Texas State had already distanced itself from the Sun Belt pack when it comes to recruiting.
The Bobcats added on to that lead on Sunday afternoon when South Grand Prairie defensive end Jakharious Smith verbally committed to the program, giving them 17 such pledges for the 2017 class.
Smith, who was clocked at 4.5 and 4.59 in the 40-yard dash during Texas State’s Dallas satellite camp on June 20, will likely be used as an outside linebacker at the collegiate level.
The 6 foot 3, 230-pound senior is the Bobcats’ sixth three-star prospect for the 2017 class — although all of his other offers came from Football Championship Subdivision schools (Alcorn State, Incarnate Word, Prairie View A&M and Northern Colorado).