Cowboys Pick Up Important Commitment from Rawls at Senior Night

A clear, cool night in Marshall, Texas for Senior Night for the Mavericks and a special announcement by Marshall’s standout safety Lyrik Rawls. The competition for Rawls has been intense throughout the summer and into the delayed prep football season in Texas. Now, as it nears the end of the regular season, Rawls made his proclamation in front of the all the people that have watched him play the past two seasons since moving from nearby Jefferson after his sophomore season. “Oklahoma State, I’m going to be a Cowboy!” was the announcement by Rawls as he entered for the final regular season home game against Nacogdoches.

Rawls has chosen Oklahoma State over finalists Texas Tech, TCU, and SMU. Houston, Kansas, Arizona, Indiana, Missouri, Mississippi, and Tulsa were also aggressively recruiting the 6-2, 186-pound defender. Rawls has three interceptions this season for the 5-4 Mavericks that were also 3-3 in district heading into the Senior Night game with Nacogdoches.

Rawls first surfaced on the scene as a sophomore at Jefferson, Texas with 94 tackles, two interceptions, one returned for a touchdown, two fumbles caused, and five other passes defended. He was District 7-3A-I Defensive Newcomer of the Year. Last season he earned All-District honors at Marshall in District 9-5A-II.

He is a very athletic and intuitive player on defense that shows being ahead of the curve in video study and the ability to anticipate receiver’s routes and offensive route combinations. That trait allows him to be in good position most of the time.

Rawls is the 18th verbal commitment in the 2021 class for Oklahoma State. He is the fifth of the verbal commitments that is slated to play in the secondary on defense along with true safety Ty Williams of Muskogee. Cam Smith of Braswell in Texas, Makale Smith of Midwest City, and Raymond Gay of Red Oak in Texas are the other players slated to join the secondary next season.