Texas A&M has been the favorite to recruit five-star offensive tackle Mark Matthews to boost the 2027 class. However, they have received a caveat about the intense push for Matthews from an ACC powerhouse that has a huge advantage in its hands.

“This spring, Texas A&M has emerged as the favorite for Matthews at this point in his process, with a decision expected soon,” Rivals’ Steve Wiltfong wrote. “The Hurricanes are doing what they can to rally and pull it out. We’ll see if there is clarity in the Matthews recruitment soon.

“He is in decision mode and is expected to announce a commitment in the near future. Miami would have to turn it from Texas A&M at this point. The Hurricanes are expected to go in home today.”

The Aggies have done an impressive job with their 2027 recruiting class. They currently sit atop Rivals’ 2027 class rankings with 12 commitments, all of whom are considered blue-chip prospects. The program has four five-star commits—with no other program having more than two—and they are set to make Matthews their fifth.

The five-star prospect has visited College Station twice so far. Beyond his visits, head coach Mike Elko sent several members of his staff to St. Thomas Aquinas to meet with the prospect. Wiltfong confirmed his strong relationship with the staff when he made his predictions earlier.

“Matthews loves the trajectory of the program and has great relationships with several staffers, players on the team and Texas A&M commits and top targets in the 2027 cycle. He feels very comfortable with the SEC program, and that’s why the Aggies are in pole position,” Wiltfong wrote.

As the No. 3 overall prospect and the offensive tackle in the class, Matthews seems like a match made in heaven for Mike Elko’s program. Should they land him, he would be joining a star-studded class of offensive tackle Kennedy Brown, safety Kamarui Dorsey, edge Zyron Forstall, and cornerback Raylaun Henry, who are all five-stars. However, Mario Cristobal is not going to make it simple.

To the Hurricanes’ advantage, Matthews is from Lauderdale, Florida. As we have seen with other recruits, proximity is a key factor in recruitment decisions. Moreover, he has paid three visits to Coral Gables, more than he has to College Station. The Hurricanes are also keen on establishing a recruiting pattern with Matthews after landing the No. 1 offensive tackle, Jackson Cantwell, in their 2026 recruiting class.

Miami is not just battling with Texas A&M; LSU and Georgia are also heavily in the mix. And as things stand, Matthews is not the only prospect slipping through the hands of the Aggies. Five-star cornerback John Meredith has now been predicted to land with their local rivals, the Texas Longhorns.

Miami Hurricanes prepare alternative for Mark Matthews

The Hurricanes are ranked 11th in the 2027 class, according to Rivals, with eight commits and six from Florida. Nick Lennear, IOL Sean Tatum, TE DeMarcus DeRoche, Safety Jaylyn Jones, CB Sherrod Gourdine, DL Josh Johnson, IOL Sean Tatum, and IOL Tyler Ford are their commitments so far. The program is keen to add Matthews as their ninth commit, but if they fail, they seem to have an alternative in mind.

“If Miami doesn’t land Matthews, they’re in great shape for another five-star offensive tackle in Oluwasemilore Olubobola, who is also looking to announce a commitment soon. Mirabal made an in-home visit on Wednesday,” Wiltfong added. “LSU, Notre Dame, Texas A&M, and Tennessee are a few others he likes.”

As they keep battling for Mark Matthews, Mario Cristobal and the Hurricanes also have other top talents on their radar. No. 1-ranked receiver Monshun Sales, No. 1 linebacker Kaden Henderson, and No. 5-ranked player LB AJ Randle Jr. have all emerged as priority targets for the Hurricanes.