OTF Premium Recruiting nuggets on Easton Royal, DJ Jacobs | 1:20 p.m. CT

[Hank South]

-- Texas WR commit Easton Royal tells OTF he'll be in Austin for Texas-Ohio State. You can expect the Sept. 12 home game to be a massive recruiting weekend where UT will welcome current commits, 2027 recruits of note and plenty of underclassmen. Think 2024 Georgia in terms of expected visitors turnout as we get closer. 

As for Royal's recruitment, nothing has changed on our read of the situation in the last fews weeks. Sure, there have been industry forecasts projecting a flip to LSU. There's optimism in Baton Rouge. But Texas isn't going to just sit back and let it happen. Sources close to the Longhorns aren't expecting Royal to make any sort of announcement as to whether he's staying committed or flipping, at least anytime soon. He's expected to take visits in the fall. Everyone with insight to this recruitment believes it goes all the way to December regardless of anything happening now. And that's including if he were to come out and say he's sticking with Texas. So buckle up for the long haul with this one. 

-- I talked to one source close to the program on Monday morning who relayed that they believe five-star EDGE and Ohio State commit DJ Jacobs will visit Austin this fall at least in an unofficial capacity. He has an official visit in pocket if he decides to use it. Texas is still very actively recruiting him, especially in the wake of missing on Marcus Fakatou. He's one 2027 recruit we will continue to monitor closely. 

[Hookem1012]

Status quo. I’ll take it.

[akhookem]

Can Gerry greet Easton with a mayo corndog on 9/12 to seal the deal?

[LonghornFan4Ever]

DJ Jacobs would be an epic pull by Texas.  Beat Ohio State.

[Zacharyhorn]

If Easton stays consistent with his communication with the staff and remains committed up until December, it is just hard  to imagine him flipping at the last second.  I know anything is possible these days.

[Ojeezy]

Are we still keeping in touch with Fakatou?

[hookem1014]

Thanks Hank. Is Texas still being aggressive in pursuing Monshun Sales?

[Jordan Scruggs]

DJ Jacobs also has a younger brother named Dawson that's a DL in the 2028 class. Not quite as highly ranked, but a good 4-star IDL prospect with offers from every school in America. I'd expect both brothers to take visits together this fall. It'll be interesting to track because DJ will frame those visits as mainly being for Dawson, and I'm not saying they're not, but it'd be stupid to believe these schools won't make an effort to flip the No. 1 EDGE in America if he's on their campus and it'd be just as stupid to think Jacobs won't hear them out in some capacity. DJ has said he's locked in with Ohio State but he's still engaging with several programs like Miami and Tennessee and Texas is obviously in the race as well.

Jacobs has only been on campus once in the past for an unofficial visit for the Texas A&M game so a return visit to Austin would be huge.

[Alex Butler]

Let’s land the both!! 

[Hank South]

28 minutes ago, hookem1014 said:

Thanks Hank. Is Texas still being aggressive in pursuing Monshun Sales?

They're going to keep tabs on him for sure. I don't think I'd call it aggressive, at least not right now. 

[Hank South]

35 minutes ago, Ojeezy said:

Are we still keeping in touch with Fakatou?

Yes. I talked to one Big Ten source that said they don't think that recruitment is done. Not saying anything is happening there at this point on Texas' end but the UT staff is keeping in contact.