2015 OLB Malik Jefferson, #1 LB Recruit in Nation on visit with Texas Longhorns

That looks like a happy Malik Jefferson.

He has good reason to be happy.  Things have been going pretty well for him.  The #1 OLB prospect in the country and the #1 recruit in the state of Texas is fresh off an Opening performance in Oregon where he clocked a 4.38 40, had a 4.19 shuttle time and uncorked a 39.6 inch vertical leap.  Those numbers would rock the NFL combine, but 6-2, 215 pound Malik is headed to...his senior year of high school.  Malik is a good student from a two parent household, to boot.

According to the DMN, Charlie Strong made up some ground and possibly even put Texas into the lead for the young man's services:

"It went great," Jefferson told Horns247. "I’d say it was a nine out of ten if you wanted to rank it. I would definitely say that the visit helped Texas out overall.

"It wasn’t a trip where I was looking for certain things to stand out or to be wow’ed by their facilities. I know all of that and I know it’s impressive. What today’s visit was about was building a much stronger relationship with the coaching staff. That’s what it was all about today and that’s what happened."

Jefferson added that he would be back in Austin for another unofficial visit when the Longhorns take on North Texas. At the moment, Jefferson has three of his five official visits scheduled — Ohio State, Stanford and UCLA.

Might he be overrated?  Maybe he's just a great athlete and it doesn't translate well to the field?  We've all seen workout wonders fail.

Well...

That's about as good as it gets, really.  The best high school junior LB film in Texas I've seen since Derrick Johnson at Waco High.  Closing speed, aggression, flexibility, football intelligence.  The classic 4-3 OLB (suck it Stanford, he has no use for your Patriot-style jumbo 3-4).

A few quick thoughts:

1. I like our position with him.  Family-oriented, legit student, thoughtful.  Charlie knows that this is a Derrick Brooks type of athlete.  He's got the focus on.
2. Stanford and UCLA as OOS options in any legitimate student-athlete's Top Five is cause for concern on one level given the academic profile and campus environments, but it's incredibly good news for UT with respect to a level playing field.  Certainly better news than if the OOS competition were LSU and Auburn.  Capisce?  I think you do.
3. He Tweeted very positively about Strong's recent discipline purge.
4. My gut says it's Texas #1 in-state option vs. OOS options.  Baylor and A&M fighting to get in.