Texas lands defensive chess piece in four-star Jelani McDonald

Even as the calendar has flipped to January, Texas continues to put the finishing touches on its 2023 recruiting class.

Four-star Waco (Texas) Connally athlete Jelani McDonald announced his decision to sign with Texas during the All-American Bowl on Saturday. He chose the Longhorns over Oklahoma State and TCU, providing Steve Sarkisian and staff with another win on the trail.

“I’m real comfortable down there,” McDonald told Orangebloods about Texas. “With coach Sark, coach (Jeff) Choate - all of them. And it’s not too far from home.”

McDonald, a Rivals250 prospect that has seen his stock soar during his senior year, put together a monster week during All-American practices. While playing corner, the 6-2, 190-pound athlete has shined versus some of the best wide receivers that the current recruiting cycle has to offer.

The Rivals250 recruit made multiple visits to the 40 Acres during football season. He also officially visited the Longhorns before the Early Signing Period. The atmosphere around the program kept bringing McDonald back to Texas.

“The atmosphere of the games. I wanted to meet the coaches. I was just trying to be around Texas,” said McDonald.

A three-sport athlete that also shines on the basketball court and track, McDonald offers a ton of athletic ability and overall upside on the gridiron. The Longhorns plan to use him at the nickel position in the secondary, according to the Waco Connally standout.

He will finish up his spring semester of high school - with the goal of winning state titles and basketball and track - before enrolling at UT in the summer.

Jelani McDonald is ranked as the No. 204 overall prospect in the 2023 recruiting cycle, according to Rivals. He is the No. 35 player in Texas and the No. 6 athlete in the nation, boosting a Longhorns’ recruiting class that ranks in the top-three.