June is an extremely happening month in college football. Recruitment is in full swing at the moment. Programs are making their best efforts to convince young stars to join them. Kirby Smart and Kalen DeBoer, two of the biggest in the game, are laying their best out to land a prime target of the 2026 class. Both are sitting within the top 10 in the class, having a slew of blue-chip talents in their rosters. However, their plans for this much-coveted target have a good chance of being thwarted by a program that failed to make it to the top 10.

Georgia was on a recruiting roll this year, especially after landing Jared Curtis. If things continue, Georgia will be adding another year to its 11-year streak of finishing with a Top-10 class. Kalen DeBoer, now in his second year, has finally grounded himself at Tuscaloosa and is continuing Alabama’s recruiting streak as well, sitting in the 9 position in the class of 2026.

However, one major SEC program, which sits outside the bracket for now, is making a name for itself in the heart of a major target for both of these teams. Much to their dismay, this is a team a lot of analysts think has the best shot at winning the national title this year.

Kirby Smart and DeBoer were in hot pursuit of 4-star OL Malakai Lee. They and Sherrone Moore were major players in the game for Lee. However, Steve Sarkisian has emerged as a wild-card entry and has also become a favorite destination to land Lee. The offensive lineman from Kamehameha took an official visit to Texas last week and is very close to deciding on the Longhorns as his final choice. In fact, even with a Natty win yet to be recreated since 2005, Malakai Lee is in high hopes about Sarkisian pulling off the unthinkable.

“Texas really does it big on OV weekend,” Lee told On3. After all, Sarkisian did decorate the campus with bright orange Lambos. “I had a great time. Coach Sark is building something special in Austin. They will be National Champions very soon!” Lee declared. He’s not the only person who thinks that the Longhorns are good to go as National Championship-worthy this season. They have a top QB1 and an elite team, which can prove to be an attractive figure for Lee to join. “Texas has a good chance,” the OL declared. Georgia and Alabama’s charm on Lee might be fading away.

“Coach Flood has a plan for me to become great. I’m ready to put in the work,” he also added. Lee will pay one more visit to Michigan officially later in the month and will also give Georgia another unofficial visit soon. Will Smart be able to seal the deal for Lee? Because Michigan, like Texas, is making strides.

Michigan taking away Malakai Lee from Kirby Smart?

Georgia held a commanding hold over Lee when he visited Athens officially. The program “knocked it out of the park” for the star, who just accepted an offer to play in the 2026 Navy All-American Bowl.  But all this while, Michigan remained a consistent favorite for Lee. He told TheWolverine.com, “I think it’s the fact that Coach (Sherrone) Moore is a former offensive lineman.” The efforts are making a difference for the OL. “Coach (Grant) Newsome is a great coach. They’ve kept a good relationship with me and my family. They make sure to take care of us whenever we go out there. It’s been a well-kept relationship with them since they started recruiting me two years ago.” 

“It’s good to build a relationship with your position coach before you even get there, so you know what you are getting into… We always have good conversations. It’s always a checkup and keeping it simple.” Newsome kept visiting Hawaii to keep that line with Lee open, and it’s reaping a lot of good for Michigan.

The Wolverines have a major star for a QB, i.e., Bryce Underwood. Lee can make a great fit in the strong O-line at Ann Arbor. “To play at Michigan would be great. Any school I would go to would be great, but I think it means more being a Michigan offensive lineman,” the OT said.

Georgia still has time to make one last effort to swing Lee toward Athens. But Texas and Michigan can easily throw Smart off the race because of how well they have impacted Lee. Will the Bulldogs be able to land the star OT at the end?