3 2022 OU commits Texas should flip post-Lincoln Riley

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Wylie running back Malachi Daniels is double-teamed by Lubbock Cooper defensive back Callan Ritz (bottom) and linebacker Kobie McKinzie during Friday’s game at Hugh Sandifer Stadium Oct. 29, 2021. Final score was 38-10, Lubbock Cooper. /

Kobie McKinzie, LB

It didn’t take long at all for the Longhorns to make a move on a former Oklahoma commit after he re-opened his recruitment immediately following Riley’s departure to USC. Four-star Lubbock-Cooper linebacker Kobie McKinzie de-committed from Oklahoma on Nov. 28, and promptly received his Texas scholarship offer on Nov. 30.

And then, the Longhorns are getting an official visit from former Oklahoma commit and in-state product McKinzie later this week, specifically on Dec. 3. Texas all of a sudden looks like an emerging favorite to get the commitment of McKinzie in the days following his de-commitment from the Sooners last weekend.

Texas has first-year co-defensive coordinators/linebackers coaches Pete Kwiatkowski and Jeff Choate as the top recruiters after McKinzie. It looks like the Longhorns are going all in to try and make McKinzie a core part of their 2022 class.

Considering that Texas just lost the commitment of three-star Mater Dei linebacker Eoghan Kerry in the last week, they could get a pretty immediate upgrade at the position in the form of McKinzie. In fact, Texas has missed out on most of its top linebacker targets in the 2022 class to date. And it looks like Texas is facing an uphill battle with the elite five-star Cy Park linebacker Harold Perkins at this point.

McKinzie is quickly becoming a top name to know for the Longhorns 2022 class ahead of the Early Signing Period and with good reason. For a long time, he was a critical early part of Oklahoma’s 2022 defensive class. Now, he can be a critical part of the Longhorns 2022 defensive class.

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