Malikmentum - Riding The Wave To a Top 10 class

The commitments of Malik Jefferson and DeAndre McNeal set off a psychosocial ripple in the state of Texas recruiting world unlike anything I can recall.  Usually peer pressure is several people influencing one.  Malik Navidad's version is one person influencing several.  The Texas Longhorns are about to be its major beneficiaries.

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I have decomitted from Texas A&M and I will be releasing my top two schools around noon Saturday!

— THEE MACK TRUCK (@DaylonMack) December 19, 2014

Immediately, after Jefferson committed to Texas, his friend and confidante DT Daylon Mack - who also happens to be a top 5 state recruit - de-committed from Texas A&M.  Not coincidence.  Mack wants to play with Jefferson, his family likes the Horns and unless Longhorn DL coach Chris Rumph bricks the lay-up, it looks increasingly like that will happen.  No pressure, Coach.

It gets better...

Gilmer just won the 4A state title behind the play of the Boyd brothers and Blake Lynch (a Baylor commit).  Kris - a 2015 recruit - is my favorite cornerback in the state with plenty of physical upside still untapped, extraordinary ball skills and a border collie's change of direction.  He's kind of mean, too.  His younger brother, Demarco - a 2016 recruit - is a bruising, undersized ILB.

Their post-game victory pose:

This hay is all but in the barn.

CB Kendall Sheffield, ranked by most as the state's best cornerback recently reopened communications with the Longhorns.  He's a much tougher get, but at least there's now a shot.

RB Chris Warren, already leaning towards Texas, is probably sealed.

OOS, Texas still has several quality Florida kids in the mix, some of them they will now slow play in order to see what the Malikmentum has wrought closer to home.

Believe it or not, we're in the dead period.  What will the landscape look like in January when Texas can squeeze in some late visits?

If things fall correctly, a 28-30 man class is likely.

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Peripherally, Texas A&M is having trouble with its offensive pied piper, Kyler Murray.  It's no secret that his Dad, a former Aggie QB and private skills tutor to a large number of DFW kids, including Texas greyshirt Matthew Merrick, isn't sold on Sumlin.  I'm not sure if Texas wants to get involved in his recruitment (Gentry, offensive fit), but even steering him to Oregon under the guise of a disinterested third party providing another voice in his ear is one our staff would relish.

If you're wondering whether Texas can finish with a Top 10 class, the answer is that's pretty much about to happen unless we trip over ourselves. The question now is whether Texas can make a late spectacular push to Top 5.

Malikmentum.  Keep riding the wave.