5-Star LB Malik Jefferson Reveals Top 7: Where Does He Fit Best?

Given his standing as the nation's top outside linebacker prospect in the 2015 class, it's no surprise that Malik Jefferson has a bevy of colleges who are pursuing him in hopes of landing his commitment.

However, the 5-star Texas standout trimmed his list of suitors to a group of seven lucky schools on Monday. 

Four in-state Big 12 powers—Baylor, TCU, Texas and Texas A&M—are still in the mix as well as out-of-state titans LSU, Oklahoma and UCLA.

But which school amongst his final group will provide the 6’3”, 215-pounder with the best fit at the next level?

7. Baylor

Baylor isn’t exactly known for playing dominating defense, but most fans would probably be shocked to learn that the Bears rank 18th nationally in total defense, per CFBstats.com.

That’s the second-highest rating among the group of Jefferson’s final seven schools.

Bears defensive coordinator Phil Bennett operates out of a base 4-2-5 scheme, and Jefferson could be in line to replace senior middle linebacker and leading tackler Bryce Hager, should he elect to head to Waco.

While Jefferson is versatile enough to play in the middle, he seems ideally suited to play as an outside linebacker that wreaks havoc off the edge or operate in space against speedy backs and receivers.

Although the Bears have some positives, the question about his fit in the scheme and the fact that he hasn’t visited the Bears campus since March leaves Art Briles and his staff with little traction in the race to land Jefferson.

6. TCU

Like Baylor, Gary Patterson and the Horned Frogs use a base 4-2-5 scheme on defense.

With seniors currently manning both of those linebacker positions, adding a potential game-changer such as Jefferson could give the defense a huge boost next fall.

Per Taylor Hamm of GigEm247, Jefferson visited TCU last month for its win over Texas Tech. He was also in attendance for the Horned Frogs' huge win over Oklahoma in early October.

The Horned Frogs have positioned themselves to earn a seat at the table, but it remains to be seen whether they have done enough to be a serious threat to pull the state’s top-rated defensive recruit.

5. LSU

Les Miles and the LSU Tigers are another out-of-state program that has enjoyed success in pulling studs out of the state of Texas on an annual basis.

Jefferson was one of many blue chips in attendance for LSU’s game against Alabama earlier this month. 

Per Shea Dixon of Geaux247 (subscription required), the Tigers are putting a great deal of importance on landing Jefferson, as he could possibly be the only linebacker brought in for the 2015 cycle.

“They don’t have a linebacker committed in my class, so they thought it was a good idea to actually recruit me," Jefferson said. "I really enjoyed it and I liked what they had to sell to me. It’s a great program, great coaches, great players as well.”

Additionally, both of the Tigers starters at outside linebackers are juniors, which presents Jefferson with an intriguing opportunity to see the field early.

4. UCLA

One of the surprises in Jefferson’s top list of schools is UCLA. 

With standout linebackers such as Myles Jack and Eric Kendricks starring as key cogs in the middle of the Bruins' 3-4 defense, Jefferson has all of the necessary tools to become the next freakish linebacker to star for that unit.

The Bruins offered him in February, and he’s yet to take a trip to visit Westwood.

Jefferson currently plans to announce his commitment on Dec. 19, a date that is rapidly approaching, with teammate and 4-star athlete DeAndre McNeal.

As Horns247 notes (subscription required), Jefferson could potentially take a visit to Los Angeles in either the first or second week of December.

But those plans have still yet to be finalized, which makes it hard to count the Bruins as a serious contender to land the talented playmaker. 

3. Oklahoma

Jefferson has a skill set that resembles current Oklahoma star linebacker Eric Striker.

Should Striker elect to test the NFL draft waters, Jefferson—who, per Student Sports, ran a blistering time of 4.49 seconds during SPARQ testing at The Opening this summer—is an ideal candidate to replace him.

One thing that could bode well for the Sooners is the fact that they were the first school of his final group to offer him a scholarship back in January 2013.

Jefferson took a visit to Norman in October, which strengthens the chances Bob Stoops and his staff have at pulling another stud out of the Lone Star State.

2. Texas A&M

From the beginning of his recruitment, one of the perceived front-runners in the Jefferson sweepstakes has been Texas A&M.

Given the Aggies' significant need to add impact talents on that side of the ball, Jefferson would give Kevin Sumlin’s squad another potential game-breaking talent to pair with freshman sensation Myles Garrett.

The Aggies have a scheme suitable for Jefferson, and while the depth chart isn’t as favorable as it is with some of his other favorites, there’s nothing to indicate that he couldn’t come in and earn significant playing time next fall.

Another factor to keep in mind with the Aggies is the future of defensive coordinator Mark Snyder—which appears to be tenuous at best.

Regardless, given Sumlin’s penchant for luring top talent to College Station in recent years, Jefferson’s pledge would be another signal that the Aggies program is built for long-term success.

1. Texas

It’s clear that Jefferson has identified a strong group of schools that merge great opportunities to see the field early with a decent track record of producing elite defenders.

However, Charlie Strong and the Texas Longhorns may provide the best of both worlds for Jefferson.

Strong has strengthened his reputation as one of college football's top defensive minds since he arrived in Austin. Last year, Texas ranked No. 69 nationally in total defense. Through 11 games, Strong's defense has improved that number to No. 28 nationally, per CFBstats.com.

As Ourlads illustrates, the Longhorns are scheduled to return only three of their top seven linebackers next season—with two of those being seniors. 

With a clear need at his position, and the chance to play for a noted defensive mind such as Strong, Texas gives Jefferson the best opportunity to make an early impact and reach his full potential at the college level.

Sanjay Kirpalani is a National Recruiting Analyst for Bleacher Report. Unless otherwise noted, all recruiting information courtesy of 247Sports.