With the summer offseason now in full swing, several area recruits are making their college decisions. Lufkin 2018 receiver Malik Jackson was the latest.

The Panthers' playmaker announced through Twitter on Tuesday that he has committed to the University of Houston.

Jackson (5-8, 163) is the 10th East Texas player in the 2018 class to commit, and the third since Thursday. Kilgore receiver Jonathan Shepherd committed to Oklahoma State last week, and Marshall defensive end Marje Smith pledged Baylor on Monday.

Houston now has two 2018 prospects from the region committed. John Tyler DE/OLB Dekalen Goodson picked the Cougars in May.

Four other uncommitted players from East Texas are targets of Houston as well. They are Tyler Lee QB Chance Amie, Van OL Kris Dike, Gladewater OL Michael Sanchez, and West Rusk LB Tyree Wilson.

Houston has been strong recruiting the East Texas area in recent years. The Cougars have signed six players from the area since 2013.

Jackson was part of an explosive Lufkin offense last season. He caught 52 passes for 1,017 yards and 10 scores from Texas State quarterback signee Kordell Rodgers and had to compete for touches with Trinity Valley Community College receiver signee Dhailon Phillips.

Phillips held several FBS offers.

Lufkin reached the bi-district round of the Class 6A Division II playoffs after a 7-3 regular season and lost by a point to John Tyler, which advanced two more rounds to become the region’s most successful of four 6A teams.

Major Applewhite took control of the Houston program between the 2016 regular season and a Las Vegas Bowl loss after two seasons as the Cougars’ offensive coordinator under Tom Herman.

Applewhite joined Houston after five seasons at Texas and a one-year hiatus from coaching upon Mack Brown’s retirement. He served as the Longhorns co-offensive coordinator his final three seasons in Austin.

Jackson will first become eligible to sign with any program that offers him in December.

2018 East Texas Football Players With Division I FBS Offers

  • Tre Allison, John Tyler, OLB, 6-2, 211 — committed to SMU; additional offers from Arkansas State, Louisiana Tech, Mississippi State, Texas State, Tulane, ULL (7)
  • Chance Amie, Tyler Lee, QB, 6-3, 190 — offers from Arkansas State, Bowling Green, Central Florida, Cincinnati, Colorado State, Florida Atlantic, Georgia State, Houston, Iowa State, New Mexico, North Carolina, North Texas, Rutgers, Southern Miss, Syracuse, Tulane, ULL, Virginia (18)
  • Xavier Benson, Pleasant Grove, LB, 6-0, 200 — offers from Arkansas State, Army, Memphis, North Texas, Rice, SMU, Southern Miss, Texas State, Texas Tech, Tulane, ULL, ULM, Wyoming (13)
  • Drake Centers, Tatum, OL, 6-3, 296 — offers from SMU, Southern Miss, Texas State, ULM (4)
  • Kylar Cooks, Liberty-Eylau, OL, 6-5, 252 — offers from Arkansas State, North Texas, Texas State, ULL (4)
  • Jeremiah Davis, Lufkin, CB, 5-10, 194 — committed to ULL (1)
  • Kris Dike, Van, OL, 6-6, 283 — offers from Colorado, Houston, Memphis, North Texas, Oklahoma State, SMU, TCU, Tulane (8)
  • Dekalen Goodson, John Tyler, DE/OLB, 6-2, 209 — committed to Houston; additional offers from Mississippi State, SMU, Texas State, Tulane, ULL (6)
  • Trae Hall, Henderson, QB/ATH, 6-3, 185 — offers from Florida Atlantic, New Mexico State, Tulane, ULL, ULM (5)
  • Conner Henson, Harmony, OL, 6-3, 243 — offers from ULL, ULM (2)
  • Chasen Hines, Marshall, OL, 6-3, 353 — committed to LSU; additional offers from Arizona, Baylor, Louisiana Tech, Minnesota, North Texas, Oklahoma, Oklahoma State, Oregon, Rice, Southern Miss, TCU, Texas, Texas A&M, Texas State, Texas Tech (16)
  • Tevailance Hunt, Texas High, WR, 6-2, 180 — committed to Kansas; additional offers from Arkansas State, Bowling Green, Florida Atlantic, Houston, Iowa State, Louisiana Tech, Marshall, Memphis, Nevada, North Texas, Oklahoma State, Southern Miss, Tulsa (14)
  • Dewaylon Ingram, Carthage, WR, 6-0, 160 — offer from Arkansas State (1)
  • Keaontay Ingram, Carthage, RB, 6-0, 198 — committed to Texas; additional offers from Arkansas, Baylor, Colorado, Florida State, Houston, Iowa State, Kansas, LSU, Memphis, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, Notre Dame, Ohio State, Oklahoma, Oklahoma State, Ole Miss, Oregon, Oregon State, TCU, Texas A&M, Texas Tech, UCLA, USC, UTSA (27)
  • Malik Jackson, Lufkin, WR, 5-8, 163 — committed to Houston; additional offers from Arkansas State, Texas State (3)
  • Kameron King, Marshall, OL, 6-2, 275 — offers from Memphis, North Texas, Tulane, ULM, Southern Miss (5)
  • Trevor Lawrence, Whitehouse, DE, 6-4, 245 — offer from ULM (1)
  • DeMarvion Overshown, Arp, S, 6-4, 196 — committed to Texas; additional offers from Alabama, Arizona State, Arkansas, Auburn, Baylor, Clemson, Colorado, Florida, Florida State, Georgia, Houston, Kansas, Kansas State, LSU, Missouri, Nebraska, Ohio State, Oklahoma, Oklahoma State, Ole Miss, SMU, South Carolina, Southern Miss, Stanford, TCU, Texas A&M, UCLA, USC, UTSA (30)
  • Leonard Parks, Texas High, DE, 6-5, 230 — offer from ULM (1)
  • Michael Sanchez, Gladewater, TE/OL, 6-5, 327 — offer from Houston (1)
  • Jonathan Shepherd, Kilgore, WR, 6-3, 196 — committed to Oklahoma State; additional offers from Colorado State, Florida Atlantic, Houston, Kansas State, ULM, Missouri, New Mexico, Memphis, North Texas, Oregon State, Southern Miss, TCU, Texas State, Texas Tech (15)
  • Marje Smith, Marshall, DE, 6-6, 210 — committed to Baylor (1)
  • DaRyan Williams, Nacogdoches, 5-10,199 — offer from Texas State (1)
  • Tyree Wilson, West Rusk, LB, 6-5, 225 — offers from Houston, Kansas, Memphis, Mississippi State, New Mexico, Oklahoma State, SMU, Southern Miss, TCU, Texas State, Tulane, ULL, ULM, Washington State, Wyoming (15)

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