Top DL Hunter Osborne ready to see Texas this weekend
Hunter Osborne has one of the longer lists of scholarship offers that you’ll find in the 2023 class, with more than 50 schools having extended full rides to the talented defensive lineman. So far this month, Osborne has taken one official visit – to Clemson on June 3. He’ll make his second stop this weekend when he heads to Austin to see the University of Texas.
“Really I just want to see the culture of Texas football. It will be good to meet all the coaches, see everyone’s faces for the first time. Just see what Texas has to offer.”
Osborne, from Hewitt Trussville in Alabama, will follow up his Texas visit with a stop a Tennessee on June 24. He’s primarily focused on the three schools that will get official visits, plus in-state power Alabama. Osborne plans to commit on August 25, the day before his team’s first home game.
Prior to his Texas visit, Osborne said he knows there’s a lot to like about the UT program.
“I know they have a very legendary d-line coach in Bo Davis. And coach Sark, in his second year, he’s an offensive mastermind but they have all the tools and weapons to be a top-tier program,” Osborne said. “The history of Texas football - Texas football is big, especially in Austin because that’s the only team they have. I’m excited to get there.”
Texas could have a bit of an ace up its sleeve in Osborne’s recruitment since the Longhorns signed his high school teammate Justice Finkley in last year’s class. Finkley will be Osborne’s player host this weekend and while having Finkley on UT’s side should only help, Finkley is determined to let Osborne make his own decision.
“He says to make the decision that’s best for you. That’s what he did,” Osborne said. “But he’s enjoying every single second of (life at Texas). He loves Austin. He calls it home already.”
When it comes time to eventually decide, Osborne said there will be a handful of elements that will weigh heavily into his commitment, including the bond he’s able to develop with the coaches and the school’s academic strengths.
“It’ll just be the relationships. They’re all really good programs, known for developing guys. So it’ll be the relationships honestly, whose relationship is the best, who I connect with the most,” Osborne said. “My parents, they always tell me to strive for the best academics possible. I plan on majoring in kinesiology, and all of them have that.”
A four-star prospect, Osborne checks in at No. 130 on the Rivals250 and he’s the nation’s No 10-ranked strongside defensive end prospect.