Recruiting Country: The latest recruiting news surrounding the Maroon & White

TexAgs' senior recruiting analyst Jason Howell joined TexAgs Live on Wednesday morning for another edition of Recruiting Country presented by American Momentum Bank, highlighting the latest news and notes from the recruiting trail surrounding Texas A&M.

Key notes from Recruiting Country

• You still have to feel really good about what A&M has done. I think the success that they've had over the course of this recruiting cycle stands alone. It stacks up with what anyone else is doing, and it'll be one of the top recruiting classes in the country. If you had gone into the summer saying they'd have the top four to eight recruiting class, I think you have to feel good about that.
   
• They've hit their needed positions. They've hit Texas. They've gone national. They're going into the season with a few spots open, but they can focus on the football season and 2027 recruiting cycle as well as holding on to the guys they have.
   
• I think if you look at the state of Texas' top 100, there are only two uncommitted prospects. The cycle has gotten quicker over the past few years. You've seen earlier decisions and commitments. I think when it comes to Texas A&M this year, you've targeted guys as the dominoes fall. I don't think A&M is in a unique situation, but it is more forward on the schedule than some. They've positioned themselves well to focus more on certain needs here and there.
   
• I expect some evaluations to continue at offensive and defensive line. Receiver, I think they'll continue to pursue guys that may have committed elsewhere as well as look at some of those guys that have come to campus in the past or prior prospects. Overall, yeah, it's been a deal where they've wanted to have their needs and position groups addressed. I think they've done a phenomenal job zeroing in on those top guys at those positions and getting things sorted out for the fall.
   
• Since Jimbo Fisher's era, when he came in and started to recruit more nationally, you've seen it more. It tracks what they did under Mike Elko last year. They continue to have that broad reach nationally. California was recruited very heavily, with four commitments there. In Georgia, they've done really well. Having those connections from Elko and the staff at Duke, they've done a really good job utilizing those connections.
   
• Jordan Peterson... Man, I have to give him credit. He's got a phenomenal pipeline there into the Desert Edge, and this year it was Bryant Gross-Armiento doing a lot of the heavy lifting there. Again, A&M goes to familiar territory in Arizona and Utah, where A&M signed a five-star receiver. This year, they're going for a QB.
   
• I know South Carolina was big with Jay Bateman recruiting Tamarion Watkins‍. He has a lot of strong connections in that Rock Hill area. They've done a good job utilizing those bonds they've formed over the years.
   
• I think in recent weeks you've seen Texas go in to grab Tyler Atkinson‍. They've flipped a defensive lineman who committed to Georgia two weeks prior. It's kind of funny. They lost like 10 recruiting battles in a row in that month prior to their recent success. Something came out saying the market is too high, and then you see this happen. It is what it is. Texas is going to recruit like that.
   
• Now that it's open season. It's not just Texas. Texas Tech and Baylor. A&M is playing the game with everyone else. I'm not trying to stick up for Texas, but it's the name of the game. It's not surprising to see Texas get some wins. They've gone all in to secure some top talent, and I'm sure they had to push the envelope on what they wanted to spend, but you have got to get the talent. They're on a nice little run.
   
• Tylan Wilson‍ told me he knew coming out of the official visit that he was kind of looking at Clemson, Arkansas and Ole Miss. He did not take his visit to Ole Miss after the A&M visit. Arkansas and Clemson were there, but I think even the people in Pascagoula knew that A&M was edging to the front and likely to secure his talents.
   
• Wilson was a major win for the Aggies over both Clemson and Arkansas. At 6-foot-3, 195 pounds, he is a rangy safety. Ryan Brauninger and I talked about him looking like a center fielder there. He's a big physical guy who brings a lot to the table. Along with Chance Collins‍, you have two guys back there with a lot of upside. This will be Wilson’s fourth year as a starter for a really good Pascagoula team. Over the years, they've had a lot of talent, and I've been told he's been one of the top three or four guys with his leadership on the field and what he brings to the table on and off the field. A&M definitely gets a big win there.
   
• With Tamarion Watkins, I know Georgia was all in there, as well as South Carolina and Miami. He is 6-foot-4, 200 pounds. The Scooby Williams comparison is something they really talked about over his recruitment. Bateman did a good job of zeroing in on Watkins as a priority over the recruiting process. We're talking about a kid who emerged as a sophomore, has been a starter on a state championship defense and comes with a high pedigree. His brother played college ball and is a trainer who's been working with him over the years. The Aggies pulled a big win over the Gamecocks and Georgia. Bateman did a phenomenal job there with the pitch and forming those bonds, having all the bases covered.
   
• George Lamons Jr‍ decommitted... When he committed at the spring game, the timing was a little surprising, as well as his decommitment. George is a guy who has visited a number of times in the spring and really got to know the staff. He's a big 6-foot-4, 215-pound guy as a 2027. There are talks of him being a tight end, but I know A&M was recruiting him as a receiver. At the end of the day, it's early in that cycle. He's a guy to keep on the radar, and it wouldn't surprise me to see it go either way right now. I see the Aggies staying in that fight a little bit.
   
• What Elko was saying is A&M does a lot of different things that are unique in the recruiting process, but the difference maker for a lot of these guys was… You saw it last year. They made it a priority last year to get guys to high-profile games throughout the season. I look at Notre Dame, LSU and that game Thanksgiving weekend, and I think you saw it play out. The atmosphere in Kyle Field is certainly unique. The organization and atmosphere, you saw instant reactions from Aaron Gregory‍ and Jordan Carter‍. Go back and watch their videos of their experience. They were in awe of the stadium. Those two committed afterwards. It doesn't exactly lead to commitments, but Elko mentioned at the THSCA convention that Alabama winning in 2021 helped lay a lot of foundational work for that 2022 class. I think you see them do it with the game day experience with their recruits. Getting them in that atmosphere and letting them see what it's all about.
   
• If I were to put odds on it, I'd put Jayce Johnson‍ ‍as the odds-on favorite as A&M's top quarterback priority. The Aggies have situated themselves well. Johnson has visited multiple times and has connections to the state of Texas. If I'm predicting right now, I think it's Texas A&M.
   
• I heard something a long time ago, that Atlanta is an area where you see a lot of people move in. It's not like all these guys are rooted in the state of Georgia. There are a ton of top prospects in Georgia. Texas and Texas A&M won't get them all or prioritize them all. Georgia is doing the same thing, and there's a lot of really strong talent to be had. Georgia is one of those states that you have to recruit hard. There will be players in the state who may not be able to stay in the state and play at the highest level of football they aspire to play at.
   
• Out of Gruene Country in Leaksville, Jase Mathews‍ is down to Texas A&M, LSU, Ole Miss and Auburn. His decision is coming on August 8. I believe that's the first week of their spring practice. He's training to get that decision done before the start of the season. I do think he's leaning one way or the other. I think LSU is the school to watch. A&M is in it. It's not completely done, but if I'm picking it right now, I think LSU will have the edge. They received his last official visit, and that LSU receiver tradition has piqued his interest.
   
• Bralan Womack‍ is another Mississippi standout. He is a five-star safety who visited two or three times. As this has played out, there's a sense that Ohio State and maybe Florida have edged to the front of his list. I would lean elsewhere as well. I think A&M securing Wilson and Collins in the boat may be the indicators of that, as well, that things are trending in another way, but Wilson was talking about trying to recruit Womack. Right now, I'm leaning towards Ohio State. He's been following Caleb Downs quite a bit. So there are a lot of connections there with the Buckeyes.
   
• Evan Jacobson‍ is a big dual-sport guy, all-stat basketball. He's attracting attention in both sports. A&M has been right up there on his list. Elko has really been on him and forged a strong relationship that has lasted for a number of years. He's a big target that is athletic, even at his size, he's able to bend and get leverage in the blocking game. Texas A&M, Iowa State, Notre Dame and Stanford are in the top four. I think the Aggies have done a great job presenting their packet to him on how they could use him and how Collin Klein's offense is tight end-friendly. I like where the Aggies are situated now. He doesn't have a decision date. If I'm picking, that's a guy u think the Aggies have a real legitimate chance to land in his class.
   
• With Tank Jones‍, Texas A&M, Alabama and Oregon are his three right now. There's been a lot of Alabama talk trying to keep him home. I know A&M is right there in the middle of it. The Aggies, Elko and that whole defensive staff are doing a great job staying in his ear. Like some of these other guys, he visited multiple times in the fall. The atmosphere in College Station has helped lay a foundation there. Right now, I lean a little bit towards Alabama, but I haven't given up hope in A&M yet.
   
• I wouldn't be surprised to see guys like Tristen Keys‍ or Boobie Feaster‍ at games this fall. I would look for another addition on the offensive line. A bigger body on the offensive line. Keep an eye on Jaimeon Winfield‍. Then keep an eye out for a Nelson McGuire type. There was a kid out of Mayde Creek last year, and he blew up. You can see some new names start to be prioritized late August, early September, when more tape becomes available.