Texas A&M is chasing a CFP run in 2025, but Mike Elko is already hunting the next monster up front ... Inglewood's Myels Smith has the Aggies in his top six, and a Dec. 20 decision is coming fast.
Preparation never stops in college football, and Texas A&M is operating like a program that refuses to choose between "now" and "next."
The Aggies may have their eyes locked on the 2025 College Football Playoff, but that hasn't slowed the momentum on the trail - especially in the 2027 cycle.
One of the biggest prizes on the board is defensive lineman Myels Smith, a disruptive, high-upside prospect out of Inglewood, California.
Smith has trimmed his recruitment down to six programs: Texas A&M, Nebraska, Washington, Cal, Arizona State, and USC.
The Aggies are notably the lone SEC school to make the cut, and they're treating that as an opportunity to make a statement early in the 2027 race.
Smith's rankings underline why this matters. He's been pegged as one of the most dominant defensive line prospects in the class, listed No. 2 at his position by Rivals and also rated among the top overall recruits nationally by On3.
Translation? This is the kind of lineman that changes a defense, not just a depth chart.
A&M already made a strong impression during Smith's official visit to College Station on Nov. 15, a trip that gained even more juice after the Aggies' dramatic comeback win over South Carolina.
Smith said the atmosphere and the developmental setup stood out, noting the amount of position-coach attention and the crowd's refusal to quit when the game looked shaky.
Smith isn't just chasing hype.
He's looking for development, comfort, and winning, three things A&M believes it can sell with conviction right now. And with a commitment date looming on Dec. 20, the Aggies are pushing to turn a top-six into a top choice.
Texas A&M already sits atop the early 2027 recruiting leaderboard, and landing Smith would only add more horsepower to a class that's being built like Elko plans to stay in the national fight for a long time.
The Aggies will host the Hurricanes on Dec. 20 at 11 a.m., with recruiting momentum and a decision day colliding at the perfect time.