High School Football

Paetow’s Hicks announces commitment to Texas A&M

By Tyler Tyre, Sports Editor
Posted 9/28/22

“It’s been a really crazy recruiting process but I feel like it’s been worth it,” Hicks said. “I’m just happy that I have a home now and that home is at Texas A&M.”

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High School Football

Paetow’s Hicks announces commitment to Texas A&M

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David Hicks Jr. realized he had a future playing college football after the first game of his sophomore season.

The defensive lineman went up to SMU to watch the Mustangs game and was immediately offered by the University on the visit.

That moment of realization led to two years of hard work, as Hicks worked himself into becoming one of the nation’s best players and a prospect that every college in the country wanted.

All of that hard led to Wednesday, as Hicks announced his commitment to play college football, choosing between seven of the most prestigious football programs in the country in Texas A&M, the University of Texas, the University of Oklahoma, the University of Alabama, the University of Oregon, the University of Miami and Michigan State University.

In the end, it was the Aggies that won out for Hicks, as he  announced his commitment to Texas A&M live on ESPN from Paetow High School.

“It’s a great place and I love being around there,” Hicks said. “They have everything I could ever want going in, it’s close to home, the people are great and I just felt awesome while I was there.”

Hicks had offers from everywhere around the nation, but staying close to home where he could still visit his family was a top priority.

Along with that was a priority that it would be a strong program Hicks joined that could help him reach the NFL, and A&M checked off all the boxes.

“It’s been a really crazy recruiting process but I feel like it’s been worth it,” Hicks said. “I’m just happy that I have a home now and that home is at Texas A&M.”

Hicks is ranked as the No. 12 prospect in the country by 247 sports and the No. 1 defensive lineman recruit in the country and is one of the most heralded recruits in the Class of 2023. But for Hicks, the most important thing was always to find a college with the right environment, the right coaching staff and the right players, which I what he found in College Station.

“I’ve had a really good relationship with all of the coaches and that was huge for me,” Hicks said. “It’s a big decision but they helped make it easier, they’re some great guys.”

Hicks will join an already stacked defensive line for the Aggies and will continue to play with fellow Paetow senior Daymion Sanford at the next level. But for now, Hick’s focus is at the high school level with the rest of the Panthers, and he’s looking forward to them all stepping up the rest of the way this season.

“I just want to keep improving on what I did last year and I think we can make a run and go to state once he hit playoffs,” Hicks said. “That’s the only focus right now, and then once I get there I’m just going to work hard and do the best I can to the best of my ability.”

Paetow, David Hicks Jr., D.J. Hicks, football, Texas A&M, sports