Texas Football: Players to Watch in High School All-American Games

The Texas Longhorns' football season may have ended on a low note, but the recruiting season is only heating up.

The Longhorns have made significant strides on the recruiting front in recent weeks, primarily with the announcement of 5-star linebacker Malik Jefferson's commitment to Texas.

Many Texas fans throughout the country have not had the opportunity to see Jefferson or any other elite prospects and commits in action, but that will change when the upcoming high school All-American games kick off in less than a week.

Under Armour All-America Game

The Under Armour All-America Game is loaded with Texas prospects. Jefferson, wide receiver John Burt and safety DeShon Elliott are the three verbal commitments who will participate in the Jan. 2 game. 

Elliott has already made a splash in practice preparation and was dominant in one-on-ones, and Jefferson has continued to play up to his 5-star status, according to Orangebloods.com (subscription required).

But the main thing Texas fans have working to their advantage is the committed duo's impact in helping talk up the Longhorns to the various prospects in attendance.

Two prospects who Jefferson and Elliott may be focused on are defensive tackle Daylon Mack and wide receiver DaMarkus Lodge.

Both Mack and Lodge are former Texas A&M commits who have since opened up their recruiting process. Although Mack listed LSU and TCU as his top two schools, the defensive tackle is expected to take an official visit to Texas Jan. 23, according to Orangebloods.com.

It isn't known if either Mack or Lodge will commit to Texas, but having the presence of Elliott and Jefferson can only help the Longhorns' chances.

Semper Fidelis All-American Bowl

The Longhorns have a number of prospects in California for the Semper Fidelis All-American Bowl and three commitments in defensive end Charles Omenihu, linebacker Cameron Townsend and defensive back Jamile Johnson.

Two prospects Texas fans should follow are cornerbacks Kris Boyd and Holton Hill, in addition to the trio of Texas commits.

Boyd was set to announce his commitment on Christmas Day but changed his mind and is not planning on announcing his top schools until sometime in January, according to his Twitter account. Boyd's commitment could very well come down to an in-state battle between Texas and Texas A&M.

Meanwhile, Hill has announced his top five schools, but according to 247Sports Crystal Ball predictions, Hill could be a Texas lean.

Those two athletes and the Longhorns' commits will be must-watch television on Jan. 4.

U.S. Army All-American Bowl

Last but not least is the U.S. Army All-American Bowl. Two prospects will announce their decisions during the Jan. 3 game.

4-star safety Tim Irvin and 4-star tight end Devonaire Clarington will announce their commitments Sunday, but the Longhorns could be a long shot in landing both recruits. Clarington told Rob Cassidy of Rivals.com he has two schools of interest, but neither is Texas. Meanwhile, Irvin did not mention much about the Longhorns in his recent interview with Blake Alderman of InsidetheGators.com.

---

Even if the Longhorns do not receive positive news at any of the All-American games, these feature some of the nation's top talent and are must-watch television for any and all college football fans.

Recruiting information via Rivals.com.

Unless otherwise noted, all quotes were obtained firsthand.

Taylor Gaspar is Bleacher Report's featured columnist covering the Texas Longhorns. Follow Taylor on Twitter: @Taylor_Gaspar.