Mario Cristobal must act fast with Texas A&M looking to steal 5-star OT target

There's no question about how much Mario Cristobal and the Miami Hurricanes value five-star offensive tackle Mark Matthews. The elite in-state prospect is likely at the top of their recruiting board. Cristobal is always looking to add top-end talent at any position, but especially in the trenches. 

And Matthews is particularly important because he's a local prospect that plays high school football 30 miles up the road at St. Thomas Aquinas in Fort Lauderdale. Up to this point, Miami had been the team to beat for Matthews and some fans were expecting a commitment before the end of spring. However, the Hurricanes have some serious competition emerging, and it's time to acknowledge that Texas A&M could be a problem.

The recruiting battle for 5-star OT Mark Matthews is far from over

Miami has done an amazing job recruiting Matthews up to this point and the Hurricanes have earned the right to be considered the favorite to sign him. He has been on campus numerous times and for the biggest recruiting events of the offseason. Cristobal has taken a personal interest in this recruitment because it's as much about his reputation as a recruiter as well as the reputation of the program being the best place for elite in-state prospects to be developed at the highest level, compete for championships and eventually become stars in the NFL. 

I think it's safe to say that Matthews' recruitment is down to a two-team race between the Hurricanes and the Aggies. Other programs, like LSU, Georgia and Texas, have tried to get in the picture with the Tigers and Bulldogs even getting a spring visit. But when some fans expected Matthews to make his intentions to commit to Miami clear over the weekend, the top-rated offensive tackle in the country was in College Station instead. That speaks to how serious of a player Texas A&M is in this battle. 

We know what Texas A&M is bringing to the table. The Aggie boosters like to throw around a lot of cash and for Matthews to leave the state for College Station, the NIL deal would be massive. But Miami isn't going to take a back seat in that aspect and Cristobal has already proven he'll do what it takes to get the players he covets most into the fold. This decision could come down at any time, and I'm sure Cristobal doesn't want this kind of stress in the 11th hour. But if Matthews ends up choosing the Hurricanes, it will be well worth it. 

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