ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. — The Texas A&M coaching staff hasn’t been able to build on its No. 8-rated 2015 recruiting class during the ongoing recruiting dead period, but a couple of high-profile A&M commits have apparently been picking up the slack in the meantime.

Five-star quarterback Kyler Murray and five-star wideout Christian Kirk were able to link up on Team Armour during last week’s Under Armour All-America festivities, but the pair of future Aggies did more than just get a head start on building chemistry in the passing game.

Murray and Kirk both admitted they took opportunities to encourage their teammates and new friends on the All-America team to join them at Texas A&M next fall. Among those that Murray and Kirk made a pitch to were five-star athlete Soso Jamabo and four-star wideout DaMarkus Lodge. Murray, Kirk, Jamabo and Lodge are all rated among the nation’s top 50 players in the 247 composite rankings.

“We’ve been working on guys like Soso and DaMarkus, those are our boys so we throw it out there,” Kirk said after Friday’s All-America game at Tropicana Field. “It’s all fun and games but hopefully they decide to come play with us.”

Murray admitted having the opportunity to play in a showcase game with fellow touted prospects was an eye-opening experience for him, one that made him realize how dangerous A&M could be in the future if fellow All-Americans follow him and Kirk to College Station.

“It was good to come out here and play with next-level guys who I’ll see at the next level,” Murray said. “Spending time with Daylon (Mack), Soso, DaMarkus, Christian, Malik (Jefferson) all those type of guys it was good for me.”

Murray admitted he’s maintained a relationship with Kirk for more than a year now and that the two finally met earlier in 2014 during a visit to Texas A&M. Kirk called the two “brothers” and cited that relationship as a future jumping off point for the A&M offense.

“This is a brotherhood and for a quarterback-receiver relationship that’s very good,” Kirk said.

Both players will enter an offense loaded with talent at their positions. Murray will compete for playing time at quarterback with current freshman starter and former five-star prospect Kylle Allen, as well as A&M’s single-game passing record holder in Kenny Hill.

Kirk will compete for time among a group of wide receivers featuring All-SEC selection Josh Reynolds and current freshmen phenoms Speedy Noil and Ricky Seals-Jones.

But neither player seems phased by the challenges that come with competing for playing time, nor does either appear threatened by adding more competitors like Jamabo and Lodge in the 2015 recruiting class.

Murray and Kirk saw firsthand what stockpiling talent can do for a team, and know that with the help of players like the ones they competed with during All-America week they can put together something special in College Station.

Better yet, that group of elite prospects also doubles as a group of friends. On the field after Friday’s game, Kirk and Murray both stepped out of interviews to take a group photo with Jamabo and Lodge, documenting the end of their time together, at least for now.

But who knows where they’ll all be this fall? The answer across the board could be College Station, Texas.

“This week was fun just to come out here and play with these guys and hang out with them, build relationships,” Kirk said. “We’re all friends. They’re great players.”