Michael Myslinski commits to Texas

Herb Hand got his man.

It has been an uphill battle all cycle for the Texas Longhorns staff when it comes to offensive line recruiting and they will probably be the first to tell you things have not gone according to plan. With James Brockermeyer going off the board to the Alabama Crimson Tide, the staff needed to circle the wagons and re-evaluate what they were going to do at the center position.

Hand has been keeping multiple irons in the fire and the staff served themselves well by recruiting Jacksonville (Fla.) Bishop Kenny center Michael Myslinski hard over the past few months. Things were a bit touch and go with Michigan State also having a pre-existing relationship with the Myslinski family, but the Longhorns were able to close the deal and earn his commitment on Thursday morning.

It was imperative that the staff was able to rebound and get some kind of momentum going at the offensive line position. Given the expectations coming into the cycle some will probably scoff at this pick up, but I personally like what Myslinski brings to the table (read more on that below) and think he is a player that could be an asset along the interior of the offensive line.

Myslinski reminds of an old teammate of mind named Jake Seitz that I played with back at UAB. Jake was not the biggest guy either, but he was intelligent, reliable, and he was going to take you into a phone booth and turn it into an absolute brawl the moment the ball was snapped. Jake was a four year starter for us and made over 40 consecutive starts during his time on campus. I don’t know if Myslinski will end up with those kind of credentials by the time he leaves campus, but he strikes me as the kind of player that coaches and teammates alike are going to be glad they don’t have to play or practice against.

Myslinski’s commitment brings the Texas class to 16 total commitments and they continue to hold steady with the 12th overall recruiting class in the country according to 247Sports Composite team rankings.

Analysis:

Myslinski’s physical measurables do not jump off the page at you (listed at 6’2, 285 pounds), but he makes up for it with scrappiness, his motor and his ability to finish off defenders. Myslinski has a bar room brawler’s mentality and his aggression on tape is one of his most endearing traits. From snap to whistle Myslinski is looking for asses to kick and he consistently plays to the echo of the whistle for better or for worse. He plays with a good hat level and good leverage and that is something he will have to consistently due since he will likely give up some size to guys across from him at the next level.

Myslinski shows the ability to displace defenders both on solo and combo blocks and does an excellent job of running his feet on contact and staying engaged with his assignment. Myslinski is never content to just get movement on his assignment and constantly driving guys several yards before dumping them or removing them from the play completely. Myslinski strikes me as the kind of player that is looking to wear guys out from snap to snap and will get under the skin of his opponents due to his aggression willingness to mix it up. Effort will certainly never be in question for Myslinski and if anything, his aggression may need to be reined in at times.

At times Myslinski can get a little over aggressive when he is trying to finish guys off and he has to be mindful of his hand placement and how he takes defenders down, as it could draw refs to reach for the yellow flag. Personally, I will not be surprised if Myslinski outperforms his current ranking with the recruiting services. I can certainly see him getting dinged for lacking the prototypical size, but I do not see it as detrimental in the long term.