Texas A&M coach Mike Elko says College Station is one of the best places in college athletics. Speaking at the Dallas A&M Club, Elko emphasized that the Aggies are stocked with talent across every sport.
Elko assured fans that traditional high school recruiting will remain Texas A&M’s primary focus for building the football roster. This approach contrasts with some programs that rely heavily on the transfer portal.
The Aggies’ 2027 recruiting class currently ranks No. 2 nationally with 13 commits. Four of those commits are 5-star recruits, the most of any team in the class.
“High school recruiting, to me, is still a priority. I think it’s critical to your foundation. We have signed a 23-25-man class each year. This one appears to be going pretty well in this ’27 cycle,” Elko said.
The coach also highlighted the success across A&M’s athletic department.
“Across the board, Texas A&M Athletics is in a phenomenal place … In the spring, you have baseball fighting for a top-eight seed. Trisha (Ford) and the girls are fighting in an NCAA Regional this weekend. We just advanced in women’s golf. We are playing for an Elite Eight in women’s tennis. It’s a really, really exciting time to be a part of Aggie Athletics.”
Combining high school recruiting with transfer portal success
A&M has always performed well with high school recruits. Former coach Jimbo Fisher was reluctant to use the transfer portal during his six seasons. The Aggies landed just 12 non-junior college transfers during Fisher’s tenure.
Fisher excelled in high school recruiting though. His success on the recruiting trail even frustrated Alabama coach Nick Saban, who publicly criticized A&M’s historic 2022 recruiting class.
Elko has shown he can succeed in both areas. The coach has brought in transfers like receiver Isaiah Horton from Alabama, right tackle Wilkin Formby from Alabama, and cornerback Rickey Gibson from Tennessee.
With A&M’s financial resources, the talent-rich Texas recruiting area, and Elko’s proven ability to land transfers, the Aggies can excel in both the portal and high school recruiting.
Texas A&M continues to invest heavily in football as it seeks to establish itself as an elite program. Elko sounds confident the Aggies will reach that that level soon.
