On Sept. 1, Oklahoma defensive line target and 5-star recruit Dominick McKinley committed to Texas A&M.
Since McKinley’s pledge, the Aggies have undergone major coaching staff changes, firing former head coach Jimbo Fisher. Upon bringing in former Duke head coach Mike Elko to replace Fisher, Elijah Robinson, Texas A&M’s d-line coach and interim head man announced that he had accepted a job to take over as the defensive coordinator at Syracuse.
With Robinson, who would have been McKinley’s position coach, leaving College Station, a handful of coveted defensive line prospects such as LT Overton and Walter Nolen, entered the transfer portal.
While McKinley is still committed to Texas A&M, the 6-foot-5 defender elected not to sign on Early Signing Day and has lined up visits at two other SEC schools.
“Mainly LSU and Tennessee,” McKinley told reporters on Monday when asked what schools were making a late push in his recruitment.
Before originally committing to the Aggies, OU was rumored to be a major contender for McKinley. At Under Armour All-American Game Media Day on Friday, the Lafayette, LA, product told AllSooners that the Sooners are also still in pursuit of the highly touted prospect.
“They’ve been pursuing me pretty hard too,” McKinley said. “Coach (Todd) Bates and Coach (Brent) Venables mainly. They want me to be a part of their S.O.U.L. Mission and want me to be a part of their community.”
On Dec. 8, Bates traveled to Louisiana to watch McKinley play in the state title game, McKinley also confirmed to AllSooners that Bates and Venables both made time for an in-home visit with the talented defensive line prospect while they were in Lafayette.
Despite the Sooners’ efforts, McKinley said he still is unsure whether he will take another trip to Norman before signing. He does, however, have visits lined up with LSU and Tennessee in mid-January.
While McKinley did acknowledge that he has a good relationship with Venables and Bates, the 5-star d-line prospect also mentioned that staying close to home is an important factor in his decision. While the Sooners may still have a slight chance at landing McKinley, it seems as though the Tigers or the Aggies are the most likely landing spots for the All-American.
McKinley is the No. 31 overall prospect and the No. 6 defensive lineman in 2024 recruiting class, according to 247Sports.
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