Texas legacy Colton Vasek pulls Red River flip

Texas has made a massive splash on the recruiting front. The Longhorns flipped standout Austin (Texas) Westlake defensive end Colton Vasek from Red River rival Oklahoma, bolstering a recruiting class for Steve Sarkisian that is currently ranked No. 5 in the 2023 cycle.

Vasek, ranked as a top-100 recruit nationally by Rivals, announced his intentions to switch to the Longhorns on social media. That decision provides Sarkisian and the Texas staff with a major head-to-head win on the trail.

His dad, Brian Vasek, played defensive end for the Longhorns from 1991 to 1995. In flipping his pledge to his hometown school, the younger Vasek gets the opportunity to carry on the family legacy on the 40 Acres.

The four-star Texas legacy committed to the Sooners in early August. However, the Longhorns never let up in their pursuit of Vasek with defensive coordinator Pete Kwiatkowski leading the charge. That ultimately paid dividends.

"Yes, there has been (communication)," Vasek had told Rivals.com about his contact with the Texas staff in October. "I talk to them pretty much every week, just staying in contact. I talk to Coach PK, Coach Sark, a lot of them."

Vasek has put together a monster senior campaign for defending state champion Wetslake. He has used his elite combination of length and quickness to wreak havoc on offenses as a pass rusher and run defender.

The commitment to Texas comes during an eventful week for the Longhorns on the trail. Texas is set to host a massive visitor list for this weekend's matchup with TCU, including five-star linebacker Anthony Hill - who decommitted from Texas A&M on Monday.

Colton Vasek is ranked as the No. 82 prospect nationally, No. 17 recruit in Texas, and the No. 7 weakside defensive end, according to Rivals. The Texas legacy joins a Texas recruiting haul that also features five-star quarterback Arch Manning, and high four-stars Johntay Cook, Malik Muhammad, and Derek Williams.