Miami in driver's seat for a 5-star OT Mario Cristobal has at the top of his wishlist

One player cannot make or break a recruiting class, but getting the blue-chip prospect you desire the most can have a huge impact. That appears to be the case when it comes to the Miami Hurricanes potentially landing five-star offensive tackle Mark Matthews. He released his final four teams over the weekend with them being Georgia, LSU, Miami, and Texas A&M. The latter seems to be a real threat...

Steve Wiltfong of Rivals/On3 told his colleague Josh Newberg what Texas A&M's chances are on him.

"And they'll get him again for an official visit. They're making Miami work here, but I think the Hurricanes are still gonna be tough to beat. He visited twice this spring. He was at 305 Day, which included hanging out at Mario Cristobal's house, getting around the coaching staff in that intimate setting. Being around the players on the team. He's got so many relationships with the coaching staff, players. It's close to home."

Wiltfong finished by saying Matthews fits exactly what the Hurricanes are looking for in the trenches.

"The style of play, the way that they develop offensive linemen. How important he is to this program in 2027. Miami's gonna make a run at Rivals' No. 1 ranked recruiting class. They can't do it without Mark Matthews, and I think that they continue to set the pace, the bar, going into official visit season, as they work to hold off the Aggies, and the other two."

Clearly, Wiltfong believes Miami is fully in the driver's seat to land this blue-chip offensive lineman.

According to the 247Sports Composite, Matthews is the No. 1 player from Florida, the No. 1 offensive tackle in his class, and the No. 3 overall recruit nationally in the 2027 cycle. The St. Thomas Aquinas standout may have 41 official offers, but it will come down to Georgia, LSU, Miami, and Texas A&M for his five-star commitment out of Fort Lauderdale. The latter two are the ones to keep a serious eye on.

Here is why Mario Cristobal and his staff should feel confident over its chances of landing Matthews.

Miami Hurricanes are the presumptive favorites to land Mark Matthews

Let's keep this as simple as possible. For as strong of programs as Georgia, LSU, and Texas A&M are over in the SEC, Miami is home for Matthews. Whenever Miami is worth its weight in salt as a program, the Hurricanes always protect their home turf. While they share a state with three other Power Four schools, Miami has historically dominated in South Florida, especially when the Hurricanes are on fire.

Given that Cristobal is from Miami, played championship-caliber football at Miami, and played along the offensive line at Miami, it is almost like shooting fish in a barrel when it comes to him being able to land Matthews as a five-star. In short, he has prepared his whole life for this. While Mike Elko, Lane Kiffin, and Kirby Smart are all excellent coaches and recruiters, it is all about fit for Matthews at Miami.

Right now, Miami should be seen as the overwhelming favorite to land him, with Texas A&M as a distant second, and Georgia and LSU even further back of them. This is because Texas A&M will throw an insane amount of money at any top-flight recruit it wants. Georgia always gets outbid. LSU is still trying to figure out what type of team it will be under a new coaching staff. Miami is the favorite.

Anything other than Matthews committing to Miami should send shockwaves throughout the sport.