London Smith is one of the country’s top prospects in the 2026 class, and the Texas Longhorns are off to a fast start in Smith’s recruitment. The Rivals100 member took an unofficial visit to Texas in January and the Texas staff has done a good enough job early on that they’re right there at the top of Smith’s list.

“I think Texas right now would be in my top two,” Smith said. “I really love Texas, really love it.”

The other school in Smith’s top two is Oregon. He has yet to visit Eugene but said he’s looking forward to getting up there at some point.

“I’ve always loved Oregon. That’s my dream school,” Smith said. “I actually had a phone call with the coach and he seemed very cool so I’m going to get up there.”

Smith’s stop in Austin in January wasn’t his first time on the Forty Acres. He’s attended a UT home game, which he said he enjoyed. Texas’ strengths both on the football field and academically has made a strong impression.

“I went to one football game. The atmosphere was amazing. Texas has a lot to offer, student-wise, athlete-wise,” Smith said. “I think coach Sark put a great emphasis on the academic part.”

Out of Waco University, Smith ranks No. 28 nationally in the class of 2026. He’s listed as an athlete due to his versatility on both sides of the ball. On his January visit to Texas, he spent quite a bit of time talking to Texas cornerbacks coach Terry Joseph.

“I talked to coach Joseph, the DB coach. He’s always really cool to me,” Smith said. “His message was if you come to Texas, we’re going to treat you like family more than anything.”

Smith added that he doesn’t have a preference on which side of the ball he plays, saying he’ll line up wherever he’s needed. The Texas coaches, like many others, love Smith’s combination of size (6-1, 180) and athleticism.

“They like my size. They think they could put me anywhere, use me as an athlete, offense or defense,” Smith said.

Texas might have an ace up its sleeve in Smith’s recruitment in the way of current UT freshman Kobe Black, who is Smith’s cousin. Black has already been working on getting Smith to join him in Austin, which is a plus, as is the fact that UT is a short drive from Waco.

“I like it being so close to home. It’s only an hour from Waco, so I can visit my family whenever,” Smith said.