Jun 23, 2026 8:00 PM
SMU’s football and basketball recruiting rankings show the Mustangs are spending, swinging and trying to prove their ACC rise isn’t a one-year spark.
SMU recruiting rankings are starting to tell a bigger story than just stars, commits and portal numbers.
The Mustangs aren’t acting like a program hoping to survive in the ACC. They’re acting like one trying to kick the door open in football and basketball at the same time.
That’s what makes late June such an interesting snapshot for SMU.
On the football side, Rhett Lashlee’s 2027 high school class doesn’t look flashy yet in the national rankings, mostly because the board is still light on commitments.
The Mustangs have seven pledges, with wide receiver Trey Haralson and quarterback Malachi Zeigler standing out as blue-chip pieces.
On3 and Rivals currently have SMU at No. 64 nationally, while 247 Sports has the Mustangs sitting even lower at No. 75.
That’ll annoy some SMU fans. It probably should. But it also doesn’t tell the whole story.
SMU’s 2026 high school class is much more polished, with On3 and Rivals ranking the Mustangs inside the top 25 at No. 24.
That group includes 24 commitments, four blue-chip recruits and a heavy Texas flavor, with 67 percent of the class coming from inside the state.
Even 247 Sports, which is a bit cooler on the group, still has SMU at No. 30 nationally with four four-star signees.
That’s not “cute little private school” recruiting anymore. That’s ACC roster-building.
The transfer portal is where SMU continues to swing hardest. The football program is ranked No. 25 nationally by On3/Rivals after adding 17 transfers, giving Lashlee more veteran pieces for a team already being discussed as a possible 9-to-11 win threat and College Football Playoff contender.
Meanwhile, Andy Enfield’s basketball rebuild has its own ranking drama.
247 Sports has SMU’s transfer class at No. 41 with five listed commits, but On3/Rivals sees it very differently, ranking the Mustangs No. 9 nationally and No. 3 in the ACC with seven incoming transfers.
Three of those players are rated as four-star additions.
SMU has the ACC stage now. It has Run Peruna Run and serious NIL muscle behind the scenes.
It has two major programs trying to buy, build and recruit their way into relevance faster than traditional powers would like.
The Mustangs aren’t easing into the ACC, they’re trying to make the league uncomfortable.
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