Texas A&M added two ESPN 300 commitments on Wednesday, including its fourth five-star, with defensive end Shemar Stewart and safety Jacoby Mathews.
Stewart is the No. 6 prospect overall and the top defensive end. He’s a 6-foot-5, 255-pound prospect from Monsignor Edward Pace High School in Miami. Stewart had a final-three list of Texas A&M, Georgia and Miami, and is now part of the No. 1 class for the Aggies.
“The bond that we built over the recruiting process,” Stewart told ESPN. “The foundation we built and the relationships that I’ve made with the coaches is what put them over the top.”
Miami made a big push for his commitment, but the Hurricanes only recently signed defensive coordinator Kevin Steele, which could have made an impact on Stewart’s decision. The Aggies have been thought to be a leader for quite some time and have finally secured his signature.
“I weighed out the pros and cons and then just trusted my gut,” Stewart said. “They’ll be playing a four linemen scheme and I’ll be a strong-side end for them.”
He’s joining fellow five-star defensive tackle Walter Nolen, who is the No. 1 recruit in the class, as well as defensive tackle Gabe Brownlow-Dindy, the No. 3 recruit in the class and the second-best defensive tackle, and receiver Evan Stewart, ranked No. 12 overall.
Mathews is the No. 51 prospect overall and the No. 3 safety in the class. He’s joining Bryce Anderson, who is the No. 2 safety, to help solidify the backend of the secondary.
The Aggies now have 23 ESPN 300 commitments, including the No. 1 pocket-passing quarterback, Conner Weigman, the No. 2 running back in Le’veon Moss, and the top three tight ends in the class with Jake Johnson, Donovan Green and Theodor Melin Ohrstrom.
The staff also brought in LSU transfer quarterback Max Johnson to help add depth at quarterback. In total, the Aggies have 16 high school commitments ranked in the top 10 at their respective positions in what is one of Texas A&M’s best recruiting classes since ESPN started its rankings in 2006.