Just when Mike Elko thought his Aggies were stacking wins with 2026 commits—they have 11 in the class—reality hit them with back-to-back punches. First, fellow SEC powerhouse Georgia delivered a recruiting gut punch, snagging Jared Curtis, Jordan Smith, and looking likely to flip Jackson Cantwell. That surge put Georgia sitting pretty at No. 6 spot, pushing Texas A&M to No. 7 with their recruiting surge. Then comes a 360-pound gut punch out of nowhere. This wasn’t your average decommit tweet or silent fade-away. Nah, this one hurt. Deep like ‘we had the cookout planned’ hurt.

Pupungatoa Katoa, a walking skyscraper of a lineman out of Trinity High in Euless, Texas, just ghosted Texas A&M and Oklahoma. His new boo? SMU. Yep—the Mustangs just walked in and snatched the big man clean. Katoa, standing 6’4” and pushing 360 pounds, was a priority name on Mike Elko’s 2026 wish list—the kind of O-line you circle with red Sharpie. The Aggies had been in on him early, throwing the offer back in April 2024. They courted him like royalty: spring practice visits, personal attention from offensive line coach Adam Cushing, and a future mapped out in College Station. It was working, too…

A&M made every cut—top five, then final three. And let’s not kid ourselves, the weekend of June 13 was supposed to be Katoa’s official A&M tour. Spoiler: Cancel the Airbnb.

Instead, Katoa took a little trip down the road to SMU and straight-up fell in love. The big man really loved it: “They really made me and my family feel comfortable there,” Katoa told On3. “My aunty Jenny Katoa, who is a mother figure to me, made her feel really special, and it made me feel my Mom’s spirit.” Yeah, that’s not just hospitality—that’s soul food. Rhett Lashlee didn’t just recruit Pupungatoa. He brought the whole village in and made them feel like family.

“It’s special to be eating with the head coach,” Katoa said, reflecting on his dinner with Lashlee and his wife. “My family was comfortable right off the bat.” That’s the kind of stuff you can’t fake, and apparently it hit different. You could feel the warmth oozing from that quote like gravy off biscuits. Texas A&M might’ve had the bigger brand, Oklahoma might’ve had a decent shot, but SMU made Katoa feel at home—and that won. A recruiting tip for you.

Now don’t get it twisted, this isn’t just a vibes-based L for Elko. This is about trench warfare. Katoa isn’t just a body; he’s a bulldozer with balance. On3 ranked him as the No. 67 interior offensive lineman in the country and 133rd overall prospect in Texas.

Elko’s been on a heater with transfers—No. 3 transfer class in the nation—and 2025’s looking juicy. But this Katoa miss? It’s going to sting. Especially because A&M had all the right moves: early contact, scheme fit, O-line coach connection. It was all there. But SMU? They pulled off the ol’ Trojan Horse—walked right into Texas’ recruiting backyard, hugged the whole family, and walked away with a 360-pound gem. Diabolically wholesome.

SMU’s 2026 recruiting class

SMU out here moving like they’re tired of sitting at the kids’ table. With their jump to the ACC, the Mustangs aren’t just chasing clout—they’re building a real-deal squad, brick by brick, starting with Texas’ best. Pupungatoa Katoa’s commitment was the loudest domino, but the Mustangs have already been stacking names like it was Fantasy Draft Sunday.

Let’s talk Christian Rhodes. The four-star running back out of Lake Highlands High in Dallas is straight lightning in a bottle. Over 1,200 yards and 14 tuddies last year. SMU beat out Arizona, Arkansas, Miami, and Ole Miss for him. Why’d he choose the ‘Stangs? Rhodes said it plain: “Family atmosphere and the facilities.” Translation—SMU feels like home and got the drip.

And oh, they snatched LSU commit Jakai Anderson too. The four-star WR from McDonogh 35 in New Orleans brings speed, shiftiness, and straight-up chaos to opposing DBs. Flipping a Bayou boy from Death Valley? That’s a message. Lashlee’s got that sales pitch polished like a diamond.

Next? X’Zavier Barnett. Athlete from Yoakum, Texas. Position? All of them. That boy can ball anywhere—WR, DB, even return kicks. Lashlee sees him as a Swiss army knife. Then toss in Aljour Miles (WR), Keith Dotie (DL), Markel Ford (safety), and edge rusher Amontre Harris. It’s a buffet of talent.

But the cherry on top? Cole Leinart. The QB son of USC royalty Matt Leinart, straight out of Redondo Beach, Cali. That name alone turns heads, and he chose SMU like it was a Nike commercial. The man could’ve gone to Hollywood; instead, he’s coming to the Hilltop. That’s clout and confidence.

What Rhett Lashlee is building? It’s different, loud, and all homegrown. And it’s got national juice. SMU’s 2026 class is more than just talent. The SMU alumni started to throw the oil-money. They’re here to compete with the big boys. And with commitments like Katoa, Rhodes, and Leinart, the ACC better not sleep. The Mustangs just crashed the party—and they brought the whole block with them.