LSU football picked up its second commitment of its 2023 recruiting class on Friday, four-star tight end Mac Markway. Out of St. Louis, Missouri, Markway is one of the highest-ranked and most recruited tight ends in the country, as he is the No. 7 tight end in his class, according to 247sports and held 27 scholarship offers. In fact, Markway earned his first offer in the eighth grade before playing a snap of high school football.
“We went to go visit Michigan, and out of nowhere, they offered me a scholarship,” Markway said. “That was the craziest experience I’ve ever had, period.”
As Markway is the newest member of the LSU football program, it’s important to know his story and what he will bring to the team in 2023.
Markway made a verbal commitment to Florida in July 2021 but reopened his recruitment later that year in December. After considering schools like Iowa, Miami, Ohio State and LSU, the Tigers stuck out among the rest of his choices for many reasons. 
“Obviously the feel there [LSU], right when we visited there, that was what sealed the deal,” Markway said. “I knew going in I wanted to be a Tiger, but that just sealed the deal going in and seeing it in person, that it really felt like home.” 
Markway was also impressed with how Coach Kelly and the rest of the staff treated him during his recruitment. He was recruited by Kelly and most of his staff during their time at Notre Dame, so he did not have to start from scratch in terms of building relationships. 
“Talking to Coach Denbrock, Coach Kelly, Coach Polian, we’re just talking,” Markway said. “They’re recruiting obviously, but they separated themselves just because they want to get to know you.” 
While Markway had ties with the coaching staff, he has an especially tight bond with one coach in particular: Coach Robert Steeples. The new cornerbacks coach for LSU, Steeples coached Markway at DeSmet High School in St. Louis in 2019. Steeples then took a job with the Minnesota Vikings as a cornerbacks coach a year later but will now join Kelly at LSU this upcoming season. 
Since Markway’s freshman year, Coach Steeples has made a positive impact on Markway’s game and career.
“I came in humble, I never wanted to be like a bragging guy, but he [Steeples] was always on me just in case I ever did slip up because I did have offers,” Markway said. “He stayed on me, he taught me the grind, and taught me how it is just to be a good player…he’s one of my bigger role models just because of that.”
Reuniting with Steeples means a lot to Markway and made the decision to commit to LSU even more convincing.
“Having him at LSU — it’s huge just having a familiar face that I can trust right out the gate,” Markway said. “That’s really the only reason because I’m going to be going up against him in practice, so I’m excited for that too.”
Not only is Steeples a role model for Markway, but Markway’s father, Matt, also gives Mac an extra driving force of motivation in his career.
The Markway family is a big football family. They have a history of sending tight ends to college programs and even the NFL. Matt Markway played football at the University of Iowa in the 1990s.
“He was going to be a second round (draft) pick, but he blew out his patellar tendon,” Markway said. Mac looks at the opportunity to play college football, and the potential to make it to the NFL as a “grind to carry out that legacy and finish what [Matt] started.” 
It is no surprise Markway has the opportunity to finish that legacy, as he can do just about everything you can want out of a tight end. Not only is he a great pass catcher, but he is also an excellent blocker, and he is a physical all-around player.
“I pride myself in being the most versatile tight end in the country,” Markway said. “Being able to put my hand in the dirt, block with the best and then also going to flex outside and really just compete with anybody.”
He models his game around tight ends like Mark Andrews of the Baltimore Ravens, and former NFL tight end, Jason Witten. 
While Markway looks like he can provide a great amount ability-wise, he is also ready for any challenges that come his way once he comes to Baton Rouge and will make sure he performs to the best of his ability.
“I take pride in being the best in everything on the field,” Markway said. “Whether they put me in the backfield, put me flexed out, put me attached, I’m going to get it done right, I’m going to get it done great.”
Markway won’t be suited up in the Purple and Gold until the 2023 football season, but just as the time of his high school career thus far has flown by, he knows the remainder of it will fly by as well. His high school career has had its ups and downs, but he has had fun and learned a lot along the way.
“It’s been fun. Definitely been a roller coaster,” Markway said. “Winning a state championship, playing on ESPN, playing my sophomore season, balled out in a COVID-19 year, so that was weird, and obviously I got injured this year, but really, we’ll see what happens.”
The fact that he only has one more season left at DeSmet High School has become a reality to him, but he knows what lies ahead of high school is the result of his hard work and sacrifice.
“It has hit me, and to be honest,” Markway said, “I just can’t wait to get down to Death Valley and play.”