Decision Preview: Malik Blocton set to choose between Texas and Auburn on July 8
2024 Pike Road (Ala.) defensive lineman and On3 four-star Malik Blocton is set to announce his next commitment on Saturday, just weeks after taking an official visit to Austin. The Alabama product is one of the best prospects in his home state state, and the Texas Longhorns and Auburn Tigers await his announcement on July 8.
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The player: Malik Blocton, DL, Pike Road (Ala.)
The measurables: 6-foot-3, 255 pounds
The date: July 8th
The rating: 88.76 (three-star)
The ranking: Blocton checks in as the No. 459-ranked prospect, No. 41-ranked defensive lineman, and No. 25 prospect in Alabama for the 2024 class in the On3 Industry Ranking.
The evaluation: Two strengths and one area for improvement, per On3’s Cole Pinkston.
- Blocton plats with a good motor, he overpowers blocks and makes plays after that. He is probably more suited to slide inside and take up blocks as a 3 or 4i-technique player.
- Blocton plays with good hands and sometimes wins by creating separation. He has nice length and a powerful lower body to win with leverage.
- Getting off of blocks will be the challenge for Blocton on the next level. As of right now, he’s very good at the beginning of the play. He strikes with his hands and usually has a good get-off but sometimes struggles to shed the block. He can absolutely improve that on the next level.
The finalists: Texas, Auburn, Florida
The official visits: Texas (June 16-18), Florida (June 9-11), Auburn OV scheduled for late November
Recruiting Prediction Machine: Auburn at 95.9%, Texas at 1.3%.
RPM Picks in favor of Texas: None.
The offers: Auburn, Texas, Alabama, Florida, Clemson, Georgia, USC, Oregon, Tennessee, South Carolina, Arkansas, Ole Miss, Georgia Tech, Louisville, West Virginia, Kansas, Maryland, Missouri, Tulane, Houston, Coastal Carolina, UAB, Troy State, Western Kentucky, Eastern Kentucky, Alcorn State, Alabama A&M, Florida A&M, Alabama State, Grambling, and Jackson State.
Breaking down the two finalists
Blocton, on Auburn: “Auburn has been consistent. No matter who the coaching staff was, Auburn has been consistent with me. Auburn has had a new defensive line coach almost every year since I been in high school. No matter who it was, from Coach (Nick) Eason to Coach (Jimmy) Brumbaugh to Coach (Jeremy Garrett), all of them have made me a priority for them. Coach Garrett told me that when I come in, he wants me to pay end (5) at first and then gradually moving inside (4i).”
Blocton on Texas: “The way Coach (Bo) Davis explained it to me, all four of his starters are seniors. After this next year, they will be gone. He only signed one guy from the 2023 class and he’s going to sign four in my class. He told me that out of the four guys coming in my class, about three of them are going to have a chance to play the sooner they get there. With me starting college in December, I feel like I would have a really good chance to play my first year. That’s why I’ve been adamant about wanting to visit Texas. I want to see how the campus is and how the people are.”
