Killeen (TX) safety Malik Esquerra and his Shoemaker HS teammates were on their way to compete in the regional track meet when he received a call last Thursday. When he got off that call, he had his first college football offer courtesy of the Texas Tech Red Raiders.

RedRaiderSports caught up with him to discuss that offer and his recruitment process.

What you need to know...

...The Red Raiders offered him on Thursday, April 27. He now has two offers as Vanderbilt offered him on Monday, May 1.

...As a junior, he was named to the All-District 4-5A first-team as a safety after finishing the season with 68 tackles, four interceptions, and one forced fumble.

...He also competes in track running the 110-meter hurdles, 300-meter hurdles, and the 4x400 meter relay. At the UIL Regional 3-5A track meet, he set a personal record in the 300 meter hurdles with a time of 38.60.

Texas Tech was your first offer. Can you describe how you felt about getting that news?

"It was pretty surreal and felt like it was out of nowhere. Coach (James) Blanchard and I had been texting for a minute, and then he called me and asked if my mom could get on the phone with us. When he called me, I was on my way to the regional track meet in Houston and was in the car with my teammates and one of my coaches."

What is your connection like with the Texas Tech coaches? Who do you communicate with the most?

"Coach Blanchard. I have been in contact with him for about a month now. The first time I was in contact with Texas Tech was when they came down in January to my high school to recruit after their season. Coach (Joey) McGuire was also there. My head coach Toby Foreman actually coached coach Blanchard in high school, and he connected me with him. Then we were talking a couple of weeks ago to try and get me down there to Texas Tech, but my days couldn't line up, so I wasn't able to get down there. So then, he texted me on Thursday and asked me a couple of questions, and like five minutes later, he called me and told me about the offer! It was great, and I really didn't expect it."