A coveted five-star lineman edges towards the SEC, impacting the Miami Hurricanes 2027 recruiting class and Mario Cristobal's trench dominance.
The Miami Hurricanes were on pace to have a top-10 2027 recruiting class, but the trail has included a few bumps along the way. They faced a couple of decommitments with three-star offensive tackle Zaquan Linton and four-star wide receiver Nick Lennear, who found a new home with the LSU Tigers shortly after. In the following weeks, the Hurricanes fell short in securing four-star running back Myson Johnson-Cook, who wound up committing to the Auburn Tigers.
The program built an identity around dominating matchups in the trenches since coach Mario Cristobal took over. They’ve built a strong track record of recruiting highly-touted recruits, such as former five-star Francis Mauigoa, who was just drafted with the No. 10 pick by the New York Giants in the 2026 NFL Draft, and most recently with five-star Jackson Cantwell. The Hurricanes seek to continue the trend with Mark Matthews.
The five-star offensive tackle is from Fort Lauderdale, Florida, and currently attends St. Thomas Aquinas High School. Matthews has made several unofficial visits around the Coral Gables campus and facility. The highly-touted recruit could stay close to home, but it doesn’t appear to be a strong enough method to secure a commitment.
According to Rivals’ Steve Wiltfong, Matthews is likely to land with the Texas A&M Aggies, following a prediction with a 60 percent confidence level. The program currently has 13 total commits, including four five-stars and eight four-stars. They’re ranked the best 2027 recruiting class in the nation.
The Hurricanes are coming off a National Championship appearance, defeating the Aggies in a 10-3 outing along the way. Despite finishing the college football regular season tied for the most sacks in the nation, alongside the Oklahoma Sooners, the team only had two in the first-round matchup.
Matthews recorded 28 pancake blocks as a sophomore and junior.
The Hurricanes have prioritized developing an elite offensive line unit. After coach Cristobal’s inaugural season, the team has finished among the top-20 in sacks allowed twice.
Matthews has the opportunity to learn under one of the top assistants in the nation, in offensive line coach Alex Mirabal.
There are no public indications as to when or how soon the five-star recruit will announce a commitment. Regardless of the prediction, the Hurricanes can continue making a push to secure him, but it will likely be a significant battle until a decision is announced.
The program’s 2027 class rankings could falter if unable to add Matthews as part of the group.
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