Missouri City (Tex.) Hightower safety Kade Phillips flipped his commitment from the Texas Longhorns to Brian Kelly’s LSU Tigers in August after the program turned up the heat down the stretch.

Phillips, America’s No. 4 safety, has reached five-star status in the latest recruiting rankings after a dominant senior campaign.

Now, the coveted prospect has ended his recruitment and will sign with the LSU Tigers during the early signing period, he told LSU Tigers On SI.

“I’m just ready to go to Baton Rouge,” Phillips said.

With the recent news of five-star quarterback Bryce Underwood changing his commitment from the LSU Tigers to the Michigan Wolverines, it’s no secret that the LSU program is in a vulnerable position.

Since the news broke, programs have looked to flip other prospects committed to the Bayou Bengals.

That included five-star cornerback Kade Phillips.

Recent reports have circulated that Phillips was set to head to the Texas Longhorns on Saturday, with Steve Sarkisian and Co. pushing for him to return to the program.

Phillips confirmed with LSU Tigers On SI that he is not visiting Texas this weekend and stayed home Saturday. The five-star will return to Baton Rouge next weekend for an unofficial visit with LSU to complete his recruiting process.

The Longhorns saw the program in a vulnerable position, upped the ante for Phillips and ultimately saw the No. 4 cornerback in America stick with the LSU program.

Phillips will now be back in Baton Rouge for the Oklahoma game next weekend at Tiger Stadium.

This is a major factor for the future of the LSU program. The five-star prospect is a player that cornerbacks coach Corey Raymond and Co. had at the top of their 2025 Big Board, with the Tigers finalizing him at the 11th hour.

“Kade has some of the best physical attributes we’ve seen at the corner position in the 2025 cycle. He’s a guy who has elite length and a great frame. At this size he can really move. He was a state runner-up in the long jump at Texas, and you see that athleticism on the field,” On3 scouting director Charles Power said.

… I really like him as a corner. He has positional versatility with the ability to play corner or safety at the next level, but we think the length, speed and ball skills he shows as a two-way player at the high school level translate really well in the corner.

For Phillips, the decision to transfer from Texas to LSU became an easy one as the program continued to stay in touch. Not to mention the “Corey Raymond” factor as well.

“LSU has been on me since they first offered me,” Phillips told On3. “It hadn’t been long since I committed to Texas and they were still texting me and calling me almost every day. The (LSU) coaching staff stayed by my side even after I committed. »

“I feel like I can really grow into something big,” he added. “And being able to be coached by Coach Raymond is important. He really played a big role in my recruitment, never really losing hope or sight and calling me every day.

Now, LSU secures the services of Phillips after a rigorous push by the Texas Longhorns down the stretch. He will sign with the Tigers during the early signing period on December 4.

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Follow Zack Nagy on Twitter: @znagy20 and LSU Tigers on SI: @LSUTigersSI for all coverage surrounding the LSU program.