Mario Cristobal can’t ignore what this five-star said after rejecting Miami

Mario Cristobal can’t ignore what this five-star said after rejecting Miami originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.

Five-star offensive lineman Mark Matthews committed to Mike Elko's Texas A&M on Friday over Mario Cristobal's Miami. The 2027 recruit is a South Florida native and attends St. Thomas Aquinas High School.

As Matthews picked Texas A&M over hometown program Miami, it was also a great win for Elko over Cristobal, who led the Hurricanes to the playoff last season. However, the five-star recruit is more sold on Elko's coaching staff, as the Aggies sent four starting offensive linemen to the NFL Draft in 2026, with all four getting selected.

“It’s the Elko Era,” Matthews said.

Matthews’ addition gives Texas A&M the best offensive line recruiting class in the country, as he is the No. 1 offensive tackle in the 2027 class. Following his commitment, Matthews told Rivals that picking Texas A&M over Miami was not an easy decision.

“It was really tough,” Matthews said. “I would go to a 7-on-7 event or a 5-on-5 event in my area, and they’ll tell me to go to Miami. Maybe I’m letting down some hometown people, but I’ve got to do what’s best for me and my family.”

Matthews is the fifth five-star prospect that Texas A&M has landed already in the 2027 class, marking the most in the country. He is also the 14th commitment for the Aggies in the cycle, which now rank No. 1 in the country, according to Rivals.