The Texas Longhorns announced Thursday that five-star cornerback John Meredith III has reclassified from the 2027 class to 2026 and signed with the program. The move comes after Meredith was ruled ineligible for his senior season earlier this summer.
NEWS Texas Five-Star Plus+ CB commit John Meredith will reclassify from the 2027 class to 2026, @Hayesfawcett3 reports
Read: https://t.co/JhrrsMVJ0P pic.twitter.com/iQ8OpuRAFY
— Rivals (@Rivals) July 23, 2026
Welcome to the 40 Acres, @JOHN_MEREDITH2 pic.twitter.com/s7HMN8IHeD
— Texas Football (@TexasFootball) July 23, 2026
Meredith was ranked as the No. 4 overall recruit in the Class of 2027 according to 247Sports.
The eligibility issue started when Meredith transferred from Euless Trinity High School to North Crowley High School ahead of the 2026 season. The UIL State Executive Committee ruled the move was athletically motivated.
That ruling prevented Meredith from competing at North Crowley this fall.
Rather than sit out his senior season, Meredith chose to jump straight to college. The decision came about a month after he committed to Texas on June 19. He picked the Longhorns over Texas A&M and several other programs.
Rivals compared Meredith’s skill set to two-time All-Pro Ahmad “Sauce” Gardner. The scouting report highlighted his “combination of stature, length, and athleticism” and noted “similarities between the two in terms of physical traits, play style, and ultimate ceiling.”
Head coach Steve Sarkisian spoke about Meredith’s arrival at SEC Football Media Days in Tampa. He described the 18-year-old cornerback as having “great length, great speed, and tremendous man-to-man ability.”
Sarkisian added that Meredith possesses “all [of] the attributes you want in a defensive back.”
The early arrival gives Meredith extra development time as Texas looks to compete for championships in the SEC. He’ll join a secondary that’s undergoing changes heading into the 2026 season.
