Mark Matthews is back on the market, and you better believe the Miami Hurricanes are going to be a major player for the five-star local recruit.
Matthews, the top-rated offensive tackle in the 2027 class, backed away from his pledge to Texas A&M on Sunday, pushing the door open for Mario Cristobal to land one of his top targets in the class. Beyond his exceptional talent and upside, Matthews attends St. Thomas Aquinas High School in nearby Fort Lauderdale.
Cristobal and the Miami staff have been working on flipping Matthews for a while now, dating back to when he made his commitment to the Aggies back in May.
🚨BREAKING🚨 Five-Star Plus+ OT Mark Matthews has decommitted from Texas A&M, @SWiltfong_ and @Hayesfawcett3 report.
— Rivals (@Rivals) November 8, 2026
Read: https://t.co/be7GYINdaM pic.twitter.com/MaskqY4szP
Listed at 6-foot-5 and 300 pounds, Matthews has been the biggest and most elusive target for Cristobal. The Hurricanes have been pursuing him for years, and appeared likely to receive his commitment in the spring before Texas A&M jumped in to change the game.
Despite that disappointment, Cristobal, offensive line coach Alex Mirabal, and GM Dennis Smith kept chipping away and working this recruitment. With Matthews living about a half hour away from the Hurricanes campus, the communication has likely been far more frequent than what's widely reported.
Miami's pursuit to land 5-star Mark Matthews is about to pay off
Because of the deep pocketbooks at Texas A&M, there was belief that Matthews was going to stay firm in his commitment. He was also on campus at College Station nearly every weekend over the summer, giving further credence to the strength of his pledge.
However, players watch what happens on the field, and a year after Texas A&M made the CFP, it will be lucky to make a bowl game. Whatever shine that Mike Elko was carrying in 2025 has worn off. And the Aggies faithful have never been known for their patience.
All these things probably contributed to Matthews' decision. There also could be the fact that Miami has a historically powerful 2027 recruiting class, one that recently added blue-chip wide receiver Brysen Wright. If there's one area where the Hurricanes' amazing class has fallen a little short, it's with the offensive line. Matthews would change that immediately.
Mario Cristobal is working overtime with 5-star flips on his mind
The Hurricanes already have a plethora of 5-star and blue-chip recruits in the class. Wright, who reclassified from the 2028 class, came through this week in a big way. With him now on board, Miami holds the No. 1 '27 class in the country per 247Sports. Adding Matthews will only strengthen the group.
However, what if Mario Cristobal isn't done with Matthews? DJ Jacobs is still out there, and that Ohio State commitment looks more shaky by the week, as the Buckeyes could possibly be out of the CFP Top 25 when the new rankings drop Tuesday.
The Week 10 loss to Notre Dame was hopefully just a speed bump in the 2026 season, but as Cristobal tries to compete for a championship now, he's also building a machine that he hopes will put Miami at the top of college football for years to come.
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