Who has Texas football signed? A look at the newest Longhorns as they sign on Wednesday

Wednesday is the first day of the early signing period, as top football recruits from across the country can begin signing their national letters of intent nearly two months before national signing day on Feb. 7. Texas entered the day with 22 commitments for its 2024 class, a group that ranked No. 5 nationally.

Here's who the Longhorns have added:

Xavier Filsaime, safety

Florida's loss was Texas' gain, as Filsaime — a five-star prospect and the No. 2-rated safety in the country behind KJ Bolden, who's Florida State's top-rated recruit — flipped to the Longhorns from the Gators on Monday, giving Texas its fourth five-star recruit of its 2024 class. The McKinney product is a national top-30 prospect and should be a big part of Texas' 2024 rebuild of its secondary. Filsaime had been committed to Florida since this spring, but the Gators parted ways with their defensive backs coach and Fisaime liked the Longhorns' culture. "I chose Texas because of the development," he told 247Sports. "It's really close to home and I know I'm going to be surrounded by guys who want to win. That's no shot to Florida, but I know I'll have that at Texas."

Brandon Baker, offensive tackle

Another five-star gem of Texas' class, Baker, out of California, is seen as the next fixture at left tackle once Kelvin Banks Jr. moves on. Baker is the No. 2-rated tackle prospect in the country behind IMG Academy's Jordan Seaton, who's headed to Colorado, and picked the Longhorns over the likes of Ohio State, Florida State and Oregon. Baker, who committed in September, said his relationship with Steve Sarkisian, who's from the Los Angeles area himself and has coached USC and Washington, was a big factor in his commitment. "Coach Sark is a West Coast guy, and he's really easy to talk with and get along with," Baker told 247Sports.

Kobe Black, cornerback

Waco Connally's Black (6-foot-0, 190) is the nation's No. 3 cornerback prospect and the No. 10 player in the state, per 247Sports' composite rankings. He's also a national top-50 overall recruit. The four-star prospect, who's been labeled as both a corner and a safety, committed to Texas last Wednesday over Oklahoma State, LSU, Texas A&M and Oregon and could give an immediate lift to the Longhorns' depth in the secondary. "You seen how the program is going, so we want to be a part of that," he said on his livestreamed announcement.

Zina Umeozulu, edge rusher

Umeozulu, a four-star recruit from Allen, needs no introduction to the Longhorns: his older brother Neto is already on the Texas roster as an offensive lineman. Zina is the 25th-rated edge prospect nationally and will pair with fellow 2024 signee Colin Simmons to help improve Texas' pass rush.

Colin Simmons, edge rusher

One of four five-star prospects coming to Texas, Simmons is one of the Longhorns' crown jewels of their 2024 class. He's the top edge rusher in the country, per 247Sports' composite, and is coming off back-to-back high school state championships. Texas hasn't produced a player with double-digit sacks since 2013 and Simmons represents hope that rushing the passer will become a strength of the defense, not a question mark. Simmons had 22.5 sacks his junior year. He'll be looked upon to make an immediate impact as a freshman.

Jordan Washington, tight end

Will Ja'Tavion Sanders enter the NFL draft early, as many suspect, after Texas' season ends? If so, the Longhorns are addressing that possibility proactively with Wednesday's signing of Washington, a four-star prospect from Houston Langham Creek, and the 2025 commitment of Emaree Winston, another four-star who committed on Monday. Washington picked Texas over Alabama and Texas A&M. Winston is seen as more of a Sanders type of tight end, but Washington also can be a key. "We put a lot on them formationally," Texas coach Steve Sarkisian has explained between the pass-catching and run-blocking schemes that Texas tight ends must master.

Nate Kibble, offensive lineman

Kibble, a four-star interior lineman prospect from Humble Atascocita, is a 6-foot-2, 315-pounder who'll probably end up at guard. He's a four-year varsity starter and a two-time all-district pick who's a top-30 prospect position nationally. He's a candidate to redshirt and grow in his first year, but Texas does like to rotate its linemen up front.

This article originally appeared on Austin American-Statesman: Texas football adds several top recruits on the first signing day