4-star S Montrell Estell talks Texas and what he brings to the Longhorns

When Montrell Estell committed to the Texas Longhorns last month, it came as a bit of a surprise. The four-star athlete had previously named Texas A&M as his leader and was considered an Aggie lean. Fortunately, surprises can prove beneficial and Estell's commitment did just that for the Longhorns for a handful of reasons. Not only was Estell's commitment yet another Charlie recruiting victory over Kevin Sumlin, but his pledge also provides the Longhorns with incoming talent at a position of need -€” safety.

Ranked as 2017's No. 15 athlete and No. 39 player in Texas, per 247Sports Composite, Estell's versatile athleticism would provide the Hooks product with opportunities at wide receiver or safety in Austin.

Once he arrives in Austin, Estell told Burnt Orange Nation we can expect to see him playing the latter. Playing safety is exactly why Estell became a Longhorn, telling BON, "Because it's the best school for safeties." How frequently Texas found reps for true freshmen also stood out, as Estell told BON that early playing time is "very important" to him and a deciding factor.

As a junior, Estell thrived at safety, flashing much of what drew so much attention to his receiving prowess. In addition to his 69 tackles and four passes broken up, Estell recorded six interceptions; three of which were impressively returned for touchdowns.

More notably, if Estell's recent rise among the ranks is of any indication, the Longhorns landing the athletic, ball-hawking safety over the likes of Alabama, Notre Dame, Baylor and Texas A&M becomes even more impressive. At the time of his commitment -€” May 20 -€” Estell ranked as the No. 23 athlete and No. 46 player in Texas.

While Estell's rise and the modern age of decommittments becoming second nature could be a cause for concern, that doesn't appear to be an issue with Texas' most recent 2017 commit.

"I'm 100 percent to Texas," Estell told BON. "But I'm still going to be looking at other colleges just to look."

To this point, Estell said no other programs have been in touch with him following his commitment.

Aside from his range and hunger for interceptions and knack for putting points up while the offense rests, what can Estell bring to Texas? "My skills and work ethic," Estell said. Leadership may ultimately be added to that list, as it's an aspect of his game he looks to improve upon as a senior.