ESPN’s latest look at the 2027 recruiting cycle put two SEC powers in the same elite lane.
In a story this week, Eli Lederman sorted the nation’s top classes into tiers after a summer stretch that saw June and July fill up fast with commitments. With most programs largely done working the trail until the Early Signing Period in December, Lederman based the groupings on current class ranking and the momentum each school carried into the end of July.
Texas and Texas A&M both landed in ESPN’s “tier 1,” alongside Notre Dame, Ohio State and Oregon.
Texas checks in with ESPN’s No. 3 class and has picked up 12 commitments since spring began. The biggest splash came from cornerback John Meredith III (No. 2 overall), who told ESPN on Thursday that he plans to reclassify into the 2026 cycle and enroll at Texas early this fall. He’ll be joined next year by outside linebacker Jabarrius Garror (No. 49), defensive tackle Kasi Currie (No. 59) and safety Junior Tu’Upo (No. 98), three more top-100 defenders who arrived in Steve Sarkisian’s class during the June 11-26 window.
Lederman also pointed out just how heavy Texas’ defensive haul could become if the Longhorns finish the job. If the program signs all nine SC Next 300 defenders currently committed to its 2027 class, Texas would have added 24 blue-chip defenders over the last three cycles, according to ESPN Research. That would put the Longhorns ahead of Oregon (19), Ohio State (18), Georgia (17), LSU (14) and Alabama (12) in that span.
Texas A&M, meanwhile, sits atop the recruiting board with the consensus No. 1 class for 2027. The Aggies were a little quieter than Texas in the spring and summer window, but they still added 9 commitments and now have 26 high school pledges in the cycle.
Their class already includes a run of five-stars that has put the Aggies in striking distance of a rare milestone. After landing offensive tackles Kennedy Brown (No. 5 overall) and Mark Matthews (No. 12), along with wide receiver Eric McFarland III (No.
17), Texas A&M is now threatening to become the first program to sign six five-stars in a single cycle in the ESPN recruiting rankings era. Lederman called that haul a sign of the Aggies’ transformation under third-year coach Mike Elko.
The two Texas schools will meet on Nov. 27 to close the regular season, and based on this recruiting cycle, ESPN’s view is that the rivalry could carry College Football Playoff weight for a long time.
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Texas A&M Captain Just Backed Mike Elkos Recruiting Identity
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For Ratcliffe, that approach matters because it creates trust, and trust can carry real weight as Texas A&M heads toward fall camp and keeps shaping its culture. In a recruiting world full of polished pitches, the Aggies are leaning into a simpler identity under Elko, one built on direct communication and credibility rather than flash. [Read more 🡒]