Texas CB signee Kade Phillips ranked No. 21 in final 2025 On300 rankings

Texas’ elite defensive class is headlined by a pair of five-star defensive backs. Half of that duo is Missouri City (Texas) Hightower cornerback Kade Phillips, a five-star prospect ranked No. 21 overall in the final 2025 On300 rankings on Thursday.

The final edition of the 2025 On300 features 32 five-star prospects, up from 25 in the previous update in November.

Kade Phillips committed to Texas on July 6 and signed with the Longhorns on National Signing Day in December. No, it was not as linear of a path as it sounds.

After pledging to the Longhorns, Phillips spent just over a month in the class before he chose to flip his commitment to LSU on Aug. 18.

“LSU has been on me ever since they first offered me,” he told On3. “It was a little while once I committed to Texas with them still texting and calling me almost every day. The [LSU] coaching staff was locked in with me even after I committed.”

Phillips then stuck with the Tigers for a couple of months — but things came up all Burnt Orange the day before National Signing Day.

“They have been pushing really hard to get me back to Texas,” he told On3. “Their message has been that they still want me and they want to show what they can do for me.”

He added: “Sark is building something big and I want be a part of that and have an impact.”

Phillips brings physicality to the position for the Longhorns

Phillips earned high praise from On3 Director of Scouting and Rankings Charles Power after an impressive senior season of high school football.

“Kade Phillips has the dimensions, athleticism and skill level fitting of a five-star corner. At 6-foot-0.5, 180 pounds with elite length and track athleticism, Phillips is one of the more physically-gifted corners in a strong cycle at the position. He’s played very well as a two-way player this fall, showing some of the best ball skills among the corner group nationally. Phillips has made a number of impressive contested catch grabs as a receiver in addition to three interceptions on defense.

“The former safety is also a physical presence in the run game. Given his physical and athletic traits along with the on-field skill set, we felt Phillips has assembled the profile of a five-star corner prospect.”

On3’s scouting and rankings team compared Phillips to former first-round pick Xavier Rhodes out of Florida State.

“Like Xavier Rhodes, Kade Phillips is a big-framed, athletic cornerback with high-end ball skills.”