In just a few hours, the Texas Longhorns went from the possibility of having the top two 2027 wide receiver recruits in the country committed to on the verge of having neither. Five-star Monshun Sales spurned the Longhorns and committed to Indiana. Now, it’s becoming clear five-star UT commit Easton Royal will flip to LSU.
Rivals’ Steve Wiltfong has logged a prediction for Royal to flip his commitment from Texas to LSU. The “Fong Bomb” is most likely the result of solid intel from Royal or Royal’s camp. Wiltfong and Rivals/On3 wouldn’t make such a big deal of his projection if it wasn’t based on sourced information.
Even Royal himself responded to the “Fong Bomb,” and it wasn’t a denial.
Royal says he hasn’t talked to any coaches over the past month. That he and his family have been in decision mode.
“Honestly, this past month, I haven’t talked to a single coach or anybody from any school. Me and my mom have been sitting down, weighing out all the pros and cons, to make sure I make the best decision for me.” – Five-star WR Easton Royal
Even after his commitment to Texas, Royal has always seemed like he was still playing the field. He has spoken often about making his “final” decision, even though he committed to Texas in November. Royal says LSU made a significant jump during his official visit to Baton Rouge. He says he’s now in decision mode with his decision coming later this month.
“All day at school, all of my friends are pushing me to flip to the LSU Tigers. You only get this process once – so I’m committed to Texas, but I’m still trying to figure out if that’s the best decision for me. The ultimate end goal is to make the best decision for my family and me. Coach Lane [Kiffin] and I are building a relationship. He texts me often, just telling me to have a good week—sending me videos, motivating me, and recruiting me to be an LSU Tiger.” – Five-star WR Easton Royal
Texas has always seemed like a placeholder. Committing to a program early, but continuing the recruiting process as if uncommitted is a longtime strategy with some of the highest ranked recruits. Especially in the NIL era when you’re trying to drive up your own price. It’s part of the game if you want to try to sign five-stars. The placeholder school, if the prospect ends up elsewhere, always feels betrayed.
Longhorns fans are about to feel betrayed.
This article originally appeared on Longhorns Wire: Texas five-star WR commit Easton Royal seems all but flipped to LSU
Reporting by Trey Luerssen, Longhorns Wire / Longhorns Wire
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
By Trey Luerssen, Longhorns Wire | USA TODAY Network
