Five-star offensive tackle Mark Matthews remains in contact with Miami nearly three months after committing to Texas A&M, giving the Hurricanes a narrow but meaningful path back into one of the 2027 cycle’s biggest recruitments.
Matthews chose the Aggies on May 15 over Miami, Georgia and LSU. His decision delivered Texas A&M one of the nation’s top offensive linemen and handed Miami a painful loss involving an elite prospect from its own backyard.
The recruitment has not fully closed. 247Sports reported that Matthews still communicates with Miami, and his continued contact keeps Cristobal and offensive line coach Alex Mirabal involved. It prevents Texas A&M from treating the recruitment as finished.
Matthews attends St. Thomas Aquinas in Fort Lauderdale, roughly 35 miles from Miami’s campus. The Rivals Industry Ranking lists him at 6-foot-5 and 301 pounds and places him No. 4 nationally, No. 1 among offensive tackles and No. 1 in Florida. The 247Sports rankings also place him among the nation’s top overall players.
His value extends beyond geography. Matthews brings the size, balance and movement skills that fit a modern left tackle projection. He can generate movement in the run game, protect space against speed and recover when defenders counter inside. Those tools make him a potential early contributor at the college level.
Miami’s pitch starts with development. Cristobal and Mirabal have built their reputations around offensive line play, and the Hurricanes have invested heavily in the position through recruiting and roster construction. Matthews also knows the campus, the staff and the program after multiple visits during his recruitment.
Texas A&M still controls the race. Matthews gave the Aggies a public commitment, and coach Mike Elko’s staff assembled one of the strongest 2027 classes in the country. The Aggies also secured the first and only official visit listed on Matthews’ current Rivals profile, giving them another important layer of relationship building.
Miami must avoid confusing communication with momentum. Top prospects often stay friendly with coaches who recruited them for years. A real change usually requires another campus visit, a shift in comfort or a development that alters the original decision.
Still, Cristobal has little reason to stop. Premium offensive tackles rarely emerge late, and a local five-star target warrants attention until signing day. Miami can continue checking in, tracking Matthews’ senior season and reinforcing a message that once placed the Hurricanes among his finalists.
The situation also tests Miami’s ability to recover after a public recruiting loss. Elite programs keep recruiting rather than concede. They identify any opening and maintain relationships without forcing the process.
Matthews currently belongs to Texas A&M’s class, and the Aggies deserve recognition as the leader. Miami nevertheless remains present. In recruiting, that position can matter when months still separate a commitment from a signature.
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