Spoke to several folks today about the recruitment, including McKinley's father and brother. The overwhelming sense I'm getting is that although Oklahoma is undeniably pushing very hard, there's still a long way to go and there's no guarantee McKinley returns to Norman before making his decision. His father told me straight up that they're only going to take another visit to OU if Dominick himself has an express desire to do so. Tennessee and LSU remain the only two surefire destinations in the month of January for McKinley.
If I'm going with my gut, the longer this drags out, the more I think he sticks with A&M or stays home and plays for LSU. Unless Tennessee blows him away on the OV, I'm not really buying the Vols as a major contender based on the conversations I had today. Relationships matter to McKinley, but I sense that proximity to home is a pretty big deal for him as well. He's a very quiet kid and a tough nut to crack. That said, he has a very solid relationship with Texas defensive line coach Bo Davis, and I'm told Davis could very well end up taking the same job at LSU after the season. That would be a huge asset to the Tigers, and it would naturally strengthen their pitch to McKinley.
All in all, this is not a recruitment over which I would hold my breath for the next four weeks. OU's in play and that ought to be understood, but I don't think they lead and I don't think it's feasible that they could flip him absent another visit. Getting him back to campus will be a pre-requisite. So until that happens, don't get your expectations elevated.
