Recruiting Notebook: 2024 DB Wardell Mack

Inside Texas takes a closer look at the fit and evaluation of Marrero (La.) John Ehret cornerback Wardell Mack in this edition of the Recruiting Notebook.

How he fits at Texas:

Mack is a press-man cornerback all the way. He has elite length and acceleration, which make him very difficult for receivers to get separation against. He’s hard to bump because of his long arms (33″), he recovers quickly, and his length also helps him contest throws. He’s currently lighter at about 170 but he could fill out and play in the boundary. If not, he’ll be a field corner and can just erase the far side of the field. – Ian Boyd

Coach Says:

Strengths — Good height for the corner position with impressively long arms. Most highlights are press-man which shows a lot of faith in his ability. Gets his hands on the receivers reliably and will turn the hips easily without losing too much leverage. Accelerates easily to a good top speed for the position. Tracks the ball well and disrupts through the catch/mesh point consistently. Zone highlights are fewer but still shows good awareness and discipline to his rules. Will generally work out of a side shuffle in zone and shows a great break on the ball in limited highlights. Some film at both boundary and field.

Areas for Improvement / Concerns — Would like to see more tackling on film. What I’ve seen looks a little inconsistent. His team was not particularly successful and he won’t be playing against these players in college. Will need a bit of bulk.

How this affects Texas:

Texas went big in the secondary in 2023 with elite talents like On3 four-star cornerback Malik Muhammad and four-star safety Derek Williams. Now the Horns need numbers. For any program, Mack is a take from start to finish, and Texas is among his top schools. In-state LSU and Florida are the competition for the On3 four-star’s services, and he’s looking at an official to Baton Rouge this fall. Texas corners coach Terry Joseph has a keen eye in Da Boot and will keep the Horns in the race for the South Louisiana product. – Justin Wells

On3 Personal File

Reggie Rogers has seen some talented players during his coaching career, especially in his time at Marrero (Louisiana) John Ehret. So, it speaks volumes when he gushes about Wardell Mack. “We use Wardell all over because he is such a dynamic athlete,” Rogers told NOLA.com. “We just let him play and make plays. He’s one of those athletes that’s effortless in everything he does. He makes coaches look a lot smarter.” Mack plays receiver, cornerback and special teams for Ehret and has accumulated more than 1,000 yards of total offense through his junior and sophomore seasons. He also had 55 tackles and four interceptions in 2021. Along with his playmaking ability, Mack has 33-inch arms and “outstanding length.”

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