Just recently, some rough news came in for Miami and Mario Cristobal, as it looked like Texas A&M was on the verge of getting things done with 5-star offensive tackle Mark Matthews. A prediction came in from On3 for him to pick the Aggies, which spelled disaster for Miami.
Chris Fowler said the quiet part out loud on Malachi Toney and Miami for next season
Maybe it's not too late for the Canes to get him to change his mind, though? According to Steve Wiltfong, Miami is still fighting to land one of the top tackle prospects in the country. With Matthews being a local talent, it's easy to see why Cristobal won't give up. However, are his efforts going to be too little, too late?
Miami is still swinging for Five-Star Plus+ OT Mark Matthews, @SWiltfong_ reports 🙌
— Rivals (@Rivals) April 30, 2026
+ The Hurricanes are pushing for multiple other 5-star prospects...
Details: https://t.co/7TpMXeMGaQ pic.twitter.com/7TocCaSTpc
Miami isn't giving up hope in trying to land 5-star tackle Mark Matthews
The fact that Matthews hasn't committed to Texas A&M yet is good thing. He made his way to College Station recently for a visit and things could not have gone much better for him. That's one of the main reasons the Aggies are in the driver's seat to pull things off.
Elko has been on fire recruiting for the 2027 class, as he also just landed another 5-star offensive lineman in Kennedy Brown. If Matthews ends up joining the table too, it'd be unreal news for the SEC side, but that's something Cristobal and Alex Mirabal are hoping doesn't come to fruition.
The reason so many people want to see Matthews end up with the Canes is because he's a homegrown talent. The 6-5, 300-pounder is a playmaker for St. Thomas Aquinas High in Fort Lauderdale, not far at all from Coral Gables.
Previously, a Crystal Ball prediction came in on 247Sports for Miami to keep the big-bodied hoss close to home. Once that prediction came in from Gaby Urrutia in early March, it felt like only a matter of time until Cristobal would get the news he was hoping for.
Instead, Elko appears to have pulled a fast one on Miami, with the new expectation being that Matthews is going to play his college ball in the SEC. Nothing is finalized there, and the door remains open for Cristobal to end up reeling in Matthews once decision time arrives. For now, Miami is chasing A&M, but all hope is not lost here.
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