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[00:01]
A
When you're a maintenance engineer in a beverage manufacturing plant, you keep production lines moving and quality on track because there's no room for slowdowns. With Grainger's vast selection of high quality motors, sensors, belts and hard to find parts, you can get what you need fast and all in one place. So nothing gets in the way of getting the job done. Call 1-800-GRAINGER Click grainger.com or just stop by Granger for the ones who get it done.
[00:30]
B
Today on the inside scoop, Miami is on a heater and there could be even more five stars on the way. We got E.J. holland of Kanesport. We're gonna break it all down. Texas, they end the summer with a couple major developments. So we're gonna go behind the scenes of all that. We got Justin Wells on also who is the best high school team in America. National analyst Greg Biggins on to break that down. Big show. Hey, if you guys watched one of our episodes throughout off season, hit subscribe because we are going to be here all season long. Can't wait for that. All right, big show, let's get to it. On Friday, the Canes added yet another five star recruit to their 2027 class. Five stars like Dante Wright, Nick Lanier, Jaden, Brian, even Izzy Abrams on some networks is a five star. Now add in another and he's one of the most dynamic players regardless of class. Yes, he reclassified up from 28 to 27. I'm talking about Amir Sears from Columbus High School. We are going to go behind the scenes of Miami's latest five star edition with E.J. holland of Cane Sport. But first, Miami fans, do me a favor, hit subscribe to the Rivals YouTube channel because we love talking Miami hurricane recruiting and we are going to be doing it all season long. All right, ej, I know you were down there in South Florida for this. Amir's I'm not even going to call it the Amir Sears commitment. The destination was known. There was no decision being made. He was born into this. As Amir Sears showed he was a cane from way back in little league football. He wasn't switching up anytime. So did you get a sense that this was more of a celebration of Amir Sears decision rather than people coming to find out where he was going?
[02:19]
C
Yeah, I think so. I mean, I think there was a little bit of suspense there late. You had, you know, Texas A and M continued to recruit him. LSU continued to recruit him. And then you had the, you know, rumor about Michigan coming in with their, you know, billionaire donor Larry Ellison or you Know, his wife, obviously is the one who's a Michigan supporter. So, you know, the anytime you have Larry Ellison, who's one of the richest men in the world, involved, it gives you a little bit of concern. So we were tracking that Michigan, you know, nil run late. But at the end of the day, you know, Michigan didn't have a lot to offer Amir Sears. Other than that, there were no real relationships there. He had never visited. Michigan's far from a recruiting juggernaut, which is why I'm no longer there. So, yeah, man, I mean, everything lined up to Miami here in this recruitment. I mean, he's been a Canes fan since he was a kid, and he has strong relationships with the staff. Obviously, Miami is competitive from a resource standpoint as well, but those relationships really made the difference. I mean, Miami's been recruiting this kid for so long, and Miami's been the front runner for a long time as well. I mean, Amir Sears was one of the first recruits that I put in a Miami pick for on the RPM when I moved over to the Miami beat. Because you could just tell this kid loved Miami. He bleeds orange and green. It means something to him to stay home and be a part of the U. And so he saw Malachi Tony do it, he saw Nick Lunier do it, and now he's doing it himself. And so, yeah, I think it was a great celebration for the Miami community. Like I said, there was a little bit of suspense. You had general manager Dennis Smith having some fun on social media and everything. So, you know, but at the end of the day, I think all signs always pointed to, to Miami. And he's a great fit from a talent standpoint. Obviously he's elite, but, you know, he's also a great culture fit as well. So huge, huge win for Miami, especially for this class. You know, he was originally in 2028, reclassified to 2027. He's now the fourth Industry 5 star to commit to Miami, the most to commit to the hurricane since 2007.
[04:34]
B
Yeah, it seemed like a real community event. They came out, they had his back. They wanted to celebrate his decision. And I'm sure there were some young, talented, impressionable athletes in attendance watching as well. Probably hoping that one day they too can commit to Miami with the whole community coming out for them as well. So really cool moment. Glad to see all the photos and videos coming out of there. Looked really like a lot of fun. My question to you, ej, is we know he's going to make an early impact, but does he Have a real shot at playing and playing meaningful snaps on both sides of the football, offense and defense.
[05:12]
C
Look, I know Amir Sears is ranked as a cornerback, and if you were to ask me does he have more upside on offense or defense, I'd probably lean defense. I know in talking to our rankings director, Charles Power, he sees a ton of upside at the cornerback position, which is very easy to see. You know, when you watch him at live neutral setting events, as Charles likes to call him, like seven on sevens, OT seven. You can see, you know, just so much athleticism utilizing his length so well at that corner spot. But, man, he is a legitimate blue chip wide receiver as well. And he is one of the most explosive wide receivers I saw on the 7 on 7 circuit this offseason. So, yes, I mean, I think that Amir, if he only played wide receiver, would still be probably a top 100 talent. And from talking to those around the Miami program, they made it clear that they see him as an athlete. They didn't recruit him strictly as a corner. They love what he brings to the table on both sides of the ball. He can be a really unique weapon. So, you know, I think we talked about it a little bit last week, Josh, but if you are looking for college football's next, Travis Hunter, Amir Sears is that type of talent on both sides of the ball. So, you know, if you look at him as a pure corner, that's great. Miami has the best secondary class in the country, definitely the best corner class by a mile. When you have Dante Wright, the number one corner, Amir Sears the number two corner, and a King hall, the number seven corner, you know, I think that's, you know, to have three top 10 corners in the class, that's. That's amazing, obviously.
[07:03]
D
And then you.
[07:04]
C
You have other, you know, four star talents like Jalen Jones and Andre Hippolyte, you know, back at safety. So, yeah, man, I mean, I think he can legitimately play both ways. I was talking to Nick Lanier about it yesterday. I was like, what do you think? Where would you put Amir Sears? Do you want him at wide receiver with you? Do you want to go up against him at practice? And Nick was like, hey, man, I'll take him out wide receiver, but you can put him at DB2. We'll compete. And so, you know, I think it's going to be fun to see where Amir Amir Sears ends up, but I do think he'll get legitimate time on both sides of the ball.
[07:38]
D
Wow.
[07:38]
B
All right. We're really excited to see how that pans out because we know. I mean, a year from now, we're going to be talking about him in terms of early impact on that Kane's roster. So not. Not long to go before Amir Sears is starring on the field. Now let's talk about how good this class could get for 2027 with talking about Miami. Four industry five stars already committed. But E.J. could there be more? There's three on my radar. I'm going to ask you about Mark Matthews, Edge, DJ David, DJ Jacobs, and offensive tackle Olu. Olu Babolu, who is committed to Notre Dame. Now, all these guys are committed to other programs, but let's start with offensive tackle Mark Matthew down there in South Florida. You were able to talk to him recently, and things have been kind of quiet on the Mark Matthews front since his commitment to Texas A and M, and that's no surprise. But I'm also not really surprised that there's some smoke around Mark Matthews and the Miami Hurricanes. Tell us about it.
[08:43]
C
Yeah, for sure. I mean, look, Mark Matthews was a top target very early in the process. They have recruited him for several years. He's a local kid at a powerhouse program in South Florida. So why not keep that line of communication open? You know, Miami has a lot to sell in this recruitment. Obviously being closer to home than Texas A M, keeping some top guys that Mark knows. You know, Nick Lenito, Amir Sears, I asked him about that yesterday and he told me, man, that's going to be quite the dangerous duo in coral cables. Big Coral Gable. So it definitely caught his attention. I think that, you know, when you look at Miami, the two positions that obviously are easy, easy selling points, and Miami has a lot of easy selling points right now, but two positions in particular, you know, edge and offensive line. Right now, the production there has been amazing. As an offensive tackle, why would you not want to play for Alex Mirabel, who's one of the best in the country? Why would you not want to play for Mario Cristobal, who is still personally involved with the offensive line as a head coach and obviously has a great offensive line background? So, yeah, man, I mean, I think right now, I wouldn't say Miami's all in. They're going to do whatever they can to landmark Matthews. I would say Miami's keeping the line of communication open. He still seems pretty solid with his. Very solid, I would say, with his commitment to Texas A and M, but at the same time, just keep the line of communication open. See what happens this fall and just stay in contact and, you know, maybe something will open up. You know, later in the process.
[10:19]
B
Yeah, I, yeah, I don't think any of these guys that I'm. We're talking about are imminent flips, but I think they are all three names that we're probably going to hear again, some of them several times during the fall. So let's move on to edge. David. DJ Jacobs and when he committed to Ohio State, I think the, the shock there was he didn't commit to Miami. He's from Georgia. Yes, UGA was heavily involved in this recruitment, but at the time of his commitment, I think it was thought that, you know, Miami maybe had the edge there. DJ Jacobs commits to Ohio State. Since then, he's kept in touch with Miami. I know they're, they're using kind of the facade of his younger brother is like a, a shield to his commitment to Ohio State and everything's good there, but Miami has a foot in this door still. Do you think that we see DJ Jacobs in Miami for a game this fall?
[11:11]
C
Yeah, for sure. I think that's a strong possibility, especially with his younger brother who you mentioned, Dawson Jacobs, who's no slouch himself. He is a four star defense.
[11:20]
B
No, he's a great player.
[11:21]
C
Yeah, Green class. So, you know, he and Dawson's always had high interest in Miami. I went out to Atlanta in the winter and I saw DJ in Dawson and Dawson really talked up the Hurricanes and the production they've had along the defensive line and the relationships he's built. Look, both of them were on campus this offseason. They made it to the spring ball splash slash event in April. So, you know, with Miami continuing to be a player for Dawson and continuing to keep in contact with dj, I would fully expect them to be on campus for a game at some point this fall. You know, obviously getting to be around the staff again, you know, actually at Miami and then heading over to Hard Rock to see the Hurricanes play. So I think that with DJ man, kind of like I mentioned with Mark, there's a lot of selling points there. You know, D.J. knows a lot of the recruits in the 2027 class at Miami. So it's not like, you know, I know he's built bonds with guys at Ohio State, but it's not like he would be unfamiliar with a lot of these guys. He was on campus with them at that event. He knows Jaden Bryant, who is Miami's five star edge right now, and he knows they complement each other well. You know, Jaden's more of a compact, powerful edge where, you know, DJs kind of taller, leaner, longer. There's a lot to like about what they can do as a duo. And Miami has the easy selling point of we just had two edge guys go in the first round of the NFL draft. So, yeah, I mean, DJ Is a guy who Miami has always wanted. I think they're going to continue to recruit him hard behind the scenes. I think DJ is going to say all the right things about Ohio State, but he hasn't shut down his recruitment and he could make visits this fall. I expect him to make visits this fall. And Miami is not the only school involved. I know Tennessee is trying to make a push there. I saw a report where it was like, oh, well, Tennessee's not that concerned about Miami, man. Don't ever not be concerned about Miami. Would be my advice to Tennessee.
[13:24]
B
Yes. But Tennessee is a team that's heavily trending, especially after the news that they landed David Gabriel George Tennessee recruiting kind of on a surge. Those rumors kept swirling, so we'll, we'll see what happens. But I definitely think DJ Jacobs is the name Miami fans need to know now. How about offensive tackle Olu Olu Babola? He committed to Notre Dame and at the time, you know, I kind of felt like Miami was on the outside looking in. Miami's still probably a dark horse even to flip him. But is this a name that Kane fans should kind of have on their radar heading into the fall?
[14:00]
D
Maybe.
[14:00]
C
You know, I, I haven't heard too much about him, to be completely honest with you, Josh. I've definitely heard about DJ Jacobs a lot more. You know, with what I was able to get with Mark Matthews, obviously I was able to glean something there this weekend. But Olu's not one that I've heard a ton about. But it is worth mentioning that Miami was, you know, a front runner in that recruitment. They have a really strong working relationship with his agent, Lateish Kinsler, who also represent top 100 Miami linebacker commit AJ Randall. So from a business standpoint, you know, they have those ties there. You know, Miami really decides to.
[14:42]
A
When you're a maintenance engineer in a beverage manufacturing plant, you keep production lines moving and quality on track because there is no room for slowdowns. With Grainger's vast selection of high quality motors, sensors, belts and hard to find parts parts you can get what you need fast and all in one place. So nothing gets in the way of getting the job done. Call 1-800-granger click ranger.com or just stop by Granger for the ones who get it done.
[15:11]
C
You know, go all in on an offensive tackle late in the process. He could. An elite offensive tackle late in the process as opposed to maybe taking a senior riser or not taking anyone else at all. You at that position. Considering they just landed the number one overall recruit in the country, number one offensive tackle last cycle in Jackson Cantwell, who is expected to be a big contributor starter as a true freshman. I think that, you know, that that's a possibility as well. But if they do, you know, get together and say, hey, let's make a run at a top tackle, then I think OLU could be a name that, you know, they could circle back around. But right now I would say, you know, it would be easier to keep in contact with Mark and see what happens there, given the ties and years that they've spent recruiting him and, you know, the proximity to campus. But, you know, out of all these, you know, guys that Miami is keeping in contact behind the scenes, another one, Josh, would be Mike's and Johnson Cook. I know he's not a five star, but he's a top one. Yeah, you know, he's. He is right there. I think top 50 player nationally, know, committed to Auburn, I would say would be one to track as well. But out of all these guys, I think D.J. jacobs, man. Still, he just seems like the guy that they've wanted the most that they were so close to getting. And we'll see, man. I mean, Miami general manager Dennis Smith, he's one of the best in the game, if not the best in the game. I know he'll be working hard behind the scenes and we'll see where the dominoes fall. But at the end of the day, you know, Miami already has an elite class. Pound for pound, the best class in the country. You look at average recruit rating, they're the only team in the nation with above a 92 rating. So, you know, this class is stacked top to bottom. They have as many five stars as they do three stars, which is crazy. They've landed four or five stars over the last five months. At my previous beat, Michigan landed four or five stars over the last five cycles. Like, there's levels to this and Miami's recruiting at a completely different level right now.
[17:19]
B
Yeah, and you can kind of get that sense even before class gets going that this is going to be an epic class when it's all said and done and you're kind, kind of getting that feeling when it comes to 2028, Miami only has two commitments. They're going to have, you know, 25 more before it's all said and done. But do you think and just from spending time on the ground and talking to guys and just feeling out the vibe down there, do you think this is a potential number one class coming up for Miami in 2028?
[17:48]
C
It could be. You know, I think that you're really setting the stage to land some elite talent. And there are so many highly touted guys around the state that Miami's already building a lot of buzz with, you know, and I think if you start off by Talking with the 2028 class, you have to start off with Bryson Wright, man, the number one overall recruit in the country. Five star wide receiver. Obviously number one wide receiver as well. Man, you landed Mere Sears, you landed Nick Lanier. And I know Bryson Wright is further north up in Jacksonville, but he's your next in state superstar. I think there are stars, you know, guys with star potential and then there are guys with superstar potential. Amir Sears is a superstar in the making. Nick Lanier is a superstar in the making. Malachi Toney is already a superstar. And Bryson Wright, you know, just has that it factor that swagger about him that, you know, kids want to be like Malachi Toney. They're going to want to be like Nick Lanier and Amir Sears. So you have a one, no cut nick and then B5, you know, that would be just a dream come true for Miami fans. But yeah, I mean, right now I think Miami is right up there. You know, he is considering some out of state options like Texas, I would say is, you know, a primary threat. Florida and Florida State are going to do, you know, their best to keep him in state as well. But Miami's built some good momentum there. They just had him on campus that last weekend in June before the dead period. And I think, you know, Bryson Wright sees what's going on at Miami, sees guys like Nick and Amir committing. Look, Malachi, Tony helped with Nick Lanier committing. Nick Lanier helped with Amir Sears committing. You know, these guys can help with Bryson Wright committing. So 100. Yeah, I think Miami is a really strong player there. And then you look around this, you know, other guys in the state definitely to know, you know, you have a five star edge in Jackson and Jacksonville as well with Asher Giotto. I would say Miami is probably at the top in that recruitment. You have a top 50 overall recruit at linebacker and Gabriel Player out in Melbourne. I would say Miami has the lead in that recruitment. You know, if you're looking for a highly touted South Florida guy. Tramone Isaac, top 100 wide receiver at Chaminade Madonna. You know, I think Miami leads there. So you know, the Hurricanes are building a lot of buzz around the state and you know they recruit really well nationally. So they're going to keep some top guys home. They're going to land the best of the best across the country from coast to coast. You see Dante Wright committed this cycle all the way from California. You see Israel Abrams in the Midwest committed. You see Boog Jaden Bryant in South Carolina committed. So you know, I think Miami's poised for a huge 2028 especially, you know, if they go out there, take care of business on the field and win the natty this time. So, you know, we'll see what happens.
[20:49]
B
That's right. All right, Kane fans, if we all have plenty of time to talk 2028, I know it sounds exciting now, but we got plenty of time. Let's talk 2027. Are there any more five stars? Amir Sears is the latest, but could you see a Mark Matthews, DJ Jacobs, Olu Ola, Babolo? Anybody else? My son Johnson Cook. Do you see another five star added to 2027 class before it's all said and done? Talk to us comment section below. We're talking Texas recruiting. Couple major developments going down. Of course Texas ending summer with a bang. Of course five star offensive line lineman Ishmael Kamara committed. But on Saturday, one of the top running backs in America, the number three ranked back in America, Landon Williams callous commits to the Longhorns. And that's what we're going to talk about today. We have Justin Wells of Inside Texas. Justin, we we here at the Inside Scoop. We love Landon Williams callous five star caliber back. I know we're splitting hairs here. Only the top 32 get five star status. Landon Williams cow is sitting outside of that at like number 42. But he's got that type of talent, doesn't he? I mean is he. When we talk five star players, we're talking somebody that's a franchise player, a prospect that's going to come in and make an immediate impact. Somebody that has first round NFL potential. Do you think Landon Williams callous checks those boxes?
[22:19]
E
I think he, he can check some of those boxes. I do. The reason he's a borderline five star high four star is because he's five foot eight. If he's six foot he might be the best player in the country. I mean let's just be honest with you. And talking to his coach, he's in that 190 to 200 pound range now. So he is just dynamic. But what's funny is when you play him on Friday night, the stars don't matter. He just kills you. He just, he's one of the most productive tailbacks in the history of Texas high school football and he still has an entire other season to play for Richmond Randle and coach Brian Randle down there. And he wants to try to win another six A state championship like he did his sophomore season. Landon Williams callous is just Mr. Dynamic production like and he really fits the mold of what a Steve Sarkeesian Jabar Jaluk tailback can give you. He can play inside, he can run outside zone, he can catch the ball in the flat and he can make people miss. The beauty about LWC is I'm not comparing him to EMT Smith but it's his style is similar because he never gets hit hard, he never takes big hits. And that's how EMT Smith lasted in the NFL for 10, 15 years because people rarely got to come up and pop him. He would always be at a glance. Landon Williams does not let you hit him head up and that, that keeps him healthy. That keeps that keeps that tread on that tire. And so this is big for Jabbar Jaluk man, I'm telling you this is big because I'll be honest with you, Texas was completely out of this recruitment in December. Our Charlie Williams went to see him at the state championship and and it did not sound good for the Horns. Of course at the time Tex they were Texas was going into their third running back coach in three years. So there was some inconsistency there. Jabar J. Luke said I got it and that man went into overtime and he slowly built it out over the spring. He didn't press, he didn't push. He just built the relationship and the connection and it really hit home. The official visit when they left in late, I believe it's June 19th, the 21st. When they left in late June it was, it was Texas that was the choice. They may have had to have a little bit of table talk like a week later or whatnot. But it was going to be Texas after that official visit. And so you give Jalook a lot of credit. Look, this was going to be a one tailback class. Noah Roberts is also in this class out of Basha Arizona. He's, he's another four star in this class. Texas said look, they're going to take one more. If it was Landon Williams callous, they weren't going to take anybody else in this cycle. It was only going to be lwc. And now they get one of the most dynamic playmakers and we know about his family. If you don't. Jacquiz Rogers, one of the most exciting college football players I've ever seen. All, all pack 12, I think was offensive player of the year one year. Michael Lewis, another guy, safety that played for, for Philadelphia. LWC's got the jeans, man. He's got some athletic jeans and I think he's going to have a lot of fun at Texas. I don't know if he makes an immediate impact, but I bet we see him on the field as a true freshman.
[25:16]
B
All right, so you know, in the last couple years Texas has gone out of state and I know talent is talent doesn't care where it comes from. But you know, Cedric Baxter, Derek Cooper, Jerick Gibson. Texas was going into the state of Florida to find their running backs. Do you think Longhorn fans are excited to get one from the home state of Texas?
[25:38]
E
You know, that's a great question. I kind of do because Texas really liked the last few cycles of in State tailbacks, K.J. edwards and J.B. and Osborne. I mean there's some really good running backs that have come to Taylor Tatum that have come through the state. I think part of it was to Char Choice being from that southeast region, having a lot of connections to Shar Choice, knew Cedric Baxter in eighth grade, Jarrett Gibson in seventh grade. So there was kind of a deal there. Then Chad Scott, the, the next running back coach, he was from Florida, so he had connections down there. And so the Derek Cooper thing matured and happened. But I, I think anytime you're a Texas, you know who really likes this, I don't necessarily think it's Texas fans. I think Texas high school football coaches, right. Seeing a Texas guy, a Texas running back for the Texas Longhorns, because you know, when you look at the history, obviously you know Ricky Williams from California, but when you look at the other guys, most of those guys were born and bred in the state of Texas, most notably Earl Campbell from the Tyler Rose. And so I think the fans kind of dig that it's going to be an in state kid. It's a little easier to get emotionally attached, especially when a lot of the kids at his school are probably Texas fans already. But it's fun how those things kind of play out from time to time.
[26:53]
B
All right, let's talk about another major development here at the end of summer. We had John last week and we did not talk about John Meredith. He was a 20, 27 commitment. Now I guess. Is he now enrolled at Texas right now? Is he enrolled at Texas or enrolling?
[27:13]
E
He is signed with Texas and he is in. Enrolled. He is in the process of. He may have already been moved down there by now. He had to finish up. He has a few, I think online things he had to finish up at the last minute because this was thrown together at the last minute. And, and, and listen, I, I want to make sure and give a lot of credit to the North Crowley football staff. John Meredith never played it down there. His mother moved to that region and got married and they still claimed him ineligible.
[27:44]
B
Right. And so, so, so he's ineligible to play at North Crowley, which is why. Because he wasn't going to be able to play, which is why he reclassified from 2027 up to 2026, which is the signing year that we covered last cycle, which means he is now part of the roster. But he was the number two ranked corner in the country in this class. 6 to 175, 180. He has the frame to do it. He has the talent to do it. So I guess the, I guess the reason why is so at least he can get some reps this season.
[28:21]
E
I actually think it's to keep him around his circle because honestly the option was going to be the IMG Academy out in Bradenton, Florida. And he actually, he looked at a couple other schools out in Florida as well. I think the consensus was let's keep this kid within his circle. Let's keep it around the people that he's comfortable with. There's guys on the campus at University of Texas right now that John Meredith is close to. That's a big thing because anytime a kid skips their senior season, like I understand the graduating early is the new thing. And really that's what college football coaches want. They want the freshman to come in in the spring and get reps. But to skip an entire senior season, I don't think John Meredith will be physically held back. It's a mental thing. It's an emotional maturity thing. And so you ship him to IMG where you don't know anybody out there. You don't, you can't really watch him as much. He's still a young guy. He's just turned 18. He's still a young man. So Texas, now, they figured they can get a better idea. Just let him start getting developed. Let him, let him get into the system. And here's the beauty of this, too. If John Meredith signs with the 27 class and comes in as A true freshman. He's expected to be in the rotation. This is the number. This was the number two corner in the country or number one. This was number two player in the state. This was the guy, okay, that he was going to be expected to do that. He's not expected to do that now. He's expected to show up on time, learn the system, get behind in the following the drills, learn. You know, kind of start to get in that mindset of being a college football player, being a student athlete, he's having to grow up a little faster than usual. I'm not a fan of it, but in this circumstance, North Crowley coaches and the Texas recruiting staff did tremendous work in the background to get this kid ready, to get this kid eligible. When kids enroll early or graduate early, it's usually a plan set ahead of time, a year or two in advance. This was thrown together in the last two months, a month and a half. And so again, Crowley coaches give a lot of credit. The Texas football staff, ton of work was done in the background to get this kid the ability to sign now, to enroll now and to be with the team.
[30:32]
D
Now.
[30:32]
E
I like that Meredith's there. From the standpoint, they know what he's doing. They're gonna. They're gonna be able to groom him and mold him into what he needs to be, and the expectations are going to be really low. But on the second hand, I don't like kids missing their senior year. I think that year of maturity, not just physically, but emotionally and things like that I think are very important.
[30:52]
B
All right, so let's wrap it up on this. What does it mean for Texas recruiting? Because he was the top rated corner in this class. I know he's already on campus, so does it mean nothing? Does it mean something? What does Texas do now that John Meredith is enrolling?
[31:08]
E
I think during pause mode right now, they got two other guys in the cycle. Montre Jackson, four star and Brandon Sherrard, four star. And they love both those kids. If they keep those two, which we anticipate right now, they're going to. Those two eventually sign in December. I think they stay put. I don't think they necessarily need to add another 1 in 27. Now, if we see a late senior eval, a late senior riser, somebody pops up, I'm telling you. Humble Ataska Cedar cornerback Joshua Banks, he's committed to Texas Tech. That's a kid I would keep my eyes on. I think he is one of the most underrated prospects in the country. If a guy like him pops up And Texas decides, you know what, he would be a nice addition to the program. Let's go ahead and flip him. You'll see the standard circusian November, December push because that's generally when the staff actually puts any pressure on kids. They don't do it throughout the recruitment. And so I think they're going to stay pat right now it's a great question, it really is because do you replace Meredith? But right now I think they just want to add one more safety and be done with the secondary. And that's assuming they keep Montre Jackson and Brandon Sherrard. I don't think Sherrard's looking anywhere else. I know that SMU would love to flip Montre Jackson. I know that SMU is trying to flip Montre Jackson. So Texas is going to keep their head on a swivel and they're going to pay attention to other corners. Cam Robertson down out of Houston, a Houston commit. Man, Houston Willie Fritz has amazing early evals. That's a kid that Texas may go back to and look at and potentially do, you know, flip at the end of the year. But right now I think they stay pat if they can keep Jackson and Sherrard.
[32:41]
B
All right, Texas fans, talk to me and Justin about Landon Williams. Callis, are you, do you feel good that Texas is putting all their chips in on an in state back, removing the guys from the state of Florida. It's good to be back in the state of Texas once again landing five star caliber talent. So talk to us about Landon Williams. Kyle, put it in the comment section below. The college season is right around the corner, which means the high school football season is even closer. We got some big time matchups on our hands. I got Greg Biggins here. Let's talk about it, Greg. High school football right around the corner. Camp has already started at most powerful high school programs. So I got a question for you. Who is the number one team in the country as we head in to the 2026 high school football season?
[33:32]
D
Yeah, that's a great question. You know, obviously, you know, we're, we're, we use the Massey rating with ours and that's DeSoto, Texas. And DeSoto is a traditional Texas power. I'll tell you what though, man, they open up with St. Thomas Aquinas, our program from Florida. And I have tons of respect for St. Thomas Aquinas. They got Mark Matthews, they got a couple guys going to Notre Dame, a couple guys going Ohio state. I think St. Thomas could actually be the number one team in the country before it's all said and done. DeSoto also has to play Allen, Texas, another traditional power, and also Duncanville. So out of the gate, boom, boom. I mean, DeSoto, God bless them. I love high school team. That schedule like that number one team in the Massey ranking, dude. Josh, they could open up. Oh, and three if they go two and one in that. In that stretch right there, dude, I'm all about them, so we'll see. It should be fun.
[34:18]
B
All right, Massey, rankings aside, Greg, who are three other teams that you think can make a run at number one nationally?
[34:28]
D
So I am not a West coast, Southern California homer. I am not Josh, I will say St John Bosco for me again. I've had a lot of exposure to him. I think St. John Bosco on paper deserves to be the number one team right now. St. Thomas, excuse me, St. Francis, ridiculous defense, the top defense in the country. And then IMG Academy. Not to get ahead of ourselves. Those two teams will play at the end of the year, but I know that's a question for another time, but St. John Bosco, Josh, again, a lot of exposure to him, zero weaknesses as a team. They have the quarterback with Koa Malauulu. DJ Tubs was awesome all offseason. Has the wide receiver, strong on both sides. A lot of scrimmage. Their secondary, probably the best secondary out West. I, Sala Wota going to Washington, Dylan Davis going to Vandy. They got dudes at linebacker. Two guys going to Washington, a linebacker, Josiah Poyer going to usc. Really, really well coached. They don't just roll the ball out there, man. They out scheme. They're loaded, Josh. So for me, and again, they beat St. Francis last year. That was St. Francis only lost last year. I think Bosco's got a better team than they did last year. So for me on paper right now, Bosco. I love St. Francis. I love IMG, St. Francis, the defense, IMG Jaden Wade, those receivers. Oh, Sonny Gales, Eric McFarlane, Aaron Washington in the secondary. All three of those teams. For me, that. That would be my 1, 2, 3. If you're asking me on whatever today is, July, whatever, I don't know the dates anymore, but I like those three teams a lot.
[35:55]
B
All right. As the players are wrapping up their summer conditioning, the way I get ready for the college football season is I spend a day on the couch watching early week one high school football. There's usually a couple good national games on. So what can we expect? Week one from a national perspective at high school football?
[36:16]
D
I don't even know what week one is anymore. Josh, Hawaii opens up in two weeks, right? And you got St. Louis High School, the Crusaders. That's Marcus Mariota. That's Tuatanga by Loa. They're playing Kahuku, who again, that's, you know, loaded. Loaded.
[36:31]
C
Yeah.
[36:31]
D
Those, those two teams play in two weeks. So out here in California, we have a week zero. I don't know what Hawaii has, man. That's really, really early. So I'm, I'm all about that game right there. I love the players, I love the passion that they play within Hawaii. But if you're talking a week one game, Josh, you're talking. I just hyped up St. John Bosco. They open up at Bishop Gorman. For me, Bishop Gorman is a top five program every single year. They're loaded, they're well coached. I've been to Gorman practices. They practice like a college team. They really do. Ace Amina, it's going to be his breakout junior season. Love the secondary. Camille Lau going to Cal. Hayden Step going to Oregon. So I just hyped up Bosco. For me, it would not be an upset at all if Gorman takes them out. That's how good I think Gorman is. Those are two top five programs. So again, not just being a West coast guy, but week one, Josh in Las Vegas, it's going to be over 100 degrees. Gorman hosting St. John Bosco. I can't wait for that one.
[37:27]
B
100 degrees down on the field. It'll be about 72 on my couch. So I'm going to love that. Any other big games throughout the season that you've got circled on your calendar?
[37:39]
D
So again, Southern California wise, St. John Bosco. Modern day has become kind of the rivalry. Those two teams have met as one and two in the country multiple times. I already mentioned all the Texas teams kind of play each other. Duncanville plays Allen. I think that's late August. All those Texas teams are so good. Yeah, BUFORD Grayson, the two top teams in Georgia last year, Buford went 150 and was a national champion. I think Buford is another top five. I think I've said like eight teams could be top five. So I'm all over the map right now. But Buford Grayson and I kind of teased it already. End of the, end of the year, last game of the year. St. Francis IMG Academy. They were supposed to play last year. Not going to get into why they didn't play. Both those two teams could be undefeated. Should be undefeated at that point in time. They both have good nominally schedules, but not, not as nearly as tough as years past. So I'm expecting both those two teams loaded programs to meet end of the year. And that game right there could decide Josh who is really the number one team in the country.
[38:39]
B
I was going to say, could that be the de facto national championship game and if so, who do you got for the overall national champion when it comes to high school football in 2026?
[38:50]
D
Putting me on the spot.
[38:51]
B
On the spot.
[38:53]
D
I think on paper Saint John Bosco has the best team. They also have the biggest gauntlet. Not only play, they play Kahuku, Hawaii. The Trinity league is loaded. They play Modern day. They play Santa Margarita. They get through that gauntlet, then they go to the D1 playoffs. Sierra Canyon is a sleeper team for me that I think could win the whole thing. They'd have to probably beat Bosco modern day. With the beat Bosco have to beat Modern day or Santa Margarita a second time. Centennial also in that D1. Centennial is a top 10, top 15. So just getting through undefeated, Josh, is extremely difficult. So while I think Bosco is probably the best team, I, I do think just because the schedule, the way it shapes up, the winner of that St. Francis IMG Academy is probably the number one team. And as of right now, I would say I kind of lean a little bit toward that St. Francis team. Again, their defense is ridiculous, their front seven is insane and they have a just enough offense to kind of put up, you know, 30 points a game. That's all they need with that defense. So if you're asking me Today, best team, St John Bosco, national champion. Want to lean a little bit towards St. Francis.
[39:51]
B
All right, there it is. Greg, thanks for chiming in. Now we want to hear from you guys. Who do you think is the best team in high school football in 2026? Let us know. Put it in the comments section below.

Summary6 min read

Inside Scoop On3 Football Recruiting Show – Episode Summary

Episode: Miami's DOMINANT Recruiting Run | Texas 5-Star Buzz!
Air Date: August 3, 2026
Host: On3
Featured Guests: E.J. Holland (CaneSport), Justin Wells (Inside Texas), Greg Biggins (On3 National Analyst)

Episode Overview

This episode dives into Miami's red-hot recruiting streak, including the addition of their latest five-star phenom and speculation about flipping other elite prospects. The show also covers Texas’s impactful summer recruiting wins, notably the commitment of star running back Landon Williams Callis and the unique situation with cornerback John Meredith. Finally, national analyst Greg Biggins breaks down the landscape of powerhouse high school football programs heading into the 2026 season.

Miami's 2027 Recruiting Surge

The Amir Sears Commitment – Celebration or Suspense?

[00:30–04:33]

Miami landed another five-star in Amir Sears from Columbus High, marking their fourth industry five-star for 2027, a feat not achieved since 2007.
E.J. Holland describes Sears’ announcement as a “community celebration more than a recruitment drama.”

“He bleeds orange and green. It means something to him to stay home and be a part of the U.” — E.J. Holland [02:51]

Despite late pushes from Texas A&M, LSU, and rumors of a Michigan “NIL run,” Miami’s longstanding relationships and Sears’ lifelong fandom sealed the deal.

Amir Sears’ Impact: Two-Way Phenom?

[05:12–07:37]

Though ranked as a cornerback, Sears is an elite athlete with legitimate blue-chip potential at wide receiver.
Miami recruited Sears as an “athlete,” not restricted to defense; he might see real snaps on both sides as early as his freshman year.

“If you are looking for college football’s next Travis Hunter, Amir Sears is that type of talent on both sides of the ball.” — E.J. Holland [06:17]

Miami’s secondary haul is unprecedented: They now have three of the top ten corners in the nation.

Five-Star Watch: Who Could Be Next for Miami?

[07:38–17:18]

Potential Flip Targets:

Mark Matthews (OT, committed to Texas A&M):
- Miami recruited him heavily and continues dialogue, hoping proximity and relationships might sway him.
- “Miami’s keeping the line of communication open…maybe something will open up.” — E.J. Holland [09:48]
DJ “David” Jacobs (Edge, committed to Ohio State):
- Many thought Miami led at his commitment; he maintains communication and is expected to visit Miami this fall.
- His younger brother, Dawson Jacobs (2028 four-star), also has high Miami interest.
- “Don’t ever not be concerned about Miami.” — E.J. Holland on other schools [12:46]
Olu Olu Babola (OT, committed to Notre Dame):
- Less frequent contact lately, but Miami's relationship with his agent could matter if they make a late push.

Other name to monitor: Myson Johnson-Cook (top-50, Auburn commit), for a potential late cycle flip.

Miami 2027 class perspective:
- Already the only class with an average recruit rating above 92 nationally.
- “They have as many five stars as they do three stars, which is crazy.” — E.J. Holland [16:33]
- Miami is recruiting “at a completely different level right now.”

Early Look: Miami and the 2028 Cycle

[17:18–20:48]

Miami has only two 2028 commits but is poised for another run at #1 nationally.
Bryson Wright, the nation’s #1 overall recruit and five-star WR from Jacksonville, is a prime target.
Other state standouts: Asher Giotto (Edge), Gabriel Player (LB), Tramone Isaac (WR).
Miami aims to lock down home-grown talent and attract blue-chippers from across the US.

“They’re going to land the best of the best across the country from coast to coast.” — E.J. Holland [19:37]

Success on the field (even a national title run) could strengthen their position.

Texas Recruiting: Summer Surges and Major Moves

Landon Williams Callis: The Dynamic In-State Addition

[22:18–25:16]

Texas secures Landon Williams Callis (“LWC”), the #3 RB in America, topping off a summer of recruiting wins.
Though just outside the five-star tier due to his 5’8” frame, LWC is considered by On3 analysts as a “five-star level” impact player.
LWC is compared to Emmitt Smith for his durability:

“He never gets hit hard, he never takes big hits. That keeps him healthy. That keeps that tread on that tire.” — Justin Wells [23:00]

Texas went all-in: “If it was Landon Williams Callis, they weren’t going to take anybody else in this cycle.” — Justin Wells [24:43]
Notable family athletic lineage (Jacquizz Rodgers, Michael Lewis) only adds to the intrigue.
The commitment is also culturally significant, returning Texas to signing elite in-state players after successive Florida-focused cycles.

The John Meredith Enrollment Saga

[26:52–32:41]

Cornerback John Meredith (#2 nationally at the position) reclassified from 2027 to 2026 after being ruled ineligible at North Crowley HS (Texas).
Texas’s recruiting and coaching staff scrambled to get him enrolled last-minute; now, low pressure but focused on acclimating and emotional maturity.
“I like that Meredith’s there…they can groom him, and the expectations are going to be really low.” — Justin Wells [30:32]
Texas already has two other four-star CBs committed in 2027 and is likely to stay pat barring a late senior breakout.
Potential late flip candidates in state are monitored (e.g., Joshua Banks, Cam Robertson).

National Perspective: High School Powerhouse Rankings (w/ Greg Biggins)

[33:32–39:50]

Who’s #1 for 2026?

[33:32–34:27]

DeSoto, Texas claims the early #1 Massey rating but faces brutal schedule (open with St. Thomas Aquinas, Allen, Duncanville).
- “They could open up 0–3…if they go 2–1, I’m all about them.” — Greg Biggins [34:03]

Top Challengers

[34:27–35:54]

St. John Bosco (CA): “Zero weaknesses as a team…strong on both sides, best secondary out West.” [34:34]
St. Francis (MD): “Ridiculous defense…the top defense in the country.”
IMG Academy (FL): Loaded, play St. Francis at season’s end in a likely de facto national championship.

Noted strengths, loaded schedules, and key players detailed.

Big National Games to Watch

[36:15–39:50]

Week 1 Highlight: St. John Bosco at Bishop Gorman (Las Vegas) — Two top-five programs; “Would not be an upset if Gorman takes them out…That’s how good Gorman is.” — Greg Biggins [36:51]
Other contest highlights: St. John Bosco vs. Mater Dei (CA), Duncanville vs. Allen (TX), Buford vs. Grayson (GA), St. Francis vs. IMG Academy.

National Champion Picks

“Best team on paper: St John Bosco…National champion? I kinda lean toward St. Francis — their front seven is insane, and they have enough offense.” — Greg Biggins [39:26]

Memorable Quotes & Moments

“If you are looking for college football’s next Travis Hunter, Amir Sears is that type of talent on both sides of the ball.” — E.J. Holland [06:17]
“They have as many five stars as they do three stars, which is crazy.” — E.J. Holland [16:33]
“Don’t ever not be concerned about Miami.” — E.J. Holland [12:46]
“He never gets hit hard, he never takes big hits. That keeps him healthy…That keeps that tread on that tire.” — Justin Wells, on Landon Williams Callis [23:00]
“Best team, St. John Bosco; national champion, want to lean a little bit towards St. Francis.” — Greg Biggins [39:44]

Timestamps – Key Segments

Miami Five-Star Run and Amir Sears: [00:30–07:37]
Miami Flip Targets (Matthews, Jacobs, Babola): [08:42–17:18]
Miami’s 2028 Recruiting Buzz: [17:18–20:48]
Texas Five-Star RB Commit (Williams Callis): [22:18–25:16]
John Meredith Reclassifying and Texas CB Outlook: [26:52–32:41]
National High School Team Rankings & Season Outlook: [33:32–39:50]

Episode Takeaways

Miami’s 2027 class is arguably the nation’s best, both in quality and momentum, and they may not be done flipping five-star talent.
Texas scored a massive coup with Landon Williams Callis and managed a tricky situation with John Meredith, securing future secondary depth.
National high school football remains as competitive and unpredictable as ever, with several programs and game matchups poised to move the championship needle.

Loading summary

Transcript48 lines

[00:01]
A
When you're a maintenance engineer in a beverage manufacturing plant, you keep production lines moving and quality on track because there's no room for slowdowns. With Grainger's vast selection of high quality motors, sensors, belts and hard to find parts, you can get what you need fast and all in one place. So nothing gets in the way of getting the job done. Call 1-800-GRAINGER Click grainger.com or just stop by Granger for the ones who get it done.
[00:30]
B
Today on the inside scoop, Miami is on a heater and there could be even more five stars on the way. We got E.J. holland of Kanesport. We're gonna break it all down. Texas, they end the summer with a couple major developments. So we're gonna go behind the scenes of all that. We got Justin Wells on also who is the best high school team in America. National analyst Greg Biggins on to break that down. Big show. Hey, if you guys watched one of our episodes throughout off season, hit subscribe because we are going to be here all season long. Can't wait for that. All right, big show, let's get to it. On Friday, the Canes added yet another five star recruit to their 2027 class. Five stars like Dante Wright, Nick Lanier, Jaden, Brian, even Izzy Abrams on some networks is a five star. Now add in another and he's one of the most dynamic players regardless of class. Yes, he reclassified up from 28 to 27. I'm talking about Amir Sears from Columbus High School. We are going to go behind the scenes of Miami's latest five star edition with E.J. holland of Cane Sport. But first, Miami fans, do me a favor, hit subscribe to the Rivals YouTube channel because we love talking Miami hurricane recruiting and we are going to be doing it all season long. All right, ej, I know you were down there in South Florida for this. Amir's I'm not even going to call it the Amir Sears commitment. The destination was known. There was no decision being made. He was born into this. As Amir Sears showed he was a cane from way back in little league football. He wasn't switching up anytime. So did you get a sense that this was more of a celebration of Amir Sears decision rather than people coming to find out where he was going?
[02:19]
C
Yeah, I think so. I mean, I think there was a little bit of suspense there late. You had, you know, Texas A and M continued to recruit him. LSU continued to recruit him. And then you had the, you know, rumor about Michigan coming in with their, you know, billionaire donor Larry Ellison or you Know, his wife, obviously is the one who's a Michigan supporter. So, you know, the anytime you have Larry Ellison, who's one of the richest men in the world, involved, it gives you a little bit of concern. So we were tracking that Michigan, you know, nil run late. But at the end of the day, you know, Michigan didn't have a lot to offer Amir Sears. Other than that, there were no real relationships there. He had never visited. Michigan's far from a recruiting juggernaut, which is why I'm no longer there. So, yeah, man, I mean, everything lined up to Miami here in this recruitment. I mean, he's been a Canes fan since he was a kid, and he has strong relationships with the staff. Obviously, Miami is competitive from a resource standpoint as well, but those relationships really made the difference. I mean, Miami's been recruiting this kid for so long, and Miami's been the front runner for a long time as well. I mean, Amir Sears was one of the first recruits that I put in a Miami pick for on the RPM when I moved over to the Miami beat. Because you could just tell this kid loved Miami. He bleeds orange and green. It means something to him to stay home and be a part of the U. And so he saw Malachi Tony do it, he saw Nick Lunier do it, and now he's doing it himself. And so, yeah, I think it was a great celebration for the Miami community. Like I said, there was a little bit of suspense. You had general manager Dennis Smith having some fun on social media and everything. So, you know, but at the end of the day, I think all signs always pointed to, to Miami. And he's a great fit from a talent standpoint. Obviously he's elite, but, you know, he's also a great culture fit as well. So huge, huge win for Miami, especially for this class. You know, he was originally in 2028, reclassified to 2027. He's now the fourth Industry 5 star to commit to Miami, the most to commit to the hurricane since 2007.
[04:34]
B
Yeah, it seemed like a real community event. They came out, they had his back. They wanted to celebrate his decision. And I'm sure there were some young, talented, impressionable athletes in attendance watching as well. Probably hoping that one day they too can commit to Miami with the whole community coming out for them as well. So really cool moment. Glad to see all the photos and videos coming out of there. Looked really like a lot of fun. My question to you, ej, is we know he's going to make an early impact, but does he Have a real shot at playing and playing meaningful snaps on both sides of the football, offense and defense.
[05:12]
C
Look, I know Amir Sears is ranked as a cornerback, and if you were to ask me does he have more upside on offense or defense, I'd probably lean defense. I know in talking to our rankings director, Charles Power, he sees a ton of upside at the cornerback position, which is very easy to see. You know, when you watch him at live neutral setting events, as Charles likes to call him, like seven on sevens, OT seven. You can see, you know, just so much athleticism utilizing his length so well at that corner spot. But, man, he is a legitimate blue chip wide receiver as well. And he is one of the most explosive wide receivers I saw on the 7 on 7 circuit this offseason. So, yes, I mean, I think that Amir, if he only played wide receiver, would still be probably a top 100 talent. And from talking to those around the Miami program, they made it clear that they see him as an athlete. They didn't recruit him strictly as a corner. They love what he brings to the table on both sides of the ball. He can be a really unique weapon. So, you know, I think we talked about it a little bit last week, Josh, but if you are looking for college football's next, Travis Hunter, Amir Sears is that type of talent on both sides of the ball. So, you know, if you look at him as a pure corner, that's great. Miami has the best secondary class in the country, definitely the best corner class by a mile. When you have Dante Wright, the number one corner, Amir Sears the number two corner, and a King hall, the number seven corner, you know, I think that's, you know, to have three top 10 corners in the class, that's. That's amazing, obviously.
[07:03]
D
And then you.
[07:04]
C
You have other, you know, four star talents like Jalen Jones and Andre Hippolyte, you know, back at safety. So, yeah, man, I mean, I think he can legitimately play both ways. I was talking to Nick Lanier about it yesterday. I was like, what do you think? Where would you put Amir Sears? Do you want him at wide receiver with you? Do you want to go up against him at practice? And Nick was like, hey, man, I'll take him out wide receiver, but you can put him at DB2. We'll compete. And so, you know, I think it's going to be fun to see where Amir Amir Sears ends up, but I do think he'll get legitimate time on both sides of the ball.
[07:38]
D
Wow.
[07:38]
B
All right. We're really excited to see how that pans out because we know. I mean, a year from now, we're going to be talking about him in terms of early impact on that Kane's roster. So not. Not long to go before Amir Sears is starring on the field. Now let's talk about how good this class could get for 2027 with talking about Miami. Four industry five stars already committed. But E.J. could there be more? There's three on my radar. I'm going to ask you about Mark Matthews, Edge, DJ David, DJ Jacobs, and offensive tackle Olu. Olu Babolu, who is committed to Notre Dame. Now, all these guys are committed to other programs, but let's start with offensive tackle Mark Matthew down there in South Florida. You were able to talk to him recently, and things have been kind of quiet on the Mark Matthews front since his commitment to Texas A and M, and that's no surprise. But I'm also not really surprised that there's some smoke around Mark Matthews and the Miami Hurricanes. Tell us about it.
[08:43]
C
Yeah, for sure. I mean, look, Mark Matthews was a top target very early in the process. They have recruited him for several years. He's a local kid at a powerhouse program in South Florida. So why not keep that line of communication open? You know, Miami has a lot to sell in this recruitment. Obviously being closer to home than Texas A M, keeping some top guys that Mark knows. You know, Nick Lenito, Amir Sears, I asked him about that yesterday and he told me, man, that's going to be quite the dangerous duo in coral cables. Big Coral Gable. So it definitely caught his attention. I think that, you know, when you look at Miami, the two positions that obviously are easy, easy selling points, and Miami has a lot of easy selling points right now, but two positions in particular, you know, edge and offensive line. Right now, the production there has been amazing. As an offensive tackle, why would you not want to play for Alex Mirabel, who's one of the best in the country? Why would you not want to play for Mario Cristobal, who is still personally involved with the offensive line as a head coach and obviously has a great offensive line background? So, yeah, man, I mean, I think right now, I wouldn't say Miami's all in. They're going to do whatever they can to landmark Matthews. I would say Miami's keeping the line of communication open. He still seems pretty solid with his. Very solid, I would say, with his commitment to Texas A and M, but at the same time, just keep the line of communication open. See what happens this fall and just stay in contact and, you know, maybe something will open up. You know, later in the process.
[10:19]
B
Yeah, I, yeah, I don't think any of these guys that I'm. We're talking about are imminent flips, but I think they are all three names that we're probably going to hear again, some of them several times during the fall. So let's move on to edge. David. DJ Jacobs and when he committed to Ohio State, I think the, the shock there was he didn't commit to Miami. He's from Georgia. Yes, UGA was heavily involved in this recruitment, but at the time of his commitment, I think it was thought that, you know, Miami maybe had the edge there. DJ Jacobs commits to Ohio State. Since then, he's kept in touch with Miami. I know they're, they're using kind of the facade of his younger brother is like a, a shield to his commitment to Ohio State and everything's good there, but Miami has a foot in this door still. Do you think that we see DJ Jacobs in Miami for a game this fall?
[11:11]
C
Yeah, for sure. I think that's a strong possibility, especially with his younger brother who you mentioned, Dawson Jacobs, who's no slouch himself. He is a four star defense.
[11:20]
B
No, he's a great player.
[11:21]
C
Yeah, Green class. So, you know, he and Dawson's always had high interest in Miami. I went out to Atlanta in the winter and I saw DJ in Dawson and Dawson really talked up the Hurricanes and the production they've had along the defensive line and the relationships he's built. Look, both of them were on campus this offseason. They made it to the spring ball splash slash event in April. So, you know, with Miami continuing to be a player for Dawson and continuing to keep in contact with dj, I would fully expect them to be on campus for a game at some point this fall. You know, obviously getting to be around the staff again, you know, actually at Miami and then heading over to Hard Rock to see the Hurricanes play. So I think that with DJ man, kind of like I mentioned with Mark, there's a lot of selling points there. You know, D.J. knows a lot of the recruits in the 2027 class at Miami. So it's not like, you know, I know he's built bonds with guys at Ohio State, but it's not like he would be unfamiliar with a lot of these guys. He was on campus with them at that event. He knows Jaden Bryant, who is Miami's five star edge right now, and he knows they complement each other well. You know, Jaden's more of a compact, powerful edge where, you know, DJs kind of taller, leaner, longer. There's a lot to like about what they can do as a duo. And Miami has the easy selling point of we just had two edge guys go in the first round of the NFL draft. So, yeah, I mean, DJ Is a guy who Miami has always wanted. I think they're going to continue to recruit him hard behind the scenes. I think DJ is going to say all the right things about Ohio State, but he hasn't shut down his recruitment and he could make visits this fall. I expect him to make visits this fall. And Miami is not the only school involved. I know Tennessee is trying to make a push there. I saw a report where it was like, oh, well, Tennessee's not that concerned about Miami, man. Don't ever not be concerned about Miami. Would be my advice to Tennessee.
[13:24]
B
Yes. But Tennessee is a team that's heavily trending, especially after the news that they landed David Gabriel George Tennessee recruiting kind of on a surge. Those rumors kept swirling, so we'll, we'll see what happens. But I definitely think DJ Jacobs is the name Miami fans need to know now. How about offensive tackle Olu Olu Babola? He committed to Notre Dame and at the time, you know, I kind of felt like Miami was on the outside looking in. Miami's still probably a dark horse even to flip him. But is this a name that Kane fans should kind of have on their radar heading into the fall?
[14:00]
D
Maybe.
[14:00]
C
You know, I, I haven't heard too much about him, to be completely honest with you, Josh. I've definitely heard about DJ Jacobs a lot more. You know, with what I was able to get with Mark Matthews, obviously I was able to glean something there this weekend. But Olu's not one that I've heard a ton about. But it is worth mentioning that Miami was, you know, a front runner in that recruitment. They have a really strong working relationship with his agent, Lateish Kinsler, who also represent top 100 Miami linebacker commit AJ Randall. So from a business standpoint, you know, they have those ties there. You know, Miami really decides to.
[14:42]
A
When you're a maintenance engineer in a beverage manufacturing plant, you keep production lines moving and quality on track because there is no room for slowdowns. With Grainger's vast selection of high quality motors, sensors, belts and hard to find parts parts you can get what you need fast and all in one place. So nothing gets in the way of getting the job done. Call 1-800-granger click ranger.com or just stop by Granger for the ones who get it done.
[15:11]
C
You know, go all in on an offensive tackle late in the process. He could. An elite offensive tackle late in the process as opposed to maybe taking a senior riser or not taking anyone else at all. You at that position. Considering they just landed the number one overall recruit in the country, number one offensive tackle last cycle in Jackson Cantwell, who is expected to be a big contributor starter as a true freshman. I think that, you know, that that's a possibility as well. But if they do, you know, get together and say, hey, let's make a run at a top tackle, then I think OLU could be a name that, you know, they could circle back around. But right now I would say, you know, it would be easier to keep in contact with Mark and see what happens there, given the ties and years that they've spent recruiting him and, you know, the proximity to campus. But, you know, out of all these, you know, guys that Miami is keeping in contact behind the scenes, another one, Josh, would be Mike's and Johnson Cook. I know he's not a five star, but he's a top one. Yeah, you know, he's. He is right there. I think top 50 player nationally, know, committed to Auburn, I would say would be one to track as well. But out of all these guys, I think D.J. jacobs, man. Still, he just seems like the guy that they've wanted the most that they were so close to getting. And we'll see, man. I mean, Miami general manager Dennis Smith, he's one of the best in the game, if not the best in the game. I know he'll be working hard behind the scenes and we'll see where the dominoes fall. But at the end of the day, you know, Miami already has an elite class. Pound for pound, the best class in the country. You look at average recruit rating, they're the only team in the nation with above a 92 rating. So, you know, this class is stacked top to bottom. They have as many five stars as they do three stars, which is crazy. They've landed four or five stars over the last five months. At my previous beat, Michigan landed four or five stars over the last five cycles. Like, there's levels to this and Miami's recruiting at a completely different level right now.
[17:19]
B
Yeah, and you can kind of get that sense even before class gets going that this is going to be an epic class when it's all said and done and you're kind, kind of getting that feeling when it comes to 2028, Miami only has two commitments. They're going to have, you know, 25 more before it's all said and done. But do you think and just from spending time on the ground and talking to guys and just feeling out the vibe down there, do you think this is a potential number one class coming up for Miami in 2028?
[17:48]
C
It could be. You know, I think that you're really setting the stage to land some elite talent. And there are so many highly touted guys around the state that Miami's already building a lot of buzz with, you know, and I think if you start off by Talking with the 2028 class, you have to start off with Bryson Wright, man, the number one overall recruit in the country. Five star wide receiver. Obviously number one wide receiver as well. Man, you landed Mere Sears, you landed Nick Lanier. And I know Bryson Wright is further north up in Jacksonville, but he's your next in state superstar. I think there are stars, you know, guys with star potential and then there are guys with superstar potential. Amir Sears is a superstar in the making. Nick Lanier is a superstar in the making. Malachi Toney is already a superstar. And Bryson Wright, you know, just has that it factor that swagger about him that, you know, kids want to be like Malachi Toney. They're going to want to be like Nick Lanier and Amir Sears. So you have a one, no cut nick and then B5, you know, that would be just a dream come true for Miami fans. But yeah, I mean, right now I think Miami is right up there. You know, he is considering some out of state options like Texas, I would say is, you know, a primary threat. Florida and Florida State are going to do, you know, their best to keep him in state as well. But Miami's built some good momentum there. They just had him on campus that last weekend in June before the dead period. And I think, you know, Bryson Wright sees what's going on at Miami, sees guys like Nick and Amir committing. Look, Malachi, Tony helped with Nick Lanier committing. Nick Lanier helped with Amir Sears committing. You know, these guys can help with Bryson Wright committing. So 100. Yeah, I think Miami is a really strong player there. And then you look around this, you know, other guys in the state definitely to know, you know, you have a five star edge in Jackson and Jacksonville as well with Asher Giotto. I would say Miami is probably at the top in that recruitment. You have a top 50 overall recruit at linebacker and Gabriel Player out in Melbourne. I would say Miami has the lead in that recruitment. You know, if you're looking for a highly touted South Florida guy. Tramone Isaac, top 100 wide receiver at Chaminade Madonna. You know, I think Miami leads there. So you know, the Hurricanes are building a lot of buzz around the state and you know they recruit really well nationally. So they're going to keep some top guys home. They're going to land the best of the best across the country from coast to coast. You see Dante Wright committed this cycle all the way from California. You see Israel Abrams in the Midwest committed. You see Boog Jaden Bryant in South Carolina committed. So you know, I think Miami's poised for a huge 2028 especially, you know, if they go out there, take care of business on the field and win the natty this time. So, you know, we'll see what happens.
[20:49]
B
That's right. All right, Kane fans, if we all have plenty of time to talk 2028, I know it sounds exciting now, but we got plenty of time. Let's talk 2027. Are there any more five stars? Amir Sears is the latest, but could you see a Mark Matthews, DJ Jacobs, Olu Ola, Babolo? Anybody else? My son Johnson Cook. Do you see another five star added to 2027 class before it's all said and done? Talk to us comment section below. We're talking Texas recruiting. Couple major developments going down. Of course Texas ending summer with a bang. Of course five star offensive line lineman Ishmael Kamara committed. But on Saturday, one of the top running backs in America, the number three ranked back in America, Landon Williams callous commits to the Longhorns. And that's what we're going to talk about today. We have Justin Wells of Inside Texas. Justin, we we here at the Inside Scoop. We love Landon Williams callous five star caliber back. I know we're splitting hairs here. Only the top 32 get five star status. Landon Williams cow is sitting outside of that at like number 42. But he's got that type of talent, doesn't he? I mean is he. When we talk five star players, we're talking somebody that's a franchise player, a prospect that's going to come in and make an immediate impact. Somebody that has first round NFL potential. Do you think Landon Williams callous checks those boxes?
[22:19]
E
I think he, he can check some of those boxes. I do. The reason he's a borderline five star high four star is because he's five foot eight. If he's six foot he might be the best player in the country. I mean let's just be honest with you. And talking to his coach, he's in that 190 to 200 pound range now. So he is just dynamic. But what's funny is when you play him on Friday night, the stars don't matter. He just kills you. He just, he's one of the most productive tailbacks in the history of Texas high school football and he still has an entire other season to play for Richmond Randle and coach Brian Randle down there. And he wants to try to win another six A state championship like he did his sophomore season. Landon Williams callous is just Mr. Dynamic production like and he really fits the mold of what a Steve Sarkeesian Jabar Jaluk tailback can give you. He can play inside, he can run outside zone, he can catch the ball in the flat and he can make people miss. The beauty about LWC is I'm not comparing him to EMT Smith but it's his style is similar because he never gets hit hard, he never takes big hits. And that's how EMT Smith lasted in the NFL for 10, 15 years because people rarely got to come up and pop him. He would always be at a glance. Landon Williams does not let you hit him head up and that, that keeps him healthy. That keeps that keeps that tread on that tire. And so this is big for Jabbar Jaluk man, I'm telling you this is big because I'll be honest with you, Texas was completely out of this recruitment in December. Our Charlie Williams went to see him at the state championship and and it did not sound good for the Horns. Of course at the time Tex they were Texas was going into their third running back coach in three years. So there was some inconsistency there. Jabar J. Luke said I got it and that man went into overtime and he slowly built it out over the spring. He didn't press, he didn't push. He just built the relationship and the connection and it really hit home. The official visit when they left in late, I believe it's June 19th, the 21st. When they left in late June it was, it was Texas that was the choice. They may have had to have a little bit of table talk like a week later or whatnot. But it was going to be Texas after that official visit. And so you give Jalook a lot of credit. Look, this was going to be a one tailback class. Noah Roberts is also in this class out of Basha Arizona. He's, he's another four star in this class. Texas said look, they're going to take one more. If it was Landon Williams callous, they weren't going to take anybody else in this cycle. It was only going to be lwc. And now they get one of the most dynamic playmakers and we know about his family. If you don't. Jacquiz Rogers, one of the most exciting college football players I've ever seen. All, all pack 12, I think was offensive player of the year one year. Michael Lewis, another guy, safety that played for, for Philadelphia. LWC's got the jeans, man. He's got some athletic jeans and I think he's going to have a lot of fun at Texas. I don't know if he makes an immediate impact, but I bet we see him on the field as a true freshman.
[25:16]
B
All right, so you know, in the last couple years Texas has gone out of state and I know talent is talent doesn't care where it comes from. But you know, Cedric Baxter, Derek Cooper, Jerick Gibson. Texas was going into the state of Florida to find their running backs. Do you think Longhorn fans are excited to get one from the home state of Texas?
[25:38]
E
You know, that's a great question. I kind of do because Texas really liked the last few cycles of in State tailbacks, K.J. edwards and J.B. and Osborne. I mean there's some really good running backs that have come to Taylor Tatum that have come through the state. I think part of it was to Char Choice being from that southeast region, having a lot of connections to Shar Choice, knew Cedric Baxter in eighth grade, Jarrett Gibson in seventh grade. So there was kind of a deal there. Then Chad Scott, the, the next running back coach, he was from Florida, so he had connections down there. And so the Derek Cooper thing matured and happened. But I, I think anytime you're a Texas, you know who really likes this, I don't necessarily think it's Texas fans. I think Texas high school football coaches, right. Seeing a Texas guy, a Texas running back for the Texas Longhorns, because you know, when you look at the history, obviously you know Ricky Williams from California, but when you look at the other guys, most of those guys were born and bred in the state of Texas, most notably Earl Campbell from the Tyler Rose. And so I think the fans kind of dig that it's going to be an in state kid. It's a little easier to get emotionally attached, especially when a lot of the kids at his school are probably Texas fans already. But it's fun how those things kind of play out from time to time.
[26:53]
B
All right, let's talk about another major development here at the end of summer. We had John last week and we did not talk about John Meredith. He was a 20, 27 commitment. Now I guess. Is he now enrolled at Texas right now? Is he enrolled at Texas or enrolling?
[27:13]
E
He is signed with Texas and he is in. Enrolled. He is in the process of. He may have already been moved down there by now. He had to finish up. He has a few, I think online things he had to finish up at the last minute because this was thrown together at the last minute. And, and, and listen, I, I want to make sure and give a lot of credit to the North Crowley football staff. John Meredith never played it down there. His mother moved to that region and got married and they still claimed him ineligible.
[27:44]
B
Right. And so, so, so he's ineligible to play at North Crowley, which is why. Because he wasn't going to be able to play, which is why he reclassified from 2027 up to 2026, which is the signing year that we covered last cycle, which means he is now part of the roster. But he was the number two ranked corner in the country in this class. 6 to 175, 180. He has the frame to do it. He has the talent to do it. So I guess the, I guess the reason why is so at least he can get some reps this season.
[28:21]
E
I actually think it's to keep him around his circle because honestly the option was going to be the IMG Academy out in Bradenton, Florida. And he actually, he looked at a couple other schools out in Florida as well. I think the consensus was let's keep this kid within his circle. Let's keep it around the people that he's comfortable with. There's guys on the campus at University of Texas right now that John Meredith is close to. That's a big thing because anytime a kid skips their senior season, like I understand the graduating early is the new thing. And really that's what college football coaches want. They want the freshman to come in in the spring and get reps. But to skip an entire senior season, I don't think John Meredith will be physically held back. It's a mental thing. It's an emotional maturity thing. And so you ship him to IMG where you don't know anybody out there. You don't, you can't really watch him as much. He's still a young guy. He's just turned 18. He's still a young man. So Texas, now, they figured they can get a better idea. Just let him start getting developed. Let him, let him get into the system. And here's the beauty of this, too. If John Meredith signs with the 27 class and comes in as A true freshman. He's expected to be in the rotation. This is the number. This was the number two corner in the country or number one. This was number two player in the state. This was the guy, okay, that he was going to be expected to do that. He's not expected to do that now. He's expected to show up on time, learn the system, get behind in the following the drills, learn. You know, kind of start to get in that mindset of being a college football player, being a student athlete, he's having to grow up a little faster than usual. I'm not a fan of it, but in this circumstance, North Crowley coaches and the Texas recruiting staff did tremendous work in the background to get this kid ready, to get this kid eligible. When kids enroll early or graduate early, it's usually a plan set ahead of time, a year or two in advance. This was thrown together in the last two months, a month and a half. And so again, Crowley coaches give a lot of credit. The Texas football staff, ton of work was done in the background to get this kid the ability to sign now, to enroll now and to be with the team.
[30:32]
D
Now.
[30:32]
E
I like that Meredith's there. From the standpoint, they know what he's doing. They're gonna. They're gonna be able to groom him and mold him into what he needs to be, and the expectations are going to be really low. But on the second hand, I don't like kids missing their senior year. I think that year of maturity, not just physically, but emotionally and things like that I think are very important.
[30:52]
B
All right, so let's wrap it up on this. What does it mean for Texas recruiting? Because he was the top rated corner in this class. I know he's already on campus, so does it mean nothing? Does it mean something? What does Texas do now that John Meredith is enrolling?
[31:08]
E
I think during pause mode right now, they got two other guys in the cycle. Montre Jackson, four star and Brandon Sherrard, four star. And they love both those kids. If they keep those two, which we anticipate right now, they're going to. Those two eventually sign in December. I think they stay put. I don't think they necessarily need to add another 1 in 27. Now, if we see a late senior eval, a late senior riser, somebody pops up, I'm telling you. Humble Ataska Cedar cornerback Joshua Banks, he's committed to Texas Tech. That's a kid I would keep my eyes on. I think he is one of the most underrated prospects in the country. If a guy like him pops up And Texas decides, you know what, he would be a nice addition to the program. Let's go ahead and flip him. You'll see the standard circusian November, December push because that's generally when the staff actually puts any pressure on kids. They don't do it throughout the recruitment. And so I think they're going to stay pat right now it's a great question, it really is because do you replace Meredith? But right now I think they just want to add one more safety and be done with the secondary. And that's assuming they keep Montre Jackson and Brandon Sherrard. I don't think Sherrard's looking anywhere else. I know that SMU would love to flip Montre Jackson. I know that SMU is trying to flip Montre Jackson. So Texas is going to keep their head on a swivel and they're going to pay attention to other corners. Cam Robertson down out of Houston, a Houston commit. Man, Houston Willie Fritz has amazing early evals. That's a kid that Texas may go back to and look at and potentially do, you know, flip at the end of the year. But right now I think they stay pat if they can keep Jackson and Sherrard.
[32:41]
B
All right, Texas fans, talk to me and Justin about Landon Williams. Callis, are you, do you feel good that Texas is putting all their chips in on an in state back, removing the guys from the state of Florida. It's good to be back in the state of Texas once again landing five star caliber talent. So talk to us about Landon Williams. Kyle, put it in the comment section below. The college season is right around the corner, which means the high school football season is even closer. We got some big time matchups on our hands. I got Greg Biggins here. Let's talk about it, Greg. High school football right around the corner. Camp has already started at most powerful high school programs. So I got a question for you. Who is the number one team in the country as we head in to the 2026 high school football season?
[33:32]
D
Yeah, that's a great question. You know, obviously, you know, we're, we're, we use the Massey rating with ours and that's DeSoto, Texas. And DeSoto is a traditional Texas power. I'll tell you what though, man, they open up with St. Thomas Aquinas, our program from Florida. And I have tons of respect for St. Thomas Aquinas. They got Mark Matthews, they got a couple guys going to Notre Dame, a couple guys going Ohio state. I think St. Thomas could actually be the number one team in the country before it's all said and done. DeSoto also has to play Allen, Texas, another traditional power, and also Duncanville. So out of the gate, boom, boom. I mean, DeSoto, God bless them. I love high school team. That schedule like that number one team in the Massey ranking, dude. Josh, they could open up. Oh, and three if they go two and one in that. In that stretch right there, dude, I'm all about them, so we'll see. It should be fun.
[34:18]
B
All right, Massey, rankings aside, Greg, who are three other teams that you think can make a run at number one nationally?
[34:28]
D
So I am not a West coast, Southern California homer. I am not Josh, I will say St John Bosco for me again. I've had a lot of exposure to him. I think St. John Bosco on paper deserves to be the number one team right now. St. Thomas, excuse me, St. Francis, ridiculous defense, the top defense in the country. And then IMG Academy. Not to get ahead of ourselves. Those two teams will play at the end of the year, but I know that's a question for another time, but St. John Bosco, Josh, again, a lot of exposure to him, zero weaknesses as a team. They have the quarterback with Koa Malauulu. DJ Tubs was awesome all offseason. Has the wide receiver, strong on both sides. A lot of scrimmage. Their secondary, probably the best secondary out West. I, Sala Wota going to Washington, Dylan Davis going to Vandy. They got dudes at linebacker. Two guys going to Washington, a linebacker, Josiah Poyer going to usc. Really, really well coached. They don't just roll the ball out there, man. They out scheme. They're loaded, Josh. So for me, and again, they beat St. Francis last year. That was St. Francis only lost last year. I think Bosco's got a better team than they did last year. So for me on paper right now, Bosco. I love St. Francis. I love IMG, St. Francis, the defense, IMG Jaden Wade, those receivers. Oh, Sonny Gales, Eric McFarlane, Aaron Washington in the secondary. All three of those teams. For me, that. That would be my 1, 2, 3. If you're asking me on whatever today is, July, whatever, I don't know the dates anymore, but I like those three teams a lot.
[35:55]
B
All right. As the players are wrapping up their summer conditioning, the way I get ready for the college football season is I spend a day on the couch watching early week one high school football. There's usually a couple good national games on. So what can we expect? Week one from a national perspective at high school football?
[36:16]
D
I don't even know what week one is anymore. Josh, Hawaii opens up in two weeks, right? And you got St. Louis High School, the Crusaders. That's Marcus Mariota. That's Tuatanga by Loa. They're playing Kahuku, who again, that's, you know, loaded. Loaded.
[36:31]
C
Yeah.
[36:31]
D
Those, those two teams play in two weeks. So out here in California, we have a week zero. I don't know what Hawaii has, man. That's really, really early. So I'm, I'm all about that game right there. I love the players, I love the passion that they play within Hawaii. But if you're talking a week one game, Josh, you're talking. I just hyped up St. John Bosco. They open up at Bishop Gorman. For me, Bishop Gorman is a top five program every single year. They're loaded, they're well coached. I've been to Gorman practices. They practice like a college team. They really do. Ace Amina, it's going to be his breakout junior season. Love the secondary. Camille Lau going to Cal. Hayden Step going to Oregon. So I just hyped up Bosco. For me, it would not be an upset at all if Gorman takes them out. That's how good I think Gorman is. Those are two top five programs. So again, not just being a West coast guy, but week one, Josh in Las Vegas, it's going to be over 100 degrees. Gorman hosting St. John Bosco. I can't wait for that one.
[37:27]
B
100 degrees down on the field. It'll be about 72 on my couch. So I'm going to love that. Any other big games throughout the season that you've got circled on your calendar?
[37:39]
D
So again, Southern California wise, St. John Bosco. Modern day has become kind of the rivalry. Those two teams have met as one and two in the country multiple times. I already mentioned all the Texas teams kind of play each other. Duncanville plays Allen. I think that's late August. All those Texas teams are so good. Yeah, BUFORD Grayson, the two top teams in Georgia last year, Buford went 150 and was a national champion. I think Buford is another top five. I think I've said like eight teams could be top five. So I'm all over the map right now. But Buford Grayson and I kind of teased it already. End of the, end of the year, last game of the year. St. Francis IMG Academy. They were supposed to play last year. Not going to get into why they didn't play. Both those two teams could be undefeated. Should be undefeated at that point in time. They both have good nominally schedules, but not, not as nearly as tough as years past. So I'm expecting both those two teams loaded programs to meet end of the year. And that game right there could decide Josh who is really the number one team in the country.
[38:39]
B
I was going to say, could that be the de facto national championship game and if so, who do you got for the overall national champion when it comes to high school football in 2026?
[38:50]
D
Putting me on the spot.
[38:51]
B
On the spot.
[38:53]
D
I think on paper Saint John Bosco has the best team. They also have the biggest gauntlet. Not only play, they play Kahuku, Hawaii. The Trinity league is loaded. They play Modern day. They play Santa Margarita. They get through that gauntlet, then they go to the D1 playoffs. Sierra Canyon is a sleeper team for me that I think could win the whole thing. They'd have to probably beat Bosco modern day. With the beat Bosco have to beat Modern day or Santa Margarita a second time. Centennial also in that D1. Centennial is a top 10, top 15. So just getting through undefeated, Josh, is extremely difficult. So while I think Bosco is probably the best team, I, I do think just because the schedule, the way it shapes up, the winner of that St. Francis IMG Academy is probably the number one team. And as of right now, I would say I kind of lean a little bit toward that St. Francis team. Again, their defense is ridiculous, their front seven is insane and they have a just enough offense to kind of put up, you know, 30 points a game. That's all they need with that defense. So if you're asking me Today, best team, St John Bosco, national champion. Want to lean a little bit towards St. Francis.
[39:51]
B
All right, there it is. Greg, thanks for chiming in. Now we want to hear from you guys. Who do you think is the best team in high school football in 2026? Let us know. Put it in the comments section below.