MESQUITE, Texas - Want a clue? Malik Jefferson isn't offering many these days.

He's stopped taking calls from recruiters and reporters alike. He's trying to stay away from Twitter. The coveted four-star pass-rusher, No. 35 in the ESPN 300, needs seclusion because, in truth, he's still searching for his answer.

Jefferson only offers one hint. "It comes down to one word: trust."

The No. 1 linebacker in Texas will reveal what that means Friday at his 7:45 a.m. commitment ceremony. Then he goes off to his final day of high school at Mesquite Poteet. In a few weeks he's on his own, a college freshman eyeing a starting job.

Jefferson's two-year process has been a classic Texas vs. Texas A&M showdown, and it's now the first program-changing prize fight between Charlie Strong and Kevin Sumlin. In College Station, Jefferson would be the next big puzzle piece on a defense that desperately needs playmakers. In Austin, the always-smiling linebacker can be the face of the program.

The only twist -- UCLA has swiftly snuck into this race as a faraway wild card with a serious chance of pulling a stunner. His family wants him close to home. His best friend, DeAndre McNeal, wants to keep playing with him. And everybody else just wants to know. There's no longer a wrong choice or an easy choice. And there's no time left.

"It's over. I mean, really, it's over," Jefferson said with a sigh last month. "I'm not ready to be grown. But I am. I am."

These are the last days of Jefferson's high school life, the final month before one life-changing decision.

Malik Jefferson sits in his coach's office wearing a silver LSU hoodie after practice, but Texas A&M is on his mind. Two days after his official visit to College Station for his birthday weekend, it's clear Aggies coach Kevin Sumlin has done a number on him.

Jefferson believes he's the one missing piece at Texas A&M. He believes elite players will follow him to College Station. He doubts they'd go to UT. He says the SEC factor doesn't matter, but fears Texas "doesn't have my scheme." Most important, Sumlin has him sold on the future.

"I may not like Texas A&M because they suck right now. I may not like Texas because they suck. But both have so much potential," Jefferson said. "That's what I'm looking at now. To be honest, A&M has twice as much potential."

He says this after witnessing Missouri gash A&M's injury-depleted defense for 335 rushing yards in a rain-soaked 34-27 win. Jefferson was infuriated. He thought Aggies players looked lazy, almost complacent.

"My class, the class that's going to A&M, they're going to have a lot of heart," Jefferson said. "They're going to change that."

Jefferson can tell his entire family is gently pushing him to go to Texas. His parents try to be subtle, though they've never concealed their preference.

The steady encouragement is starting to have an adverse effect. Their nudges make him want to go to Texas less, not more.

"I don't necessarily think my parents are going to be happy where I go," he says. "Right now, I feel like I have a clue."

He has one month of recruiting left before he can sign a letter of intent, but he's starting to see the finish line.

I'm ready to get there. I really am. Get it all over with," Jefferson said before glancing at the lime green iPhone in his hand. "I could just blow it up right now if I wanted to."

The realization it was over set in when the Poteet fight song blared one final time.

Jefferson's high school playing days were done. His senior season ended in playoff heartbreak, a 27-24 loss to The Colony in the Cotton Bowl.

Days later, he still can't get over how it all ended: a trick play. Two yards from the game-winning score, Poteet coaches called for a halfback pass with 17 seconds left. The back took the toss and was supposed to throw to a wide-open DeAndre McNeal.

His pass got tipped. Interception. Ballgame.

"I was so mad that I didn't know how to feel," said Jefferson, who watched the play from the sidelines.

Weeks later, Poteet coach Kody Groves shakes his head in his office as he recounts the season ended. He believes this Pirates team could've gone the rest of the way to state.

"We scored a touchdown on that play earlier in the year," Groves said. "It's one of those gut feelings a coach calls sometimes. If it works, you're a hero. Sometimes they don't."

By the time he was in the locker room, Jefferson was crying.

With the season over, Malik can avoid it no longer. Time to get serious again about his recruitment.

Nov. 24: 25 DAYS LEFT

Jefferson announces his top seven choices on his Twitter account.

They're listed in no particular order, but at this phase it's becoming clear the Bears, Sooners and Horned Frogs have fallen behind the other four. He has been to all three schools plenty, and even attended TCU's 82-27 win over Texas Tech along with five-star A&M commit Daylon Mack. Baylor was once one of the major contenders, and his first few visits to Waco were game-changers for his thought process.

"Everybody forgets about me and Baylor," Jefferson said, "but to be honest, Baylor is not a defensive school."

Two weeks later, McNeal will put out his own top five: UCLA, Texas, Texas A&M, Alabama and Texas Tech. In all, he ended up taking eight visits this year, most of them without Jefferson by his side. Best friends since seventh grade, they used to tell coaches they were going to college together. They strayed from that sentiment this fall.

DeAndre will do what's best for DeAndre. Malik will look out for Malik.

"If it happens to come together in the same place, then we're gonna finesse at it," said McNeal, a four-star athlete.

But three schools are still going hard after both. Their interests are starting to align again.

Nov. 28: 21 DAYS LEFT

Sumlin called immediately after the news broke. A&M defensive coordinator Mark Snyder has been fired, a move even Jefferson expected.

He had a hunch during his official visit. When he sat in a room with the full A&M staff, Sumlin did all the talking. His interactions with Snyder were brief. The head coach took control of the visit.

"I felt the tension in the room," Jefferson said. "I had a feeling something was going to happen. There was a change coming, I could tell."

Jefferson and DeAndre McNeal (right) have long wanted to play college ball together, but that dream might not become reality, depending on Jefferson's decision. Max Olson/ESPN

Sumlin vowed he would keep his top target informed throughout the search process. Big names get thrown around publicly for the job. Only one gets him excited.

"If they get Muschamp, that would be awesome," he says. "That would be amazing."

The timing isn't ideal for A&M's pursuit. Sumlin has 17 days to find a DC and get him in a room with Jefferson before the NCAA's recruiting dead period begins and face-to-face contact becomes prohibited. Scheme and fit are a big deal in Jefferson's decision. He has lots of questions for the new guy.

No head coach has a better bond with Jefferson than Sumlin. But two years into their relationship, this is no time for instability and uncertainty.

"I can't rule A&M out. I have to see who's next," Jefferson said. "I have to sit back and wait, honestly. I didn't rule out Texas when they had their change, so I'm not going to do the same thing for A&M."

Nov. 30: 19 DAYS LEFT

There are days when this recruiting process, glamorous as it looks, truly frustrates Jefferson. This is one of them. He wants to vent about his frustration with official visits.

Why can't the NCAA let programs pay for his parents' travel costs? These schools and their coaches make millions yet expect parents to foot the bill for their own plane tickets.

"It's too much work and money. It's not realistic," Jefferson said. "I don't get why the NCAA won't help us out. I've been limited by the things I can see. With the limited money we have, we couldn't afford for my family to see these schools."

He wanted to take five out-of-state official visits. He wanted his father, mother and brothers to come along and offer their wisdom. None of that is feasible. The financial burden is too great.

His mother, Teresa, has been battling lupus since 2005. She has good days and bad, but the chronic autoimmune disease has made working in the past few years impossible.

Malik knows money gets tight sometimes. He feels guilty, sensing any trip to a school he won't sign with costs money his family can't waste. But the 18-year-old can't take these trips by himself, either. He needs his family's input.

"You shouldn't be sending kids on their own to make life decisions," he said. "Makes no sense."

Jefferson wanted to see Ole Miss. He won't. He goes back and forth on whether his official visit to UCLA is worth taking.

"It's so late in the game -- so late -- that I'd be surprised if UCLA surprised me."

Jefferson's visit to UCLA could be a game-changer in his recruitment. It's also one of only two visits he has taken out of state. Courtesy Malik Jefferson

Dec. 6: 13 DAYS LEFT

Jefferson gives Texas one final visit. The Longhorns roll out the red carpet for Jefferson and his father, Michael Sr. -- Malik's mother isn't feeling well and stays home -- during their official visit for graduation weekend.