Michael Terry III, the No. 1 ATH in the class of 2025, commits to Texas

Add the No. 1 athlete in the Class of 2025 to the Texas Longhorns signing day haul. San Antonio (Texas) Alamo Heights ATH Michael Terry III committed to Texas, choosing the Longhorns over Oregon and Nebraska.

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Texas and the nation’s top-rated athlete have been close since last year. The Longhorns hosted him for his official visit in June and then on campus for a pair of games this fall.

Terry III, who checks in at 6-foot-3, 211 pounds, is ranked as the No. 44 overall prospect, the No. 1 athlete, and the No. 11 player in Texas in the 2025 On3 Industry Ranking. On3 ranks Terry III as the No. 91 overall prospect, the No. 1 athlete, and the No. 19 player in Texas.

Excerpt from the Recruiting Notebook

Strengths — Tall athlete with a good frame and build. Good acceleration to an effortless elite top straight-line speed. Strong upper body and evident lower body explosiveness that translates track talent to football. Can challenge all areas of the field. As a runner, shows patience and enough lateral agility to create angle problems. Good balance, especially on contact. Gets behind his pads reasonably well and will show a good stiff arm when needed. As a receiver, gets off the line cleanly most of the time. Shows good hands and attacks the ball in the catch zone. Fends off smaller defenders easily and will fight through contact for the catch. Has pass routes on film to all depths. Willing and physical blocker. Limited defensive film shows physical play in space on the ball carrier. Is a threat to score on any change of possession play. Position versatility will be so huge with this player that it’s hard to even predict what side of the ball he will be on.

Areas for Improvement — As a runner, he does not seem to possess a natural feel for the cutback opening. As a receiver, I would like to see him work on the route running, which needs some refinement. 

On3 Scouting Report

True do-it-all football player who could project at a high level at upwards of four or five positions at the next level. Has lined up as a receiver, running back, quarterback and cornerback for his high school team. Measured at 6-foot-2.5, 211 pounds with 32 ⅛-inch arms and 9-inch hands at the On3 Elite Series prior to his senior season. Registers as a strong athlete in track and field posting 6-4 foot high jump and a 11.05 second mark in the 100 meters. Transfers that athleticism to the field, where he is one of the more impactful jumbo athletes in the cycle on Friday nights. Shows good patience and athleticism as a big running back. Good ability after the catch as a receiver. Rushed for nearly 1,000 yards and 20 touchdowns, also accounting for over 500 receiving yards and 10 more scores as a junior. Could potentially grow into a jack of all trades offensive weapon capable of lining up in the backfield, split out as a receiver or as an H-Back. May have the highest true upside as a versatile back seven defender. Has a linebacker frame with corner athleticism and fluidity. Capable of impressive plays in coverage. Has true positional ambiguity but an extremely versatile and useful skill set, but will need to hone in on one position and add technical skill as he’s yet to focus at one spot. Must improve his catching technique if he plays wide receiver full time, as he has a tendency to body catch in addition to polishing up his routes.

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On3 Personal File

Alamo Heights coach Ron Rittimann said he’s yet to find something that Michael Terry can’t do on the football field. “He can run, he can jump, he can catch, he can throw, he can tackle and he can block,” Rittimann told Irish Sports Daily. “I haven’t found anything the kid can’t do, to be honest with you. He plays multiple positions. Last year, we taught him how to rugby punt so he could do that, and I think he scored two touchdowns out of a rugby punt formation. I haven’t really found anything that he can’t do. The God-given talent that he has with great work ethic is what’s making him so successful.” During his junior season, Terry accounted for 1,588 offensive yards and 32 touchdowns, including 564 receiving yards and 995 yards on the ground. He also had 15 tackles and an interception in limited action on defense. “He’s a very special player, but he’s a really special person,” Rittimann said. “He’s just a great kid and a hard worker. He’s got a bunch of God-given talent – very humble, great parents, great family. He just checks every box of being a coach’s dream.”