It's been said that 5-star Lawrence North (IN) receiver Monshun Sales, a fading target for the Ohio State Buckeyes who doesn't look Columbus-bound, won't want to play with 5-star Brother Martin (LA) WR Easton Royal on the Texas Longhorns.
What's been said might be wrong, though. Hook'em Headlines' Sam Farris sees Sales' recent social media activity -- which has been all Burnt Orange and very few Hoosiers-related posts in recent months -- as a sign that Texas could be the team to beat before Sales' Friday decision.
Even if it means potentially playing second-fiddle to Royal in the City of the Violet Crown.
"...even with the Hoosiers holding the obvious edge over the Horns as Sales' home-state team, Texas is undeniably still in the conversation and should be taken seriously as his commitment date approaches," Farris wrote. "Keep in mind, however, that Texas already lays claim to the No. 1 wide receiver in the class of 2027 in Easton Royal. While a few recruiting analysts believe that's a reason that Sales wouldn't want to play for the Horns as the No. 2 WR in the cycle, his social media activity is telling a different tale.
"Sales set his decision day as Friday, July 17, which was just two days after he posted the icy white uniform picture on his Instagram story. While social media activity and posts are never guarantees, nobody could deny it was a good sign for Sarkisian and the Longhorns."
Farris's point about IU being absent on social media for months is notable. Unless Sales is planning a surprise, perhaps Texas is the team to beat right now and won't be beaten by decision time. The Longhorns could be interested in reminding the defending champions what the hierarchy is in the NIL era by marching into the Hoosier State and keeping Sales away from the Hoosiers.
Most OSU fans would probably prefer that outcome, to be honest.
Monshun Sales going to Texas feels like it'd mean Easton Royal is LSU-bound
There's perhaps never a more confident time in a receiver's life than coming off of dominating defensive backs at the high school level. Maybe Sales would be okay with potentially being WR2 to Royal, but the odds of two receivers being willing to cede touches to a fellow freshman are unlikely.
If Sales chooses UT, it feels like a formality that Royal would stay in the Bayou and play for Lane Kiffin's LSU Tigers. The momentum Kiffin has built has fired up former players I've spoken to recently, including Andrew Whitworth and Patrick Peterson. There's more appeal to Royal staying home than potentially being another face in the crowd on the Longhorns, especially if Manning returns for the 2027 season, which is not impossible.
Sales and Royal teaming up sounds like something that'd happen in EA Sports College Football rather than real life. It'd be great to see, but getting both to cooperate is a tough task. Probably too tough, but we'll know for sure by next year.
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