LOOK: Texas QB commit Arch Manning makes pitch to WR Jalen Hale
Five-Star Plus+ quarterback and Texas commit Arch Manning isn’t an avid poster on social media. Between Twitter and Instagram, he has a whopping two posts — one on each platform of his commitment to the Longhorns.
Still, he boasts more than 163,000 followers between the two, and he’s looking to use his platform to do a little recruiting for his future program’s receiver room. On Wednesday, Manning reposted an Instagram story from four-star Longview (Texas) wide receiver Jalen Hale, tagging him and posting a ‘Hook Em’ emoji.
Hale is the Longhorns’ top remaining target at the position in this class, having already landed four-star DeSoto (Texas) stud Johntay Cook and Houston (Texas) Eisenhower speedster Ryan Niblett. Hale, though, would give them a third wideout ranked among the top 15 players at the position nationally, only boosting the Longhorns’ top-five recruiting class.
He is expected to decide between Alabama, Texas and Texas A&M next Wednesday, with the race deeply split between the Aggies and Crimson Tide, according to the On3 Recruiting Prediction Machine (RPM).
Hale visited the Tide on Sept. 3, then took an official visit to Texas last weekend. He is expected to be in College Station this weekend for his third and final visit before a decision comes.
Jalen Hale Recruiting Profile
The 6-foot, 185-pound Hale is the No. 54 overall prospect in the 2023 class, according to the On3 Consensus, a complete and equally weighted industry-generated average that utilizes all four major recruiting media companies. He ranks as both the nation’s No. 10 wide receiver and the No. 10 recruit in Texas.
On3 Director of Scouting and Rankings Charles Power writes this about him as a prospect:
“Productive receiver for one of the top high school programs in Texas. Excels at the catch point. Was the first freshman to start on varsity back in 2019 for East Texas powerhouse Longview high school since the early 2000’s. Totaled 50 catches for 1,154 yards and 14 touchdowns in his junior season. Does much of his damage out of the slot at Longview.
… Checks in at 6-foot-0.5, 185 pounds with a 32.5 inch arm. Has natural explosion and ability to go up and high point the football. A starter for the basketball team. Needs some refinement in his route running and sinking at the top of his routes, which should come with collegiate coaching. Has upside to be a difference-maker at the college level, but will need to refine his game.”