Kabongo Talks Oklahoma State Commitment

STILLWATER – About a month ago there were all kinds of talk about a silent commitment for Oklahoma State in recruiting and the prospect involved in much of the talk was Trophy Club (Byron Nelson High School), Texas safety David Kabongo. He admitted it back then, but was going to commit officially in June after his official visit. During the noon hour today, Kabongo jumped his scheduled pledge date.

“I had planned on committing a couple of weeks from now, but I moved it up,” Kabongo said.

I asked if this was a special day, a birthday, somebody in his family’s birthday, anything?

“No, I just wanted to move it up, couldn’t wait, he answered.”

Kabongo will make his official visit coming up later this week starting on Thursday, June 15. That has been scheduled for a while now, since his unofficial visit this spring during spring football that really kicked into gear his desire to be a Cowboy.

“It’s the culture and the energy around the program,” Kabongo said. “I knew from the first time I was there that was where I wanted to be. It’s the coaches and the players and the way they go about their work, the way they work. The competition even in practice with the players. Rally, about everything about it.”

That comment today is consistent as you can read what he told me after his unofficial visit. The 5-11, 181-pound Kabongo is also slated to finish his senior year academically in December and be a mid-year enrollee and go through spring football 2024 with the Cowboys.

“I knew the minute I was there and watching that spring practice. It was just the culture,” he said back in April. “I knew instantly that was the place I wanted to be. It was the place I wanted to play football. The facilities, the campus, all of that made it the place to be. I loved the pace of the practice and the way the coaches and players interacted. I was convinced from that moment.”

Kabongo is a leader for Byron Nelson and made his big emergence as a sophomore when he ran for 18-yards and a touchdown, caught 16 passes for 155-yards and a touchdown, but picked off five passes in varsity competition and became that guy that quarterbacks knew was there and worked to avoid. 

He finished that sophomore season with 70 tackles, 41 unassisted, three tackles-for-loss and a fumble forced. Last season as a junior he had two interceptions with scouting reports warning opposing quarterbacks about him. He had 64 tackles, 41 unassisted, two-tackles-for-loss, and a fumble recovered, and a fumble forced. His speed is his most obvious asset, and he runs a 4.45 in the forty and this past track season ran the 100, 200, 4x100, and 4x200. His best time in the 100-meters was a sizzling 10.97 seconds. 

“You know I love the Oklahoma State coaches and Coach Duff (Tim Duffie) was the one that offered me back in January, but I’ve been seeing Coach (Bryan) Nardo,” Kabongo told Pokes Report. “He was by my school last week and then Coach Hammer (Dan Hammerschmidt) has recruited me.”

“I like the coaches. Spring (football) has been great,” he added. “I’ve got better, stayed healthy, and I’m ready for my senior season. Schools have been coming by and I’ve been getting more offers. Arizona State, Washington State, Missouri, have been here and offered.”

Dave Campbell's Texas Football

David Kabongo of Byron Nelson HS.

One of the top defensive backs in North Texas according to the Dallas Morning News and Dave Campbell’s Texas Football Magazine Kabongo decided on OSU over the other four schools in his top five of Indiana, Kansas, SMU and UTSA. He also had offers from Arizona State, Missouri, Texas, Texas Tech, Utah and Washington State among others.

Kabongo said he had a good spring football at Byron Nelson High School and that he and his teammates have been into summer workouts for the past three weeks. Working hard is not a problem for Kabongo, it is a given. 

Now he reports later this week for his official visit and will cross paths with visitors like Serra, Calf. quarterback Maealiuaki Smith; McKinney, Texas linebacker Jonathan Agumadu; and Valley View, Ark, linebacker Brian Huff who start visits on Wednesday, June 14. Coming in with Kabongo on Thursday will be Keller, Texas wide receiver Tre Griffiths, Bentonville, Ark. receiver C.J. Brown; Melissa, Texas linebacker Gunnar Wilson, defensive lineman Eddy Smith of Pearland (Dawson), Texas; and offensive lineman Mitch Hodnett of Sterlington, La. 

Kabongo can help recruit along with fellow commitments Del City running back R.J. Fields and Longview, Texas safety Willie Nelson, who will both start their official visits on Thursday.  

This will be a big weekend with some of those.