Texas DT signee Du'Vonta Lampkin appealing for NLI release

Unable to qualify to join the Texas Longhorns, Cypress Falls defensive tackle Du'Vonta Lampkin just wants to move on with things.

Since the 6'3, 295-pounder announced in late May that he would not enroll at Texas as planned, his status has been in limbo. First he was going to take a correspondence course in an attempt to gain the language credits required by the university, according his head coach, but now he says that he couldn't take Spanish 2 through CFISD after failing it several times.

Regardless of the mechanics, in revealing to Horns247 that he's appealed for his release from his NLI after the Longhorns declined not to grant it, Lampkin spoke publicly for the first time in weeks.

"I really can't even get into the school no more," Lampkin said. "So like, if I can't get into the school, what's the point of them hanging on to me?"

Well, the answer is simple -- because the NLI is binding for prospects, why many believe that recruits shouldn't sign them at all. To grant the release for academic reasons would set a precedent that university would rather avoid, the type of precedent that would help reduce the current system to rubble.

Now Lampkin is paying the price for doing so in a process that hasn't been especially kind to him since National Signing Day. After the departure of Texas defensive line coach Chris Rumph for Florida after Lampkin signed, the productive Cy Falls defensive tackle was outspoken about his displeasure.

So Lampkin must wait to find out whether he'll be able to enroll with the Oklahoma Sooners or Alabama Crimson Tide this fall as his immediate future rests in the NCAA's hands.