John Meredith III won’t be able to play his senior season at high school due to a transfer decision technicality. But that fact didn’t impact the interest in the nation’s No. 1 CB recruit. His recruitment race was crowded. In total, he had accumulated over 40 scholarship offers from premier college football programs across the nation. But in the end, the 2027 prospect from Fort Worth, Texas, chose to stay within the state.

Meredith committed to Steve Sarkisian’s Texas on June 19, Friday, as reported by On3’s Hayes Fawcett. Though Texas A&M was also a finalist in this 5-star CB’s recruitment, thanks to Texas DC Will Muschamp and CBs coach Mark Orphey, who was the primary recruiter, their strong pitch and connection to the CB helped the Longhorns to seal the deal.

Texas had a 97.7 % chance to get Meredith via Rivals’ RPM. Before committing to the Longhorns, he visited many programs, but the Aggies made the cut on his final list. Even ON3’s Steve Wiltfong called his recruitment a “two-team race.”

“This is down to Texas and Texas A&M. A lot of other schools got in the mix. When you’re the number two overall prospect. You’re going to get a lot of attention,” said Wiltfong in June 2026 during his appearance on Rivals’ YouTube channel. “And to tell you the truth, I honestly thought this recruitment was going to go closer to National Signing Day. But he’s ready to shut it down. He’s ready to wrap this thing up. The top competition is the Horns and Aggies.”

The Longhorns extended an offer to Meredith in May 2024 when he was still a freshman at high school. He had continued to make several unofficial visits to Austin which helped bring his commitment home.

Meredith spent his junior season at Euless Trinity High School in Texas, where he excelled as a two-way player and earned MaxPreps Junior All-American honors. He transferred to powerhouse North Crowley High School in Fort Worth, Texas ahead of his senior year. In June 2026, the District 11-6A Executive Committee ruled him ineligible for varsity football for the 2026 season, citing a transfer for “athletic purposes”. He is actively appealing the ruling to the University Interscholastic League (UIL).

In addition to football, he is an elite multi-sport athlete who ran a sub-22 second 200-meter dash (21.74) and logged a 44-foot-1.5-inch triple jump during track and field events. Due to his frame and high school dominance, analysts frequently compare him to NFL cornerback and fellow former Texas high school phenom Christian Gonzalez.

Meredith joins forces with top-100 recruit Karnell James, giving Texas two elite cornerback foundational pieces in the same class. Because of his college-ready size (180+ pounds) and elite track-speed tracking skills, analysts project him to push for immediate starter snaps as a true freshman.

Meredith’s addition in the 2027 class alongside No. 1 WR Easton Royal gives Texas two 5-stars. Interestingly, the 2027 CB will bring talent to Austin after leading his former high school to an 8-3 season as a junior. But the Longhorns’ recruiting momentum is not just limited to Meredith.

Texas continues to win at recruiting trials

On June 18, Texas secured a commitment from 4-star 2027 OT Brian Swanson. The 6’5″, 305 lb athlete had nearly 36 offers, including Alabama, Texas A&M, LSU, and so on. However, his final list had SMU, Texas, and Oklahoma, and he ultimately chose the Longhorns following an official visit from June 12-14.

Like Meredith, Texas offered Swanson during his freshman year at high school. Since then, Sarkisian and his staff have built a strong relationship with the 4-star OT, while his connection with Texas OL coach Kyle Flood played a huge role.

“I had a great time at Texas, getting more connected with the players and the coaches every time I go,” said Swanson to Rivals this month. “Texas is just different. The relationship with the coaching staff was stronger. Felt like Texas wanted me, and it’s not a recruiting game. What made Texas feel like the right fit was the energy, culture, and vision of the program.”

Now, Texas’ 2027 recruiting class has 16 commitments, and they are ranked at No. 10 according to ESPN’s class rankings for the cycle.