Miami is still in the mix for one of the biggest defensive recruits in the 2027 class. Five-Star Plus+ cornerback John Meredith III, a 6-foot-2, 175-pound prospect out of North Crowley in Texas, has trimmed his recruitment to six schools: Alabama, Miami, Notre Dame, Ohio State, Texas and Texas A&M.
Meredith is ranked as the No. 1 cornerback in the class and a top-three overall recruit across the major services. 247Sports lists him as the nation's No. 1 cornerback and the top player in Texas, while ESPN's Junior 300 also has him ranked No. 3 nationally.
NEWS: Five-Star Plus+ CB John Meredith III is down to 6 Schools, he tells me for @Rivals
— Hayes Fawcett (@Hayesfawcett3) March 17, 2026
The 6’2 175 CB from Arlington, TX is ranked as the No. 1 CB and a Top 3 Recruit on all websites
Where Should He Go?https://t.co/pU8dpck9kU pic.twitter.com/emYdbtDCa4
5-star CB John Meredith III includes Miami in top six
Meredith earned MaxPreps Junior All-American honors and even picked off a pass in the Under Armour All-America Game as an underclassman.
Meredith already has four official visits set for Alabama on May 29, Texas on June 5, Texas A&M on June 12 and Ohio State on June 19. Miami and Notre Dame are expected to get spring visits, even if they are not yet on the summer official schedule at this point.
The in-state schools may be especially tough to beat. Meredith has mentioned that Texas A&M has been on him early, and that is something the out-of-state schools will need to overcome. The Hurricanes will have to get Meredith to campus, make that visit count and prove they belong in the conversation once his recruitment comes closer to a commitment.
The Hurricanes' 2027 class ranks No. 7 in the Rivals Industry Team Recruiting Rankings with five commits, and the class does not have a cornerback commit yet. That gives Meredith a chance to be the headliner at a position of need. Miami also signed a strong 2026 class that finished No. 8 overall in the 247Sports team rankings, including four-star cornerback Jaelen Waters.