Texas adds South Oak Cliff DE Billy Walton to 2023 class

Texas had an impressive run of offensive commits, especially along the offensive line, over the weekend. The Longhorns added wide receiver Jonah Wilson and four linemen to its class as official visits wrapped up on Sunday before Rivals100 safety Derek Williams joined the class on Monday.

Pete Kwiatkowski and the defensive staff joined in on the fun. Dallas South Oak Cliff defensive end Billy Walton announced his pledge to the Longhorns on Tuesday. Walton flipped his commitment from Big 12 rival Oklahoma State after being in the Cowboys’ class since late April.

The Longhorns made an impression on Walton during an unofficial visit in the spring. His time around Kwiatkowski eventually paid off.

"It felt like home to me," Walton told Rivals.

Walton emerged as a target for the Longhorns after a strong junior season in the Metroplex. The South Oak Cliff defender played a big role in SOC winning its first ever state championship last winter. Texas extended an offer in January as his recruitment began to really pick up.

At 6-3 and 210 pounds, Walton has a frame that should allow him to fill out and add good weight in a college program. Walton turned in a 12-sack campaign en route to the state title in 2021, pointing to natural ability to make plays in the backfield.

The newest Texas commit offers some intriguing versatility for the next level. His size and overall play suggests that he can play off the edge, while also offering ability as an off-ball linebacker. Either way, Walton has proven to be a valuable player for a loaded defense on the high school level.

Rivals ranks Billy Walton as a 5.6 three-star prospect in the 2023 recruiting cycle. TCU, Texas A&M, and Texas Tech were also involved in his recruitment.