Texas A&M’s pursuit of 2027 five-star linebacker Kaden Henderson came down to the final moments, as Notre Dame coach Marcus Freeman made things interesting, even receiving a prediction to land with the Fighting Irish just days before his commitment announcement. On Thursday, Henderson officially announced that he will commit to Texas A&M on the Pat McAfee Show.
Throughout his recruiting process, Henderson’s strong relationship with coach Mike Elko and new linebackers coach Travis Williams sealed the deal for the blue-chip defender, who reportedly wants to play in the SEC. While the LSU Tigers were also in the mix, the Aggies’ final pitch likely sealed the deal, especially from an NIL perspective, given his development track in Elko’s defense.
Trusting the recruiting experts, including AggieYell insider (subscription required) Joseph Hastings, Texas A&M should have been considered throughout the process, even after Notre Dame came into the picture. Quoting Hastings, the Aggies entered Wednesday as a slight favorite, and paried with fellow AggieYell recruiting expert Jackson Callaway, both analysts became even more confident less than 24 hours before Henderson’s commitment.
Joining three-star linebacker Aston Whiteside, Henderson is expected to sign with the Aggies in early December, and after landing four linebackers in the 2026 recruiting class, Texas A&M’s future LB room is set in stone, outside of adding players from the transfer portal if needed.
According to Rivals, Kaden Henderson is the 21st-ranked prospect in the 2026 class, the No. 1-ranked linebacker, and the No. 2-ranked prospect in Florida.
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This article originally appeared on Aggies Wire: 2027 5-star LB commits to Texas A&M over Notre Dame, LSU
Reporting by Cameron Ohnysty, Aggies Wire / Aggies Wire
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By Cameron Ohnysty, Aggies Wire | USA TODAY Network
