4-star Texas WR target Jalen Hale set to decide on Wednesday

Longview wide receiver Jalen Hale has known his college destination for months now, as Hale told On3’s Chad Simmons in July, setting his commitment date for Sept. 21. Hale will announce his decision at 12:30 p.m. Central on Longview Gameday.

Earlier in July, Hale narrowed his list to three with the Alabama Crimson Tide, Georgia Bulldogs, and Texas Longhorns officially remaining in contention, while the Ohio State Buckeyes and Texas A&M Aggies were eliminated.

Hale took his first official visit to Georgia during the summer and then made trips to Austin, College Station, and Tuscaloosa once the college football season started, but those official visits weren’t much more than formalities, as Hale told Simmons in July that he’d known his eventual destination for “three or four weeks now.”

Incidentally, that timetable coincided with the approximate length of time that No. 1 quarterback Arch Manning had been committed to the Longhorns. And Hale also spent time with Texas wide receiver pledge Johntay Cook, who surely joined Manning in recruiting Hale to the Forty Acres.

With the first 247Sports Crystal Ball prediction made in favor of Texas in July and two On3 predictions made on Friday, including one from Simmons, all signs pointed to Hale choosing the Longhorns months ago. There was some buzz surrounding Alabama after that official visit, but the consensus about Hale’s destination hasn’t changed over the nine weeks since Hale announced his decision date.

A consensus four-star prospect ranked as the No. 74 player nationally and the No. 12 wide receiver, according to the 247Sports Composite rankings, Hale would join a Texas wide receiver class that already includes Cook, Ryan Niblett, and Jonah Wilson.