The Texas Longhorns might not be done with the 2025 recruiting cycle just yet. While most teams have shut down their 2025 recruiting efforts and turned their entire focus on the 2026 group, the Texas staff has found one more 2025 player to target for the February 5 signing day.

Linebacker AJ Tuitele, a one-time Washington State signee, picked up an offer from Texas on Tuesday. Things moved very quickly for the North Las Vegas Mojave product.

“Coach (Johnny) Nansen called me (on Monday). I hadn’t had any conversation beforehand with Texas. He just contacted me, said he was going to see me at the school (on Tuesday),” Tuitele said. “He was on his flight, landed in Vegas, drove straight to the school and talked to me and my parents and gave me the offer.”

The 6-3, 205-pound Tuitele has his recruitment in overdrive ever since being released from his letter of intent with Washington State after changeover in the WSU coaching staff, including head coach Jack Dickert heading to Wake Forest. Tuitele visited Southern Cal last weekend. He’ll be at UNLV this weekend. He’s hoping to get a Texas official visit set up for the first weekend in February before the dead period sets in.

“If I do get a chance to take (a visit) to Austin, I would accept that,” Tuitele said. “I’m hoping they want to set one up next weekend. They talked about this weekend, but I already have UNLV locked in for this weekend.”

The attention from Texas is new, but Tuitele said there’s a strong interest on his part. He’s mainly focused on Arizona, UNLV, USC and Texas as he works towards a decision in the next couple of weeks.

“It’s big,” Tuitele said of the Texas offer. “It’s an SEC school. It’s like the biggest offer in my high school’s history. Nobody has ever gotten that kind of offer. It’s just a blessing. I give all glory to God. It’s a big thing to get recognized by all these schools.”

Tuitele was ultra-productive during his senior season, logging 167 tackles, including 46 solo stops, in 13 games. He totaled 37 tackles-for-loss and four sacks and even added 189 yards rushing on 15 carries for four touchdowns.

“I would say my strength is my length, my speed. You can always get someone to get bigger in college, but you can’t teach speed,” Tuitele said. “My versatility, I can play in the box, on the line, can play D-end if you need, I can cover. My weaknesses, I know I can get better at covering, just knowing the game. I can always get better at everything I do.”