Texas A&M coach Mike Elko should be considered the top recruiter in the country right now based on Tuesday’s results, as the Aggies landed commitments from 2027 four-star edge Frederick Ards III and rising three-star athlete Loia Valade, who both hail from Florida, another state Elko and his staff have dominated on the recruiting trail as of late.
In the trenches, the addition of Ards is massive, joining five-star edge Zyron Forstall and four-star pass rusher Kaden McCarty, who recently shut down his recruitment, providing new defensive line coach Elijah Robinson plenty of NFL-level talent to develop over the next four seasons.
At defensive tackle, four-star blue-chip DL Myels Smith shut down his recruitment on Sunday, and combined with four-star Elijah Patmon, both prospects continue to look like the best interior pass rushers who are perfect fits in the middle of Elko’s defensive scheme. The Aggies aren’t finished adding interior defensive line depth, reportedly offering Houston commit and 2027 four-star DL Raiden Cook.
Standing 6’6″ and 270 pounds, Cook is highly sought after, set to take an official visit with the Texas Longhorns this weekend, while the Aggies are now in play, as Cook’s impressive 2025 season, in which he recorded 39 tackles, 2.5 sacks, 10.5 tackles for loss, and three forced fumbles in eight games, drew plenty of national attention.
Look for Elko and his staff to schedule an OV with Raiden Cook either this month or in early July.
Contact/Follow us @AggiesWire on X and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Texas A&M news, notes and opinions. Follow Cameron on X: @CameronOhnysty.
This article originally appeared on Aggies Wire: Texas A&M has offered rising 2027 4-star DL and Houston commit
Reporting by Cameron Ohnysty, Aggies Wire / Aggies Wire
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
