For the nation’s top defensive back, the recruiting trail is boiling down to a heated in-state war between the SEC and the Big 12. The battle for the 2027 phenom, John Meredith, is creating a fault line right through the state of Texas. But one powerhouse is making some inroads.

In the December 11 episode of The Inside Scoop on Rivals, Texas Tech came out as a new entry for Meredith’s commitment.

“They’re leading the way for Jerry Outhouse Jr., a top 10 cornerback, and swinging away at five-star-plus quarterback, John Meredith. All expected to be on campus in the spring. We’ll see how high this class can eventually go,” Jeremy Birmingham said.

Back when Meredith first picked up the Texas Tech offer, he didn’t hide the excitement. He wrote on X, “#AGTG I’m blessed to receive an offer from Texas Tech University @BnanceTTU @CoachKennyPerry @IAR2_Football @RecruitTrinity @FlightSkillz @ClayMackSkills @LoneStarPrepsTX @AaronLineweaver.”

On the other side of the state, Texas A&M has also emerged as a contender, grabbing all the hype and prediction buzz. According to Rivals‘ predictions, Texas A&M has a staggering 97% chance of landing Meredith, while in-state Texas has a 1% chance. Through frequent visits and treating Meredith like a member of the Aggies family, head coach Mike Elko and his staff have established a strong bond with the player and his entourage.

Meredith himself told Rivals back in July, “Texas A&M is doing the best job with me right now. Every time I go there, it feels like home. Coach JP and Coach Mason make it feel like I already go there. They are hitting me up every day, and they know me really well. I am treated like family every time I am on campus.”

With a 44-foot triple jump, a 200-meter pace of 21.7 seconds, and lockdown coverage abilities that allow him to dominate both zone and press man, he is built to make a quick impression. Meredith is the type of guy that lets defenses take more chances, frees up the pass rush, and immediately improves the secondary, regardless of whether he ends up in Lubbock or College Station.

And Meredith takes pride in his relentless work ethic. “I feel like nobody’s outworking me, so when we go to places like this, it shows. The hard work makes me a better player,” he said.

The bonds and sense of family at Texas A&M, as well as the Big 12 rivalry with Texas Tech, are influencing what insiders currently believe to be the most likely landing locations for the top-ranked recruit in Texas, even if other programs, such as Alabama, Texas, Oregon, and USC, remain in the race. And speaking of Texas Tech, the Red Raiders are quietly building something terrifying.

Texas Tech is building a monster

Texas Tech is recruiting like a program that understands exactly where it’s going. Joey McGuire and general manager James Blanchard are piling up blue-chip talent like it’s a weekly ritual, while other schools are still sorting out their 2027 boards. It all began on the defensive end, where exceptional players like Jalen Brewster and K’Adrian Redmond joined the Red Raiders early on. Clearly, something serious is happening in Lubbock when a 6’3″, 305-pound in-state athlete turns down Texas and Texas A&M.

Then came the offensive fireworks. Kavian Bryant, a five-star QB who appears to be the program’s future face, was brought in by Texas Tech back in November. “They reached out the most,” Bryant told ESPN. “They came with the best offer and the best opportunity for me to play. I just feel like it’s the best fit. They really, really wanted me…hey watch my film every day. They show me what I’m good at and what I’m bad at, and I just listen. It’s part of why they’re the best.”

When a quarterback talks like that, you understand why recruits want to line up beside him. Well, receivers noticed. Just days later, Rivals’ explosive WR Benny Easter Jr. got on board, candidly praising Tech’s offense.

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“Just the way they go about winning fits me perfectly,” Easter said, according to Rivals’ Steve Wiltfong, following his commitment. “And the passing offense. They wanna win. Just shows me what type of a winning program it will be when I get there.”

Together, these top-20 prospects, dual-sport players, and track athletes with NFL ceilings form a solid foundation that Lubbock fans haven’t seen in years.