Houston lands commitment from Louisiana offensive tackle Jamall Franklin

Houston remained hot on the recruiting trail on Wednesday morning with a commitment from Baton Rouge (La.) Scotlandville offensive tackle Jamall Franklin.

For Franklin, Houston had the perfect package when it came to relationships, on-field performance and what Franklin was looking for off the field in a program.

"I like the coaches and I like the environment," Franklin said. "I love the coaching staff, I love the players and I love the brotherhood around the program, especially with the offense. I feel like I'm a good fit in their scheme and it's a good chance to play at a high level."

On his visits to Houston, Franklin was able to get an inside look at the daily player lifestyle at Houston while also getting a behind-the-scenes look at facilities and academic programs.

"I like the facilities," he said. "They have a nice indoor facility and a long section that the offensive line and defensive line have. It's separated so you're not just around skill players, you're around all of the linemen. They have a nice weight room, the campus is very nice and Houston is one of the top five schools in the state for their nursing program. It's not too big or too small of a campus."

Franklin was mainly recruited by offensive line coach Brandon Jones who built and kept a relationship with Franklin through the ups-and-downs.

"Me and Coach Jones built a relationship during my sophomore year after I went to a Texas camp," he said. "Ever since then, we've had a great relationship. He was one of the main coaches that reached out to me and kept talking to me even after my surgery. That's what stood out to me, his loyalty. I want to play for a coach that believes in me and my talent, not only as a player but as a person."

The sky is the limit for a Houston program that is turning the corner on becoming a Power Five program in the coming years, and it's something that Franklin sees as a big opportunity to capture success on the national stage.

"I feel like Houston can accomplish a Big 12 Championship, in my opinion," he said. "If we do what we do for the next four years, I feel like Houston will have the chance to play in the national championship. You can come to a school like Houston and still be great, still. get draft and still be noticed."

Now that Franklin is committed and locked in, his focus will now turn to his senior season as he looks to achieve one more goal before heading west to Texas.

"I want to make all-state, that's a thing that's been bothering me all offseason," Franklin said. "That's my why, it'd make my mom happy. Also a state championship."

At 6-foot-6, 379 pounds, Franklin is the No. 23 ranked recruit from the state of Louisiana and the No. 42 ranked offensive tackle recruit in the country for the class of 2023, according to Rivals.

A big, athletic large offensive line prospect that can move with purpose, Franklin is one of the higher upside prospects in the entire state of Louisiana in 2023. He uses his length and all 379 pounds to overwhelm opposing pass rushers at both tackle and guard. With his versatility, Houston will have ample opportunities to show him early playing time if his athleticism can translate to Power Five ball.

During his performance at the Rivals Camp Series stop in New Orleans, Franklin was able to shine against some of the better pass rushers in the state and region on his way to earning offensive line MVP amid national competitors on the offensive line.