Star Commit! Texas lands nation's No. 2 recruit John Meredith III

Texas secured a major recruiting coup by landing the nation's No. 2 prospect in the 2027 class, five-star cornerback John Meredith III. The Fort Worth North Crowley standout announced his decision on ESPN's Pat McAfee Show, selecting the Longhorns over Texas A&M and Ohio State. Meredith is listed at 6-foot-2 and 175 pounds and is ineligible for the upcoming season after transferring from Euless Trinity to North Crowley in January; the district ruled the transfer athletic in nature and barred him from the 2026 campaign by a 5-2 vote. North Crowley will appeal the decision to the UIL State Executive Committee. Meredith becomes UT's highest-ranked 2027 recruit and the second five-star in the class, joining Easton Royal. He is the top-rated defensive back commit in Texas history and the third top-100 defender to join the Longhorns, with Garror and Currie also pledged. UT's staff, including cornerbacks coach Mark Orphey and defensive coordinator Will Muschamp, were key to landing the Texas native after three visits to Austin, the latest following an official visit to College Station, as Texas builds a premier defensive pipeline for 2027.