Chace Calicut is one of the top prospects in the country for the class of 2026, checking in at No. 70 on the Rivals100. The Houston North Shore product has scholarship offers from coast to coast and while he’s not shutting the door on anybody, Calicut does have one school setting the pace.

After a trip to Texas last weekend for a Longhorns junior day, the 6-4, 195-pounder said it’s Texas that is out in front of the pack.

“They’re definitely leading the race,” Calicut said.

During the visit last weekend, Calicut got some individual time with safeties coach Blake Gideon, who compared him to a current UT team member who is coming off of an all-American season.

“Oh BG broke it down to me. He was like, Michael Taaffe is one of those guys that that I play like,” Calicut said. “That made me realize, I was like ‘Oh yeah, I do play like him.’ I like that. I want him to coach me like he coached Michael Taaffe.”

A tall, rangy defensive back, Calicut views himself as a pure safety and he said he appreciates that the UT staff is talking to him about playing that position should Calicut wind up in Austin.

“I got to really sit down one-on-one with the coaches and let them explain to me what they wanted me to play as. Mostly it was safety, so that's a good understanding,” Calicut said.

Up next will be a visit to Michigan this week. Calicut doesn’t have any official visits set up, but said he’d like to take trips to Texas, Oregon, Michigan, Alabama and possibly LSU.

And what is it that the UT coaches see in Calicut?

“They broke it down to me. They told me what type of player I am. They said I'm a big hitter, a playmaker, said I could change the game,” Calicut said.