Five-star 2027 offensive tackle Mark Matthews will make one of the biggest recruiting decisions of the cycle Friday, and Miami sits right in the middle of the conversation.
A St. Thomas Aquinas standout from Fort Lauderdale, Matthews plans to choose from Miami, Texas A&M, LSU and Georgia on Friday, May 15. The local angle makes this recruitment massive for the Hurricanes, but the stakes stretch beyond geography. 247Sports ranks Matthews as the No. 3 overall player and No. 1 offensive tackle in the 2027 class, while the Rivals Industry Ranking lists him at No. 6 overall.
Miami has recruited Matthews like a priority. He has size, athleticism, edge protection and long-term NFL upside at 6-foot-5.5 and 300 pounds. Miami and Texas A&M have generated the most buzz entering the decision.
Friday feels like a head-to-head moment between the Hurricanes and Aggies, even with LSU and Georgia still involved. Texas A&M has pushed hard, and recent momentum has leaned toward the Aggies. Miami, though, can sell a home town team, development and the chance to anchor the Canes’ next elite offensive line.
Cristobal and offensive line coach Alex Mirabal have built Miami’s identity through the trenches. The Hurricanes already signed five-star tackle Jackson Cantwell in the 2026 class, who became the first offensive lineman to win Gatorade National Football Player of the Year honors. Adding Matthews one cycle later would give Miami another national headline at tackle and reinforce a message recruits already know: Coral Gables has become the premiere destination for elite offensive linemen.
Miami already has two 2027 offensive line commitments: Sean Tatum from Fort Pierce John Carroll and Tyler Ford from Gainesville, Georgia. Matthews would turn that foundation into one of the most impressive position groups in the country.
The Hurricanes also have momentum in the class after recent blue-chip additions pushed them to No. 9 in the country, per 247Sports team rankings. Matthews’ commitment would give another example that Miami can win premium battles against SEC powers.
Miami does not need Matthews to prove Cristobal can recruit offensive linemen. He has already done that. But landing a five-star tackle from in your back yard over Texas A&M, Georgia and LSU would carry a different kind of weight.
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