Texas Loses Out on 2026 Four-Star OT Malakai Lee originally appeared on Athlon Sports.
Texas has been pushing hard for four-star offensive tackle Malakai Lee over the last few weeks.
Michigan has been the long-time favorite in his recruitment, but On3’s Steve Wiltfong reported that the Longhorns were “closing the gap” as of late. Unfortunately it wasn’t enough as Lee announced his commitment to the Wolverines on Friday. He chose Michigan over Texas, Alabama, and Georgia.
The Honolulu native is ranked the No. 10 offensive tackle in the nation and the No. 2 overall prospect in Hawaii, according to 247Sports composite. Lee took an official visit to Texas on June 6 while Michigan received his final official visit on June 20.
BREAKING: Four-Star OT Malakai Lee has Committed to Michigan, he tells me for @on3recruits
The 6’7 320 OT from Kaneohe, HI chose the Wolverines over Georgia, Texas, & Alabama
“Thank you God for helping me through this process. GO BLUE!!”https://t.co/xyCnBNv379pic.twitter.com/r79GhHtElW
— Hayes Fawcett (@Hayesfawcett3) June 27, 2025
It’s very likely Texas head coach Steve Sarkisian and offensive line coach Kyle Flood will continue pursuing Lee until pen hits the paper. As it stands now, the Longhorns have two offensive line commits for the 2026 class in three-star offensive tackle Max Wright and three-star interior offensive lineman Nicolas Robertson.
Lee’s massive 6-foot-7, 310-pound frame saw him coveted from just about every powerhouse program in the country. Aside from the four finalists, he also held offers from schools like USC, Oregon, Tennessee and Miami.
Texas currently holds the No. 11 recruiting class in the country with 15 total commits. The Longhorns are trending for several other blue-chip prospects that could announce their decisions in the near future.
Related: Texas Trending for Several More Five-Star Recruits in 2026 Class
This story was originally reported by Athlon Sports on Jun 27, 2025, where it first appeared.