Marshall’s Marje Smith Commits to Baylor

Marshall 2018 defensive end Marje Smith received his first Division I FBS scholarship offer on Saturday, and it took just a couple of days for him to make a decision.

Two days after Baylor gave him FBS offer No. 1, Smith announced his commitment to the Bears via Twitter on Monday afternoon.

Smith (6-6, 2010) became the 15th commitment in Baylor's 2018 recruiting class, the first full cycle under new head coach Matt Rhule.

The Mavs' defender is also the ninth member of East Texas' '18 class to offer up a commitment. Smith is the first to pledge to Baylor.

Last season, Smith played on both sides of the ball for Marshall. As a receiver, Smith had six catches for 185 yards and three touchdowns. Defensively, he made 23 tackles and recorded a sack.

Expectations for Marshall have jumped a bit since the end of 2016. Former SMU running backs coach Claude Mathis left his collegiate job for the head coach position in deep East Texas.

In addition to Smith, the Mavs have three other players with Division I offers — all offensive linemen, Chasen Hines (LSU commit), Kameron King, and Christian Hood.

Baylor is transitioning to Rhule off an interim season under Jim Grobe. Last season’s team closed the campaign with a win in the Cactus Bowl for a final record of 7-6 final.

Rhule, meanwhile, led his former Temple program to an American Athletic Conference championship game win after a 9-3 regular season. Temple went on to fall to Wake Forest in the Military Bowl several days after Rhule signed on with the Bears program.

Smith's commitment is non-binding. He will first become eligible to sign with any programs 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 (3)
• 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 — offers from Arkansas State, Houston, 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)