Longhorns Had 'Real Close' Battle With Texas A&M for DB Malik Muhammad

The battle for the signature of Malik Muhammad was a close one between in-state rivals

While the season didn't end favorably for the Texas Longhorns following their 27-20 Alamo Bowl loss to Washington, there is still a lot to look forward to heading into the offseason. 

Perhaps most notably, though, is the 2023 recruiting class they landed. Headlined by guys like quarterback Arch Manning and receiver Johntay Cook II, coach Steve Sarkisian put together an elite class. 

Also in that class is Malik Muhammad, an elite cornerback out of South Oak Cliff High School in Dallas, TX. The Longhorns held onto Muhammad's commitment, but he revealed which two schools made a late push. 

"Alabama and Texas A&M were coming on strong in the end," Muhammad said. "It was a real close battle, but Texas came out on top. They were pushing strong, though."

Keeping Muhammad a Longhorn was a big win for the Texas coaching staff, especially among its 2023 class. Now, Muhammad is ready to compete with his fellow recruits once they're on campus. 

"I'm excited, I feel like all of us have the same goals," Muhammad said. "We all just need to work hard to accomplish those goals."

With Muhammad enrolling early, as well as guys like Manning, they will get a jump on learning the system and contributing. This is a huge boost for the Longhorns, who will look to infuse freshman talent into their roster as they aim to compete for a Big 12 title in 2023.

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You can find Connor Zimmerlee on Twitter @Connorjz98

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