feel good about Notre Dame and this visit definitely helped the wide-picture view of how I see Notre Dame,” he said.