HOUSTON – It was a big day for Episcopal High School offensive lineman Walker Little, and not just because Friday marked the beginning of Christmas break.
As one of the best offensive linemen in the country, Little had narrowed his college choices down to two and was ready to announce where he'd be headed.
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When it came time to decide between The University of Texas and Stanford University, Little wound up with Cardinal red atop his head.
After a brief video presentation featuring his growth as a football player, Little took the microphone and announced he was choosing to go west and attend Stanford University and play for the Cardinal.
"I would like to announce for the next four years I will be going to school and playing football at Stanford University," Little said as he gave his verbal commitment to Stanford and put on the Cardinal hat.
Cheers rose from his classmates and teammates in the crowd.
[PHOTOS: Top OL recruit Walker Little chooses Stanford over Texas]
Little chose Stanford over The University of Texas and other finalists Florida State, Ole Miss and Georgia. Little is ranked as one of the top prospects in the state, and in the country.
Earlier this year, he was named the Private School Lineman of the Year by the Houston-area Touchdown Club. He is also one of six national finalists for the Anthony Munoz Award, which is given to the top high school offensive and defensive lineman in the country.
Underwood Theatre, on the Episcopal High School campus, was his stage, and on Friday he sat there with his family -- his mother, Sara; his father, Doug; his brother, Dalton; and his sister, Ellie -- behind a table that featured the hats of the two universities that had made his final cut.
[WATCH: Walker Little chooses Stanford]
Little admitted making the final decision between Stanford and Texas was a difficult one.
"I really like coach (Charlie) Strong a lot. I had a good relationship with him," Little said of the former Longhorns head coach.
"These past couple of weeks, I got close to (new Longhorns head) coach (Tom) Herman as well. It made it hard to say 'no' to him," Little said. "They showed me all Texas had to offer and I knew a lot of what Texas had."
"But I couldn't pass up what coach (David) Shaw was giving me at Stanford University and what that school has to offer," Little continued. "Along with the football team and just the culture there, I thought it was the right fit for me and I'm excited for the future."
Little makes college choiceOne of the nation's top recruits, Walker Little, offensive lineman at Episcopal High School, announced his college commitment on Friday. He had it narrowed down to Texas and Stanford before putting on the Cardinal cap. Here's a video recap of his day along with reaction from Walker, his coach Steve Leisz and his parents Doug and Sara Little.
Posted by KPRC2 Adam Wexler on Friday, December 16, 2016