With Mario Cristobal in the driver’s seat, Miami is already looking ahead. Fresh off finalizing their 2026 class, the Hurricanes intensified their pursuit to land a commitment from a coveted five-star offensive tackle. However, that recruiting momentum has slammed into an SEC wall, as two conference powerhouses are now threatening to poach Miami’s top target from their own backyard. 

According to On3’s Chad Simmons, St. Thomas Aquinas five-star plus OT Mark Matthews, one of Miami’s top in-state targets of the 2027 class, pushed back on the idea that the Hurricanes were the clear frontrunners in his recruitment. Instead, he named Texas A&M and Georgia as the other schools still on his top school list.

The 6-foot-6, 300-pounder felt at home in College Station under Mike Elko and his staff. His family loves A&M, and their intentions for him have impressed the offensive lineman.

“It’s just that feeling. I stepped on campus, I really do like it. The coaching staff — from coach (Adam Cushing), coach (Deveonte) Mackey, coach (Wisly Desire), even coach Elko,” Matthews said about his interest in Texas A&M. “My family likes A&M, I like A&M, we’ll just see where this road goes. (A&M) wants to bring me in as a guy who can start early. That’s what they’ve told me from the jump, and that’s something I want to do.”

On the other hand, Kirby Smart’s Georgia is his other top school. The five-star OL noted that he sees many similarities between his high school program and Georgia, as well as between the two programs’ consistent winning seasons.

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“Just a winning team. I come from a very blessed winning school,” Matthews said. “Going from a really good head coach to another really good head coach…they want to go work every day, and that’s what we do here.”

Matthews visited Athens for the first time earlier this year, and it is expected that he will schedule another visit soon. The 6-foot-6, 300-pounder is the No. 1 offensive tackle in the country, the highest-ranked overall prospect out of Florida, and the No. 2 prospect nationally for the 2027 class. 

The unexpected rise of Texas A&M and Georgia isn’t favorable for Mario Cristobal’s Hurricanes, who have been tracking the OL since February 2024 and have hosted him on campus multiple times. It only creates curiosity about where Miami stands on his list.

Mark Matthews’s view on Miami and recruitment

According to On3’s Chad Simmons, Miami is always on Mark Matthews’ radar as the home team. He said the Hurricanes’ coaching staff hasn’t yet insisted he “stay home”; however, the Hurricanes’ track record of developing linemen has impressed the 2027 prospect.

“Coach Alex Mirabal and Coach Mario Cristobal are right down the road,” Matthews said about Miami.

Matthews had numerous unofficial visits to Miami, and the official visit is expected this spring. He is also planning to visit Tennessee, Notre Dame, LSU, and Oregon. As of now, Matthews is looking for development and not money.

“I don’t care about money at all. I try not to make it a big factor,” he said. “I try to make it development, having that feeling of where I want to go — I want to play early. I could care less about money.”

With visits to several powerhouse programs on the horizon, Cristobal and the Hurricanes face a tough battle to keep the nation’s top tackle prospect home.